Yet another ride in one of my favorite places on Earth. This time it was the site of the mining town of Skidoo. This was a nice moderate ride. Like all the roads in Death Valley, navigating the gravel and washboard is tricky, but that's about the only challenge on this road. I think in all it climbs about 1000'. Once again the weather was perfect. (I don't know why I get so lucky when I'm up there.) It's about 15.5 miles round trip not including any wondering around the ruins. The town is long gone. There is no classic ghost town. No Brady Bunch locked in the crumbling jail. There are hundreds of tunnels and shafts and the ruins of what was the only successful water powered mill in Death Valley's history. What is left where the town once stood is just metal debris. Cans. Corrigated sheets. Cable.
The view from the surrounding hills is impressive. I rode to the top of one small rise at the west end of town. From there I could see the snow capped Sierras standing above the various ranges between. Telescope Peak can be seen to the South. The hill also overlooked where the town stood. The faint lines of side roads can still be seen extending from the main rode.
A fun ride. This again was a recovery ride for a trail run. Saturday was the Death Valley Trail Marathon. The course runs from out near Beatty, NV through the Grapevine Mts via Titus Canyon. Things didn't go well leading up to the race so I didn't fininsh in near the time I'd hope for but I did finish this brutal course.
Downtown Skidoo.
Looking north at the Cottonwood Mts and the north end of D.V.
East, overlooking the town site.
West to the Sierra Nevada.
The Skidoo Mill. This weathered steel and wood was once an impressive five story building.
The Skidoo Glacier.
Posted by CFIT 
on 02/07/07
