Panamint Valley and Death Valley Photos

[Letterman]

Was in Panamint Valley for a few days with some good friends, mostly just to shoot photos and some light wheeling.
Turn off to Ballarat Road:

A looking point to see where Panamint City is:

Radar station at the south end of Panimint Valley:

 

[Letterman]

Ballarat ghost town still has some complete building standing:

The "Manson Family" abandoned truck is still in good shape:

The stars were said to be painted by the "Manson Family" at least that is the story from the town caretaker

One of the two rooms in the town Jail/Hotel:

Windows could use some cleaning:

 

[Letterman]

A tiny ore car still on tracks:

Spare parts:

Spare body:

Directions to the canyons:

I was there:

Nice warm spring day:

The one store in town:

 

[Letterman]

Sunset on the Panimint Mountains:

Looking to the north end of Panimint Valley:

 

[Letterman]

Heading up South Park Canyon:

The canyon walls are huge, and photos can't even show how big the steep hillsides are:

Briggs Camp cabins are very well kept up:

Target practice anyone:

A few hundered feet above the cabins the hill side bridge is not for the weak hearted:

 

[Letterman]

Another mine on the high plans atop the Panamint Range still had interesting parts, cars, trucks and tractors left behind to weather in the sun, snow and rain:

This lisard sat still for over 10 minutes as we all got a good close up shot:

All the holes gave a Disco Ball feel to the small shack:

Tractor converted to maybe pump water into or out of the mine shaft:

 

[Letterman]

Indian petroglyphs on rocks all over the top of a ridge:

 

[Letterman]

A not very well maintained cabin at the top of Pleasant Canyon:

Heading back down Pleasant Canyon:

Seems like everyone that comes into town takes photos of the truck:

 

[Letterman]

Heading up Goler Wash Road, a simple 4x4 can make this trail with a good driver:

The Canyon Walls make you feel very small:

The spring flowers made for some great photos:

Looking back at Panimint as we head to Death Valley:

Entering Death Valley:

 

[Letterman]

One of the very last standing buildings of Barker Ranch, the ranch became famous in 1969 when they caught Charles Manson and his "Family" hiding out at the ranch.

Most of the "Family" ranch is just short stone walls as it was burned to the ground in 2009 by an "Accidental" fire:

Striped Butte in the valley just over the hill side:

 

[Letterman]

Russels Camp Cabin just up the hill from Striped Butte:

From the other side:

Looking down on Striped Butte:

Work shed:

Some more cabins:

Striped Butte:

Rock staking:

 

[Letterman]

Hiking up to look at a birds nest(very top of the shot) got the feathers all ruffled, and the birds started making lots of noise:

Park Ranger:

Some nice views:

 

[Letterman]

Heading back down Goler Wash Road:

 

[Letterman]

Sunday we went up to Jail Mine on Trail Canyon Road, and again we entered Death Valley Park:

An amazing canyon:

Still with a very well intact mine:

Might need to change that belt out:

Colorful rust:

Looking down on the mine:

I think this welding table is better then mine:

From the other side of the canyon:

 

[Letterman]

Lots of cool rusty stuff:

This could still work . . . .

Maybe not this:

She's a runner:

 

[Letterman]

The Panamint Daisy is one of Death Valley's most unique wildflowers:

Looking back into the Valley showing off his shirt:

Long drive out, but always worth it:

 

[jakeWI]

great pics.

 

[jakeWI]

wow. just wow. real awesome pics. great looking views and sites. Just got done looking through all of them.

 

[Jes]

Great pics, Dave.
Was an awesome time for sure, I just love the desert.

 

[playwithit]

Thanks for posting those Dave. Incredible place on my short list of places to visit.