GOLER WASH TO BADWATER
Death Valley has always been a place that Cindy and I loved to explore and one of our favorite routes in was from the Panamint Valley side and through Goler Wash. Of course, 25 years ago, it was a very different experience with nobody on the trail, even on a weekend. Anyway, here are a few pics that we took from one of those trips and with some good friends of ours.
Stopping to check out the old Ballarat monument down in the Panamint Valley before heading in.
Driving up the alluvial fan leading up to Goler Wash.
Making a stop at the mouth of the canyon to soak in the view of the valley.
Time to head on in.
Making a turn to visit a very cool homestead.
It's hard to imagine now but back before this place became internet famous, Barker Ranch, the place where Charles Mason once lived and was captured, used to be a wonderful cabin that you could stay in.
On the move again and heading up to Megel Pass.
At the top of the pass.
Charles Megel's grave.
Working our way down into Butte Valley.
Some chukars we came across along the way.
Making a stop at the old Geologist Cabin with the Striped Butte in the distance.
Further down the trail, we also made a stop over at Warm Springs.
It's hard to imagine now but back then, it was a beautiful place that was a clean and super nice place that you could stay at and with crystal clear blue water in the pool.
Once we got into the valley, we headed up to the lowest point in North America, Badwater. Here you can see how back then, there wasn't a big parking lot, fancy boardwalk, restrooms or anything really.
Walking out to the playa.
And, I'm pretty sure it was about this time that I ran out of floppy discs
I hope you enjoyed our little trip down memory lane and seeing what trails out in Death Valley were like before the internet and all the social media whores ruined it for everyone.
More pics to come