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Howdy
folks ... this is The Old Trailmaster
here. Have a comment or want to share
something about Death Valley? If it's good
news (after all, I don't want to spoil my
perceived online image ;-), I'll post it
here for all inhabitants of Planet Earth
to behold. Hope you enjoy what others have
written ...
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"Hello
Steve, While planning my second Death Valley trip I
came across your website. It is by far the most
helpful and informative website I have found! I
have been studying all the information for the last
few days and it has taught me so much (THANK YOU!).
I picked up a copy of Tom Harrison's Death Valley
map yesterday. With the help of your website and
others I plan to be as prepared as I possibly can
for my December 1st trip. Last year I was on a trip
to Las Vegas and dropped into Death Valley through
Titus Canyon on our way back home. We left Las
Vegas at 1:00pm, so when we got into Titus Canyon
it was already dark. We only saw 3 other cars along
the way. We stopped in the middle of the canyon
just so we could take in the peace and solitude. We
thought we saw the lights of another car coming
around the corner. For some reason we started to
walk around a canyon wall to see who, or what,
might be causing this bright light coming our way.
To our astonishment, it was the full moon rising!
It was so bright you could see your shadow on the
ground! It was by far one of the best experiences I
have ever had in a national park. After seeing
Titus Canyon and all the other tourist spots, we
had to leave. With only seeing the small portion
that I did, I now tell people I rank Death Valley
just barely behind Yellowstone, and I can't wait to
go back!!! Through the help of your website and Tom
Harrison's map I am planning out my upcoming trip.
If you had the time and repond to this email, I
would love to hear your thoughts about my December
1st trip and the places I plan to visit. Thanks
again for having such a great
website."
-
Robert Jennings, San Juan Capistrano,
California
"Hi, I
was surfing and came across your great site. I have
visited Death Valley on three separate occasions
but each time was too short, and I agree with you
that it is a place that should not be missed. I
especially enjoyed your article
on taking the 2005 Xterra through the vigorous
workout. My question is one concerning the rear
swaybars. On an Xterra club website, they keep
saying that you should remove the rear sway bars
when going off road or you will damage the rear
passenger shock. I don't have anywhere near the
expertise that you do in off-roading, don't go
beyond a level three. Just got my new '08 Xterra
and was wondering what was/is you experience with
this and would you suggest doing it? Again thanks
for the great website and wonderful write-up of
your trip."
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Ron J. Bobson
"Good
afternoon Steve, My wife and I have been studying
your website quite a bit this past month, in
hopeful preparation for a proposed trip to the
United States within the next two years, as the
famous Death Valley is one place we will definitely
not miss! We will leave the children with Maria's
family because they are too young to fully
appreciate the experience. The plan includes
arriving in Las Vegas by airplane, renting an auto
there, and driving to Furnace Creek. We enjoy
camping, so would stay in a tent at the campground
during an autumn trip. Could you please recommend
for us a few of the most memorable locations that
we can reach by standard auto during the three days
we would be there? I know it is a short time frame,
so what is the best of the best? Thank you for your
help. We like the website."
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Kurt and MariaTrakl, Innsbruck,
Austria
"Thank
you so much Steve for your assistance in providing
my two associates and me the topographic/terrain
information necessary to conduct our botanical
field studies in Dedeckera Canyon. It is indeed an
extremely remote area in which to conduct research,
and having never been there prior to this trip, I
must admit to a certain amount of trepidation. Your
knowledge of the area roads and potential hazards
gave us the edge we needed to confidently plan and
execute our modest expedition. Keep up the good
work on your website, as it provides a solid
resource base upon which Death Valley National Park
visitors of any type may rely."
