Women's hiking vacations: Death Valley Delights

Highlights:

visiting the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park- and finding it way more than we imagined
hiking across badlands, through canyons, and around an old volcano
visiting Scotty's Castle, the Borax Museum, and Zabriskie Point
relaxing by the pool and being glad it isn't July

Death Valley has a mythic status for many of us, particularly those who grew up watching Death Valley Days and wondered what 20 mule-team borax really meant. More recently we may have heard about it when there was an amazing wildflower bloom after a rainy winter. But how many of us actually know anything about it? This trip is designed to remedy that, as we explore its fascinating geology and learn about its equally engaging human history.

This trip is for: any active woman who wants to explore Death Valley. While we will offer one optional strenuous hike (2200 feet elevation gain), most of the hikes are moderate.

Accommodations:

four nights at Furnace Creek Ranch

Maximum group size: 10

Trip price: $1198-$1285 (there is a $50 deduction for registration prior to 11/1/08 and 3% of the trip fee if the balance is paid by check). $300 deposit.

Trip price includes:

experienced guides
four nights of double occupancy accommodation
all meals from lunch on Sunday to lunch on Thursday, except for one dinner
transportation from Las Vegas and during the trip
National Park and Scotty's Castle entry fees

Trip starts: arrive in Las Vegas by 11 am on March 1

Trip ends: we will be back at the Las Vegas airport by 4 pm on March 5 and you can fly out anytime after 5:30

More information: will be posted later

Register for this trip or Contact us for more information

Itinerary

March is typically excellent hiking, with temperatures in the high 70s. This can also be the beginning of the wildflower season, depending on winter rains. The following itinerary may be adjusted because of weather, availability of ranger talks, group wishes, etc.

Sunday: We'll meet you at the Las Vegas airport at 11 am. The drive to Death Valley National Park is about 2.5 hours. We'll start our exploration with the Gower Gulch Hike. This 4.5 mile loop trail first takes us through colorful Golden Canyon (there is also an interpretative trail here), over badlands to below Zabriskie Point, and down Gower Gulch. We'll then go to our lodging, Furnace Creek Ranch, where we'll spend the next four nights. Overnight Furnace Creek Ranch. (L, D).

Monday: There will be two choices of hikes today. The first is a climb of Wildrose Peak, one of the highest peaks in the Panamint Mountains. This is a 4.2 mile climb, with an elevation gain of over 2,000 feet and quite steep in places. However the 360 degree view from the top makes it well worth the effort. (B,L,D)

Alternatively there are a number of other shorter trails that are also well worth exploring. One is Desolation Canyon, a moderate 3-mile hike in a narrow canyon through colorful badlands. Another is Dante's Ridge trail, which is and out and back so you can go as far as you want. Alternatively this could be a day to explore the Panamint Springs area, including a short hike to Darwin Falls and a visit to the ruins of Pete Aguereberry's camp and mine. Overnight Furnace Creek Ranch. (B,L,D)

Tuesday: This morning we'll hike 2 to 4 miles into Mosaic Canyon, so named because of its polished marble walls. Millions of years ago this area was covered by a vast sea, resulting in limestone formation. Add magnesium and other sedimentary rock, and lots of heat and pressure, and over the years the limestone metamorphosed into today's marble. On this out and back hike we may even see bighorn sheep. As long as we're in the Stovepipe Wells area, we'll also visit the Sand Dunes where we can walk cross-country to 100 foot high sand dunes.

The afternoon is free for you to do as you choose. Options include lounging by the outdoor swimming pool that is naturally heated by warm springs that keep the pools' temperature at a comfortable 82 degrees; visiting the Borax Museum, which is focussed on the history of Death Valley; and checking out the National Park Visitor Center. Dinner is on your own tonight. Overnight Furnace Creek Ranch (B, L)

Wednesday: Today we'll visit the northern part of the Park. We'll start with a visit to Scotty's Castle, a Spanish-style mansion that was built in the 1920s and is completely out of place in this environment. From there we'll drive to the 600-foot deep Ubehebe Crater, the remnants of a massive volcanic explosion 300 years ago. We'll hike along the west rim of the Crater to Little Hebe and several other craters, before continuing around the rim for a total of 1.5 miles. On the way back, we'll also stop at the Salt Creek Interpretative Trail. An easy boardwalk takes us to the Creek, a stream of salty water that is the only habitat of the endangered pupfish. We'll finish the day with a drive to Zabriskie Point (remember that awful movie?) to watch the sunset before returning to the ranch for our final farewell dinner. Overnight Furnace Creek Ranch.

Thursday: Want to pack in as much as possible? Then join your guides for a drive to Dante's Point to watch the sunrise. Need more rest? Then sleep in and join us for breakfast. Whichever you do, we'll pack up after breakfast and then go visit Badwater Salt Flat. It could be a high point of your visit, but it's definitely the lowest point in the entire United States. We'll walk at least a half mile to the edge, and perhaps further if we're so inclined. We'll also walk on the Natural Bridge Canyon Trail, an easy walk through a narrow canyon to a natural bridge.

After a final picnic lunch we'll return to Las Vegas. We'll have you back by 3:00 and you can either plan to fly out after 5:00 or stick around and try your luck.