Extracted from full trip report. Photos will be posted soon!
From Martin:
DAY 1: Travel to Eureka Dunes, approx. 10 hrs. Fuel in Dyer, NV
DAY 2: Morning Hike the dunes. Then drive over Steele Pass to Saline Vally. Camp at the springs, or nearby. Possible hot spring soak. Camped at the upper Hot Spring and explored the Hogan in the morning.
DAY 3: Drive to Beveridge Canyon Adopt-a-cabin to see how it is holding up. Then up Lippincot Road to the Race Track. Fueled up at Furnace Creek and then camped in Hanaupah Canyon.
Due to the storms, Berveridge Canyon cabin is almost inaccessible by vehicle. Thus, the cabin is receiving less care than in years past.
DAY 4: Drive past Ubehebe Crater (air up here) and on down to the Visitor’s center. Fuel Up.
DAY 5: Head down the Westside Road and begin to check out locations mentioned as important in William Lewis Manley and John Rogers escape from Death Valley in 1849:
Eagle Borax Spring - No visible water at any of the springs along the wastside road. This is a pretty dry year. When Manley-Rogers were here in 1849 it is believed to have been a wet year.
Bennet's Well - Some believe this was the location of the Long Camp of Bennet-Arcan families. There is a rise ¼ to the south where Manley-Rogers could have first seen the wagons on their return and fired a shot to rouse any occupants.
Some think this is not the Flowing Spring reference by Manley. But the proposed location further south does not have a rise to the south of it. Also, I believe it would have to be very wet to have flowing surface water this far from Telescope Peak.
Gravel Well (Johnson Canyon) – Could not find anything definite here.
Bucking Ox Incident – could not see anything specific.
Culverwell Death Site
Little Sulfur Well – There are two tanks here. No plumbing and nothing to indicate where the well is/was.
Travel up Galena Canyon to see upper end. Believed to be the way the Bennet-Arcan families exited. – very rocky and would be hard on the feet as Manley referenced. Manley-Rogers are believed to have returned this way. From the top it makes some sense to select Galena Canyon. From the bottom without upper canyon experience it is questionable if it would be a good route.
Return to West Side Rd, South to Warm Springs Canyon.
Visit Talc Mine and cabin. Continue to Junction with Galena Canyon Route.
Hiked to Arrastra Spring. I could not find any evidence of an arrastra. The Spring is on the hillsides and difficult to see, even in daylight.
Camped in Butte Valley at Striped Butte.
DAY 6: Hike Redlands Canyon to Redlands Spring - 6 miles round trip. Visit cabins as we go past.
Camp in Butte Valley at Willow Springs (near where the Lost Germans left their minivan)
DAY 7: Climbed Manley Peak in the morning. The drove Mengle Pass down Goler Wash and up South Park.
I was unable to reconcile the various theories about the Escape From Death Valley routes that Manley-Rogers and the families took. I have doubts that Manley-Roger climbed either Roger’s Pass or Manley Peak.
We know from the Jayhawker diaries that there was snow at the Townsend Pass area, which is just under 5,000 feet. Manley Peak is 6,998 feet and Roger’s Pass is 7,160 feet. Why would you climb that high in snow with moccasins when there is an obvious low point to the west down Redlands Canyon visible from the top of Warm Springs Canyon?
All in all a very good trip!