Death Valley - Quest for Racetrack

Trip Details:

This will be a rare opportunity to spend 5 days backpacking in one of the most remote and desolate places on earth. But don't underestimate it. Death Valley is a place of incredible subtle beauty.

I have long dreamed of seeing the mythic Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park. However, I have been reluctant to spend a small fortune on a Jeep Rental, only to spend the day being rattled by potholes and stranded by punctured tires. So I have put together this itinerary which will allow us to discover Racetrack the proper way... afoot.

Wednesday, 22: Please arrive in Las Vegas on or before Wednsday November 22 at 4pm. We will stop at an outfitter in Vegas in case anyone needs to pick up stove fuel or other supplies, before making the two hour drive out to the park. We will spend the night at Furnace Creek campground.

Thursday:  We will  spend the day visiting some of the major sites in the park, including Badwater Basin, Artists Pallette, Golden Canyon, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (time permitting). We will camp for the night at Emigrant campground.

Friday:  (~ 21 miles-   Emigrant to Deadhorse Spring.) We will begin the hike early in the morning. We will depart from Emigrant campground and cut across to Lemoigne canyon, before hiking up the canyon to Cottonwood springs (Trip report going up Lemoigne Canyon http://clim ber.org/reports/2 010/1795.html) There will be a water- source at Cottonwood spring. We will then begin hiking the famous Cotton/Marble Canyon backpacking route, proceeding until we reach the spring and Deadhorse Canyon. (https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/upload/C ottonwood- Marble-Canyon-Route-Handout.pdf)

Saturday:  (~18 miles Deadhorse Spring to Racetrack) We will once more start out at daybreak, this time heavily loaded with water for our trip to the mythic racetrack. I will require that everyone carry at least 8 liters of water from Deadhorse spring, since we will be at least two days without a reliable water source.  We will continue down dead-horse canyon a couple more miles until we turn to hike up Marble Canyon. We will follow the Marble Canyon all the way to the end where we will find the old Goldbelt Spring Site (Description of Marble Canyon Hike: ht tp://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/DEVA/Marble_Cyn/_Marble.htm) After checking out the ruins around Goldbelt we will hike on the 4-wheel drive road north. Finally we will cut across Ulida Flat to the Racetrack. We drycamp within a couple of miles of the Racetrack.

Sunday:  (~18 - Racetrack back to Deadhorse Spring). This day will bascally be the same hike as the Saturday hike in reverse. We may be able to follow a bit different route on the dirt road in order to get some different scenery and see a few new sites.

Monday: (~21 miles - Deadhorse Spring to Cottonwood Spring around loop) On this day we will complete the Cottonwood/Marble Canyon route.

Tuesday: (~15 miles) This day we will hike back down Lemoigne Canyon to our car and camp at Emigrant. To celebrate, we will drive into Stovepipe Wells for showers and a hearty dinner.

Wednesday: . We will need to depart the park by 9am on this morning in order to ensure that we arrive back in Vegas by noon. Please do not schedule your return flight before 2pm on this date.

 This is an advanced backpack and requires prior experience backpacking with long distances! Everyone wishing to participate will be added to the waitlist pending vetting. If you do not have a solid history of D6 backpacks with the club, you will most likely not be allowed on this trip.

  This is a true desert with few water sources. We will be dry camping on Saturday night. You will be required to carry a mimum of 8 liters of water  before we leave Deadhorse Spring.

   Please note that if there are issues with the springs, this itinerary may have to be modified.

The Trip Leader(s) for this event has (have) elected either to personally collect the funds that event participants are required to pay, or to require participants to pay funds directly to a third party. No funds will be paid to the Atlanta Outdoor Club for this event. Therefore, by registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (1) the monies paid by registrants will not be monitored, managed, or otherwise accounted for by the Atlanta Outdoor Club; (2) that the Atlanta Outdoor Club bears no financial responsibility for this event; and (3) you waive any and all claims against the Atlanta Outdoor Club, and hold the Atlanta Outdoor Club harmless for the loss of any monies you paid for this event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any paying registrant may request directly from the Trip Leader, prior to the event, a breakdown of funds collected, estimated expenses, and deposits made in anticipation of the event. Following the event, the Trip Leader must complete his or her financial accounting for the event, with supporting documentation, within 30 days of the completion of the event, and a paid registrant may request a breakdown of funds collected, money spent and supporting documentation after that time. If you are unable to obtain requested documentation, please contact the Director of Paid Events.

Please note that this cost is a worst-case estimate. Actual cost will be determined based on the number of people, and will be somewhere between $85 and $211. Money will be collected the week of Oct 30-Nov 3 in the form of a mailed check.

Included in cost:

• Car Rental & Gas

• Hotel in Vegas (Wednesday night, Nov 22)

• Park entry

Not included in cost:

•Airfare

•Food

•Showers, Fuel, suveniers, airport parking in atlanta...

In the case that a participant cancels, and they are replaced by a member on the waitlist, then a refund will be issued regardless of drop- date. The refund will be issued after the new participant pays.

If a cancellation is made before Nov 3, even if the slot is not taken by another participant, then a full refund will be issued.

If the minimum registration number has not been reached by Nov 3, any paid fees will be refunded.

For any cancellations made after Nov 3, where the slot is not taken by a replacement from the waitlist, there will be norefund issued. (This is out of fairness to the other participants in the event, so that they can lock down their budgets and schedule for the month.)

This event will run rain or shine, and will only be cancelled in the case of truly dangerous conditions (i.e. Hurricaines).