Death Valley in winter

[Dennis Urso]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but first want to thank all of you at this site for helping me find my 2000 17' wide Burro. I've been out a couple of times and am having lots of fun. I would really like to plan a trip to Death Valley in January or February and wonder if any of you have done that. Any recommendations? Thanks! Dennis

[Per Walthinsen]

Hi Dennis:

Congratulations on your Burro! Good choice!

Haven't been to Death Valley, but 395 down through those parts is a very nice drive. From 395 the road takes off to Tahoe and Death Valley. I have plans for D.V. myself once the gas prices dip below $2 again.

(Can't resist): "..helping me find my 2000 17' wide Burro...." I'm getting a really perverse picture here of the tongue attached just left of the door, with a wheel in back, and one in front, turned 90 degrees, of course. Leading and trailing pickups with huge Wide Load signs on them. Where are the Photoshop artists when we need them?

I'm heading for my room now. Sorry, Dennis.

[Roger H]

Yes, Per... you SHOULD be ashamed of yourself...

Roger

[Dennis Urso]

Per,

I knew what I was getting into when I posted my query. I've been reading these posts for a couple of months. I meant "wide body" not 17 ft. wide! And gas at $2.00 per gallon, you'll have to move to Saudi Arabia, but then it's going to be hard to get to D.V.

Thanks for the tip about 395.

Dennis

[Gina D.]

Hi and welcome fellow Burro owner!

I too have done the 395 in the winter. It's spectacular. COLD!!! But in a Burro, who cares?

There are many forest service and BLM campgrounds right off the highway between ridgecrest and Bishop, + quite a few to the north as well. I planned my trip by researching Google for "395 in the winter" and found many useful resources. Most of these campgrounds are empty in the winter.

I was power poor then tho, so I didn't stay at a no hook up site. I would now that I have genset, and solar panels.

I am not a big desert person, so I have not done Death Valley. I am sorry I am not able to recommend anything there for you. I have DRIVEN thru there.. very windy any time of year!

[Per Walthinsen]

Thanks, Dennis for taking my inappropriate comments in good humor! You've got to admit, though, that the mental picture of a 17 foot Burro going down I-5 sideways is pretty bizzare.

I did 395 last October when I made a delivery to Tucson. Took I-5 down and whatever that alternative was past Sacramento. After that it was "anything but I-5 again."
395 was gorgeous, so if you have the little extra time it is well worth it. Joined it going north just past those mountains with the Grapewine, I think. Waved to Gina but she ignored me.

What a mind-cleansing relief, not much slower actually than I-5, almost no traffic, with excellent pavement for the most part.

Please contact me if you have need for Burro documentation or anything else I can contribute.

[Gina D.]

Waved to Gina but she ignored me.

You hadn't bathed!!!!!

[Per Walthinsen]

You're good!

I am sure I was downwind.

[Gigi]

Thanks, Dennis for taking my inappropriate comments in good humor! You've got to admit, though, that the mental picture of a 17 foot Burro going down I-5 sideways is pretty bizzare.

I did 395 last October when I made a delivery to Tucson. Took I-5 down and whatever that alternative was past Sacramento. After that it was "anything but I-5 [b]again."
395 was gorgeous, so if you have the little extra time it is well worth it. Joined it going north just past those mountains with the Grapewine, I think. Waved to Gina but she ignored me.

What a mind-cleansing relief, not much slower actually than I-5, almost no traffic, with excellent pavement for the most part.

Please contact me if you have need for Burro documentation or anything else I can contribute.

Per! Our minds think alike! I was giggling as soon as I read it! It's that mental image that one gets!


Dennis, you're a good sport, too!

[Andy Earthman]

I did DV this past February. I have some pictures in the photo album. I think I posted some DV info as well. I stayed at the Sunset cg the first night 12 bucks and no hook ups. The second night I camped in the Nevada desert after touring Scotty's Castle. The CG was full and I didn't want to drive 40+ miles in the dark and miss stuff. The race track is one hell of a nasty washboard rd and I dont recommend the trip. I t was pretty cool and all but the rd is the worst Ive ever driven on. Wildrose CG is free and was very quite. However I think the max vehicle length is 25ft. I am a bit longer but I headed up anyway. I glad I did as I woke up to a nice snow.. That's right SNOW. It was pretty cool. I wasn't sure how much it was going to snow so I split right after the morning meal and coffee.

