Death Valley "Road Trip" and hikes (4-5 days)

Ten of us did this last year and it was a blast, so here we go again (you can see reviews of last year here (https://www.meetup.com/SF-Bay-Area-Geology-Hiking/calendar/11478922/?from=list&offset=0)).

Please do not RSVP Yes unless you know you are going to make it. Last year we had several last minute cancellations. I don't think we'll have any problem with getting too many people on the trip. If we end up with a waiting list, I'll send out a few nagging emails asking people to drop if they know they aren't going to be able to make it

Here's the tentative plan:
Leave the Bay Area early on Tuesday, Dec 28, arriving at Death Valley late afternoon. People can either camp or stay in a hotel (get your reservations now.
Dec 29 Morning: Mosaic Canyon (easy, but some "butt-scooting" along slippery rocks). Lunch on the road (can pick up food at Stovepipe Wells). Afternoon: Sand dunes, Devils Cornfield, Historic Stovepipe wells (hike into dunes, others are car accessible).
Dec 30 Morning: Historic dune at Beatty Junction (brief car stop), followed by drive to Rhyolite ghost town. Explore ghost town, possible short hike in that area. Lunch on the road. Afternoon: Drive down Titus Canyon (requires 4WD and/or high clearance vehicle).
Dec 31: Morning: Darwin Falls Trail (year round falls, 2 miles down grade dirt road, then 1 mile hike). This hike is described as Adventurous, with some rock scrambling. This hike is near Panamint Spring, so it may work for folks leaving on Friday to take this hike in the morning on the way out. Lunch on the road or Panamint Springs. Afternoon: Open. Explore Eureka Mine and Charcoal Kilns on Emigrant Canyon road on the way back from Panamint? Drive to Badwater? Evening: Dinner at Furnace Creek Ranch restaurant for those who desire. I think there will be telescopes set up after dark at the Visitors' Center (the moon is nearly new, so stargazing will be good).
Jan 1: Drive home. This group may decide to travel to hot springs on the way home, or other trip-lengthening detours, but that's up to those in each car/carpool.

We'll be staying in the Furnace Creek area, which has both camping (it will be cold at night) and motel rooms at the Furnace Creek Ranch (Furnace Creek Inn is just down the street for those who want more luxury). Each morning we'll carpool to our hikes--we'll aim for a moderate pace, but leave no one behind--this is a hiking group, so I'll assume everyone understands that this is not just car-touring :-)

I'll be posting some files (camping, park map, etc.) in the "Files" section of our Meetup site for people to look at, or you can visit the Death Valley National Park web site (https://www.nps.gov/deva/).

Map:
Here's a Google map showing the camping/hotel area, as well as some hikes we may make: https://tinyurl.com/deathvalleygeologyhike

Hikes:
Once we know who's going, we can make decisions about best destinations (Racetrack Playa is always high on my list, and Mosaic Canyon is not to be missed). We may decide on longer hikes, or multiple shorter hikes, driving between them (there are many 1-2 hour hikes in the park).
If we have cars with "high clearance," we can get down a few roads that are a bit too bumpy for most cars (I just bought a 4WD that fits four comfortably); but we'll probably not go down 4-wheel drive roads (unless everyone has 4WD, and even then we'll likely avoid the really rough ones).

Camping:
Camp sites hold up to 8 people and 2 cars--some are "pull through" others are "walk-in, tent only". Last year we stayed in Texas Spring, which I think is a little nicer than Furnace Creek--but right near it.

Texas Spring has water, sinks, and flush toilets, but no showers. It appears that you can pay for a shower at Furnace Creek Ranch, for those who want one. One web site reviewer said it was $3 for a shower.

Motel:
If you want to stay in the Furnace Creek Motel or the FC Inn, make your own reservations now (https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/lodging.htm). If you want to share a room, leave a comment below stating your desires/preferences. Stovepipe Wells Village is a bit less expensive, and only about 30 miles from Furnace Creek area.

Another much less expensive motel option is to stay in Beatty, Nevada. This is about 45 miles away, but the roads are mostly straight, but you do pass through a mountain pass. Google Maps estimates the drive at 1 hour 13 minutes, which I suspect is a bit longer than needed.

Food:
We'll work out the details on food in early December, but plan on having at least your own lunches that you can take with you on hikes (we may coordinate breakfasts and dinners, for those who are interested-, but everyone is welcome to just bring their own). There is a restaurant at Furnace Creek for those inclined to dine in.

Weather
Cold at nights; may have some rain but not likely too much. https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/weather.htm Regardless, be ready for cold, and be ready for rain.

Cost:
Each participant will be responsible for:
helping with gas if they carpool
camping ($18/site/night) or motel (2 queen=$169/night)
entrance fee ($20/car)
their own food (some may be shared).
I'm asking a $5 donation from each person for this trip (total, not per day).
No money is due in advance, unless you are staying in a motel, in which case you must do that on your own. Entrance fee is paid by your car/riders when you enter the park, and I'll collect my $5 when I first see you at the park.

Cell phone reception:
If my memory serves me right, there is no cell coverage in most of Death Valley (including Furnace Creek area). I have Sprint, and their maps show it as no coverage, including no roaming coverage.

Other links
Road conditions (https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/road-conditions.htm) (all are fine now, but we'll want to check this before we leave just in case there are any washouts or other closures).
Hikes in Death Valley (https://www.deathvalley.com/exploring/hiking.shtml)

From Trails.com:
Rhyolite, NevadaRhyolite is an eerie-looking ghost town set in the barren desert of western Nevada. In 1904, gold was found in the nearby hills, and Rhyolite boomed and busted in 1910. This famously photographed ghost town is a National Historic Site and has been featured in many western films. Rhyolite makes a great day trip from either Las Vegas or Death Valley National Park, and visitors can tour several remains of the boom days, including the old train depot, bank, jail and the Bottle House, which was fully restored for Paramount Pictures' film "The Air Mail."
Read more at Trails.com: Ghosts of Christmas Past: Ghost Towns to Visit this Winter | Trails.com https://www.trails.com/list_20122_ghost-towns-visit-this-winter.html#ixzz16yDjQkYD