Death Valley Encounter - Day 1

December 28 2015

It's been some 9 years since I rode the Death Valley Encounter endurance ride. It was good to be back on some of these old rugged, challenging trails.

Though the ride no longer actually goes inside the park, the scenery is still exceptional, particularly of the Panamint Range. The old history of the area is fascinating, and the Slate Range and the Panamints (indeed the whole area around here) are dotted with abandoned gold and silver mines.

I was terrifically grateful to be riding in the winter and not the summer! We actually had cold enough morning temperatures (21* to 31*) to wake up to a couple of inches of ice on the water buckets. Days were sunny and cold, horses were fresh and strong. We rode the 50 milers on Days 1 and 3.

I rode my pal Jose, with Steph on Smokey, Gretchen on Coquette, and Peggy on Zane.

Here's a taste of some photos from Day 1:

Starting out with long shadows on a 21* morning

Climbing the Slate Range, with the Panamint Valley below and Panamint Mountains beyond

In the Panamint Valley, looking toward the Panamint Mountains

Riding along the ancient Lake Panamint, now a dry lake bed, with the fascinating Panamint Mountains beyond. 

Climbing back up the Slate Range out of Panamint Valley

Steve Bradley took this fabulous photo of us cresting the Slate Range in the morning.

Day 2 coming soon, and more photos and story at:

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2015DVE

Welcome to Death Valley - Book Review

Friday April 13 2012

(for those of you who missed it on The Raven's blog)

Artist and writer Janet Morgan, of Art & Adventures kindly sent The Raven her latest children's book, "Welcome to Death Valley!"

The book is near and dear to The Raven's heart, not only because he's hiked and flown around Death Valley National Park, and ridden through parts of it on horseback, but Janet's story is told by Ravenna and Ramón, two Ravens who live in the park and who know all its secrets!

Through observant and clever Raven eyes, Ravenna and Ramón give us a guided tour, from the lowest point in Death Valley, Badwater Basin, the salty playa 282 feet below sea level, to the highest point, Telescope Peak, at 11,043 feet; past Zabriskie Point and Gower Gulch, over the spectacular Sand Dunes, through Desolation Canyon, Mosaic Canyon, and Ubehebe Crater.

The Ravens also share other things not as well known: the secrets of the night life in the sand dunes; the special colors of Death Valley in different light; the geology of the mountains and alluvial fans and valleys and ancient waterfalls and lakes, now dry; and, in one of the hottest and driest places on earth, hidden oases with precious water.

Janet has created art around the world and spent much time exploring Death Valley and visiting with Ravens. Her bright and colorful illustrations demonstrate the beauty of Death Valley that the Ravens live in and see every day.

It's not just a children's book. It's also a Raven book, and it's a collector's work of art!

See Janet's website, or order her book, "Welcome to Death Valley!" at

www.artandadventure.com

Death Valley National Park II

Monday March 7 2011

Unforgiving heat. Punishing dryness. Rugged mountains. Spectacular scenery. Sound inviting?

Those are just a few of Death Valley National Park's claims to fame. Death Valley supposedly got its name when the Bennett-Arcane wagon train party bound for California finally staggered out of the valley on foot in December of 1849, after being unable to find their way out for weeks, and having burned their wagons for fuel to cook their oxen they had to eat to survive. After they made it out, a woman purportedly looked back at the valley, and said, "Goodbye, Death Valley." Had they stumbled into this valley in the summer, it's likely nobody would have been left to name anything.

William Lewis Manley was part of the wagon train who found a way out through the Panamint Valley and the Slate Range through Fish Canyon, returning the same way with supplies for the stranded wagon party and leading them out. The 4-day Death Valley Encounter Endurance ride used to follow this route. You can't help but think of the pioneers who stumbled through here - and the Indians that survived in and around here - long ago. The 20-Mule Team endurance ride, held in Ridgecrest, California, not far from here, is named after the 20-mule wagon teams that pulled the borax-laden wagons from the Death Valley mines in the late 1800's.

Death Valley became a National Monument in 1933, and in 1994 became a National Park, widening its borders. You can hike anywhere in the 5,262 square miles, from 262 feet below sea level in the Badwater Basin all the way to the top of Telescope Peak, at 11,049 feet. Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, is less than 80 miles away and can be seen from Telescope Peak on a clear day. In fact, crazy people compete in the Badwater Ultramarathon Run, 'The World's Toughest Foot Race', 135 miles from Badwater to Mt Whitney portal at 8000' - in JULY.

You can find warnings everywhere about the extreme temperatures and dangers of the heat in summer which can easily hit 120* and above (record was 134* in 1913). Even the names of some of the features are formidable: Funeral Mountains, Furnace Creek, Devil's Golf Course, Badwater.

I did an easy 4-mile hike near Badwater, hiking up Golden Canyon to the base of the dramatic Red Cathedral cliffs, climbing up and over into the next big wash, Gower Gulch, passing old Borax mines, spectacular canyons and colorful badlands. The colors that Mother Nature has concocted and blended together make a dazzling portrait of a fascinating landscape.

Already the temperature was reaching the 80's in parts of the canyons - just about time for me to leave Death Valley. It's one of America's most magnificent parks - just spend your time there in the winter.

(Slide show here:)

Death Valley National Park I

Saturday March 5 2011

Passing through Death Valley I found an excuse to camp overnight, and to hike in the evening. Winter really is the only time to visit, when you can appreciate it without cooking, or dying, in the 100-plus, often 120* heat.

It's stunning country. More to come.

(Slide show here:)