Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:18 pm
Page 1 of 1
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:41 pm
lets do this again. Once scottys castle is open after the flood damage has been repaired I hope to take my old car there. We go almost every year in "newer" cars (1950s-1960s 4x4) but I want an antique auto tour of the place with some dirt roads and maybe a high end night in the furnace creek inn. Its very expensive but it was built in the 20s. Some idiot thought it would be cool to modernize it but theres some history left.
Places to visit in no particular order:
1) MUST see scottys. They have old cars
2)Racetrack (25 miles of corrugated road)
3)saline valley (very remote)
4)badwater basin (lowest elevation in the US)
5)titus canyon
6) rhyolite ghost town (pictured above)
7) devils golf course
8) some dune system - several to see
9)mushroom rock
10)marble canyon
11)dantes view
12)zabriske point
13) butte valley (may be too hard in old cars)
14) ubehebe crater
15) darwin falls (short hike of about a mile)
16) panamint resort ( good camp ground and food and fuel)
17) ballarat ghost town
Most of the best stuff as far as cool ruins will be too hard to see with old cars, but this is a good list of fun stuff.
Places to visit in no particular order:
1) MUST see scottys. They have old cars
2)Racetrack (25 miles of corrugated road)
3)saline valley (very remote)
4)badwater basin (lowest elevation in the US)
5)titus canyon
6) rhyolite ghost town (pictured above)
7) devils golf course
8) some dune system - several to see
9)mushroom rock
10)marble canyon
11)dantes view
12)zabriske point
13) butte valley (may be too hard in old cars)
14) ubehebe crater
15) darwin falls (short hike of about a mile)
16) panamint resort ( good camp ground and food and fuel)
17) ballarat ghost town
Most of the best stuff as far as cool ruins will be too hard to see with old cars, but this is a good list of fun stuff.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:42 pm
here is a lincoln in titus canyon
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:50 pm
Marvelous Stuff!
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:09 pm
more lincoln in death valley. Leadfield was a town along the route through titus canyon. The cabin was Chloride cliffs and the camp spot i think is outside the park
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:10 pm
A few pictures from a tour in Death Valley in 2013. Titus Canyon, a very narrow road through the canyon Beautiful sunset Our car Entering Scotties Castle
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:11 pm
A few more of the hottest place I have been.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:13 pm
And
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:13 pm
I don't know what happened to the other pictures. I will try again.
Norm
Norm
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 6:56 pm
Sooo, how much toll do you think was paid to people to get them to take their cars there? 
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 7:53 pm
the desert has been a fascination for many people since... forever. I think you have it backwards
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 8:02 pm
-
Hello Linus,
When you are serious about a Model T tour to Death Valley, my dad and I definitely want to join you. If you would like some help I will volunteer and also recruit other Ts to go. Lets do it.
Cheers,
Steven Chase
PS; You are welcome to join us Post Pandemic Pioneers and 11 other Ts (perhaps more) on our Golden Gate Tour this coming June 1st - 6th in Coastal Marin County and the Sonoma Wine Country. Cell: (323) 497-0601
Hello Linus,
When you are serious about a Model T tour to Death Valley, my dad and I definitely want to join you. If you would like some help I will volunteer and also recruit other Ts to go. Lets do it.
Cheers,
Steven Chase
PS; You are welcome to join us Post Pandemic Pioneers and 11 other Ts (perhaps more) on our Golden Gate Tour this coming June 1st - 6th in Coastal Marin County and the Sonoma Wine Country. Cell: (323) 497-0601
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 8:43 pm
ill try to remember. This has been on my list for .... four years. When the flash flood closed scottys castle it had to be postponed. I think next year might see it opening.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 10:25 pm
I believe it was Thanksgiving weekend in 1953 that Mom and Dad and my little brother and I went to Death Valley (in a 1941 Plymouth, not a Model T) and visited Scotty's Castle. Dad would never have spent money for a tour of the place, but we did see Scotty in front of the castle. I remember him sitting in a chair. Mike remembers him sitting in an open car. Who is right? Beats me. That's how memory works.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 11:17 pm
Count me in, I've been visiting Death Valley every year since I moved here in 1996. Mainly by dual sport motorcycle but I'd love to take my 11 touring there.NorthSouth wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 8:02 pm-
Hello Linus,
When you are serious about a Model T tour to Death Valley, my dad and I definitely want to join you. If you would like some help I will volunteer and also recruit other Ts to go. Lets do it.
Cheers,
Steven Chase
PS; You are welcome to join us Post Pandemic Pioneers and 11 other Ts (perhaps more) on our Golden Gate Tour this coming June 1st - 6th in Coastal Marin County and the Sonoma Wine Country. Cell: (323) 497-0601
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 12:20 am
Is there a tentative date? I have a 1914 Runabout and would like to attend.
William May
William May
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 11:33 am
scottys castle is still expected to be closed until sometime in 2021 so it will be at least next year before it happens.
We would probably want to do it in march or april when it wont be too hot yet. Highs in april can still be in the 90s. We might consider late february if its early next year or depending on opening dates of scottys, which are unknown we might do fall - late october perhaps.
L
We would probably want to do it in march or april when it wont be too hot yet. Highs in april can still be in the 90s. We might consider late february if its early next year or depending on opening dates of scottys, which are unknown we might do fall - late october perhaps.
