Ubehebe road to Racetrack Playa

[HERR42]

I am looking for someone who is familiar with the area. Anyone been there?
(its in Death Valley)

 

[Ted]

Road to Racetrack Playa

We drove it in February of this year (see trip report on Death Valley). Typical washboarding but not bad. We saw several standard two wheel drive passenger cars on the road. There are some narrow sections where you need to get way over when people come in the opposite direction. Due to the way the road is graded, there are few areas where you can actually pull off the road.

We camped at Teakettle Junction. Once it was dark, there wasn't any traffic on the road. About a mile closer to the Playa is a side road to a mine. You can take it a short ways and camp out there and have no traffic at all.

You can also continue on Past RP instead of backtracking. We read that 4wd is required going on that way but were traveling alone and decided not to take it. Death Valley is popular so I am sure you will get other responses with more info.

Ted
Ted

 

[kcowyo]

Ted got it right.

The washboards can be really bad depending on the time of year. Bad enough to rattle the fillings out of your teeth. But it's a wonderful, remote road and the payoff at the Racetrack is well worth it.

The road past the Racetrack leads to Lippencot Trail. 4WD is required, mostly for some off camber spots and suspension articulating holes.

Looking back down on Lippencot Trail -

The Racetrack -

Teakettle Junction -

 

[HERR42]

lippincott mine road

its the lippincott mine road that runs from saline valley to the racetrack that i am interested in.

on some of the maps its marked as ubehebe road hence my confusion.

its the shortest path between the main drag and the racetrack.

 

[kcowyo]

There a few tight switchbacks and one turn in particular that I recall having to "suck it in" in my Toyota. It would be a tight squeeze for a F250, but not impassable, especially if you have a co-pilot that can get out and guide you through.

Also there is one off camber spot that leans you over to the passenger side pretty hard, but again, not impassable. Just gotta take it slow and watch for pullouts on your way up. We crossed paths with a 4Runner coming down Lippencot and it was a really tight squeeze to get by him.

Challenges aside, it is a great trail, incredibly scenic and worth the drive up.

 

[HERR42]

when was it that you were there? (KC ?)

 

[kcowyo]

I went last Thanksgiving, for 4 days.

That's when those previously posted pics were taken. I went with several folks, including this 80 series Landcruiser pulling a M101 trailer as we started up the Saline Valley Road headed towards Lippencot -

Our group at the geologists cabin in Butte Valley -

I also went in November of '97. November is a great time of year down in DV, but cold up in the mountains. Goler Wash is another popular trail that used to be quite challenging. It was graded last Fall, so the drive up is little more than a flat gravel road.

- K.C.

 

[Tomas Tierra]

Cool shots KC!!

November huh???? Hmmmmm. Sounds like a road trip!

 

[kcowyo]

Jeff -

A well known and respected traveler who lives in the area, David Wright, just posted a write up on the Liipincot Trail with several pics. His website has a ton of write ups & pics from the Eastern Sierras and the Great Basin Divide. I thought you might find this helpful or interesting -

Lippincot Grade

 

[HERR42]

thanks, that looks good.
Golar Wash? What does that lead to that is of interest?

 

[canterburyfour]

Here is a good link.
http://www.syncrosafari.com/deathvalley/index.htm

 

[kcowyo]

Golar Wash? What does that lead to that is of interest?

Our day started in the small town of Ballarat -

...checking out the relics -

....then heading up Goler Wash -

....which leads to the former home of Charles Manson and his band of merry lunatics -

 

[Tomas Tierra]

The guy that runs that Balarat store is one trippy fellow!!
Very nice and helful though.
Can't remember his name...