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Dr. Suzanne Wilson,
Ethnobotanist
"Hello
Steve - Great site … Wow. Those 'class 5'
roads look challenging. I'll visit the site again
when I have a break in my
studies…"
-
Randall
"Hi,
Just found your website and love it! I am from
Canada (Calgary) and head to the desert whenever I
can. What part of the world do you live in? I have
found a friend in Keeler, California who is well
acquainted with DV and have passed on your website
to him. Maybe you know him, Jim Hay (Turtle Jim). I
have a friend in Utah that put together a Utah
specific expedition website
(http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/) which might
be a good model for one in California and a section
on Death Valley. There could be others as well, say
Anza-Borrego, Mojave, Rubicon (though that might be
a short one, Ha!), etc. I am specifically
interested in the desert ones and would add
whatever I know. Sections could be databases, GPS,
digital maps, trails, ghost towns, mines, craters,
vegetation, neat coloured rocks, etc. Trip planning
could be another one. Just an idea from someone who
really enjoys this and is envious of those who live
there and have fun everyday! Cheers and
Thanks."
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Jan Alsen, Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
"Good
morning Old Trailmaster! My wife and I have visited
Las Vegas many times in the last 10 years and made
a couple of trips out to Death Valley. I am
fascinated by the place (I love your site, by the
way!) and would love to spend 2 or 3 days on a more
in-depth tour of the area. Are you aware of any
companies that offer more comprehensive visits to
the Park beyond the standard 1-day bus tours? Do
you yourself still offer guide services (I have
read your Q&A on the subject) ? I am afraid
I've never driven in the USA outside of Kauai,
Hawaii - and would feel that DV may not be an
appropriate place for testing my skills - thus the
request for guidance. We are traveling from the UK
and will be in the area in June. Many of the tours
are in the cooler times of year
March/April/Oct/Nov. I am guessing also that
arriving on the cusp of the summer may not be an
appropriate time to get the best out of the Valley,
but seeing as I visit the West three times a year
(certainly for the last 10 years or so) I would
like to keep in contact for any future
possibilities. It has always amazed me that touring
in the area has never been fully realised, and
whilst I accept that anyone who wants to go beyond
scratching the surface with the standard bus tours
from LV may indeed simply drive - there must be a
core of people who would rather be guided by people
who love, respect and know the area - try asking
that at a Las Vegas tour booth - you will end up at
the Grand Canyon anyway!! I'm not adverse to
driving it myself but there will always be an
additional stress of being a tourist alone in an
inhospitable and potentially dangerous place who
will not know what roads "are good" and what roads
are, frankly, "not good"! Hey, and I'll be on the
"wrong side of the road". Ha, ha. Kind
Regards."
-
Steve Hamilton, United
Kingdom
"All the
very best with your newest book. It looks like more
vintage Trailmaster, and I'm sure it will be
terrific."
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Roslyn Bullas, Publishing Manager, Wilderness
Press, Berkeley, California
"Hi
Steve, We emailed and talked on the phone in
February 2008 regarding a trip over the
Swansea-Cerro Gordo grade, and then Lippencott into
Death Valley. I just got back Monday and it was a
great trip! Swansea still has snow and is
impassable, give it at least two more weeks. We
also went over the Lippencott road, and it was
great. I am glad we did it now because if there was
a really wet year, it might become impassable
unless someone (4wd club) adopted it and fixed some
of the washouts. The road into Striped Butte valley
is fine, just a few rough spots but not too bad.
Mengel Pass is another story. As you probably know,
there is one bad spot just before the summit. It is
really bad now! I would not advise anyone to try it
alone, and it would be best if they had lockers on
their vehicle's differential. Goler Canyon is no
problem but the road to Barker Ranch has a 'road
closed' sign on it because there are sheriff
deputies in there looking for bodies from Charles
Manson's legacy. I want to thank you again for
taking the time to talk with me. You were a great
help to us! If you have any questions, feel free to
ask. Thanks again!"
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Jon Reimers, Bakersfield,
California
"I am
just starting my 'homework' studying what it will
take to hike up to the top of Telescope Peak.
Reading your account was inspiring, informative and
fun. Thanks for writing it! I just spotted it on
the Internet using the Yahoo search engine. I had
gone down to Death Valley to check the wildflowers
and dropped in to Ballarat. I bought a T-shirt and
a Mountain Dew from the guy, Rocky, in the general
store there. I must admit I was skeptical of the
Manson truck claim made by Rocky, the guy watching
the little store there. When I got home and read
about Ballarat I was shocked to see it might just
really have been the infamous criminal's vehicle.
