Backpacking - Death Valley, Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
Details
This trip requires fit individuals capable of carrying 34-45 pounds for at least twelve miles while hiking a moderate uphill over rough terrain. There are no trails and footing is commonly rocky and unstable. There is one place that will require down climbing a dry waterfall, the height is about ten feet. We will be moving at a pace of 2.5 to 3 mph.
Join us for a three day, 32 mile backpacking trip in Death Valley National Park! The wildflowers will be in bloom and the new moon will be letting the stars shine bright. The landscape offers everything from lush vegetation to barren desert to wildlife to fossils and slot canyons.
We will hike the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop, the premier backpacking loop in Death Valley. It is considered a strenuous trip, there is no maintained trail, there will be considerable amounts of rock scrambling and underbrush to deal with, one very steep descent with extremely poor footing, and an elevation gain of over 3,500 feet.
Each person will be required to carry a minimum of four liters (9 pounds) of water each day in addition to their other gear. This is not optional, there will be a water check every morning to ensure each person is carrying the minimum. Depending on conditions each person may be required to carry six liters or thirteen pounds of water.
This is primitive camping, there will not be any facilities on this trip. Due to National Park regulations this trip is limited to no more than 12 people, and four vehicles. No pets will be allowed on this trip. High clearance vehicles are needed to make it to the trailhead. Any one that has a high clearance vehicle and is willing to drive will be given priority.
We will meet at the Stovepipe Wells campground the evening of Wednesday the 29th. We will drive to the trailhead Thursday morning and start hiking. Each day will be roughly ten miles worth of hiking with packs on, the pace will leave plenty of time to drop our packs and explore side canyons. This means potentially an extra two to four miles of unladen hiking each day.
There are two critical passes that we must navigate and cross as a group. We will finish the loop and hike out the afternoon of Saturday the 1st. We will stay at Stovepipe Wells again Saturday night before starting the drive home on Sunday. There will be a $5 fee per person to cover the cost of the campsites at Stovepipe Wells.
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Overview of the route.
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Expected Temperatures: We will most likely experience daily temperatures in the high eighties to low nineties. However, it is possible that we could see day time temps into the low hundreds. At night expect temps in the forties to fifties. The chance of rain in the valley is very small, but the area we will be hiking in is prone to flash floods. If rain is forecast the trip will change to another location in the valley.
Required Gear: Please only bring gear that you have used before and are comfortable using. This is not a suitable hike to 'shake down' new gear. Especially do not wear new shoes/boots! Broken in footwear only!
Shelter - always be prepared for rain. Ensure your sleeping bag will be warm enough and that you pack a warm layer of clothes.
Water - the capacity to treat/filter and carry five liters of water per day. There are two springs, one each day, where we can replenish our water.
Nutrition - enough food for three days, plus an extra day. Due to the chance of high heat, foods that do not require cooking may be more palatable than hot foods.
Headlamp - when nature calls at midnight, be prepared to answer.
Sunscreen - required for desert hiking.
Hat and sunglasses - required for desert hiking.
First aid kit - desert hiking can cause more than the usual number of blisters. Be prepared to treat small cuts, blisters, or scrapes.
Hygiene and trash - be prepared to carry out your own trash. Have a way to dig catholes to properly dispose of human waste. Carry a small container of hand sanitizer, water sources will be limited and hand washing will be impractical.
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Trip Report courtesy of Pantamintcity.com (http://www.panamintcity.com/exclusives/cmbackpacking.html)
More information at the NPS Website. (http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/backpacking.htm)