Part two of four parts- Trona Pinnacles Trail, Slate Range Trail, Mengel Pass Trail, and the Ibex Dunes Trail.
Part one:
http://www.sccxterra.com/smf/index.php/topic,464.0.html
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
(only rough estimate of the trails taken)
The Slate Range Trail is an off-raod short cut to meet the Memgel Pass Trail connecting from the Trona Pinnacles trail. The trail is rated a 3 out 10 on the difficulty scale primarily for one wet waterfall to climb near the start of the trail. The trail travels past of the historic forty-niner's escape trail from Death Valley.
The eastern end of the Slate Range Trail starts ends at Valley Wells, which was a depot of the Rinaldi and Clark freight teams. The freight company delivered passengers and supplies to the Panamint mines on the trails that were often worse that the Slate Range.
The forty-niner's famils, the Bennetts and Arcanes, who managed to escape Death Valley, crossed the Slate Range from the Panamint Valley. From the Panamint Valley they crossed the southern end of the valley to camp in Fish Canyon. Just a month earlier another forty-niner named Father Fish died here in an attempt to escape Death Valley. Rev Brier who was Fish's travel companion described the canyon as "a silent sepulchre of dismal appearance". He noted Indians observing them from above on the canyon rims and he was concerned about the possible of an ambush.
In the Manly Pass cattle were given leather boots to protect against the rocks, but the makeshift gear quickly wore against the rocks and progress was slow. Both oxen and humans had trouble crossing the sharp rocks in the area. The Slate Range separates the Searles Valley from the Panamint Valley.
The ruins of a water well station where the mule teams and oxen were watered between the canyon and the Searles Valley.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
A marker pointing out the escape trail.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
A natural spring feeds this waterfall keeping it nice and wet ... and fun to climb.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
Nothing here to challenge even a stock 4WD truck.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
Near the top of the range close to the Fish Canyon side road.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
The views down into the Panamint Valley were impressive. Panamint is just to the west of Death Valley with the Panamint Range separating the two valleys.
Slate Range Trail Nov 2009
For an even bigger panoramic view (870 KB):
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/Death%20Valley%20Solo%20Nov%202009/Slate%20Range%20Trail/SlateRangePanoramaSuper.jpgI did shoot some video in this part of the adventure and I'll edit the thing up and post it here when done.
Next the Mengel Pass Trail and into Death Valley itself!