You never know, I guess. Anyway, I may carry my
sleeping bag and make a two day one nighter of the
Telescope climb. September might be good; we'll
see. It's a good motivator for me to get off the
couch anyway."
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Harley Hansen, Sacramento,
California
"Hello
Steve: Been reading a few minutes at a time your
book. I'm enjoying it immensely. I like your style
of writing - instead of dry commentary or "what you
will see at this point," I enjoy "riding" along
with you and can "see" what you see out of your
windshield. The margins are getting filled with my
notes as I read along."
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David A. Wright, Great Basin Historian, Big
Pine, California
"Greetings
Steve, My life seems to be moving at about 100 mph
right now. I wanted to say a hearty THANK YOU! for
sending me the copy of your book. My life has been
so crazy in the past months that I have barely been
able to read the intro and part of the first
chapter, which I've enjoyed very much. I really
love the design of the front and back covers. Very
well done. I have it tucked in my Overland Journal
Maxpedition bag so I can try to sneak a read here
and there when I travel. Our Conservation editor is
in the midst of a 60-series Land Cruiser project
that will be converted to run on bio-diesel. We
also plan to do some test drives of hybrid and
high-mpg vehicles including some off-pavement
evaluations. I hope you are having a fantastic 2008
so far."
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Chris Marzonie, Editorial Director, Overland
Journal Magazine, Prescott
Arizona
"Dear
Mr. Greene, It is my pleasure to inform you that
the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has
decided to purchase two copies of Exploring Wild
Death Valley. Our Acquisitions Department will
be contacting you soon regarding the order. It is
not often that I get the pleasure of corresponding
with an author that is so generous of his time and
resources as you have been! If the books do as well
as I hope they will, I will look forward to
contacting you again for additional copies. Thanks
again and ... happy trails! :-)"
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Teresa Handleman, Las Vegas-Clark County Library
District, Nevada
"Hi
Steve, Your adventures sound wonderful. I
especially liked the description of your encounter
with the little bobcat. The pictures of the area
are also very beautiful. I can see why you like
Death Valley so much."
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Esther Dalgas, Head Librarian, Entiat,
Washington
"Hello
Steve, My name is Richard Fry and I'm finally
getting around to emailing you. I met you at the
Mahogany Flat campground a couple years back when
you spoke to me and my friend Tom just after I
finished my climb of Telescope Peak. You asked me
some questions about the climb as you were planning
to make the climb yourself, and according to your
website you have since made the summit. I hope it
was as much fun for you as it was for me! You may
remember that we were driving a rented white
Chevrolet HHR (a modern copy of a '49 panel truck)
and you were surprised that we drove all the way to
the campground. We went on from Death Valley to
Lake Tahoe, through the Sierra's, back to Las
Vegas, and flew home to Missouri without any
problems. My 62nd birthday is coming up in March
and to celebrate I'm planning to hike into the
Grand Canyon and see Havasupai falls. Keep enjoying
the great outdoors and I will do the same!"
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Rich Fry, Missouri
"Steve,
I've been reading your new book, following along
various locations on your safaris via the "Google
Earth" software program. Do you know about it? You
can find locations all over the world, and folks
submit photos to be part of it."
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Bob Vail, Lake Arrowhead,
California
"G’day
Steve, Greetings from Australia. I’ve been
enjoying your website more than I can say and I
thought it was time I popped in and said hi. I am
impressed beyond words with your site. The love you
have for the place really shines through
and….. it’s infectious. I really hope
when I get Stateside we can hook up, as I’d
love to learn from your vast experience of Death
Valley. It has been a place that has called to me
for many, many years but now, as the reality of
being able to get there comes nearer I’ve been
very fortunate to meet others who share the same
feelings I have for the Valley. I’m a real
“greenhorn” but I don’t think that
matters a hill of beans! This will be my first trip
to America, but I have had a life time of
fascination with your country. For certain, I have
never seen a place so God-blessed with natural
magnificence as America, and I have traveled a lot
of the world. I am not one for
“monuments” and the things that
aggrandize “man”. For me, it’s the
natural world, and America has an abundance of that
“natural”, enough to delight and amaze me
for a long time. I would love nothing better than
to see a bit of Death Valley with a man such as
yourself, who knows it and loves it. Trust me, my
camp-fire conversations are usually very scant, as
I absorb the natural all around me. I find I have
not much to say at all, when nature is impacting on
me. It’s better to be silent, and absorb. What
I do have to say around the fire is never polluted
by the outside world. Creation is not a place to
argue and harangue…. It’s a place to be
humble and learn. I’m sure you agree. As the
time for my arrival gets closer and more definite,
maybe we can do some real planning about a trip
into the Valley? How’d you feel about taking
me to Dedeckera Canyon?!! Stay in touch."
