Saline Valley Sand Dunes
In the rugged and desolate Saline Valley, are the small Saline Valley sand dunes. They are about 5 miles from the Saline Valley hot springs, near the intersection of the Saline Valley road and the road that heads to Steel Pass. If we venture on foot to the eastern side of these dunes, we can get some nice photographs of them in the foreground with the spectacular Inyo Range immediately behind. This looks especially great if shot in winter during morning hours, when snow blankets the Inyos!
Jack Salsberry
This fellow promoted mining ventures in the Death Valley territory for twenty years, starting with the Greenwater copper frenzy of the Greenwater Valley in 1906, and ending with the Leadfield lead frenzy in Titus Canyon. Jack was a Tonopah lumberman and promoter who loaned money to Arthur Kunze so that copper exploration could expand in the Greenwater Valley. Through these first foundational efforts, a rush began in 1906, and within the first month, nearly one thousand men were gathered, looking for copper. Jack and partners bought into this get-rich-quick fiasco, promoting for all they were worth. His towns were growing so fast that he could not haul in lumber quickly enough to satisfy the building demand for businesses like restaurants, barber shops, general stores, assay offices, and banks.
Jack, seeing what was possible with other people’s money at Greenwater primarily through promotional efforts, jumped right in to another venture called the Ubehebe Mining Company many miles away north and west, near The Racetrack dry lake. He called this new copper strike so immense that he planned to build a railroad to it, playing on the Greenwater popularity. Of course, a railroad would have to be laid over sixty miles of Death Valley to access the Las Vegas and Tonopah Line in Nevada, so unless the copper find was authentic, it surely would not be built. But Jack was skilled in generating extreme interest and high stakes.
In May 1907, with Greenwater failing fast, Jack sold out and concentrated on Ubehebe (supposedly the Lost Spanish Mine of legend), which itself faded away the following year. Taking his easy earnings with him, Jack then became involved in lead near Galena Canyon, during the first world war when lead prices were skyrocketing. He built a road east from the mining activity, across the southern end of Death Valley, over what is now called Salsberry Pass, and to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad forty miles away. This venture, unlike the previous two, was legitimate, continuing through the war and Great Depression.
Ultimately, Jack became involved with Charles Julian at Leadfield, which turned out to be yet another fleecing of the innocents, and when Julian attempted to also dupe Salsberry, litigation followed … ya’ just don’t mess with Jack, Charles! It was a mess. But through it all, Jack earned himself a place in the legendary history of the Death Valley country.
Salt Creek
Just about 5 miles north of Furnace Creek, we will find salty water pools. In these pools, we will find a type of fish not found anywhere else on Earth. At Salt Creek, they have adapted to live in water several times saltier than the ocean. Originally, they lived in a freshwater lake that covered this valley many years ago. These tiny pupfish are quite popular with tourists, but the humble little creatures go on, wholly unaware of their celebrity. While engaged in yearly mating rituals, some of these tiny fish fall victim to hungry birds, but enough survive each season to keep their numbers off the endangered species list. Early spring is a good time to visit.
Salt Flats
Whenever we are high in the mountains of this territory, on either side of Death Valley, we often behold views of sprawling white expanses below. These are the salt flats, often called a salt pan, and in Death Valley the salty residue covers approximately 200 square miles, making for an impressive sight. Water evaporates leaving salt residue, which then cracks and produces many interesting miniature formations.
If we have a penchant for great photographs, we will lie down out here to get the best pictures, with foreboding deformed salt in the immediate foreground and inviting high forested mountains in the background. It is a fascinating contrast to be sure, and one that thousands of folks capture each year. One of the most common photographs of the entirety of Death Valley’s salt pan seems to be from the Dante’s View observation point in the Black Mountains. Another great one is taken from the Badwater turnout on Highway 178, looking across the water pool, and seeing the reflection of Telescope Peak.
Free on Three
For those of you who enjoy my written ramblings, my latest book has emerged. Although the topic is not Death Valley, the cover photograph was taken on the ride north from the Badwater turnout in Badwater Basin, more than 200 feet below sea level. Jack Freer shot this photo after I pedaled on by him. If you would like a copy of this book, click HERE. It is 740 pages all about human powered recumbent tadpole tricycles, and includes material from 30 contributors, along with 450 images. By the way, part of my trike ride tale to Death Valley is included in this book, along with a number of photographs of the trike and me in the national park, taken by Jack Freer, Gene Elmore, and yours truly.
Click HERE to review the book on the Trike Asylum website, which has a header image of me pedaling the trike up Towne Pass.
What’s in a Name?
