Archive for: February 2012

Two days in Death Valley in February 2012 – Part 2

Feb. 21 Camping, Death Valley, National Parks 4 comments

This is a continuation of Two days in Death Valley in February 2012.

Morning in the Panamint Valley was cold and very clear. After an unbelievably starry night, the dawn was gradual and brilliant. The best reason for going to sleep soon after dark is to be able to enjoy a very gradual dawn. The first purple gives way to blue, which grows lighter until the sky is entirely consumed by the color. The source of blue becomes the source of increasingly golden tones until the sun makes its first appearance.

We had our customary coffee before packing our tent and gear and making our way into Death Valley proper. The drive starts with a considerable descent down a long canyon from Panamint Valley. As Death Valley stretches out in full view, the road becomes flat and passes the first campground and cabins come into view.

Stovepipe Wells isn’t much, but it is far more than anything around it. To call it an oasis would be a stretch. The winds were blowing as well, a bleak landscape for tents and campers alike. We had to take a moment, of course, to check out the used car lot that we came across.

Dunes

Beyond the excellent view of the valley, the first attraction on the route is Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The high mountains on each side of the Valley combine with powerful winds to bring tiny grains of rock from the mountain tops to this particular spot. We were fortunate that it was early in the morning and the tourists were still sleeping. This gave us a chance enjoy the moment without buses and flocks of photo seekers.

Furnace Creek

A great brunch is one of the most valuable ways to enjoy a day without taking too much time to eat. We stopped at Furnace Creek Visitors Center and watched a movie about Death Valley before moving on to breakfast at the nearby restaurant. Jeanne complained of suffering the opposite of altitude sickness…”low-titude sickness”. The symptoms included laughing, energy, healthy appetite and absolutely no headache. She hasn’t recovered since we we left Death Valley, leading us to wonder if this isn’t a chronic condition for her. Only time will tell.

Badwater Basin

No visit to Death Valley is complete without a stop at the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. There are lower places, like the Dead Sea, but the proximity to Mt Whitney, the highest point in the Lower 48 States, makes Death Valley all the more interesting.

Hole-in-the-Wall

Based on great advice, we decided to camp at Hole-in-the-Wall, a remote area accessible by four wheel drive. Soon after starting down the dirt road we had a great warning…a stream of oil that a previous vehicle leaked as it drove. We were very careful to keep the center of the care away from the occasional rocks to avoid the same fate. We saw few other cars as we made our way back into the interior of the park. It was wonderfully quiet, in fact.

We found a great spot far from anyone and set up our camp. We wanted to be sheltered from the infamous Death Valley winds, have an early view of sunrise (so no mountain to the southeast, and peace and quiet. We found all of those things and had an extraordinary time in our cozy campsite.

Two days in Death Valley in February 2012

Feb. 20 Camping, Death Valley, Dog fun, National Parks 1 comment

Part 1 of Two Days in Death Valley in February 2012

Sometimes places are so close and accessible they become a less urgent destination. Death Valley has been that way for me. Jeanne has been in the US for eight years and has been there five times, where I’ve lived here all of my life, and in California twelve years and never made my way there. It isn’t my first experience with that phenomenon. I grew up in Western New York, an hour and a half from Niagara Falls but never made it there until my late teens.

An Un-sort vacation

We packed quickly on a Saturday morning using our trusted checklist. We knew this would be no-frills camping (‘un-sort’, the opposite of ‘resort’, in Jeanne’s words) on a holiday weekend with no reservations. Death Valley allows camping anywhere two miles from the main roads, but that also means no water, showers, or easy access for last-minute supplies. “Dry camping” as it is called in the West, and our trips to Johnson Valley, CA camping prepared us well for this…bring lots of water.

Of course we brought the dogs along as well. Mitch and Gwenn love every part of camping from the ride, to the new sights and smells, to sleeping in a tent, usually on top of our sleeping bags. Dogs can’t hike on trails in National Parks but we always find ways to have an adventure off the beaten track.

Mojave Desert

Not too far out of Los Angeles the horizon opens, the land dries out and the Mojave Desert takes over. Getting to Death Valley is much of the same route as heading to Mt Whitney or Mammoth, and we know the best gas stations, restaurants and each turn by heart. This time, however, we wouldn’t be passing the turnoff for Death Valley and commenting yet again that we should go there ‘sometime’.

Death Valley

Once on SR190, the main highway through the Valley, we filled up our gas tank and were given the advice to camp near Panamint Dunes on Lake Hill Road. This took us down a dirt road for a couple of miles until we found and excellent, sheltered spot at the foot of a small mountain and near sand dunes and a dry lake bed. We immediately began our routine of setting up camp with both of us knowing exactly our part. Dinner was beef stew and bread, and we were in The Babymaker by 6pm., just as it became truly dark outside.

Up Next: Part 2 of Two Days in Death Valley in February 2012

Working in your passion

Feb. 11 Inspiration no comments

We’re always impressed when we run into people who’ve managed to build a career around their passion. On a recent ski trip to Mammoth, we tried out Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery, a concierge ski rental service. Black Tie takes reservations for outfitting their customers with ski equipment at the time and place of the customer’s choosing. In our case, it was during breakfast at our condo.