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Peter and Ruth Callaghan,
Australia
"Hi
Steve - We just received your Exploring Wild
Death Valley book. Thank you so much. I wish I
could write like you do. I'm only on page 48 but it
seems like you do what we do . NO PLANS. When we're
out there we have no idea of the time unless we're
doing the Fall Haul (Which we started anyway), and
it is social. We find out about a lot of places in
DV, talking to people, but we've also seen a lot of
things because we are on our own. Please come to
our annual Fall Haul Oct. 31 2008 (next year). You
are cordially invited to pitch your tent in our
campsite. It will be our honour. Hope you can make
it. Need a ride? We're coming your way. Think about
it! Always Wild,"
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Nancy and Ray Currie, Coquitlam, British
Columbia, Canada
"Hi
Steve - Just received the copy of your book. Thank
you! I think it came out well; I like the way the
photos are presented. Small suggestion: next time
maybe add a one-page locator map of the area
covered in the book, for quick reference? It's a
nice feature. Anyway, you should be very proud of
it, and I hope it sells like crazy! It deserves to.
Your site looks great! Rich in content and nicely
designed too. I've bookmarked it and will
definitely refer to it before our next Death Valley
expedition (along with your book, of course). Take
care,"
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Roslyn Bullas, Publishing Manager, Wilderness
Press, Berkeley, California
"Hello
Steve. I'm just past half way in your photo page is
a photo of a cabin titled "Secret Old Camp - You
find it". Is that by any chance an old photo taken
at the Lotus/Keystone mine in Goler Canyon? The pic
looks like it was taken some time ago, before the
shower room and the two trailers were added to the
right of the pic. I've been to and by the
Lotus/Keystone a hundred times and I'd just about
bet the rent that your pic is the Lotus/Keystone.
Looking closer it appears that the structure on the
end is the old shower/bath room, after someone tore
the siding off of the walls. I base my answer on
the one pic I'm sending you that I know is the
Keystone. The Keystone was originally known as the
Lotus mine until the early 70's. It was originally
started by the Warner Brothers, of movie fame I've
been told. There used to be a cable car on tracks
that ran from just above the main cabin, the cabin
in question, to the top of the ridge line. The main
addits for the mine are located on the other side
of the ridge line facing Panamint valley. The new
owners took out the cable car and cut the road to
the top. They also put in, since removed, a 4 ton
jaw crusher, ball mill, and either 2 or 3 8' shaker
tables. I still think it's the
Keystone."
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Hallett Newman, southern
California
"Hey
Steve! I love the emails you've been sending with
the pictures! Great job! Thank you for sending your
Death Valley adventure book. I'm so excited to see
the journal and to look through it. I wish I could
have given you pictures to put into it... maybe
next time! It would be a lot of fun to get together
and go back to Death Valley.... Darcy absolutely
loves the desert, and I think I'm starting to enjoy
it also... especially if I get an Xterra! Me, I
love the cold, foggy, coast. I loved England and
Prague because of the cold. My favorite season is
winter. Apart from the fact that I love snow! And,
snowboarding! :) Talk more
soon!"
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Annie Doan, iMotion Photos, Los Gatos,
California
"Dear
Mr. Greene, This email is to thank you for your
website and journal, both of which have been
exceptionally informative for our family. We plan
on visiting the United States this next year, with
several of our destinations being American National
Parks, foremost the famous Death Valley. We have
learned much from your writings, and shall include
your book in our luggage for reference. With your
permission, I would like to send photographs
to you when we return. As you have said in your
exciting book, see you on the old
trails!"
