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Death Valley-Southern

Southern Death Valley region of California, including the Greenwater, Funeral, Black, Owlhead, and Panamint mountain ranges

60 posts

Weather Station Cabin

Weather Station Cabin

After spending the night at one of our favorite places down in Panamint Valley, we drove up into the mountains and parked the truck along the road. We gathered up our gear, packed a lunch, and started our hike into the canyon. We knew we would be gone the rest

Honolulu Mine

Honolulu Mine

The old Honolulu mine lies on a ridge high in the Panamint Mountains of Death Valley National Park. The mine was first discovered in 1907 by John Thorndike (sometimes misspelled Thorndyke), who worked for silver, lead, and zinc.

Mormon Mine

Mormon Mine

Dan wanted to find a mine he had heard a rumor about in the wilds of the Death Valley backcountry, so off we went. It was a long hike across the scorching desert – typical for the Death Valley area. We didn’t return to our trucks until after dark, but

Death Valley Sleeping Circles

Death Valley Sleeping Circles

I met up with Dan, and we went for a short drive to see if we could find a native trail and a large sleeping circle site. Once out in the area, we hiked across a featureless alluvial to a native trail. It was fairly well-worn in places from years

Panamint Valley Geoglyph #2

Panamint Valley Geoglyph #2

I was out in Panamint Valley and wanted to hunt for a geoglyph site and Native American Indian trail. I found the trail first. I walked portions of it and came across the geoglyph site. It isn’t on the trail but offset close by.

Panamint Valley Geoglyph #1

Panamint Valley Geoglyph #1

Out in Panamint Valley, near an old camp, My buddy Dan took me to a geoglyph site on the desert pavement. The geoglyphs here are primarily linear, with a few spurs. It is a small site, but I have a feeling there are more in the area. I am planning

Striped Butte Fallout Shelter

Striped Butte Fallout Shelter

Was this old mining adit made into a fallout shelter? Maybe it is one of Charles Manson’s secret hideouts? Or the Ballarat Bandit? Perhaps a local resident and miner set it up as an apocalypse bug-out shelter? Maybe it is one of many in the area? Perhaps I know