Death Valley, Day 6

Our sixth day in Death Valley began at Warm Springs Camp where we had parked our vehicle for the night.  After breakfast and coffee we drove back down the Warm Springs Canyon Road, stopping frequently to photograph the wildflowers and other items of interest.

Back on the main road we stopped briefly at the Devil's Golf Course with its salt formations and then went west and then south on SR 190 to the Emigrant Canyon Road which we followed to the Skidoo Road and that to the old mining town of Skidoo, which now is nothing but sagebrush and a sign.  Along the way to Skidoo we visited several old mining sites and had some wonderful views of the valley.

Devil's Golf Course

Skidoo Road

Skidoo

Back on the Skidoo Road

Back on the Emigrant Canyon Road we drove the short distance to the Aguereberry Point Road and visited the ghost town of Harrisburg and nearby Eureka Mine.

From Harrisburg, where we spent a good part of the afternoon exploring, we drove on to Aguereberry Point, one of our favorite places in Death Valley.  We had our supper there, watched the sunset, did some star photography and relaxed before retiring for the night.

Death Valley National Park (1)

Early on Thursday, March 2, we left the friends in Redlands with whom we had been staying and headed for Death Valley National Park.  A four hour drive brought us to Aguereberry Point in the Panamint Mountains on the west side of the park while it was still dark.  Aguereberry Point is at 6,433 feet elevation and provides some wonderful views of the valley below.  It is named for Pete Aguereberry who prospected in the area for nearly 40 years and who built the first road into the area.  After arriving there we slept in the back of our van, something we've done often and would be doing for another two nights, and waited for daybreak.  When it began to get light we started taking photos and stayed until the sun was well over the horizon.

sunrise at Aguereberry Point

Mojave Mound Cactus

Aguereberry Point

After making ourselves some coffee and breakfast at the point we left and headed back down the rather rough gravel road to Aguereberry Camp and Eureka Mine, stopping for photos along the way. The mine was on the east side of a small hill with the crusher nearby and the camp was around the other more sheltered north side of the hill.  As is evident from the photos there is still a lot of old equipment and other debris at the mining site and the camp, though falling to pieces, is still worth exploring.  My wife, who loves such places would have stayed all day if there had not been other things to do.  When I finally persuaded her it was time to leave we headed back down the Emigrant Canyon towards the valley.

Aguereberry Point Road

Eureka Mine

Sagebrush Lizard

Eureka Mine

Aguereberry Camp

Emigrant Canyon Road