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Kazuo Hayashi, Osaka, Japan
"Hi
there Steve, What a great website you have with
lots of great features and photos. I read your
article to my husband and it made us home sick.
It's funny that you mentioned Roger Mitchell since
his books were the beginning of our first
adventures too. Lingenfelter's book of course is
like the bible of the area. Have you read Emmett
Harder's book "These Canyon's are Full of Ghosts"?
It includes a lot of stories about mining around
Butte Valley. His wife and I work on the Panamint
Breeze paper together. It would be great to get
together sometime in the backcountry. We hope to go
out with the horses and mules sometime this spring
before the weather heats up too much. We usually
have a base camp in Ballarat so we can do 4x4 day
trips and Rocky keeps an eye on everything for us.
Here is our link: panamintbreeze.com
"
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Maggie Jones, Panamint Breeze
magazine
"Steve,
do you remember an old abandoned Dodge Power Wagon
(kinda faded yellow) sitting in the dirt across
from the Ballarat store? The caretaker told me it
was Tex Watson's, Charlie's right hand man. There
are stars painted on the headliner area, just like
the ones on the cabin ceiling! Apparently, Tex was
arrested in it right there, and it has never moved!
I have been reading parts of your book, and you
have a way with words that paints a picture of what
you have done and seen. Man, I didn't even know you
could spell! Later pal, I'll drop a line once in a
while!"
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Jim Oneal, Manhattan Beach,
California
Hi
Steve, Congratulations! I can only imagine how much
time and effort you've put into not only writing
the book but also going through the publishing
process. Of course that doesn't even take into
account the years and years of wandering around in
the desert that were necessary to even be able to
write the book in the first place! We're really
proud of you, Steve! We're getting ready for a week
long backpack down into the Havasupai Indian
reservation near the Grand Canyon. Who would ever
think that there are so many details to attend to?
When we return we'll be checking your website for
the particulars about your book. Thanks so much for
bringing us up to date!"
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The Dzrtgrls, Niki and Jamie
"Hi,
Steve, I see a lot of my friends have dropped by to
say hi on your comment page so thought I should
too. I loved your article on the Panamints that was
submitted to deathvalley.us. I do a little writing
and exploring myself so perhaps I'll see you out
there on the dusty dirt trail someday. I'm kind of
partial to the Inyos and Cerro Gordo myself. But
I'm always on the trail to California history, even
if it's from my computer here at home. Here are the
links to my website and the one to my "ghost town
away from home" if you want to check them out:
explorehistoricalif.com and cerrogordo.us. Thanks.
'Well behaved women rarely make history' - Laurel
Thatcher Ulrich"
-
Cecile Vargo, Explore Historic California
magazine
"I love
your website. The more I went through the site, the
more I thought to myself, man this guy is my twin.
Anyway, I finally read your bio and saw that you
used to be a cop. I am also an ex-cop. I used to
live in Central Nevada and would duck down in to
Death Valley every chance that I got - it's brain
candy to me; like a drug. I find a happiness out
there that can't be put in to words; it's almost
religious, yet sac-religious to talk about it and
not use the right words as words cannot compete
with the poetry of the landscape. There's only a
few people that I've ever talked to that 'get' it
although I have a feeling that you probably do. I
am in the process of building a new Jeep and hope
to do Saline Valley, the Race Track, and other
points in the Northern end of the park this April.
Happy trails and congrats on an excellent
website."
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Dave Walls, Nevada
"Hey
there Steve - just thought I'd drop a quick line to
let you know that I really am enjoying all you
offer on your DV website. I've visited the park
twice over the years, and so it's like I'm out
there when I read the different stories, look at
all the photos, and learn about the history. Your
survival discussion and the safety information that
you present through the question and answer page
are worth reading for all us four wheelers and
hikers who like to get away from the crowds. And
one more thing before I send this email; you really
crack me up with the little asides about grandpa on
your road rating page in your new book! Thanks for
the laughs! Now go get out there where you belong,
my fellow trail finder."
