March 14-16, 2005
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| Originated in Death Valley, emerged from Goler Wash onto the floor of Panamint Valley as sunset neared |
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| Panamint Valley as sunset nears |
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| Panamint Valley as sunset nears |
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| Panamint Valley as sunset nears |
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| Panamint Valley East flank at sunset |
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| Briggs gold mine, Panamint Valley |
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| Charles Manson's truck awaits his return, scheduled for a cold day in hell by the parole board. Ballarat, Panamint Valley |
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| Ballarat junction, Panamint Valley |
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| The Outpost, a museum and tavern and power generating station and repair shop at Ballarat, Panamint Valley |
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| Surprise Canyon, East side of Panamint Valley |
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| Cactus, high and dry... |
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| ...but cactus innards can be sweet and moist, in a diluted coconut sort-of-way. Served up by the creek |
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| This is what is left of the road, which until 1983, led up Surprise Canyon to Panamint City in Death Valley. Until closed to vehicles by the BLM a few years ago, 4WD groups would winch their vehicles up this section in an annual rite-of-pasage |
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| I thought, "But that human's intelligence certainly does...", and not ten steps later I fell into the creek, judgements and all! |
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| A section of Surprise Canyon as it might have looked during the heyday of Panamint City |
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| Surprise! Surprise Canyon was so brushy as to be nearly impassable |
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| First I cursed those that brought this invasive brush. Then I wished for laser brush cutters and the atoms for peace program... I reluctantly turned back, beaten by the brush. (I have received reports that a viable route through or around the brush was traversed in Spring 2007) |
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| A Surprise Canyon mine sports a brushy beard |
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| Surprise Canyon, East side of Panamint Valley |
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| Tram terminus; note the head end on opposite wall |
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| Road down from Surprise Canyon down to East side of Panamint Valley |