It was first time in DV and I will be going again for sure. I'm also sure it will be winter time again. It wasn't really all that busy from what I could tell and ya ain't got the heat.

Make sure you have plenty of gas as they do gouge you in the park as they do every park. Perhaps the government should look at themselves while looking for price gouging.


Any specific question? As away. If I dont know the answer..Ill make on up.....

I would really like to plan a trip to Death Valley in January or February and wonder if any of you have done that. Any recommendations? Thanks! Dennis

[Dennis Urso]

Greetings:

Thanks again for the DV information. It seems too cold for me to do in January or February . I'm going to try the Brookings area in Oregon instead. The Brookings website says it can be in the 60s or 70s in the winter. We'll see. Also, I'll need less of the $3.25 per gallon gas to get there.

Dennis

[Gina D.]

I'm going to try the Brookings area in Oregon instead.

You kncok that off Thats what I did for THIS years vacation. It's gorgious, but check for leaks BEFORE you go. I was drowned in December. Granted, an odd storm, but you never know.

[Andy Earthman]

Greetings:

Thanks again for the DV information. It seems too cold for me to do in January or February . I'm going to try the Brookings area in Oregon instead. The Brookings website says it can be in the 60s or 70s in the winter. We'll see. Also, I'll need less of the $3.25 per gallon gas to get there.

Dennis

Cold? Its not cold in DV.

[Rattlesnake Joe]

It gets dang cold in DV in the winter. Brookings is WET, VERY WET in the winter. Best to go to Southern Arizona in January and February and even down here in my neck of the desert it gets cold then. There are some days the sun will come out and then it warms up a bit but that is if the wind isn't blowing. Global Warming doesn't happen in these two months here in the USA. Unless you count Florida maybe and I haven't been there so don't know. My advice is to book passage to the South Sea Islands for these two months. Then come back and go camping. People will keep asking you where you got that nice tan, when you get back. Tell 'em there is a secret high mountain valley called the Valley of the Blue Moon and in that valley is a place called Shangra La where the sun is always shinning and nice and warm. I found this valley by accident when my airplane went down in a blizzard...ect..ect..ect

[honda03842]

Death Valley is warmer than Brookings and definitely drier. Gas in Death Valley is expensive however, you're not likely to fill your tank more than once in a week while there. Death Valley will be sunny every day and night time temps above freezing. Brookings will have similar lows, cloudier days and 10 degree lower highs.

We love coastal Oregon but Death Valley is unique and definitely worth the visit.

[Steve Hammel]

Kamper Bob is currently in Death Valley. I don't have his blog address but I read a few days back about all the cool stuff he was doing there. Sorry it was someone else post. it might even have been Norm who had commented about charcoal cones or something. Reading his blog would give you a wealth of information. Better yet he will be in Quartzite at the rally early February.

[Carol H]

Sounds like weather in Death Valley can take big swings during winter months. While there in late November early December last year it was in the high 60's to mid 70's during the day, a couple of days it was even warmer and had trouble keeping my fridge cool enough one day. Camped in the Furnace Creek area without power and need to plug in the solar every couple of days to recharge the battery due to heavy use of the Fantastic Fan to cool the trailer down. Was there for a week and did not experience any wind or need the furnace at night.

[Steve Hammel]

Here is Kamper Bob's blog.

Recreation Engineer | Endless projects and adventures

[Byron Kinnaman]

I sit here in the visitors center at Furnace Creek, Death Valley, CA. It's currently sunny and probably 50+ degrees outside. I haven't looked for a while. As far as I'm concerned January, February, and March are the only times to visit Death Valley. I suppose that November and December are warm.
I've visited with Kamper Bob twice since our arrival.

Happy New Year and you can follow our travels at trips.kinnamans.net

Hope to see any of you at some camp ground or another.

[Steve Hammel]

Byron are you going to Quartzite?