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Ron Maruyama, Atlanta,
Georgia
"Hail
Steve! I've just spent a delightful midday read of
the second half of your missive about your October
27th into November Safari from southern-most to
northern-most Death Valley. The detail you provide
added to my own experiences there over the past
seven decades, and enriches my knowledge of that
place manifold. By the way, I do believe it's
indeed a Ford front cowl (at Strozzi Ranch) from
which someone has removed the gas tank. The chromed
beading around the firewall and other hints make it
a '30-31 and the straight windshield pillars make
me guess it was a soft-top pickup or perhaps a
cabriolet. The bulging firewall is typical of those
two years, as is the bakelite box in the middle
where wiring passed through. There appears to be a
nameplate in the correct location which would tell
of its manufacture but I suspect the paint has
disappeared with age. I see the receptacles for the
rods used to brace the radiator. Your sojourn took
me back to many familiar places, but as you, I had
not visited in the Nevada triangle which came with
enlargement of the Monument into a National Park.
Health issues may prohibit my doing so, along with
ever cresting Telescope Peak, I'll have to rely on
you and Tumbleweed and your digital camera to
provide the vistas. I went to DV with my parents in
the 1930s and thanks to superb recall, can conjure
images of times there with them. More recently,
scouting for the TransAmericas Rally lured me back.
I also trekked there with the Porsche Club in the
mid-eighties. It took little incentive to point me
in that direction! Forever Mild, your Buddy
..."
-
Lynn Wineland, former Automotive Journalist,
Apple Valley, California
"Steve:
I have just finished reading both your latest
adventures. As a way to further express your
feeling and talent you need to consider a book.
Have you looked into the idea of a coffee table
publication? Complete with pictures and
descriptions of the locations in Death Valley. You
have been fortunate to experience a locale many
would like to enjoy vicariously. Your writing is
quite good, and you are able to paint a verbal
picture enhanced by the photographs. I think you
should add this to your résumé and
consider sharing your talent with others. Enough
sucking up ;-) Take care -"
-
Thomas Grimes, Florence, Oregon
"Hi
Steve, Our itinerary got altered, due to mechanical
difficulties. We ran the Pleasant Canyon/South Park
Loop, then entered Goler Wash and camped out at
Barker Ranch on our first night, then then next
day, we headed down Butte Valley and to Warm
Springs (which is when we discovered my mechanical
problem- the front left strut mount had worn.
Apparently, excessive washboard vibration allowed
the strut shaft to vibrate back and forth in the
mounting hole, which elongated the hole and eroded
the threads of the shaft. We determined to tighten
the nut when we arrived at Furnace Creek.). After
reaching pavement, we saw Badwater, Devils Golf
Course, Artists Drive, then picked out a campsite
at Furnace Creek. The next morning, I attempted to
tighten the nut on the strut mount, but because the
shaft had been vibrating so much, it had weakened,
and the threaded top of the shaft sheared off with
the nut! That pretty much terminated any
possibility of further off-highway adventures. We
went to the Chevron station in FC and asked if
anyone had a welder to make my truck safe enough to
drive back home. Fortunately, the FC golf course
maintenance guy offered to help us out, and he
TIG-welded the top of the shaft to the mount. That
day, we had planned to run Echo Canyon and Titus,
but instead we left my crippled Pathfinder at the
campground and hopped into my friend's X and
checked out the Racetrack (starting from Ubehebe).
It was really neat, and we took some great pictures
of those "magical" rocks. We enjoyed a nice swim
and hot showers at the recently refurbished FC pool
complex. The remainder of our trip kept us on the
pavement for the most part. We saw Dante's View,
then left DV and carefully and slowly drove out to
Darwin Falls and did a little rock-scrambling to
reach the bottom of the spectacular upper falls.
The rest of our trip consisted of visiting sites
along Hwy 395: Whitney Portal, Alabama Hills,
Devil's Postpile, Mammoth, Mono Lake, and finally
heading back home through Tioga Pass (Yosemite).
I've never checked out Hanaupah Canyon. It's an
in-and-out trip, not a loop, right? Is there
anything interesting to see on that road? I'd
really like to get back out there sometime next
year, if the roads are in passable, and check out
Echo Canyon, Telescope Peak, Lippencott Rd, Saline
Valley, and Eureka Dunes. I'll send you a few pics
of our trip when I have a chance. Take
care!"
