BACKCOUNTRY & 4X4

Posted by Last Chance Rand on March 12, 2002 at 19:16:56:

Trail Report for: Titus Canyon

Wild winds overnight shook our tent with such force we hardly slept a wink. As a result, we missed our rendevous with a group from the Southern California Land Rover club, but did find another late riser from the group who was happy to find a trail partner.

We began the Titus Canyon route hoping that the large group got caught up exploring the nearby Rhyolite ghost town before starting the trail. However, we never caught up with them, obviously having too late a start.

The entire route was in excellent condition, even for 2WD vehicles with modest clearance. There are so many neat stops in Titus Canyon that you end up seeing and passing the same folks all day at the various trail-side attractions.

The old Post Office at Leadfield remains in good shape, as are some of the old shelters. The petroglyphs, despite being right along side the road, are no more vandalized since my last visit two years ago. Klare Spring had a much lesser flow than my previous visit, which coincidentally was the same time of year, fully contained within the reeds.

Last and best of all are the lower narrows, the grand finale of a scenicly-overwhelming, early-spring day. Here the massive and steep cliffs line both sides of the narrow route, featuring layers and layers of rocks twisted and bent into unthinkable shapes.

DeathValley.com Trail Reports are provided without warranties or representations. Although our scouts are invited by DeathValley.com to submit trail reports, their accounts and findings are not necessarily verified. Any opinions they express are those of their own and do not necessarily represent the opinion of DeathValley.com. Visiting the backcountry of the Death Valley region can be dangerous without proper preparation, and driving on backcounty roads may cause damage to your vehicle. DeathValley.com and its trail scouts are not responsible for any resulting property damage, injury or loss of life.