Pit of Despair, Death Valley Canyoneering

Sunday's adventure was to be my fourth canyon in the Princess Bride Range, the Pit of Despair. Fun little canyons over here, in a steep but not too high limestone mountain range. We drove out that way, parked the car on the berm, hiked up the fan. It is a bit of a walk over to the base of the mountain, a slow trudge up the alluvium. But the temps were nice so, trudge we did. Today's team included...

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Trip ReportTom JonesJanuary 29, 2017Pit of Despair, Princess Bride Range, Abby Wines, Mike Cressman, Ray Regaldo, Alyson Heare, death valley, Death Valley national park, Death Valley canyoneering

Deimos Death Valley Canyoneering Adventure

Mike set up a trip to DV, and invited me along. Given the 18" of snow up here in Mt. Carmel, escaping to the dry, warm Valley of Death seemed like a good idea. I suggested something fairly short without a car spot on Black Mountain, and Deimos it was. I was really thinking of Helios which I have also not done but...oh well! Abby offered me an actual bed at her house - BONUS!! Saturday's choice was Deimos-sneak route which did not require an early start. No one objected...

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Trip ReportTom JonesJanuary 28, 2017Deimos Canyon, Mike Cressman, Ray Regaldo, Ashley Pipkin, Adam Brewster, death valley, Death Valley national park, canyoneering

The Abyss: Death Valley Canyoneering

Abysmal Canyon, actually. I love the name because "it is way past Bad". Quite a few years ago, Ram and I were invited on the first descent of this canyon, and it seemed like a good way to start this year's Death Valley trip. We have learned that hiking up from the bottom 3000 feet is easier on the body than hiking down from the top 3000 feet...

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Trip ReportTom JonesFebruary 14, 2015canyoneering, the abyss, Death Valley

Canyoneering in Death Valley: Grotto, Bronto, Styx, and Erebus Canyons

a FEST! A Valley of Death Fest!

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Tom Jones, Tom's First Visit, Trip ReportTom JonesFebruary 14, 2010Bronto Canyon, Erebus Canyon, Grotto Canyon, Styx Canyon, death valley, Death Valley national park

Forge and Shoestring Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Under threatening skies... Well, this one is different, because Mark, Randi, Rick, Courtney and DB were coming back and gifted us ANOTHER exploration. Such fine fellows and gals. Today's canyon would be called "Forge", though... well, can't give it all away at the beginning.

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Exploration, Tom Jones, Tom's First Visit, Trip ReportTom JonesFebruary 23, 2008Forge Canyon, Mark Duttweiler, Randi Poer, Rick Kent, Ryan Hull, Shostring Canyon, Steve Ramras, canyoneering, Death Valley national park, death valley, shoestring canyon

Styx Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Styx Canyon is yet another BIG Death Valley Classic... does it ever end? I sure hope not. Ram's Death Valley Diary of the day available HERE (on the Canyons Group).

Anchors, Canyoneering, Death Valley, Tom Jones, Tom's First Visit, Trip ReportTom JonesFebruary 22, 2008Ryan Hull, Steve Ramras, Styx Canyon, styx, canyoneering, ram

Sightseeing and Landscape Photography, Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is surprisingly close to Zion - about 5 hours, add an hour for traffic in Vegas if you have to hit Trader Joe's on a weekday. The Nevada (Nucular) Test Site and Yucca Mountain are to one side of the Highway 95 (if you drive that way)

Death Valley, Tom JonesTom JonesFebruary 21, 2008Badwater, Death Valley National Park, Manly Beacon, Stovepipe Wells, death valley, Death Valley national park, steve ramras, ram, canyoneering

Hades Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Hades Canyon is another BIG Death Valley Classic. Good fun, despite what the Baptists say. Didn't take too many photos that day, but here's what I have...

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Tom Jones, Tom's First Visit, Trip ReportTom JonesFebruary 20, 2008Hades Canyon, death valley, Death Valley national park, Death Valley, Bill Wolverton, ram, steve ramras, hades, canyoneering

Cerberus Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Cerberus Canyon is a BIG Death Valley Classic. So I took the day off (and enjoyed it immensely) while the boys engaged the challenge. Here's their story...

Canyoneering, Death Valley, Steve Ramras, Trip ReportRamFebruary 19, 2008Bill Wolverton, Cerberus Canyon, Ryan Hull, Steve Cole, canyoneering, Death Valley national park, death valley

Abysmal Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Ram hooked me an invite on the big trip, and off we go. First day (for me), we got invited on an exploration right off. Excellent!!! Nothing better than that…