-
Dean Thayer, from your Roads Not Taken
chapter
"Good
morning Steve. Thank you so much for the chapter in
your book of the Telescope Peak climb! My two
friends, Cathy and Marge, plan on hiking with me to
the top also, and after reading your informative
story, we all have a much better idea of what to
expect. Hiking is my hobby, although mountain
climbing isn't something I generally do. I have
enjoyed poking around in Death Valley National Park
before, and that highest peak intrigues me. So, now
we will go give it a try. Are there any other
pointers or help you could offer for three gals on
a natural high? Our plan is to do the climb this
coming May, hopefully after all the snow is melted.
What do you think of the Wildrose Peak trail? Is it
easier? Would you call the Telescope trail a
frightening hike? Thanks for your
help!"
-
Julie Thomas, Grand Forks, North
Dakota
"Hello
Steve, My spirit has been embracing your story of
Panamint ever since I read it. What a wonderful
adventure ... and so engagingly written. I enjoyed
it much more than the stories I dig out every now
and then in my book on old time "Tales from
Nevada." Its writing is kinda dry. After reading
it, I Googled Panamint to see photos. Your writing
has sounded the call of the west to sing out loud
in my heart! Can't wait to get out there and take
some photos of my own one of these days. .... and
I'm kinda glad D.V. still "alarms the masses"
otherwise it would look like Las Vegas .... with a
Walmart right smack up against that chimney in
Panamint. A few weeks ago our local PBS station
televised a D.V. episode on their long-running
Nature series. I think they did a very poor job and
certainly should have consulted you and your
website for better information. They showed the
usual "dry, barren, smoldering, snake-filled
wasteland" mythical image of the desert rather than
the "mystical, colorful, serene" beauty which I
have come to know all southwest deserts to be.
Barely any mention of plant life in general and
showing the blooming of the flowers last year
(which probably inspired the filming of the show)
for about ten seconds at the end. So many beautiful
deserts---and other sites---out west besides D.V.
Too much for one lifetime!"
-
Gloria Nash, Mathematics Instructor, The Bronx,
New York
"Mr.
Greene, I wish to offer my compliments on a job
well done. Your complete website presentation,
along with your detailed travel suggestions via
email, have proven valuable in my study of Death
Valley. I thank you for the knowledge of the area's
back country and roads that you have provided, and
believe that you must certainly be amongst the most
resourceful guides of the region. I shall recommend
your expertise to others in my
circle."
-
Timothy Ellsworth, Ph.D.
"Hey
Steve, Very nice site. Thanks for adding me to your
link page. A group of us will be out in Panamint
mid March. Be sure to stop by if you are out that
way. Here is the main link for viewers who like the
area: panamintcharlie.com. Someone sent me the link
to your Wild Panamint article the other day. Nice
work! I really liked it. I'm thoroughly enjoying
the book. I only get time to read 10-20 pages a
night, so it might take me a while to get through
it. I work 10 hour shifts and home-school my kids.
There's not enough time in the day to get
everything done. See ya out there."
-
Panamint Charlie, Pine Valley,
California
"Hello
Steve, My name is Kerry O'Dair the Great Grandson
of Barton Henderson O'Dair. I would like to supply
you with some information on Barton that might make
your stop at the Vulture mine more interesting in
terms of a historical standpoint. I have been
researching Barton for about 12 years trying to
figure out where he came from and where he went. I
am the last O'Dair in my line and the information
on Barton was incorrect in family lore. He died
when his three sons were less than 8 years of age.
He was born in Pennsylvania and the family moved to
Cumberland Maryland. He left with his brother and
friends cross country to the gold fields of
California Between 1850 and 1860 in Marysville
California. He later showed up in Nevada in 1865 in
Reese River and married his first wife. He had gold
and silver mines in this area. He next showed up in
Utah and in 1880 he was in Inyo county California
as a mine superintendent in resting springs. In his
Obituary it talked about his mine in Death Valley.
