Death Valley Snow & Road Report 2012/2013

[Burmshot]

Nice ride report. I was hoping to get a ride report on this area soon have not been their since last year. Heading up after xmas for 5 days of riding Death Valley. It's going to be cold Brrrrr.

[M1Jeep]

Thanks for the recon, Finn.

[rider914]

Originally Posted by M1Jeep

Thanks for the recon, Finn.

+1

Looks frosty-er than I expected

Some areas I was thinking to aim for are upwards of 6k ft. Hmmm.... Recalculating

-M

[jrsride2002]

Originally Posted by Lost Rider

West side road

Excellent camera working... I love those night time long exposure shots
Really top notch, i've never taken my good camera on a ride with me for fear of F'ing it up!!

Great report, sucks you were on your own,
~Junior

[petzi-baer]

Hello,

I am planning a short trip over New Year's Eve - Maybe for 2 nights - testing my new camping equipment. Staying mostly on roads since I am alone and a dirt road newbie ...

Anybody else planning a trip around that time?

Not sure where I camp since Furnace seems to be all occupied.

Thanks

Petzi-baer

[2on2off]

Originally Posted by Rotex

I wanted to share our experience in response to your comments on the dreaded south pass into Saline Valley
Let me start by saying My Husband is my Hero. He takes me to greater, more exciting heights in this life than I ever dreamed of going.
With that said, here's our "South Pass" experience: We geared up our '08 BMW1200GS with about 185-190 lbs. of camping supplies, heated wear, and hot spring skivvies to enjoy the few vacation days I had left for 2012, totaling about 520 lbs on top of the bike. We left Bakersfield on Dec. 7 for a leisurely ride to Lone Pine. We camped at Lone Pine on the ground in our toasty sleeping bags with a low temp. at about 24* F that night. We spent an extra night in Bishop and rode the north pass into the valley on Sunday the 9th. That ride was fairly decent, nothing majorly difficult for us.
This is our fourth year of going to the Saline Hot Springs, second time on the north pass, the previous time being when we had our Ford pick up hauling our 36 foot fifth wheel, with our mountain bikes and BMW650 Decar in tow. (We'd brought the fifth wheel in the through the south pass the year before that but I think I'd cleared a few thousand pounds of rock from the road to get in and I just wasnt in the mood to do that again.)
This time we spent one day in the springs with the daytime temp. peaking at just about 80* F. The skies were clear, there weren't more than 10 people, a dozen donkeys, three or four coyotes, a peanut butter, honey, and Pretzel Crisp thief, and us out there. It was perfect, except I had to get back to work on Wed. So, tues. we packed back up and decided, upon the suggestion of some others, to head out to the south pass, literally flying across the dessert.
We got past one of the water crossings on the north slope of the south pass and hit this section of road that must have been completely washed out in the weeks beforehand and had since been filled in with huge rocks. The west side of the road was drive able but the dirt was ecruciatingly loose, and narrow. If we were going into the valley we could have managed this much easier, but coming out was white-knuckled kind of scary, but we did make it through without loss of life nor limb. As I stated before, my husband is my hero. He was bound and determined to get us out of there in time for me to get to work the next day and he did it. It was a much rougher ride than the north pass. We've never seen this pass so messed up before. It was worth the ride but unless you're a rider like my husband I wouldn't suggest the south pass.
We were too busy staying alive to take pics, sorry. But saline is a great destination.
Thanks for taking your time to read this.
Rotex's biker babe

You are correct about your husband being a hero not to mention a rider with amazing skill. There is no way I could have ridden an R1200GS two up on South Pass without dropping it a bunch of times. I know because I have ridden an R1200GSA on south pass but that was when it was in great shape and I was not riding two up.

Congrats on making it out south pass without incident. Was there any ice on south pass on the north slope? That can be another difficult section when riding south on south pass this time of year no matter what bike you are on.

[2on2off]

Lost:

Excellent recon report and great pics and video.

Did you see any ice on South Pass or just snow?

This looks like Larryboy's kinda weather for riding in DV. He doesn't seem to mind tent camping when it is 24 degrees out. Looks like you enjoy the cold riding also.

I'm itching to get back out there but just haven't had the time.

