Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Anon
During Thanksgiving break, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting up with hiker friends, Drop n’ Roll and Wired to climb Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park. Both friends were visiting Love Note and Burly’s abode in Lone Pine, CA. Many of you may remember these fun characters from my Continental Divide trek in summer of 2013.
Telescope Peak has been on my list to climb for several years. It is the tallest mountain in Death Valley and is a prominent peak viewed from the Sierras. The entire route is on trail with easy navigation.
The day was not only full of hiking, but also an abundance of trail talk, trip dreaming and planning, relationship analysis, and some shenanigans #streakthepeak. The summit offers sweeping views of Badwater and the High Sierras, which in itself is worth the climb. Just think… a bird’s-eye view of the lowest (in the Western Hemisphere) and highest (in the contiguous United States) in one neat spot.
To celebrate a great day, we headed over to soak in the sunset at Mesquite Dunes east of Stovepipe Wells.
It doesn’t get better than this. 🙂
TRIP DATE November 28, 2014
PEAK ELEVATION 11,049
LENGTH About 14 miles round trip
ELEVATION GAIN 2,916 feet
TRAIL HEAD Mahogany Flat campground (8,133′), last 2 miles up to the campground is on rough dirt road. High clearance vehicles are recommended.
DIFFICULTY Moderate on well-maintained trail
PERMIT None required
BEST TIME TO HIKE Spring and fall
LINKS Summit Post, Park Service, bird and hike.com
- Download GPX File
- Photos on Flickr
- For your entertainment view additional posts from this trip: Wired and Drop n’ Roll
[googlemaps https://mapsengine.google.com/map/embed?mid=zR2BT9ihvjmM.kdpF_plvls0w&w=1024&h=768]
Hi there,
I’m hoping to do this trail December 29th of this year. Some friends and I will be trekking to Death Valley on a NYE trip. I was wondering if you think we may encounter snow? And if you think it’d be too strenuous of a hike during that time? Thanks!
Olivia, Telescope does get a lot of snow and requires ice axe, snowshoes, and full size crampons in the winter. We just got our first significant snow in the mountains so winter gear would be required. It is a great climb late spring, summer, and fall.
Nice to see you hiking together again, how fun!
So good to hear from you Janet. Got to say it is super fun seeing the crew again. I have a few trip reports coming up that star them.
Wishing you a very blessed Christmas. AND you have snow. Hope you are out there enjoying the magic!
Thanks, Christy. Happy New Year! 🙂
Looks like a great trip. Also, is that a large geocache box in your Northwest summit picture?
I believe the large box is just for a box for the summit register. I couldn’t find anything online indicating it was.
For a beginning hiker from KS what do you recommend should be my bucket list hikes? Going to Zion and Arches this summer to start my adventures. Great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Well ya can’t beat anything in Zion and Arches. Here is a link to get you started: https://ladyonarock.com/2011/03/21/destination-moab-utah/ In Zion the Bright Angel Trail and hiking the Narrows are must does. Here is another link for more ideas: https://ladyonarock.com/hikes-backpacks-climbs/
Great to see you together again ! The photos were spectacular ! What camera were you using ?
Have a wonderful Holiday with friends and family.
Hey thanks. This trip I used my Lumix LX5. My best to you also. Merry Christmas.
Whoops I almost forgot. I got a GoPro Hero3 for my birthday in September. Some of the photos were taken with it.
Are those Bristlecone Pines, on the way up? I’ve been reading up on them on conifers dot org/ Gymnosperm database. Heavy duty.
Had to look it up to make sure…yes indeed those are Bristlecone Pines. Yes, very. If they appeal to you, be sure and visit the Bristlecones on the way to White Mountain in the Inyo Mountains.
Right, Ta! I saw the reference to Inyo. They found one that was 5000 yrs old, the oldest to date I think, but of course will not disclose it’s location.
Great pics! glad you S. Cal’s are getting some rain, finally!!
Awesome mini-reunion pictures. Cool that you could make a lasso of the hike. Adds to the fun.
Well hello Warren. Glad you love them. More coming soon.