Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Eye of the needle rock formation. The remains of the Inyo Mine. + + \ \ \ ~, \ \X, \.: x I CHLORIDE ~ CITY ---x KEANE MINE X STOVE PIPES WELLS SCHWAB X FURNACE CREEK X N ,. ," 1 -PAVED - - DIRT. SAND OR ROCKS I I / I I \ x \ -2B2 \. \. \ TELESCOPE X PEAK , , \ 11.049 \ \ eu1'1 10 __ ..... I 'I ANVIL SPA. x ~1 I ! . 22-' III I ./ ........ .... " v"1( ..... ...!:.€y ......... -.,..,---.. "\ \ \ .- / Anvil Spring via the West Side Road. It's a long, bumpy, dusty haul without any facilities along the way. After being told three days before leaving home the road was open but rough, I found the park rangers had closed it. The closure was due to deep sand. A four wheeler had tried it several days before and had gotten stuck three times. I asked for permission to trY it on a bike, but it was denied. I've included a description of the route as we used the airplane and flew the route. They did have a grader working, and the road did look pretty nasty in many spots. But if the road is open, do the ride. The route has no gas, no water, little shade, but it's a very interesting journey covering many historic and seldom visited sites. Leave Furnace Creek and head south, and at the Badwater Road go right. Proceed 6.1 miles to a graded road on the right, turn there. Ten miles later, after passing through the Devil's Golf Course and the Devil's SpeedwG\Y, you will come to Bennett's Long Camp. This site was used by the Bennett-Arcane party in December of 1849. Due east of &ennett's Camp, about two miles out on the salt flat, is the lowest spot in the United States at minus 282 feet. Along this portion of road you will dip to the lowest point of the three rides mentioned. You will drop to a minus 276 feet. About three miles farther south you'll find "Shorty's" grave. "Shorty" Harris was one of Death Valley's most colorful Cha~acters, and as legend tells it, discoverer of more gold and silver mines than any other human. Harris died broke in 1934 and is one . of the few people buried in the valley since it became a monument. Almost next door is the site of the Eagle Borax Works. These works were founded by Isadore Daunet in 1881 and were the first in the valley. They lasted only two years. Still heading south, go another 13.3 miles to a four road junction. Take the road that heads almost due south, and proceed 5.5 miles to the Warm Springs Road. At this intersection go right. On weekdays watch out for the taIc trucks. There is much private property for the next five miles, so I'd stay on the road. This road will take you into Butte Valley past Striped Butte to Anvil Spring. Striped Butte is 180 to 500 million years old, 900 feet high and I think pretty impressive. Butte Valley is probably one of the least visited places in Death Valley. It's not hard to guess why. After passing Striped Butte, continue toward the west to a single tree and stone cabin on the hillside. This is Anvil Spring. After a break there are several places you should check out. 'Go north and enter Redlands Canyon (Cycle News #11 Mar. 31, 1982). Some evidence exists that it was through this canyon that Rodgers and Manly left Death Valley to seek aid for the stranded Bennett-Arcane party. There are some remains of what Carl M~l1gel built betw.e.e~ 1995 gel lived at Greater View Spring a mile south of Anvil Spring. He mined there for 39 years and is buried just outside the monument boundary, about two miles down the road to the south. Mengel once found a ledge of gold that assayed at $75,000 per ton. Carl was overjoyed, butas luck would have it, the deposit was very small. The return to Furnace Creek is made by reversing your course back up that dusty and bumpy road. Total miles will be 120 plus. Our next ride was to nearby Echo Canyon in the Funeral Mountains. While a shon 30.4 miles round trip, Echo Canyon is a fine ride in a rugged and scenic area to the site of Schwab and the Inyo Mines. The town was founded in January of 1907 and soon counted a population of over 200, and even boasted of a Post Office. As in many other boom towns, the quantity of ore was small and the quality poor. As a result the town folded in six months. Just up the road, the Inyo Mine was lucky and produced well for many years. ,The start of the ride is two miles east of the intersection of Highway 190 and the Badwater Road. There is a sign showing the way, but you can't count on it. The trail, two tracks through the rocks, is sometimes very hard to find. As you head east on 190, it was down this wash that the Death Valley '4gers entered the valley to begin their world famous saga. As you leave the pavement, set your odometer at zero. Start u}J the road, and at3.4 miles you enter the canyon. Much of the route will be rocky, like riding in crushed gravel. Don't ride the berms, they will disappear under use. At 4.8 miles, theeyeof the needle, a natural window in the rock appears. Continue, and at 7.9 a fork shows up. The rangers have blocked off the left, and the site of Schwab must be seen on foot. Go right and at 9.6 miles the remains of the Inyo Mine is on the left. The headframe and several buildings still stand. They are fairly new as some work was done here until 1940. We continued up the road to the \1.2 mark. This is as far as you can take a vehicle. A sign announces it's a nono to ride beyond. We walked up a little further and saw signs of fourwheeler action. They had trouble in a nasty spot leaving much burnt rubber on some rocks and broken tailor clearance light lenses. The only maps you'll need are mine and the Auto Club's "Guide to Death Valley." The club's will show all the roads you will travel and the mileages are fairly close. It also gives a very good rundown on all the scenic places and where to stay and eat. Topo maps can be helpful, but the Death Valley topos have not been updated since the 50s. They can help pinpoint many historic spots. Topas needed are Furnace Creek, CA; RyanNV; Chloride Cliff, CA-NV; Bullfrog, NV-CA; Grapvine Peak, CANV; Stovepipe Wells, CA; Bennett's Well, CA; Wingate Wash, CA; Manly Peak, CA; and Confidence Hills, CA. Several BLM maps are good and they are, Saline, Amargosa, Dumont and Argus. The map for the northeast part is not available. When in the monument on your bike, remember it must be street legal and you must have a Class 4 DMV ticket. This fifth annual was a fine outing, good weather, good friends, and no major problems encountered. With so many historic and scenic places near Furnace Creek, another annual trip here is highly likely. After tl).e above ride my scooter ended up in Suzuki General Hospital. The doctor said an operation was needed after 3000 miles of rocks and sand, and that • the band i'1~ds jU,st ~on't work aqy-

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