Gabbing with Kat

Baldy Bowl in Lingering Snow

Alder Creek to Loomis Ranch to Chilao and back

Recovery with Kat

A Day of Postholing on Hawkins and Islip Ridges

tl;dr
I fastpacked from the northern tip of Death Valley to its southern tip according to the rules of this FKT: https://fastestknowntime.com/route/death-valley-n-s-crossing-ca .  No trails, no roads, no caches, no assistance.  I did it just under 96 hours (4 days), breaking the previous record of 7 days.  It hurt a lot and was probably one of the hardest things I've ever put my body and mind through.

I finally got it done after over almost two years of planning and training and getting sick.  I got out there and fast packed from the Northern tip of Death Valley to its Southern tip staying off roads and trails and remaining entirely self-supported (no food or water caches). It was a hell of a ride and one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced. I’m sort of surprised I succeeded. I finished in just under four days, beating the previous FKT of about seven days.

The landscape was beautiful and varied, but the terrain was pretty challenging, especially with the constraint that I couldn’t use any trails or roads. Cross country travel along washes and open desert is really really slow for the most part. I was able to jog a bit on the first day and on the last day but beyond that this was mostly hiking (bordering on stumbling at times). 

Going into this I was pretty worried about the water sources poisoning me (arsenic, uranium, sodium) or getting me sick, but In the end I seem to have weathered them ok. I don’t think I have any major injuries, but my lower legs and feet were in a lot of pain throughout. I got my share of blisters, but I kept treating them and it allowed me to continue ok.

As for the report of the first day (this activity) it mostly consisted of me getting from the start at 7000’ of elevation in the snowy Sylvanian Mountains down the Last Chance Wash into Death Valley proper. This was brushy with lots of Joshua Trees and snow, but overall really fun and fast to descend. Then I just followed the Last Chance Wash to where it meets the Death Valley Wash, stopping briefly to filter some water along the way at a small seep. Then I continued along the Death Valley Wash until I passed near Ubehebe Crater just after sunset. I stopped for the night about a mile north of Mesquite Spring Campground, where Ihad previously found an undocumented water seep on the hillside. I trekked less than a mile back North to camp so that I was at least a mile from any park roads and not breaking any park rules for backcountry camping. Overall it was a good day and it turned out to be my easiest of the trip!

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Death Valley Traverse FKT Day 1: Snow to Sand

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Gabbing with Kat

Baldy Bowl in Lingering Snow

Alder Creek to Loomis Ranch to Chilao and back

Recovery with Kat

A Day of Postholing on Hawkins and Islip Ridges

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