Death Valley was not always called Death Valley. Many people over thousands of years called it a number of things. Salt Valley was among these names, and commonly applied by some, prior to the general public acceptance of the uncomfortable Death Valley moniker. Public need for excitement, however morbid, likely led to the decline in usage of Salt Valley, since it was lackluster compared to what we now officially call it. If it were still called Salt Valley, would the throngs of tourists pour into it to the extent that they have done for years now? Is the allure really in the name? Welcome to Salt Valley National Park (SVNP).
Sand Boarding
Like snowboarding, only on … sand.
If we are caught doing this at the Eureka Sand Dunes National Natural Landmark, it is citation time, as this activity is prohibited on the dunes to protect the federally-listed plant species and sensitive endemic flora and fauna of the area. In all reality, these dunes are so remote, it is highly unlikely anyone who comes out this far would do so to indulge in this activity.
If sand boarding or sand skiing is a personal passion, the Dumont Dunes near the southeastern corner of DVNP are open to all manner of human recreational activities. The heavily-used Dumont Dunes are outside the national park boundary. Of course, if one sandboards at Dumont, one is likely to be flattened by a dune buggy!
Photographer’s Delight
Thousands of photos have been taken of Death Valley sand dunes, and for good reason. They make outstanding objects for fascinating light forms and spectacular photographs. For proof of this statement, simply move your eyeballs up from this sentence to view Jack Freer’s shot of the Mesquite Dunes just after sunrise. The view makes a perfect masthead for DVJ.
A sand dune, such as found in this region, is a massive accumulation of sand blown into an area from erosive processes (called Aeolian Processes) in the neighborhood. The sand stabilizes to a certain extent when prevailing wind patterns are unable to significantly move the sand elsewhere.
There are several notable dune fields in Death Valley National Park and the surrounding territory. The highest field is the Eureka Sand Dunes in the very remote and seldom visited northern portion of the park, accessible only via rough dirt road. These dunes are nearly 700 feet higher than the surrounding ground, and they “sing” when the wind and moisture conditions are just right. We may camp primitively near their base and hike to the tops.
The most commonly photographed dunes, because of their easy access from a paved road, are northeast of Stovepipe Wells Village, and are commonly referred to as the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. In the northern section of the Panamint Valley, we will find the Panamint Dunes, accessible by relatively easy dirt road, although it will require some serious cross country desert hiking to walk on them. Dumont Dunes are outside the national park boundary, not far east of Saratoga Springs. These dunes are open for vehicular recreation, so they provide a much different feeling than the other protected dunes (modified cars and motorcycles are seen driving on them).
There are other dune fields out here too, like those in the ultra remote Saline Valley, or at the northern portion of the Panamint Valley. Come find them all. Oh, and bring a camera for those gorgeous sunrises and sunsets! Can’t beat ‘em!
Abandoned Waste
For folks with motorhomes or campers in need of a place to legally abandon wastes generated during the normal course of human existence, the substance may be off-loaded at a few places in the region. This unwelcomed chore may be properly completed according to acceptable guidelines at the following campgrounds: Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Mesquite Springs, Sunset, and Texas Springs. Sanitation is a wonderful thing!
Santa Rosa Flat
With an average elevation of over 5,000 feet, this pleasant and easily-visited stretch of high-valley land lies between Death Valley National Park to the east, and the Malpais Mesa Wilderness Area to the west. Santa Rosa Flat borders Lee Flat, both of which are north of Highway 190 and accessible by vehicle on the road to South Pass.
For those who seek broad expanses of Joshua forests near the southern portion of the Inyo Range, Santa Rosa and Lee Flats make for a secluded jaunt into the wilds. Yearly rainfall averages around nine inches in this neck of the woods. This region also makes for an adventurous backroad entry into the Cerro Gordo mining district from the south, allowing spectacular views as we ascend from the flat up into the mountains. The old Santa Rosa mine sits to the southwest of valley, surrounded by the wilderness area.
Saratoga Spring
In the extreme southern portion of the park, at an elevation of 60 feet above sea level, these springs are influenced by water of the Amargosa River as it heads north into Death Valley. We can see the ponds all year long, and may be lucky enough to see migrating birds using the precious water for drinking, bathing, or just frolicking. As with any water-rich environment, be aware of any animals and respect their nests or habitat.
Saratoga Springs consist of several springs that feed water to three large ponds, covering a total area of nearly seven acres. A rare fish called the Saratoga Springs pupfish lives in these waters, and nowhere else on Earth. Other creatures who call this home include Amargosa tryonia snails, Amargosa spring snails, Saratoga Springs belostoma bugs, Amargosa naucorid bugs, Death Valley June beetles, red-spotted toads, and Pacific tree frogs. Birds finding a regional home in these parts include the yellow warbler, the Cooper’s hawk, the western snowy plover, the long-billed curlew, and the long-eared owl.