Drop off

The employees that showed up to set up our rentals were enthusiastic about their job and were more than willing to talk about how much they loved the customer service side of what they do.

Intrigued by the business model, we were able to meet up with Jeremy Goico, who along with Colin Fernie, owns the Mammoth Mountain Black Tie business.  Jeremy is from West Hartford, CT and Colin is from Columbus, OH and both are only 28, a young age for ski industry entrepreneurs. They met while playing soccer at The University of Rochester and ended up heading to Steamboat Springs, CO after graduation. Rather than pursue 9-5 jobs, they followed their passion for skiing by seeking employment at the original Black Tie business.

By being excellent at their work for three ski seasons, easier when following a passion, they were asked by Black Tie’s CEO’s, Joe Sternberg and Ian Pritchard, if they would open their own franchise-type operation at another resort. They wrote up a business plan and sought investment from friends and family. From a short list, they chose Mammoth and are now in their third season.

Meeting Jeremy

In Jeremy’s words, “We offer a premium service with premium equipment that we call ‘Excellence Delivered’. We took the most difficult part of a ski vacation and made it a lot easier, smoother and more enjoyable.” Being the closest major resort to Los Angeles, you can imagine that they attract their fair share of celebrities, but also the rest of us who appreciate ‘breakfast ski rental service’. No one enjoys the rental experience and Black Tie made ours easy and convenient.

They have five vans and eleven employees now and Jeremy even sits on the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, demonstrating their acceptance in their adopted community.

Not willing to stand still, they are increasing their inventory, which is now over 700 pieces of ski equipment and are looking at ways to perform financial transactions ‘on the road’.  We really enjoyed the experience and the chance to see young, passionate skiers doing what they love for a living.

Mt Lowe Summit in February 2012

Feb. 11 Hiking adventures, Mt Lowe, Mt Lowe, Peaks, San Gabriels, Southern California 1 comment

We love to find new hikes in Los Angeles, and this time we made a late decision to hike Mount Lowe, a 1,708 m (5,603) peak just north of the more-famous Mount Wilson and stepped onto the Sunset Ridge Trail at 2pm. The sky was ominous but the forecast called for clouds and not rain, so off we went…without our waterproof jackets and only Jeanne with gloves and a hat. For people who try to be prepared for anything, we were prepared for little this time.

We knew the first part of the trail very well, as we’ve hiked as far as Mount Lowe Trail Camp several times. It is an excellent picnic destination in the Summer. Each time we’ve had a reason not to press on to the Summit, but this time we were determined to make it. We very quickly made our way through the paved section, past the areas left black by the Station Fire, the trees denuded of their bark by the ferocious windstorm two months ago. We passed the Cape of Good Hope, a curious name for the flat saddle just before the pavement ends. We continued past Circle Bridge, the turnoff for Dawn Mine, and the photogenic Granite Gate. We were moving very quickly and the dogs were in fine form.

Colder, wetter

As we completed switchback after switchback, the temperatures grew colder and we soon found ourselves at the cloud level, with mist blowing past as we hiked. Just as we reached the rocky sections where the trial turns away from Millard Canyon, it began to rain.

For only a few minutes, we were pelted with enormous drops before it changed to ice that was large enough to hurt as it struck our arms and heads. We found shelter under a rocky ledge for a few minutes while we polled the team about turning around or continuing. The dogs were both ready to go, and Gwenn even made a noise that could have been a doggie ‘yes’. We set off again quickly, aware that daylight was in limited supply.

We reached unexplored territory at Trail Camp and followed the signs for the East Mount Lowe Trail.

The summit

After completing nearly a 360 degree spiraling single track around the mountain, we finally reached the top of Mt. Lowe. To the south was Mount Wilson with its enormous white observatory and absurd number of antennas of all types. To the east we could see sunny skies and snowy mountains toward the High Desert. There was even a bench at the top with ruins of hitching posts and a shelter.

Our hands were so cold that we could barely open the bag and use the camera. It was a record short amount of time enjoying the view before we headed quickly back down the slippery trail. Without our waterproof layer, we were wet, very cold and losing sunlight very quickly. Finding the single track trail and navigating the snow-covered rocks needed to be done with as much light as possible.

Fast descent

Other than a brief stop to take a photo with Inspiration Point in the background, we walked non-stop and very fast to the car, arriving well after dark (we did remember our headlamps) but with a great view of the lights of Pasadena and Los Angeles along the way. While the air is always warmer as you go lower, it was also dark by that point and much colder than when we started.

We loaded up the dogs and drove home in a hurry for a hot bath and dinner. It was exhausting but great to have another summit under our belts. It was also a great reminder of the importance of going through a quick checklist and taking more than you actually expect to use for the conditions. We made it and felt great about the summit, but also feel a bit sheepish for the unnecessary suffering and risk.

Reaching the trailhead

To get to the Sunset Ridge Trail access to Mt Lowe, go north on Lake Avenue until it makes a 90 degree left turn and becomes Alta Loma Drive in Altadena. Stay on Alta Loma until you reach a flashing red signal and make that right on Cheney Trail. Follow Cheney Trail until you see the eight or so parking spots on the right side of the road, about halfway to Millard Canyon Campground from the first switchbacks. Photo of the trailhead here.

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