Has anyone ridden Echo Canyon lately?

[RandyM]

Originally Posted by petzi-baer

Hello,

I am planning a short trip over New Year's Eve - Maybe for 2 nights - testing my new camping equipment. Staying mostly on roads since I am alone and a dirt road newbie ...

Anybody else planning a trip around that time?

Not sure where I camp since Furnace seems to be all occupied.

Thanks

Petzi-baer

Free camping at emigrant campground: http://advrider.com/forums/showpost....3&postcount=10

Free camping at wildrose too but it wil be cold at 4000' elevation maybe snow.

The campground at Stovepipe wells is down in the valley and may be a little warmer.

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by 2on2off

Lost:

Excellent recon report and great pics and video.

Did you see any ice on South Pass or just snow?

This looks like Larryboy's kinda weather for riding in DV. He doesn't seem to mind tent camping when it is 24 degrees out. Looks like you enjoy the cold riding also.

Thanks!

No ice on south pass, just a little snow and compacted snow from trucks in the usual shady spots. The photo with snow on the road was the most there was up there, with all this rain/snow coming to socal this week that should probably change.

Yeah, I don't mind cold riding and camping, used to ride/commute year round when I lived in Chicago. This short ride was a cold one though on a bike with no windscreen, even with good cold weather gear. Now I'm sick as hell too...
Still was enjoyable all the same and I'm really looking forward to going back with more time ASAP.

Will be interesting to see what you guys find on your upcoming rides.


Thanks Junior, glad you like!
It didn't suck I was alone, I was in the best of company. ;)



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[benwiggin2]

Front page material....

[Rotex]

Originally Posted by larryboy

I think we've met...didn't the truck break down one time and you guys rode the 650 out for parts? Brake problem or something?


Welcome!!

Oh Yeah, that was us. The master brake cylinder went out on are truck coming down north, while pulling our 5th wheel or should i say it was pushing us. We thought we were going to die. I was so glad I had just installed a brake exhaust the week before. We will probably be out there for Death valley daze but no RV. Thanks for remembering us. We got everything fixed and had a nice ride on the Dakar. Hunter mountain, race track and back into saline through south pass. The only way I can ride 2 up is that my wife is a great pillion. She doesn't even freak out we her boot drags in the twisties when were flying. And it nice to have her with me to get the bike off of me when I get stuck underneath. We were out in Saline Valley with the bike all loaded up, a few years back, and met Jimmy Lewis. He thought we were nuts ridding 2 up. Maybe so, but we sure love riding together. It still cool that we were able to impress him.

[RAZR]

Originally Posted by Rotex

The only way I can ride 2 up is that my wife is a great pillion. She doesn't even freak out we her boot drags in the twisties when were flying. And it nice to have her with me to get the bike off of me when I get stuck underneath. We were out in Saline Valley with the bike all loaded up, a few years back, and met Jimmy Lewis. He thought we were nuts ridding 2 up. Maybe so, but we sure love riding together. It still cool that we were able to impress him.

that rules!

hope to see you next month at DVDAZE!

[rufus]

Please recommend some good maps and books about DV. I did a countdown DS ride from Ridgecrest to Beatty and back a a few years ago. I also road a street bike from Scottys castle all the way south through the park, So I am vaguely familiar with the area but I need details. I want to spend a week or so there on a DS. Thanks.

[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by rufus

Please recommend some good maps and books about DV. I did a countdown DS ride from Ridgecrest to Beatty and back a a few years ago. I also road a street bike from Scottys castle al the way south throught the park, So I am vaguely familiar with the area but I need details. I want to spend a week or so there on a DS. Thanks.

Get the Tom Harrison Death Valley map: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Valley-N.../dp/1877689572

and the California Trails Desert Region 4wd guide book: http://www.amazon.com/California-Tra.../dp/1930193203

Get on http://www.gpsxchange.com/ and get the Death Valley tracks from Countdowns private library (need to register).

Have fun. DV is great.

[rockydrxrvr]

I just retired, so I am new to this, If I pull my trailer into D.V. and it's late, with dark upon us, and all camp grounds are full, can I find a wide spot on a side dirt road in the monument till next morning....or will I get rousted?by a park ranger?