L
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 12:16 pm
The last weekend in March is when I normally visit Death Valley. I stay at Panamint Springs resort and ride into DV on my motorcycle, the weather can be hit or miss even in March. This year the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 scare. Just remember if we gather at Death Valley in a large group the NPS might consider it an organized event, this can lead to a stop by a ranger asking questions. This happened to our dual sport group, we now stay at PSR and ride in small groups inside the park.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 12:35 pm
yes, they do have rules about group size. I think four vehicles and 12 people is the max. I would have to look at the rule specifically but I think that is the number of people who can camp together in one spot in the back country not the number of cars that look the same that are allowed to drive down the road.
For a car tour, I think we could get away with driving more cars together. Probably we will not be back country camping. I like the idea of using PSR as a base but it is pretty far from the main park and in old cars its a tough journey over townes pass to get into the park.
Perhaps do a night at PSR, a night at stove pipe wells, a night at furnace creek inn, a night in the cheaper parts of furnace creek (there is also camping there in a campground where the group size rule probably doesnt matter) and then and perhaps we should consider a back country camping night as an option.
Thats probably about the right number of days and there is enough to do between those places to keep us busy and we wont have to drive too many miles. Certainly need to be prepared to do alot of dirt driving if we want to see some of the better stuff. I would encourage as much camping as possible but I know its not easy for everyone. All of the places with hotels also have campgrounds so we could each choose what suits us best each night.
L
For a car tour, I think we could get away with driving more cars together. Probably we will not be back country camping. I like the idea of using PSR as a base but it is pretty far from the main park and in old cars its a tough journey over townes pass to get into the park.
Perhaps do a night at PSR, a night at stove pipe wells, a night at furnace creek inn, a night in the cheaper parts of furnace creek (there is also camping there in a campground where the group size rule probably doesnt matter) and then and perhaps we should consider a back country camping night as an option.
Thats probably about the right number of days and there is enough to do between those places to keep us busy and we wont have to drive too many miles. Certainly need to be prepared to do alot of dirt driving if we want to see some of the better stuff. I would encourage as much camping as possible but I know its not easy for everyone. All of the places with hotels also have campgrounds so we could each choose what suits us best each night.
L
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 1:46 pm
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 3:02 pm
That's sounds like a good start, I have a toyhauler so camping if my preferred arrangement. From PSR you really could only go to Ballarat and back, going over Towne Pass in a t would be a struggle unless you have a Ruckstell or similar.Linus Tremaine wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 12:35 pmyes, they do have rules about group size. I think four vehicles and 12 people is the max. I would have to look at the rule specifically but I think that is the number of people who can camp together in one spot in the back country not the number of cars that look the same that are allowed to drive down the road.
For a car tour, I think we could get away with driving more cars together. Probably we will not be back country camping. I like the idea of using PSR as a base but it is pretty far from the main park and in old cars its a tough journey over townes pass to get into the park.
Perhaps do a night at PSR, a night at stove pipe wells, a night at furnace creek inn, a night in the cheaper parts of furnace creek (there is also camping there in a campground where the group size rule probably doesnt matter) and then and perhaps we should consider a back country camping night as an option.
Thats probably about the right number of days and there is enough to do between those places to keep us busy and we wont have to drive too many miles. Certainly need to be prepared to do alot of dirt driving if we want to see some of the better stuff. I would encourage as much camping as possible but I know its not easy for everyone. All of the places with hotels also have campgrounds so we could each choose what suits us best each night.
L
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 3:50 pm
My great grandfather founded Baker, CA ("Gateway to Death Valley") in the early '20's. Both Death Valley Jack and Death Valley Scotty helped him do things around the property, but mainly they drank a lot! One night, coming back from the bar, Scotty fell in the new cesspool they were digging and broke his leg. I also have a picture somewhere of my great grandfather and Wyatt Earp standing next to Wyatt's '26 T roadster that he used to prospect in the Mojave Desert. I later owned that car for awhile (those of you that remember the late Alex Alongi have heard that story).
This is a picture of grandpa's service station behind the sign on the corner of Hwy 127 and Hwy 99 (San Bernadino to Las Vegas). He built a service station, a motel, and Failing's BunBoy restaurant, halfway between Las Vegas and San Bernadino, lowest point on Hwy 99. If your car broke down (and whose didn't in those days), you had to call grandpa for a tow, put your car in his service station, stay at his motel, and eat at his restaurant!
This is a picture of grandpa's service station behind the sign on the corner of Hwy 127 and Hwy 99 (San Bernadino to Las Vegas). He built a service station, a motel, and Failing's BunBoy restaurant, halfway between Las Vegas and San Bernadino, lowest point on Hwy 99. If your car broke down (and whose didn't in those days), you had to call grandpa for a tow, put your car in his service station, stay at his motel, and eat at his restaurant!
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 4:11 pm
Hi Bob!
You got that 99 upside down! It was highway 66. However Baker sfield is on highway 99 so I guess Baker got around!
I didn't know that Alex's roadster used to belong to Wyatt Earp. I wish we had all known that. It would probably make the car worth more, especially if it was in original condition. I wonder what happened to it.
Norm
You got that 99 upside down! It was highway 66. However Baker sfield is on highway 99 so I guess Baker got around!
I didn't know that Alex's roadster used to belong to Wyatt Earp. I wish we had all known that. It would probably make the car worth more, especially if it was in original condition. I wonder what happened to it.
Norm
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 6:30 pm
Maybe US 91
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 9:05 pm
Bob, great story about your grandfather and Wyatt Earp.
Re: Death Valley
Posted: Wed May 13, 2020 11:28 am
I was wrong about route 66. It actually goes east at Barstow through Needles and Oatman toward Kingman.
Norm
Norm