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Thread: Flower bloom in Death valley

  1. #11
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    The easiest way is simply to drive to Lone Pine, then straight across past Owens Lake and Panamint Valley, and drop into DV at Stovepipe Wells. It's scenic all the
    way and the road in great condition. But yes, if you can veer into the foothills of the west slope of the Sierra first, the bloom might be beginning in earnest, at least lower down by the Valley floor.

  2. #12
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    I am planning on going the second week of April and hope that the rain continues late enough to have good flowers. I planned the trip late so that I would have a week and a half to recover from Easter Jeep Safari. Retirement is rough because there are still so many things to do and photograph.
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

  3. #13
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    I'd just reiterate that the road to the Racetrack is definitely NOT paved and is quite a long drive. Not a bad idea to have two spare tires along that route, since
    recent storms might have made things distinctly worse than normal. That road will rattle your teeth out. But it gets way worse beyond the Racetrack. Ubehebe
    Crater along the way is also fascinating. But there are so, so many places you can explore between Badwater and the west entrance that wasting an entire long
    day going to the Racetrack and back can be counterproductive. And sometimes when you get there, there are SUV tracks all over the playa anyway, rules or not.
    A wonderful alternative would be going uphill on the Wildrose road and a much easier dirt road to Augebery Point, for a stunning overlook of the Valley, opposite Dante's View. You can camp up there too, if you have warm gear.

  4. #14

    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    Thank you for all the advice! We will skip Racetrack this trip. The plan is to get to Ridgecrest, then to Stovepipe, and then down Badwater road. We plan to camp there a couple nights. May try the Augebery Point, Thanks Drew!

  5. #15

    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    BTW, taking my Chamonix 4x5, the SenHao 617, and the Hasselblads in case the wind picks up. Wish me good light :-)

  6. #16
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    The biggest problem that vehicles with street tires have on the road to the Race Track is the speed driving on chert [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chert]. Chert is sharp and speeding on chert may, at the right speed, reducing the washboarding but can greatly increase the chert cutting slices in the tread and side wall. If one keeps the speed down then the drive round trip to the Race Track is not hazardous. It just takes a long time. For me it was worth it.
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

  7. #17

    Join Date
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    I was just getting ready to head out to the Grand Canyon. Now I'm adding DV to the loop. Thanks for all the good intel. I'll be printing this thread. I just have to find that selfie stick for the V-8.

  8. #18

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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    Here's a map of the bloom from the NPS, probably a day or two old. Yellow is bloom, red is closed areas or roads (?). If you enlarge it, you'll see SR190 runs through the middle of the yellow. Furnace Creek is at the bottom of the southern end of the northern of the 2 strings of yellow.

    http://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?ma...3-4e3998ba8e06

  9. #19
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeH View Post
    Here's a map of the bloom from the NPS, probably a day or two old. Yellow is bloom, red is closed areas or roads (?). If you enlarge it, you'll see SR190 runs through the middle of the yellow. Furnace Creek is at the bottom of the southern end of the northern of the 2 strings of yellow.

    http://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?ma...3-4e3998ba8e06
    How do you find this webpage?
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

  10. #20
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Flower bloom in Death valley

    Also try desertusa.com

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