Death Valley Off-Road Adventures | Tacoma World

I spent 4.5 days (Nov 21-25 2009) in Death Valley. I entered through Ballarat, Wingate Road to Goler Canyon. I camped in Goler Canyon. The next day I ran up through Mengel Pass. The pass was very bad and I had to spend 30 minutes rebuilding the trail. I went down the pass, but I don’t know that I’d be able to make it back up. I hiked Striped Butte. Stayed the second night in Butte Valley atop an old mining site with commanding views of the road below.

The third day I wheeled into Death Valley and connected to West Side Road. I visited the “Queen of Sheba Mine”, a very rough slow going road through a 3-mile alluvial fan.

Later that day I ran “Hole in the Wall” and I took the rabbit hole as far as it would go.

The fourth day I ran Titus Canyon, and what a pleasure that was. I highly recommend it, stunning, awesome views that just would not quit. I ran it quick 1:45 hours while even taking time to explore Leadfield (Ghost town).

I boogied up to Little Ubehebe crater for lunch before hitting Racetrack Road. Racetrack road was recently plowed, so you can jam in certain places. After some peaceful moments at the racetrack I took Lippincott Pass until I ran out of daylight. Lippincott Pass (Ubehebe Road) is nothing more than a shelf road cut into the side of the mountain and is destroyed after each heavy rainfall. It’s very narrow and has one very rocky section. Passing is almost impossible.

Later that night, by chance I met another TW member. What are the odds? The next day, together, we ran the pass and Saline Valley road to the south to CA-190. Saline Valley road had two water crossings less than 12″ deep. There was also a pass at Hunter Mountain.

All the places I wheeled are passable to a 4×4 stocker with a locker. I only used my locker twice. The first time in Goler Canyon to get up a dry waterfall and though Mengel Pass.

Death Valley is an incredible place to wheel and hike. It has more diversity to offer than most other desert parks combined.

GOLER CANYON, PANAMINT MOUNTAINS, DEATH VALLY NATIONAL PARK

MENGEL PASS, PANAMINT MOUNTAINS, DEATH VALLY NATIONAL PARK

STAYING WARM IN BUTTE VALLEY, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

THE RACETRACK, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

LIPPINCOTT PASS TO/FROM SALINE VALLEY, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

LIPPINCOTT PASS TO/FROM SALINE VALLEY, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK