10/12/09 – The Southern California Tacoma Club Visited Death Valley National Park for the first time this fall (we return in November), taking on Pleasant and South Park Canyons followed by an optional  trip up Goler to Butte Valley.  Blessed with great weather along the way, the trip went smoothly and was great fun with John in the lead, Dennis at tail and Nick with his Dad and Dana out to enjoy the fun.

Leaving from picturesque Trona on Saturday morning we headed to Ballarat to air down and then went up Pleasant Canyon, stopping at the interesting mines and views along the way. We ate lunch of the trail and then set up camp. Before it got dark we headed into Middle Park and spent some time playing with the burros, of which there are now way more than plenty, and then back to camp to settle in for the night.  It was a pretty chilly night so most were thankful when the sun rose!

We then made our way down the rest of South Park and said good bye to Nick and his father who needed to get home to work the next day. The rest of us headed to Goler. We stopped at Barker Ranch and were very much saddened by its current state after a fire destroyed the main building there earlier in the year.  It made us a bit sad to see it as it is and also remember it as it was. So, we left and preceded up Mengle Pass and down to Russ’s where we’d stay for the night.  Before supper Dana took us over to see some interesting sites along the edge of the valley we’d never seen before and then he headed off to Warm Springs. John and I were then all that was left so we headed down Redland’s Canyon until we could go no farther and then hiked down to a beautiful dry water fall as the sun set. This left us an excellent night wheel back to Butte Valley, supper, showers and sleep.

In the morning John headed back out Goler while I headed out via Warm Springs and headed home with the traditional stop at China Ranch in Tecopa for a date shake.

It was a wonderful laid back trip that was really two trips in one! We saw a lot and relaxed a lot. A success!

The club will return to Death Valley National Park in November with our Racetrack and Saline Valley run.  We welcome guests and people interested in our club. Contact us for more information.

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