Amaris and Fox flew west once more off for a romantic and adventurous get away in early December of 2020. This would be the third trip taken west of the Rocky Mountains in 2020 and would take them to incredible places neither had been before. While Vegas was the start of the trip, it was simply a pit stop for a two nights and a day before the main event of driving through some of the most unique terrain in North America. Over the course of the trip we would go from an elevation below sea level in Death Valley to an elevation of 9,908 feet within within twenty four hours. The remoteness of this trip, paired with the limited number of tourists. made for an experience that was uniquely our own. We hope you enjoy the valleys as much as we did.
Las Vegas was quiet and a bit strange as there were very few people out on the streets with nearly empty casino floors. Most restaurants closed early and finding food after 9pm was difficult as crazy as that sounds. On the second night in town we caught up with an old friend of Fox' and his wife in the Las Vegas Arts District north of the strip. Beers were enjoyed at CraftHaus Brewery, followed by delicious pizza at Good Pie, and a night cap at Velveteen Rabbit. The time spent in Vegas staying at the Elara by Hilton was enjoyable but we were both more than ready to start the road trip on day two so after a morning of work we picked up a red Jeep Wrangler on Turo and were on the way to Death Valley in style. For those who enjoy Las Vegas but typically don't make it out of Sin City while in Nevada we cannot express enough what a mistake this is. Next trip take a break from the bright lights for a day trip to death valley (Bad Water Basin is 2.5 hours from Vegas) and enjoy the scenic drive or go big and make the four hour drive to Lone Pine, CA. As a note, the drive took longer than 4 hours between Las Vegas to Lone Pine as there were multiple stops in both directions. The drive through both valleys is truly breath taking and well worth the investment.
On the way to Lone Pine, CA a few stops were made along CA-190 including Zabriskie Point, which provides a great opening hint into what the valley offers, along with Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Stovepipe Wells. Areas like Badwater Basin and Artists Drive were seen on the way back to Vegas at the end of this post. There is a nice ~8mi loop from the Zabriskie Point parking lot for those who wish to get into the unique rolling peaks otherwise the overlook offers nice views of the unique landscape.
After the views we were back on our way towards the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes that are just before Stovepipe Wells. There were a few groups walking farther in the distance enjoying the top of a ridge while we walked a little ways in and decided that was enough fun in the sand. The short walk in was littered with shrubs and beautiful wood from fallen trees that had been preserved by the sand. Shortly after the dunes is the waypoint of Stovepipe Wells with accommodations for those wanting to stay overnight and enjoy the wasteland in a different light. The final hour and half of the trip was spent climbing the western peaks of the valley as late afternoon turned to night and we reached the Airbnb in Lone Pine, CA.
The complete ideocracy of what was accomplished the next morning still brings a smile to our faces. After speaking with a colleague who lives in northern California we realized just how absurd this trek was a few months later. In the dead middle of December we decided, on a whim, to drive through the Alabama Hills to Whitney Portal and started walking up hill with little idea of where we were going other than knowing, based on conversations with a few people, that Lone Pine Lake was where our hearts were drawn. The trek would not be the most difficult; however, the cold early morning atmosphere, complete lack of appropriate clothing, and altitude at the lake made the time spent there shorter than desired. The five to ten minutes we had at the lake were uniquely breathtaking with large rocks sinking into the ice and glowing white granite reflecting early morning sunlight in the background.
Upon returning to the parking lot at Whitney Portal, with a ~6 mile trek behind us, we were parked next to a man we had spoken with on the hike a couple times. He was enjoying his last couple weeks on the west coast by waking up at 3am that day with his first stop at Mt. Whitney, which would be followed by a four hour drive to Lake Tahoe for a sunset hike. He shared information on How to Summit Mt Whitney and a seed was planted for future seasons. This adventure was considered for summer 2021 but unfortunately we missed the raffle deadline by a couple days so 2022 will be the first year we register. A post hike breakfast beer was enjoyed before descending from the portal and heading north on the 395 to Bishop, CA so Fox could see the world class bouldering destination. For those unfamiliar with the behemoth sized boulders of Bishop here is a 2014 video of the now world renowned Alex Honnold soloing at the crag.
Lunch was enjoyed at the Mountain Rambler Brewery before enjoying the afternoon watching climbers and driving back to Lone Pine. Night had fallen by the time we arrived back at the Airbnb and we were both thoroughly exhausted after the long day. Dinner was ordered for pickup from Seasons Restaurant and the delicious food absolutely hit the spot. As most days, we were up early in the morning with a full day ahead prior to catching the last flight out of Las Vegas that night. Today would include stops to see several of the sights not on the main route through Death Valley. We had an absolute blast exploring and, again, highly recommend the drive through this incredible National Park.
The first detour occurred just before entering Furnace Creek with a stop at Harmony Borax Works where we saw the Porsche photo shoot followed by a drive through Mustard Canyon. Once we had made our way through the canyon and Furnace Creek we were heading down Badwater Rd. to its picturesque namesake. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at a stunning 282 feet below sea level and the elevation, or lack there of, is a bit of a bizarre feeling.
Even though it was December, after a brief walk to the edge of the flats we found ourselves parched, stupidly not bringing water, and beginning to sweat in the moistureless landscape. A good friend has considered running the Badwater 135, which after a stroll in the area this race seems impossible but clearly people accomplish the feat yearly. Leftovers from the night before were eaten below sea level in the parking lot before we made the way back to Artist's Palette and Drive.
The nine mile loops is truly stunning and has a few stops that are definitely worth getting out and walking around. A special treat presented itself in the form of two fighter jets performing training exercises high above the valley floor partway through the loop. While we do not know what jets these were (F-35?), there were multiple concurrent sonic booms as the pair's aerial acrobatics were on full display. After the show we made our way to the colorful palette and enjoyed the array of colors as our time in the valley was coming to a close. The last stop before racing back to Nevada was at the Devil's Golf Course and the singing salt formation that make up this interesting area.
At the first sign of civilization in Pahrump we found a great winery with exquisite food for lunch and vowed to go back to the Pahrump Valley Winery again in the future. For those driving through or staying in the area this restaurant is really worth the visit. After the meal we were on our way to the Las Vegas airport for the flight home that would include a full de-boarding and re-boarding of the plane because a flight attendant with a yellow bow on her head decided to yell at a young man for showing the bridge of his nose...We always prefer to drive!
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