Butte Valley, Russel Camp and Manly Peak in Death Valley
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:46 am
Saturday, 3 December 2005
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/517654273wWNKgL
We drove 20 miles on the Warm Springs Canyon Road to get to Butte Valley, passing Big Talc Mine, White Point Mine and Warm Springs Camp, which we stopped at on the way out. We arrived at Russel Camp around 11:15am, Calhiker ate breakfast, and I checked out Russel Cabin. By 11:40am we were heading up the gully to a low saddle, where we would follow the ridge to Manly Peak (7,196’). I forgot my trekking poles, so my calves were burning from the steep slope. The views from the ridge were awesome! We could see Striped Butte sticking out from Butte Valley, and some peaks we had done . . . Pyramid Peak, Sheephead, and Charleston. Once on the summit, we could see Searles and Slate Benchmark (from last weekend), Telescope, Panamint Butte, and some snow covered peaks in the Sierra. The summit block of Manly had too much exposure for me to climb. I could have gotten up, but I needed a rope to get down (I’m carrying one from now on). I climbed up the boulder next to it and that was as far as I wanted to go. I was shivering from the wet shirt under my jacket, and the breeze picked up. We signed the register, and as I flipped thru the pages, found a lot of familiar names, including one by Ron and Pam from our canoe trips. They were there in ’89, and just got married a few years ago after retiring, and being together ~30 years. Saw BobR’s entry twice, and Brian from work, who needs 5 more peaks to finish the DPS list. After almost an hour on top, we headed down. We got to Russel Camp by 4:45pm, changed into dry clothes and ate dinner sitting in the front seat of the 4Runner. I checked the temperature and it was 32 degrees at 5:50pm. An hour later it was down to 28 degrees. I jumped in the back in my sleeping bag to stay warm and we talked til we fell asleep (not sure who was out first). Calhiker woke up cold and uncomfortable in the front seat and went to his tent at 3am. I woke up at 6:30am all toasty and warm in my 0 deg bag, it was 22 degrees outside.
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/517654273wWNKgL
We drove 20 miles on the Warm Springs Canyon Road to get to Butte Valley, passing Big Talc Mine, White Point Mine and Warm Springs Camp, which we stopped at on the way out. We arrived at Russel Camp around 11:15am, Calhiker ate breakfast, and I checked out Russel Cabin. By 11:40am we were heading up the gully to a low saddle, where we would follow the ridge to Manly Peak (7,196’). I forgot my trekking poles, so my calves were burning from the steep slope. The views from the ridge were awesome! We could see Striped Butte sticking out from Butte Valley, and some peaks we had done . . . Pyramid Peak, Sheephead, and Charleston. Once on the summit, we could see Searles and Slate Benchmark (from last weekend), Telescope, Panamint Butte, and some snow covered peaks in the Sierra. The summit block of Manly had too much exposure for me to climb. I could have gotten up, but I needed a rope to get down (I’m carrying one from now on). I climbed up the boulder next to it and that was as far as I wanted to go. I was shivering from the wet shirt under my jacket, and the breeze picked up. We signed the register, and as I flipped thru the pages, found a lot of familiar names, including one by Ron and Pam from our canoe trips. They were there in ’89, and just got married a few years ago after retiring, and being together ~30 years. Saw BobR’s entry twice, and Brian from work, who needs 5 more peaks to finish the DPS list. After almost an hour on top, we headed down. We got to Russel Camp by 4:45pm, changed into dry clothes and ate dinner sitting in the front seat of the 4Runner. I checked the temperature and it was 32 degrees at 5:50pm. An hour later it was down to 28 degrees. I jumped in the back in my sleeping bag to stay warm and we talked til we fell asleep (not sure who was out first). Calhiker woke up cold and uncomfortable in the front seat and went to his tent at 3am. I woke up at 6:30am all toasty and warm in my 0 deg bag, it was 22 degrees outside.