Death Valley in January? (And a note on the Sacramento NWR)

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Tim Smith - 07 Jan 2005 14:23 GMT

I know that they have been having a lot of rain in Southern California
this year. Does anyone know if there's a chance of several rainy days
in DV this month? I'm going there for a workshop later this month.

BTW, we have also been having a lot of rain up here in Northern
California. But we had a two-day break earlier this week, so I drove
up to the Sacramento National Wildlife Reserve areas (near Colusa and
Yuba City, there are also four others), to try for some bird photos.
But because of all the rain, they've closed the dirt and gravel roads
that get you into the centers of the reserves, so the trip was a real
bust. Oh well, it was a fairly short drive.

So check with someone official before starting off for those parts.

Tim Smith

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Robertwgross - 07 Jan 2005 16:43 GMT

Tim wrote:

>I know that they have been having a lot of rain in Southern California
>this year. Does anyone know if there's a chance of several rainy days
>in DV this month? I'm going there for a workshop later this month.

Of course there is a chance. CA 190 is still wiped out east of Furnace Creek,
and many other roads are closed due to storm damage.

>BTW, we have also been having a lot of rain up here in Northern
>California. But we had a two-day break earlier this week, so I drove
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>So check with someone official before starting off for those parts.

The National Wildlife Refuges and other wildlife preserves between Sacramento
and Fresno have been open.

---Bob Gross---

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xyzzy - 08 Jan 2005 01:04 GMT

I haven't been over to DV since last summer, but we've had a wet winter here
in Las Vegas like DV. Expect to find lesser roads closed. There are still
some not opened from the storm damage last year, and others will be too soft
even if it doesn't happen to rain while you are there.

Snow levels have been under 5,000 ft here and should be very similar in DV.
So the Panamints will have lots of snow (Telescope Peak is 12,000 ft) and
the Black Mtns on the east side may also have snow. This could interfere
with access to Dante's View (about 5,500 ft if I remember correctly).

I suspect that Artist's Palette would photograph beautifully under
overcast/rainy skies. Salt Creek could be good, too, but the road in may be
too soft for cars.

Good luck.

Bob in Las Vegas

> I know that they have been having a lot of rain in Southern California
> this year. Does anyone know if there's a chance of several rainy days
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Tim Smith

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Robertwgross - 08 Jan 2005 05:35 GMT

Bob in Las Vegas wrote:

>I haven't been over to DV since last summer, but we've had a wet winter here
>in Las Vegas like DV. Expect to find lesser roads closed. There are still
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>the Black Mtns on the east side may also have snow. This could interfere
>with access to Dante's View (about 5,500 ft if I remember correctly).

* If you check it, CA hwy 190 is still closed east of Furnace Creek, due to the
huge washout months ago. As a result, there has been no access at all to
Dante's View or Zabriski Point, or any of that area.

>I suspect that Artist's Palette would photograph beautifully under
>overcast/rainy skies. Salt Creek could be good, too, but the road in may be
>too soft for cars.

*Artist's Palette has been open and closed due to floods and road damage.

---Bob Gross---

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Tim Smith - 09 Jan 2005 03:38 GMT

>* If you check it, CA hwy 190 is still closed east of Furnace Creek, due to the
>huge washout months ago. As a result, there has been no access at all to
>Dante's View or Zabriski Point, or any of that area.

Latest word is that it (190) won't be open until at least April. Drat!

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Robertwgross - 09 Jan 2005 07:04 GMT

Tim wrote:

>>* If you check it, CA hwy 190 is still closed east of Furnace Creek, due to
>the
>>huge washout months ago. As a result, there has been no access at all to
>>Dante's View or Zabriski Point, or any of that area.
>
>Latest word is that it (190) won't be open until at least April. Drat!

"Spring" is the projected due date, but that is pretty ambiguous. Some of us go
there in March, but we need that stretch of road open.

---Bob Gross---

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