Your information is the first in regards to that
mine. He married a second time to my Great
Grandmother in 1880. Should you have any additional
local information on him I would appreciate it. He
certainly led a much more interesting life than I
might have imagined when I started my search. Any
specific details about his life that I know I would
gladly relate to you. Thanks for keeping history
alive for people to know about the
past."
-
Kerry O'Dair
"Mr.
Trailmaster - Any word about Hardrock Ed Hale and
the burro flapjack race? Any word from C. A.
"Pinky" Richards? Any word about Seldom Seen Slim?
Pinky was a Geologist doing his thesis on the
Funeral Range and working with American Potash
where I met him. I worked for Potash from '53 to
'60, Ed was an acquaintance but more into the
desert thing than I was. I met Seldom once or twice
and admired his scam but not particularly his
smell. He was also known as Seldom Clean. We said
then about prospectors in general they were one
foot from a million dollars or a million feet from
a buck. And did your buddy tell you why there was a
dredger on top of a mountain in Red Mountain? Or
about when beer was cheaper than
water?"
-
Walter Wallis, a desert rat from way
back
"I
enjoyed browsing through your Death Valley website.
You have some great pictures. I don't need any
excuse to visit Death Valley. It is a fascinating
place. One place I discovered was the house Johnson
built for Scotty. I walked up on the hillside
behind the house to check out the spring. One place
I haven't taken the time to visit yet is the Race
Track. A good reason to return to the park! I spend
as much time as possible in our beautiful Sierra
Mountains. I'd love to join you on one of your
safaris. My next safari is to Japan. I'm currently
writing a series of world history courses for
Fresno Pacific University. Thanks for sharing this
land with others Steve."
-
David Miller, Professor, Seattle Pacific
University
"Howdy
Old Trail Master, Wow! You do some serious writing!
That's meant as a compliment... I found your site
after re-visiting Jim Shrake's Shrockworks site
looking for new product offerings on skidplates for
my back road vehicle. I read enough of your
writings to now better understand how you have time
to write so much. Your decisions on life priorities
seems to have provided more exploration (and
keyboard) opportunities than most of us make time
for. My own plans for such are about two years
away, as I plan to retire soon. I'm ready right
now! Your mindset on backroads exploration seems
quite similar to a best bud and myself, i.e., have
rigs capable for the unexpected obstacle, but we
don't bash and crash just for the sake of it. Best
regards,"
-
Jeffrey Lardner
"Hello
Steve, I recently purchased a 2006 xterra and
really enjoyed reading about your adventures in
Death Valley. Sounded like a blast! I hope to get
down there myself in the spring for some
off-roading, and the wealth of information that you
provide on your website for planning the trip is
much appreciated. I had a question for you about
your sleeping arrangements in the Xterra. I too am
hoping to use the X as a mobile home on some of my
adventures, and I was wondering what you used to
fill the "gap" between the fold-down seats and the
front passenger seat. Do you remove the seat
portion of the folding seat entirely? Or do you use
it to fill some of the gap? Any insight would be
appreciated. Also, your make-shift window screens
are brilliant! Thanks for the help, and happy
trails!"
-
Ryan Myers
"Hi
Steve, I'm Elliott Green (no "e"). I moved to Las
Vegas in 2004 after my wife died of Cancer at the
age of 48. Too good and too young to go. My son
told me to go to Amargosa, NV to take photos of
sand dunes, which is something I would very much
like to do. Can you be of any help to me? Telling
me of a good vantage place or at least a place to
start? Any information would be a big help as I
have never been to the area."
-
Elliott Green, Las Vegas,
Nevada
The
people in the photo above are standing in front of
a now nonexistent building at Ballarat, California.
The well known Charles Ferge is the man on the far
left, and is better known as Seldom Seen Slim. He
is buried in the Ballarat cemetery, having passed
away in 1968 in nearby Trona, California. Slim was
born in Illinois in 1881, came to Ballarat sometime
during World War One, and was fond of saying, "Me
lonely? Hell no! I'm half coyote and half wild
burro." He was 80 years old, and the last of a wild
breed of rugged Mojave prospectors. Photo courtesy
of Hallett Newman - Thanks
Hallett!
Another photo
of Seldom Seen Slim:
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