Trip Date: October 23, 2020
I believe this trip was billed as a pleasure visit to Death Valley, a place I have been to many times, and the kids have too. My daughter Haley especially loves it and she wanted to share it with her fiancé Brett for the first time. They invited us to go, and I was all too happy to oblige. We would bring Beth too, a typically unwilling traveler, however, with Haley coming too, she was convinced to give it a try.
We headed down Highway 395 planning to break up the trip in smaller chunks to make the trip a little easier for Beth. We stayed at June Lake, at the Lakefront Cabins, which weren’t exactly lakefront, but good enough for an overnighter. The smoke from the Creek fire that burned over 300,000 acres from the foothills West of Merced up and over the Crest of the Sierra’s almost to Mammoth. The entire 395 basin was horrific with smoke; the air difficult to breathe and visibility extremely poor.
The motel was nice and the 2 bedrooms made it more relaxing. We got in early enough to have lunch at Eagle’s Landing. Despite the few patrons, the few staff seemed to have their hands full. We relaxed and were entertained by the interactions of the fellow diners and staff. Back in town, we took a nice walk down to the lake and Marina. Not much was happening which made it very calm and peaceful. Dinner options were in short supply but we got a decent burger at the Tiger Bar and Café.
We were up pretty early allowing enough time for a great stop at The Lift coffee house and picked up a few delectable morsels for the drive. The smoke did not get any better until we were almost in Death Valley, although it definitely affected visibility all the way into Furnace Creek. I had some great memories of the boys trip to the hot springs as we passed the turnoff to Saline Valley. So many great trips down here.
We cruised the campground to see where Haley and Brett’s camp site was before heading over to the Ranch to check in. We were pretty early, but the super nice lady gave us an excellent room on the back side of the very last unit, looking South over the golf course and the horse stables. It was my first time staying in the motel, and certainly the first time being at the Ranch since the massive renovation/new construction. What was done was really nice, but it was maybe only half done. I missed the old place and all the memories we made, but when the new ice cream and soda fountain are open, I could be swayed.
We wandered around a little until H&B arrived and we helped them get settled in their camp. We brought down some firewood, chairs, the shade tent and bigger stuff for them in the truck, but with all hands on deck, they were set up in no time. I first realized this was more of a business trip when Haley let us know we had a meeting with the wedding planner that afternoon and she had arranged for us to see several possible wedding locations while we were here.
Poor H&B. They have been engaged for several months now, and have already had to change their plans and consider 4 or 5 different times and locations for their wedding in this Covid era. They had originally wanted to get married at the UC Botanical Gardens and then have the reception at Cal Alumni House since Haley and Donna worked at CAA for years (and Donna still does). That would have been a great plan, but Cal shut down the campus (then opened it, then closed it, then said it might be open, or it could be, but then only for student events), so that plan eventually had to be let go.
Then they asked about having the wedding and reception here at the house, but that plan was not approved by all. Then they thought about having the wedding and ceremony at the property, which would have been epic, but that plan was also vetoed. I am sure they gave other options consideration as well, but here we were in Death Valley for consideration of their dream destination wedding. Who woulda thunk it? We met the lady and got our first tour of a cool building kinda out on its own by the Date grove and golf course. It was nice and had tons of potential, but H&B were not totally in love with it. We made plans to meet the next day and see a few more spots, but we were off to a good start.
We wandered over to the golf course shack to have a couple cocktails and ponder our existence. It was beautiful and great to be together in Death Valley. We made plans to meet at the restaurant for dinner. When we arrived, Brett told us a friend of his was actually also here, out of the blue, so we met Evan and his girlfriend Lauren in the courtyard while waiting for our dinner reservation. The place was a madhouse and we had to ask about our reservation several times.
It was no use. We waited and reordered cocktails several times before we were finally seated over an hour after our designated time. Oh well, we were together in DV. What the hell. Evan and Lauren were super cool and we had a great time just hanging out and talking and finally eating. We were exhausted after dinner and sleep was excellent. I was up early and sitting with K on the patio with coffee and biscuits from the café. It was awesome.
We met up with H&B and our event coordinator too look at a couple more potential wedding sites. She took us up to the Inn to look at a beautiful garden area across 190 that was recently constructed. It too was a beautiful setting with plenty of shade, plants, lawn and space, but you kind of felt cloistered, shut in and off from the massive open space that is Death Valley. While we were in there trying to get a sense of how it would all work out, H&B started looking across 190 at the recently remodeled and landscaped grounds of the Inn.
The lady walked them over into a new grove of Dates and they talked through how having the ceremony among the trees looking out over the valley. It was a cool setting. Then we walked up to the Inn and down a steep narrow rock walled staircase I had never been. The stairs ended into a lobby also rock walled and covered with historic photos of the Inn and grounds. Through the massive double wooden carved doors we entered a gorgeous dining room with rounded exterior walls covered in glass. We were looking East over the garden area we had just been in and up into some of the surrounding canyons. This was a very cool spot for a private dinner or party. You really got a sense of some of the old royalty that frequented the Inn and how this must have been the site for their parties and celebrations. It just felt lavish.
