Hiking from Race Track to Lake Hill in Death Valley

(Copyright © 2014 Piero Scaruffi)
If you would like the original, high-resolution pictures, contact me

Notes of this trip | Back to California hikes | Pictures of the world

Highlights


From start to end

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Driving towards Race Track Valley

Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd


Tin Mt?

Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd


Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd

Race Track Rd

Entering Race Track Valley


Entering Race Track

Entering Race Trackonument

Race Track

Race Track


Race Track

Race Track

Race Track

Race Track


Race Track (east ridge)


Race Track (north and east)


Grand Stand

Race Track


Looking back one last time at the Race Track

Entering Quail Canyon

Top of Quail Canyon (if you are coming from the south)

If you are coming from the south, the left branch goes to Race Track, NOT the right one


Wildflowers

Wildflowers

Cactus

Down the canyon


Wildflowers

Down the canyon

Wildflowers

Wildflowers


Wildflowers

Down the canyon

Into the canyon

Cacti


Down the canyon

Up the canyon

Plants

Into the canyon


Down the canyon

Into Quail Canyon

Into Quail Canyon


Many little waterfalls to downclimb (no water)

Into the canyon

Into the canyon

Into the canyon


Into the canyon

Into the canyon

Into the canyon

First view of Saline Valley


Some big drops (but not difficult to find a way to get around them)

Wildflowers

The waterfall from the other side

Another big drop


Another big drop (the canyon bed is 20 meters below us)

Another big drop (the canyon bed is 20 meters below us)

The waterfall from the other side

The way to get around it


Into the canyon

Into the canyon

Yet another big drop

Alien ball


Downclimbing

Downclimbing

Downclimbing


Into the canyon

And now: bushwhacking (some underground springs, obviously)

Saline Valley getting closser

Actual water coming down from a southeastern tributary


Follow the creek

Follow the creek

Almost in Saline Valley


Saline Valley

Saline Valley

Saline Valley


Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd

Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd

Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd

Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd


Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd

Heading south towards Saline Valley Rd

Cactus flower

Wildflowers


Wildflowers

Found the road!

Looking back at the route to Quail Canyon

Looking back at the route to Quail Canyon


Looking back at the route to Quail Canyon

Looking back at the route to Quail Canyon

Mountains ahead

Follow Salive Valley Rd south


Cactus flower

Cactus flower

Follow the road

Follow the road


A few springs along the road

Nest of?

Nest of?

The dirt road coasts a dry riverbed


The dirt road coasts a dry riverbed

Looking towards Saline Valley

Looking towards Saline Valley

The implacable road


Saline Valley


Almost at Hunter Mt

Hunter Mt Rd

Joshua trees almost at the junction

The junction with Hunter Mt Rd, and beginning of the descent into Mill Canyon


The junction with Hunter Mt Rd, and beginning of the descent into Mill Canyon

The junction with Hunter Mt Rd, and beginning of the descent into Mill Canyon


Lake Hill


Telescope Peak far down south

We abandon Saline Valley Rd

Lake Hill down below: we finally see the destination

Down Mill Canyon


Mill Canyon

Mill Canyon


Mill Canyon

Mill Canyon

Mill Canyon

Mill Canyon


Mill Canyon

Wildflowers

Wildflowers

Mill Canyon


Spring

Spring

Spring

Deadly encounter with mountain lion (puma)


The tallest waterfall to bypass

The way to bypass it

The waterfall to the left and the bypass to the right


The endless Mill Canyon

The endless Mill Canyon

The endless Mill Canyon

The endless Mill Canyon


The endless Mill Canyon

The endless Mill Canyon

Lake Hill

Panamint Sand Dunes


Lake Hill

Lake Hill

Panamint Sand Dunes

Sand dunes


Panamint sand dunes


Lake Hill from the Sand Dunes


The Hill

Sand dunes

Sand dunes

Sand dunes


Sand dunes

Sand dunes

Sand dunes

Sand dunes


Eastern wall of Lake Hill

Looking towards Panamint Springs

Eastern mountain

The hill of Lake Hill


The hill of Lake Hill

Looking down at Lake Hill

At the sand dunes

At the sand dunes


Eastern wall of Lake Hill


At the sand dunes


Hunter Mt

Panamint Sand Dunes

Road bend

Mountain to the right/east


Old vehicles along Lake Hill Rd

Panamint Sand Dunes

The road


The turn off to Lake Hill Rd is on the other side

Lake Hill Rd

Old vehicles

Old vehicles


Lake Hill's hill

Eastern wall

Lake Hill

Highway 190 cutting through Lake Hill


Lake Hill looking towards Panamint Sand Dunes


Tank in the middle of the desert

Hunter Mt from Panamint Springs

Lake Hill from above Panamint Springs


Lake Hill from a hill to the southeast (the Panamint Sand Dunes are way in the back, a white strip up on the mountain)

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(Copyright © 2014 Piero Scaruffi)
If you would like the original, high-resolution pictures, contact me