National Park Tour - Death Valley - Sunday 5/27/07

It is so much easier to get up with the sun outside a tent than in. I thought I might camp somewhere else tonight so I packed everything up and took off to the Valley.

On a whim, I decided to visit Skidoo. It was another sweaty-palms dirt road, 9 miles deeper into what was already the middle of nowhere. I made it with no problems, but made it where? In the middle of a totally empty valley I drove up to a handy-dandy NPS sign which informed me that I was parked in what was once the town of Skidoo. Not a trace of it was left. No rusty junk, no cement slabs, no rotting wood, nothing. I wondered why on earth anyone would drive all the way out here just for a NPS sign.

I figured I might as well make the most of it. To my right I notice the road goes up the hill to what is likely a nice view of Death Valley. Unfortunately, someone is already parked there and I’m not in the mood for company. The desert prefers solitude. I noticed a mine up the hill to my left and a road leading in the general direction. I got back in my car and drove up as far as I dared in the direction of the mine, then parked and hiked the rest of the way. It was like a cute little version of the Panamint City mine. I opted not to walk in this one, since I was alone, no one knew where I was, and perhaps most importantly, I forgot my flashlight and was too lazy to hike down to the car and then back up with it.

From here I assumed my Forrest Gump mentality and thought since I hiked up this far, I might as well hike a bit further and see what’s over that saddle. Turns out more mines were over the saddle. I marveled over one that looked like an earthquake fault, cut along the ground. I had never seen a mine like that before. I also noticed a wood structure, which finally made me feel like I didn’t drive out here for nothing. Past the wood structure, it looked like I might be able to get my own nice view of Death Valley up a nearby hill. Might as well! I tell myself, and continue on.

The top of the hill didn’t have the valley view I was hoping for, but what it did have was a view of another hill, circumscribed by a road with gates on both sides. It looked like someone didn’t want people over there, so of course I had to go see why not. That’s when I found the reason for the 9 mile bump-fest through the desert. The Skidoo Mill, cascading down a strikingly deep canyon and overlooking a spectacular Death Valley vista, was still in awesome shape! I climbed around it a bit, took some pictures, and then headed back to the car happy.

I turned the car around and while I drove down the hill, a raven flew along side like a playful dolphin alongside a boat. She stopped and perched on the “Warning – Mines” sign (sorry, no stick figures in peril this time). I thought she would make a good Poe-esque picture and so I stopped to see if she would pose. Not only did she pose, but she also starred in a short film titled “Raven Cawing on Warning Sign.” I rewarded her with a piece of bread, as there was plenty leftover from the duck pond, and drove on.

On the way back down the 9 mile bump-fest I stopped at an old cabin and mine I couldn't see on the way up that were also in great shape and took some pictures. The detour was well worth it after all.

My next stop was Scotty’s Castle for lunch and pictures for my desert rose page. I enjoyed the shade for a while and then waved goodbye to the castle’s pet coyotes and took the road to Ubehebe Crater.

The crater was mind-bogglingly spectacular. No picture from my cheeseball camera could do it justice but I tried anyway. The park service warned us to set our parking break due to winds, and they weren’t kidding. The world’s biggest hurricane-force blowdryer was roaring up at us from the bottom of the crater. I attempted to hike up to Little Hebe, but when the trail narrowed I lost my nerve due to the wind. It was fun to watch the other tourists lean into it with their arms outstretched on my way down.

I needed gas and decided to go to Furnace Creek so I could hang out in the air conditioned Visitor Center for a bit. On the way there, I stopped to see Salt Creek on a whim. It was a fun little walk along the boardwalk, and the pupfish were cute.

The Visitor Center closed at 5 and I drove back to Wildrose because camping in any of the valleys would have been way too hot. I had checked Mesquite Spring on the way back from the crater hoping it would have Mesquite trees, but no such luck. I thought it would be a fun place for a group camp, or for stargazing, in cooler weather.

It was windy at Wildrose so I set up the tent. I ended up tying it on both ends because when the sun set the wind totally changed direction! Such is life in the desert. I filled up my bucket for a sponge bath and a shave. I also discovered a cool walk-up campsite at the top of the hill. Maybe on another windless night I will hike my sleeping bag up to that one for a night under the stars.

Tonight, however, I went to sleep to the chatter of a large family of Southern rednecks who had pulled up nearby. So much for solitude! Before I went to sleep I read a few bits of A Course in Miracles. It is very thoughtful stuff.