Jornada 5 = segunda, 15 de Julho de 2013

Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes via Furnace Creek (Death Valley) 550 km, 6 hours

US-95, CA-190 W and US-395 N

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Parte 1 da viagem:

Passagem por Funace Creek, Dante's View e Zabriskie Point

235 km, 3 hours,

pelas rodovias NV-160 W, Veterans Memorial Hwy, estradinhas e CA-190

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Dante's View, com uma altitude de 1660 metros, está a uns 21 kms da rodovia CA-190, cujo entroncamento está bem abaixo numa elevação de 610 mts. Ou seja, em 21 kms subiremos pouco mais de 1000 metros. Mas a vista compensa.

Próximos 32.6 km, 41 min voltar até o entrocamento na CA-190.

Rumando a Furnace Creek pela Wash Rd e CA-190 W, com parada em Zabriskie Point

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Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Death Valley National Park

Hottest, driest, lowest -- Death Valley is a superlative desert of streaming
sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, multicolored rock layers, water-fluted
canyons and three million acres of wilderness. Home to the Timbisha
Shoshone people and to plants and animals unique to the harshest desert.

If you go:
Summer or Winter, ALWAYS CARRY WATER,
there are some great dirt roads in the park, always carry good maps,
spare tire, water and food. The museum at Furnace Creek Ranch has some
wonderful photos. The main visitor center is being remodeled, there is a temporary
facility in the parking lot. The park is open year-round, visiting it in the hotter
summer months takes some planning. But RTA staff visit the park often,
since it's only two hours from our offices.

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/natparks/dv.htm

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA & NEVADA

[Getting there][Links][RoadTrip Facts]
A scenic drive to Death Valley National Park is amazing any time of
the year, but weather conditions are often ideal for a road trip in the
winter and spring, when the valley temperatures at the Furnace Creek
Visitor Center range from the middle 60s to the low 80s (F)
Summertime temperatures can easily exceed 115 F. degrees (46 Celsius)
and require more careful planning to enjoy the wonders that
this park offers.

Route from Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes

Destination Expert

The only reason for switching off the a/c is when the engine is overheating.
Not much chance on that in a good rental car and the only place
that this might happen in DV is the long ascent (16 miles) from
Stovepipe Wells in the Lone Pine direction. Maybe use lower gear
but as said, not much chance on overheating plus there's water for
the engine at some places along the road. No worries though.
If you drive through Death Valley from Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes
it will take one hour longer, and you will want to make stops in DV.
In this short amount of time I would recommend to leave Las Vegas
as early as possible. Take exit 33 on i15 south of Las Vegas, drive 160
to Pahrump and continue via State Line road to Death valley Junction
and 190 into Death Valley. Now take the sideroad to Dante's View for
your first unforgettable views on DVNP. Return to 190 to your left and
stop at Zabriskie Point (nome também de filme de Antonioni com
trilha sonora de Pink Floyd)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabriskie_Point_%28film%29

for another fantastic overview.
Visit the Furnace Creek Visitor center, pay your fee
and learn about DV.
Then drive to Lone Pine, make a photostop just
before Lone Pine on the
Eastern Sierras and Mount Whitney, drive to
Bishop and to Mammoth Lakes.
It will take all day, and you are only seeing a
small part of DV but I would not
want to miss DV being so close.
Always carry water, wear I brimmed hat
and put on sunscreen going out of the car.