At one time, borax wagons hauled their minerals past these springs. It seems almost out of place to see Saratoga Springs in this barren-appearing country. We will find remnants of old structures here during our explorations, and an easy hiking trail allows us to examine a number of relics. Swimming in Saratoga Springs is prohibited, however, as it is a watering source for area wildlife.
Sarcobatus Flat
A large area of relatively flat land in Nevada, this 30 square mile region borders a portion of the triangle of the park that juts out into Nye and Esmeralda Counties. The Grapevine Mountains drain rainwater into this flat expanse, which begins about ten miles north of Beatty. Nevada’s Highway 95 also lies along the flat’s eastern flank, and Highway 267 cuts through the northern portion, on its way to Scotty’s Castle. The boom town of Rhyolite is separated from Sarcobatus Flat to the north by the Bullfrog Hills.
An expedition of scientists in 1891, studying the wildlife of Death Valley, found 150 new species of animals, and ultimately gave the name Sarcobatus to the flat area that they found east of the Grapevine Mountains. The Shoshone people of yore had an annual rabbit gathering drive on the flat to obtain food, where large groups of people walked along and flushed the rabbits into an awaiting net.
This unusual word, Sarcobatus, has a Greek ancestry, and means flesh bramble (sarko batos), and it is used now to describe the family of plants that include the greasewood bush. We may drive through the north-south direction of Sarcobatus Flat via a 26 mile class 2-3 dirt road that cuts along its western edge. This road is not shown on all maps. The dirt road that leaves Highway 95, about twelve miles north of Beatty, crosses the southern portion of Sarcobatus Flat on its way to Phinney Canyon and Strozzi Ranch (both GREAT places to visit, by the way).
Rescued through a Satellite
We can now be rescued by satellite technology if we are hopelessly stranded or lost in Death Valley National Park – and the important part of this is that it is an affordable option (relatively speaking). Called the “SPOT Satellite Messenger and Personal Tracker” by the company that sells it, they offer the following information and claims on their website:
“Never be lost, stranded or be in potentially in life threatening situations in remote areas beyond the range of cellular phones. Now, with Spot Satellite Messenger we can send a message for help or tell family members, friends or the emergency responders where to find us using GPS accuracy regardless of cellular coverage. Help is just a push button away! SPOT’s message and tracking functions enable users to send messages to friends, family or emergency responders, based upon varying levels of need and to visually track the location of the SPOT Satellite Messenger: ‘Alert 911’ button dispatches emergency responders to an exact location – ‘Ask for Help’ button sends a request for help to friends and family – ‘Check In’ button lets personal contacts know where we are and that we are all right. The Spot ‘Track Progress’ sends and saves our location and allows contacts to track our progress using Google Maps.”
It gets even better: all this is available to us for only $149, or less, if you click through to Amazon to get it. Finally, an affordable solution for rescue seems within reach. Of course, let’s not forget the monthly fee to keep the service active! Check that out prior to laying down the cash to see if it is financially sustainable for you.
Scams and Schemes
First, some definition so we are all on the same page, which is important because some may think these two words are synonymous. As defined here, one of these words is a bad thing, while the other is not. All scams are schemes, but most schemes are not scams. A scam is a swindle or a fraudulent scheme designed for making a quick profit, whereas a scheme is a visionary plan, design, or program where the parts thereof are arranged to be followed to carry out a particular project.
That said, scams and schemes have been a major part of the written history of the Death Valley territory since its visitation by the first European Caucasian people who came here. Examples of DV scams would include the activities of such notable people as Walter Scott, Charles Julian, and George Graham Rice. Examples of schemes would include a list so long that it would take an entire book to write.
Usually, when considering the mining ventures out here, operations began with genuine hope of striking it rich. These prospectors and entrepreneurs laid out elaborate and honest schemes to make their dreams come true. Often was the case that many people remained above-board in their actions. It is just that when a lot of money is at stake, an unsavory element always seems to drift in to take advantage of the gullible. Many promoters were legitimate, yet there are numerous examples of promoters who over hyped the ventures in order to gain fame and wealth – they stretched the truth so far that they slipped across that sometimes faint line between scheme and scam.
This blurring of definitions is, of course, partly responsible for the colorful past that we have all come to love about this mystical Land of Legend. Hopefully the contents of The Death Valley Journal will shed considerable further light on the topic of this post.
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