Wilderness Peak Restoration

Charlie Callagan Wilderness Restoration DVNP

WILDERNESS RESTORATION

of

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK PEAKS

by Charlie Callagan

Death Valley National Park Wilderness Coordinator

Besides a summit register and great views, climbers may have noticed scattered wire, a wooden frame, or occasionally decaying batteries left on the summits of desert peaks. All of the above are remnants left behind in the late 1940s and early 1950s by USGS surveying teams.

While surveying the park and recording altitudes, these hardy teams hauled supplies up the mountain high points to build a triangle shaped wooden frame held down by wires tied around a pile of nearby rocks . These frames were then used to assist them with their surveying work. The crews often carried batteries up with them to power the drills used to install the metal cadastral markers.

Almost all of the named peaks and named Bench Mark (BM) summits in the park are located within designated wilderness which ideally should be as pristine as possible. Unfortunately besides leaving the cadastral markers–more often than not–these USGS teams abandoned their work supplies up on the summits. Since this debris is over fifty years old, I have consulted with Leah Bonstead the park’s archeologist before cleaning up the summits. It’s been determined that the decaying batteries and scattered wire are not historically significant and are potential hazards that should be removed.

When cleaning up a summit, I always use gloves when handling any old decaying batteries, use a wire cutters to cut and then roll up any wire, pull out the nails and leave the wood behind to eventually decay.

However, if a wooden tower is still standing then it should be left in place such as the towers located on Black Top in the Saline Range and on Marble BM peak in the Last Chance Range.

Many, but not all of the well known and more frequently climbed peaks in the park have been cleaned up over the years while others–especially the less often climbed Bench Mark summits–still have USGS debris on top. I have recently cleaned up Sentinel, Sugarloaf, White Top Mountain, and Leaning Rock summits, but am unsure which of the other well known peaks or BM peaks also need a clean-up.  I have had a recent report that both Ibex Peak and Ubehebe Peak have decaying batteries and maybe wire still left up on top.  Also Pyramid Peak and Funeral Mountain are reported to have some old wire scattered on top.

I always bring along gloves and a plastic bag in case I find decaying batteries and wire cutters and a paper grocery bag to hold any wire. If you climb prepared to haul out a little debris then it would be great if you want to help out.  I would appreciate getting updates on the status of the park’s peaks from folks out climbing them as far as free of debris or in need of a clean-up. You can contact me at (760) 786-3244 or via email at charlie_callagan@nps.gov with any information about USGS debris on Death Valley National Park peaks.

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