Topic: Death Valley: Mengel Pass and Pleasant Canyon Loop Trails

[Paul]

Has anyone ever run these trails in the past?

I've got a lot of days off over the next few weeks and was thinking about making the trip up north before the snow comes and closes some of the higher elevations. Lookin in the Massey/Wilson book they rate the Mengel Pass trail second only to the Mojave for scenic beauty. I know the club hasn't done the trail in the three years (dang) I've been running with them so I thought this would be new and fun. The trail is only rated a 4 out of 10 and I feel really comfortable running that solo. There's some cabins you can stay in (first come first serve) and even some hot springs along the way. Since I'd be out there on a weekday I'm pretty sure they'd be ours alone. The trail goes by the Mason Family arrest site and ends up out east in the middle of Death Valley. The fifty miles of this trail takes 5.5 hours. This is some really remote country so I want to play conservative (safety first).

The second trail is Pleasant Canon which the author rates a more serious 7 out of 10. Swansea-Cerro Gordo rates a 6 as does Last Chance Canyon. I've been on both of those and they weren't that bad. North Coyote Canyon rates a 7 and I think we've done that one. The nice thing is the Pleasant is a loop off of the Mengel Pass trail so if it looks too tough to do solo I'll just bail out and take the easy way. It has some cabins too which sounds fun too. What has me worried is the log bridge, low overhangs, and other nastiness in the trail description. The 23 miles takes 6 hours to cover so that sounds really slow going. Anyone ever run this trail that loops into and then out of Death Valley?

An alternative to this one would be the Slate Range trail which by-passes the Pleasant Canon area and the first 10 miles or so of the Mengel Pass trail. It's rated an easy 3 out of 10 - BMW 5 Series tough!

[Blackx]

Never run them but sounds awsome to me.  Any dates in mind?

[FrankB]

Paul,

Bobby and Brian, and I think also Snoopy, probably know this area pretty well. Hopefully one or more of them will answer. 

As for no club runs out to that part of Death Valley, there is no reason why you could not set something up if you wanted to.  I think there are some members who would like an opportunity go head out that way. If you don't want to set it up for the "regular" monthly run you could use a different weekend. Going forward if we want to have runs every month we're going to need some more people to organize and lead, since I know Brian is getting pretty busy with his kids, and the others of us who have been leading in the last few years have also got a lot of things going on.  As soon as I can find some time I'm going to open up a new discussion thread on the subject of upcoming runs (unless someone else beats me to it).

I would like to see that part of DV, but my work situation is such that I can't plan very far in advance right now.

[Paul]

I can call this a scouting trip then 

[Bobby B.]

The trails are fun but really, no big deal. 

Can stay in any of the cabins.  They are occupied if you see a US flag flying.  No flag, it's open.  The cabins are part of what's called the adopt-a-cabin program.  They are free, but etiquette dictates you leave them better than when you got there.  Sign the guestbook, sweep it out good before and after (keeps the rodent droppings and hantavirus at bay) and if you take a can of food, leave one.  And don't leave something crappy, like 5-year-old beets.

Barker Ranch (Manson) is closed.  There was a fire there a few months ago and it burned.  Sad, because it had just been fixed up.

DV is a great place; so much to see it's really impossible to do it all in one trip.  I've always worked in regions, exploring the park a bit at a time.  Extra everything is mandatory.  I usually carry 15 extra gallons of fuel, plus about 6 water.  There are only 4 gas stations and none in the northern part.  For the supercharged guys, carry octane boost, as the furnace creek station only has regular fuel.

You can only sometimes hit the repeater out toward 395 if you get in a bind.  Road conditions and a forum with some updates can be found at deathvalley.com.  There's also a link to what's called the Death Valley Morning Report. 

Paul, there's so much more here to cover.  If you want, give me a call. 

[xtatik]

Paul,
When were you planning on doing this run? I might be interested.

[Paul]

Paul,
When were you planning on doing this run? I might be interested.

Do I know you? 

Noon is suffering a cold ... so I'm hoping she's better by Sunday and heading up there to get back by Wednesday. I have to be back in town on Thursday for my night job. With my dog so close to dying it's tough on everyone and I want to get one more trip out there with her before she passes, I'm surprised she made it this long poor thing. If I get into a cabin life is going to be a bunch easier than sleeping in a tent but we're fine with that too. We've got a propane and battery powered shower for these extended trips and have hundreds of nights in a tent - but zero in a cabin.

Thanks for the tips Bobby. I think I'm going out on the Pleasant Trail one way or the other. I can always turn around if the going gets too tough as it's a loop trail. I carry extra fuel and water but this sounds like a trip to go deep! I have room for 15 gallons on the roof which sounds like will be fuel and I always carry 5 gallons of extra water in the truck plus drinking water.

The alternative is to go up that far north and turn left instead of right and go into the Sequoia NF ...

[xtatik]

Do I know you? 

Turd!

Well crap, I couldn't pull it together that quick. But, I'm thinking of making a trip into the northern regions of the park either later this month or into next.  I may venture further up into Nevada's Toiyabe range between Tonopah and Austin. Have Fun.
BTW, if you're out and about this weekend. There is going to be a trial run for 4 wheelers/overlanders HF net on Saturday at 6:30 (0230z) on 7190 (+ or - 10 khz for QRM). Will you be packin' HF??

[Paul]

Randy, no HF in the truck (yet).

[xtatik]

Too bad! Just keep in mind what Bobby said earlier regarding repeaters. Once you're into, or have any of the ranges between you and 395.......it's all simplex. You can occasionally hear Potosi from the Furnace Creek area and Silver Peak from a few areas in the northern portion of the park, but I've never been able to open one.

[Paul]

I'm going to do a four day three night tour ...

North of Kramer Junction the Trona Pinnacles Trail then back to the 178. North to the Slate Range Trail - short cut to the Mengel Pass Trail - into Death Valley - Death Valley West Side Road to the Harry Wade Exit Route heading south east to the Ibex Spring Road ... and finally the Alexander Hills Trail and out on the Furnace Creek Road ... and long ride home!

About 130 miles off road but none of it too tough. Should be lots of good scenery and plenty of photo ops.

Weather calls for light clouds, day time temperatures in the mid-70's and evenings down into the upper-40's.

[Bobby B.]

If you don't already have one, pick up one of those tire plugging kits.  DV loves eating tires.  Further out I get, I usually carry two spares.

One other thing I've started doing out there is guylining the roof of the tent to the bumper.  If you're camped in open space out there and the wind picks up, it can get severe.  One time when Randy and I camped out at the end of the racetrack, the wind came up so hard it brought the campfire back to life (despite a dousing with water), his tent filled with sand and, when I was sleeping, the tent poles at the top began collapsing and smacking me in the face.

[xtatik]

Using the word "severe" would be understating the conditions. You may want to stake down and use guylines on the truck also. Then attach the tent to it. If the truck gets blown away...you're screwed.

[Paul]

... and back!

No lost tires and no windy conditions. The weather couldn't have been better. The first night the air was so perfectly still and the skies crystal clear. Day two a bit of clouds came in in the afternoon and we had about 2-3 mile an hour winds. Day three was another perfect day. Temperatures got into the chilly 40's at night but once the sun came out it warmed quickly in the morning. Afternoon highs were about 80 degrees.

The trails were just tough enough to be a real challenge solo. Three places defined black diamond tough trails - one waterfall which was complete with water, and approaching and departing the Mengel pass had some tough areas. We ran into one pair of men on the Mengel pass trail and three couples once we dropped into Death Valley near the "tourist" areas.

Pictures to follow. 

[AV Xterra]

Sounds like a great trip Paul.