Day 1
I parked my car at Towne Pass and set off into the windy desert. The wind howled relentlessly as I started up the ridge, but then mercifully died down a bit as I neared the top of Pinto Peak. My van shrunk in size to a mere speck as I climbed higher and higher.
Pinto Peak provided beautiful views from its unique position in between the Cottonwoods and Panamints. Northern Death Valley unfurled below to the north, a great sea of sand. Complex canyons, looked like mere indentations in the great desert painting in front of me.
I continued along ridges towards the Harrisburg Flats area. Surprisingly, I found an old double track, which I followed most of the way. A little after midday, I got to the end of the off trail section and continued towards Aguereberry Point. I poked around Harrisburg a bit, and turned down Trail Canyon, beginning my long descent into Death Valley.
An old road wound its way steeply into the canyon, but a few washouts meant that this road has long been closed to vehicles. The sun was setting as I walked through the open wash, deeper into Trail Canyon.
It felt great to be back in Death Valley. There was nothing about this canyon in particular that had brought me back, I really just wanted to visit this beautiful park. Death Valley has given me so many great adventures, and it felt great to visit and reminisce.
I reached another road, which is technically open, but likely sees very little traffic due to the many obstructions. As the sun set, I found a flattish spot between two creosote bushes and settled in for the night.
Day 2
The wind made for a restless night of sleep, but I knew that I would be back in my van that nightj, so I didn’t worry too much. The day’s miles were all be flat or slightly downhill, and they went quickly. Soon, I was out of the canyon, and speeding down the alluvial fan. The wind picked back up, and I soaked in the expansive views of Death Valley.
The last few miles on Westside Road came and went, and I stuck out my thumb upon reaching the paved highway. I had landed in an awkward spot where most of the northbound tourists were likely on the alternate Artist’s Palette Drive instead, so I walked a little north towards the junction.
A few hundred meters before the junction, a ranger pulled over on the dirt shoulder in front of me. He offered me a deal. If I gave him my license and a clear background check came back, he would give me a lift to Furnace Creek. I agreed, and after a short wait, I was loading into the caged in backseat.
“So what exactly was the plan?” the ranger asked as if me hitchhiking on the side of the road could only be the result of some calamity. Not admitting that hitchhiking was the plan all along, I replied that I was tired from the wind and was heading back to my car. He told me that since most of the park’s visitors stuck to the paved roads, rangers were required to follow suit. I thanked the kind ranger as he dropped me off near the park’s main visitor center.
I sat in the shade for a bit and refilled my water. After the nice break, I stuck my thumb out again and immediately got a ride to Stovepipe. The two women who picked me up had hitchhiked quite a bit around Argentina and Chile, and were excited to pick up a fellow hitchhiker.
I bid them farewell, as they were heading to Mosaic Canyon. They offered to drive me to Towne, but I assured them I would get another ride soon. Sure enough, a young couple in a small van soon arrived to drive me to Emigrant. Once again, they offered to run me up to Towne, but I again assured them I would soon get another ride.
Even a little higher up, the temperature was already pleasantly cooler. The hitching sure is good in Death Valley, especially on the main roads. A few minutes later, four Guatemalans picked me up and drove me back to my car. We conversed in Spanish about their trip and life in Guatemala.
The trip was over far too quickly. I got the taste of Death Valley that I was looking for though, and began to head for the cooler temperatures of the Inyos and Sierra. I camped the next night in Panamint Valley.
On each visit, I try to stop and see one or two of the more popular tourist hot spots, slowly ticking them off. On my way out, I stopped by Darwin Falls. The road having washed out, most of the tourists were scared off by the now 7 miles hike. I had the beautiful waterfalls to myself and was once again blown away by all of the hidden details in this beautiful park.
pictures to come
Anthony Ottati 