Death Valley National Park - Day five

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Geo: 36.6001, -117.128

On our last full day of hiking we wanted to avoid the heat of the desert if we could and find a hike with some good views. I had considered hiking along Dante's View but really wanted to do one of the two really high peaks in the park, either Telescope Peak or Wildrose Peak. Telescope is the highest point in the park at over 11,000 feet but was too snow covered and icy to hike. Wildrose wasn't too snowy and was only about 2,000 feet lower than Telescope so we chose it for our last significant hike of the trip. The hike begins at the Charcoal Kilns parking area near the end of Wildrose canyon road extension. The Kilns are pretty amazing themselves, having been built in 1876 to provide fuel to process silver and lead ore at a smelter lower in the valley. The kilns only operated for about three years and consequently have been preserved in remarkably good condition. You can actually still smell the smoky odor when standing inside the kilns. Several pinion pine stumps are still visible from along the trail where the trees from the mountainside were cut over 100 years ago to provide the raw material to make the charcoal in the kilns.



The trail leaves the north end of the parking area at an elevation of around 7,800 feet and climbs over 2,200 feet in 4.2 miles to an elevation of 9,064 feet. It is rated "Moderately Strenuous", though it was pretty doggoned strenuous to these old arms, hips, legs, ankles, and feet. The views along the last couple of miles and from the top were breathtaking and well worth the exertion required to get there.









We had lunch on top and returned to the parking area around 3:30 PM. After returning to our room to drop off backpacks we went on down to the nearby sand dunes to watch the sunset. I wasn't able to get a very good shot of the sunset but the light patterns of the setting sun on the dunes and mountains in the distance was impressive.





Spent our last night of the trip at Stovepipe Wells Village again. Up the next day to take a leisurely trip back to LAX for our flight home. At least it was leisurely until we hit the freeway traffic.

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Photos

Charcoal Kilns
There are 10 kilns here preserved so well they look like they could be put back into operation tomorrow.

Pinyon Pine stump
The first couple of miles of the trail to Wildrose Peak passes through a Juniper and Pinyon Pine forest. Along the trail several pine stumps are visible from where trees were cut over 100 years ago to provide fuel for the kilns.

Wildrose Canyon
The trailhead parking lot is at the head of this canyon, to the left and behind the camera.

Wildrose Peak
This is a shot from along the trail, about 1.5 miles from the top. Doesn't look too fomidable from this angle but we still have about 1,000 feet to climb from here.

From the Wildrose Trail
Two pictures stitched together to try to convey some of the magnificence of the view from along this trail but it really doesn't come close. One of those 'you gotta be there to appreciate it' type places.

Along the trail
Near the top we encountered a bit of snow, though nothing that we had any problem negotiating around or through.

The valley from Wildrose Peak
The valley is some 9,000 plus feet below.

Snow at the top
Saw a good bit of snow along the trail and on the top of the peak.

Us on top
With the valley in the distance

Telescope Peak
Taken from Wildrose Peak, Telescope Peak is the highest point in the park at 11,049 feet. When we were there In mid April, the trail to the top of Telescope was too snowy and icy. It is apparently a much more strenuous hike at 7 miles one way with a 3,000 foot elevation gain.

Sunset over the dunes
The sun was setting off to the left and turning the mountains across the dunes a beautiful shade of purple.

Sunset over the dunes #2
Enough said.