Death Valley Charcoal Kilns - Panamint Valley Days 2008

Sunday morning, November 9, 2008, we woke up to very unsettled conditions, and it looked like rain was on the way, despite the fact that the weather service had promised a zero chance of rain for the day. As we were breaking camp, it started to sprinkle, and by the time we had our camp packed up, it had turned to a soaking rain. We were hungry, and we went drove to Chef Andy's for breakfast that day, but they had stopped serving breakfast, and they were in the process of breaking camp. We had reservations for the next three night at Panamint Springs Resort, but check-in time isn't until 1600, and it was 0830 on a rainy, Sunday morning, and we had a bit of time to kill. So I suggested that we take a ride over Towne Pass to Death Valley National Park, proper, eat breakfast at Furnace Creek, and maybe take a loop back to Panamint Springs, taking in such sights as Aguereberry Point, Emigrant Pass, and since we'd visited Lookout City the previous Friday, Wildrose Canyon and the Charcoal Kilns, that supplied the blast furnaces of Lookout City, all those years ago.

Photo: A cold, soaking rain falls as folks hurry to pack up Panamint Valley Days 2008 base camp. By the time this photo was taken, we were soaked, as we neglected to don rainwear, as we were in a hurry to pack up or own camp.

We said goodbye to a very soggy Panamint Valley Days 2008 base camp. As they say in the circus business, "The show must go on," and on this rainy Sunday morning, vehicles were lined up for the days run. Leaving base camp, we took Slate Range Road to Panamint Valley Road, and headed north until we reached State Highway 190, then it was east in the direction of Death Valley, proper. We stopped at the Towne Pass, elevation 4956 feet to admire the snow. We had to take care in negotiating the highway, as many of the cuts were filled with rocks that had fallen from the hillsides.

Photo: Parked at Towne Pass, with a light dusting of snow. The smudge on the truck is from a rain drop that hit the lens as the photo was taken.

Photo: Stovepipe Wells Village is in the foreground, with the snowy Funeral Mountains in the background.

At Stovepipe Wells Village, we planned to eat breakfast at the Toll Road Restaurant, but by the time we arrived, they had closed for breakfast, and wouldn't be open for lunch until 1130; we could not wait, as we were hungry. So we hiked across the street to the convenience store, and purchased a couple of pre-made, shrink-wrapped po' boy sandwiches along with a couple of cups of coffee, and drove the short drive to Mosaic Canyon to enjoy our delicious breakfasts. In all fairness, the sandwiches were pretty good, and the coffee was delicious. After breakfast, I took a short hike up Mosaic Canyon to the place where it narrows, as I'd never been there before.

Photo: Driving the snowy road to Aguereberry Point. Looking at the photo, you can see that we were quite alone as there are no other tracks on the snow-covered dirt road.

I got the bright idea that I wanted to see some more snow, so we headed west on the highway until we got to Wildrose Ranger Station, and then we turned south on Wildrose Road, in the direction of Trona. We went up and over a snowy Emigrant Pass, elevation 5318, and then turned on the dirt road that leads to Pete Aguereberry's camp, and Aguereberry Point. I had a slight reservation about driving to the point, as there were no other vehicles - we broke trail in the snow, and I always fear of getting stuck. But there was only a couple of inches of the white stuff on the road, and as we neared Aguereberry Point, the snow mostly disappeared, except for a small patch here and there. Due to the clouds, the view into Death Valley was, well, cloudy, and with the cold blowing wind on the exposed ridge, I didn't stay outside of the warm cab of the truck for very long. At elevation 6112 feet, I was surprised that there wasn't more snow at Aguereberry Point.

Photo: Looking into Death Valley, in the direction of Badwater Basin, from Aguereberry Point. Where's the snow?

Photo: The sign says it all, as we're parked at snowy Emigrant Pass, on the Wildrose-Trona road.

Back on Wildrose Road, we drove a few miles south and turned east on the road to the Charcoal Kilns. By the time the road entered the canyon, at the base of Wildrose Peak, the snow had become quite substantial, and by the time we reached the Charcoal Kilns, there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground, and the snow was much deeper in places. We weren't alone, as there was a family enjoying sledding opportunities that the packed snow on the road offered, a couple in a compact car with cable chains on the front wheels, and later a gentleman showed up on a motorcycle! We would later get to spend a bit of time with him during our stay at Panamint Springs Resort. Due to the snow, the road definitely required four wheel drive, but our truck is very well equipped, and sports BFG mud/snow tires, so we didn't have any problem driving to the Charcoal Kilns in the snow.

Photo: The 10 beehive Charcoal Kilns, at the base of Wildrose Peak.

Photo: These folks had originally brought the sled to play on the sand dunes, in Death Valley, but now they're using it for the purpose that the manufacturer had intended: Snow!

The Charcoal Kilns are located at an elevation of 6891 feet, and the GPS coordinates are N36.14.808, W117.04.582. There are 10 beehive kilns, built in the 1870's to reduce cords of pine wood into charcoal, in order to feed the hungry blast furnaces at Lookout City, across Panamint Valley, and up on a mountain. The kilns were build by Chinese laborers, and each kiln holds 24 cords of wood. The kilns were well-situated, as piñon pines grow everywhere in the area. Considering the size of a piñon pine, it mush have taken many trees to fill these kilns. The kilns are in excellent condition, which is a testament to their builders.

Photo: I snap a photo of the truck, with the Charcoal Kilns in the background, as we leave.

Photo: One of the washed-out sections of Wildrose Road. Note the hillside to the left of the photo has washed over the road. Just beyond the truck, pavement reappears.

Wildrose Canyon is subject to washouts, and signs warn you that the road is not recommended for semi-trucks, motorhomes, and the fact that a washout, and a flash flood could occur at any time. Wildrose Road is always in poor condition due washouts, but after the morning rain, we encountered numerous washouts, and in some places, the road had completely disappeared under a coating of mud, rocks and gravel. We didn't require four wheel drive, but we had to drive with caution, and watch out for washed-out sections, and rocks. We got a laugh out of one spot where a sign warned of washouts, after we'd just crossed an especially nasty washout and we were on hard pavement.

Photo: We got a laugh out of the "Watch For Washouts" sign, as we'd just crossed the last washout. The sign should have been placed at the other end of the canyon. In all fairness, signs had warned us earlier, but considering the fact that we drive a very capable truck, we weren't overly concerned.

Photo: The welcome sight of Panamint Springs Resort, where we were to spend the next three nights.

We pulled into Panamint Springs Resort, just at check-in time, and in no time, we were in our warm and cozy room, and anticipating a delicious dinner in the restaurant.