Upstairs and then up another flight of stairs, we came out onto a balcony which led to a very private courtyard. We again were facing East and I assume a couple floors above the dining room. There was a beautiful tiled fountain, bar, and potted plants all around. It was covered to provide shade and would also be an excellent location for a reception. We got to tour a couple rooms to show H&B the accommodations and rooms they could rent to stay, get ready, and use for guests, etc. It was very cool being led around to a number of patios, decks, and open spaces that could be used for any number of wedding related events.
Finally, we went all the way to the top floor and out onto another balcony, this one seemingly on the North side of the building. It was literally build out against the natural hillside and overlooking the Ranch and campgrounds below. Lastly, we were led down below to newly constructed casitas situated around the lower gardens. This is truly where you get the feel of the oasis and lush verdant sense of Furnace Creek. These places were brand spanking new, really nice, and the setting was spectacular; below the Inn, but above the Ranch grounds and expansive playas.
What a day. It was awesome being with H&B, and imagining their wedding here, and using all these spectacular nooks and crannies at the Inn for their events. But it was also exhausting. We had to return to the bar at the Inn and retire on the veranda for cocktails and discussion of the possibilities. It was sweet sitting out on the deck with drinks and gorgeous views enjoying all we had. Eventually we returned to camp, sparked up the Dodgers playoff game, and got to cooking. It was really fun to be at camp after all the opulence of the Inn and imagining Hollywood elite’s coming out from the LA scene in the 50’s and 60’s to party away in semi-privacy. We had a great meal and watched as evening turned to night. Haley was taking some slow motion star pics as we kicked back in our chairs staring out over the dunes and eventually the edge of the gold course and airport. What a day.
The next day, I again went up to get coffee early and we sat out on the patio before heading over to H&B’s. This was our day to look around so we first headed to 20 Mule Team Canyon for a quick drive through, then to Zabriskie Point, then to the devils’ Golf Course, then to Badwater, and Artist’s Palette on the way back. Holy Toledo. Even seeing the close in easy stuff takes a long time in DV. That was an entire day and we didn’t even sniff a dirt road or getting up into a canyon or the backcountry.
We squeezed in a quick swim at the pool at the Ranch before heading back to H&B’s camp site for dinner. Another great night, dampened only by the thought of it being the last one. Beth did really good with all the traveling and the camping. She got a Death Valley shirt which made her happy. We headed out highway 374 East over Daylight Pass, past the turnoff to Titus Canyon and Ryolite into Beatty for gas. We didn’t want to deal with all the forest fire smoke along 395, and were very pleased to be out of it for the ride home.
We passed the turn off to Highway 266 to Gold Point, passed through Goldfield and passed the turnoff to Silver Peak and Alkali Flat Hot Springs, then on into Tonopah and the scary Clown Motel. We merged onto Highway 6 and passed the turnoff to Dyer and Fish Lake Valley hot springs, then got onto Highway 6 and passed the spot Ken, Steve, Stevie G, Gabe, and I camped when we met Gabe on the motorcycle. We passed Benton Crossing where Tom and I camped. We passed Adobe Ranch Road where we camped to collect Obsidian by the creek and the had Snag Trip, and crossed over Dobie Meadows road from the campsite along 167 with the wild ride off grid back home.
So many trips, adventures, and stories; I am just in my head the whole time and the time and miles fly past along with the images and memories. We came in to Lee Vining where we tried to cross Conway Summit in the snow storm, and G’ma and Ingrid peed out on the road in the blizzard. Past the turn off to Bodie and the trip with Mike and the kids and meeting Wyn up there. We came through Bridgeport and passed the Walker River Lodge where Wyn liked to stay, and the Desert Creek through Risue Canyon when Ken and I came through, and then Bob and I camped 2 more times.
Past Burcham Flat Road up into the Whites and 108 where we camped up at the top with Tom a couple times. Past Mill Canyon where the gas station kid told us to go. Up and over Monitor Pass and the numerous trips up there. Past Highway 4 and the Highland Lake trip way back when. Then into Hope Valley and the Burnside Lake trip. Past Blue Lakes road and the trips in there and to Sunset Lakes and the trips in there; the last one with Haley. Up to Carson Pass and the crazy wind blown trip in the wilderness. Passed Caples Lake and Johnny Peckle’s spot. Across Mormon Emigrant and all the trips in there.
It is fairly unbelievable to be able to cover so much ground and literally have had a trip all along the way. I am truly a fortunate man.
Death Valley with Haley and Brett Photo Gallery
