Almost two miles in a day.

[Old Henry]

Vertical miles, that is, from 10,000 feet up the side of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the 48 contiguous states (14,505 feet), down to 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley, the lowest point, only 278 feet short of two vertical miles. This is our story.

Wednesday we (Little Lady, Chihuahua, Old Henry, and me) left to drive "The Loneliest Road in America", US 50, across Nevada to Virginia City of "Bonanza" fame to stay in the historic Silver Queen Hotel. (Previous trip there at: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ight=loneliest)



The next morning we headed south toward Death Valley, along the face of the Alabama Hills, a very popular motion picture setting. Took one little side trip to drive by four beautiful mountain lakes, Grant Lake, Silver Lake, Gulf Lake and June Lake. This is Silver Lake.



Stayed in Lone Pine for the night. Next morning headed up Mt. Whitney Portal Road that ends at the trailhead to climb Mt. Whitney. Mt. Whitney elevation - 14,505 feet. Whitney Portal 8,000 feet. In this picture, Mt. Whitney is the pyramid shaped peak with the two spikes left of it.



That is the road that Dezi Arnez and Lucille Ball pulled "The Long Long Trailer" up in the movie of the same name in 1954. Here's my video of our climb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdRdEuuoYZc

South of that road is the road to Horseshoe Meadow that climbs up to 10,000 feet to a camp ground under Mt. Whitney.



Here's the video of that drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEXLwa0uqAs

And some pictures:





My sweet little traveling buddy, Little Lady, loved every minute of the trip. (AnnaRae was on a four day quilt retreat.)



From there we headed to Death Valley, crossing Panamint Valley, kind of a miniature Death Valley, on the way.



Then into Death Valley, passing sea level,



Down to 282 feet below sea level at Bad Water.





Next day we took a little side trip to the great old ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada. A most interesting town that sprung up overnight with the opening of the gold mines in 1906 then as quickly died 5 years later when the mines played out in 1911. More about Rhyolite here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyolite,_Nevada

School:



Cook Bank Building:



Detail of top of bank wall:



HD&LD Porter Building:



Detail:



Glass house made totally of liquor bottles:



And, the very picturesque old train station:



To see it all in full color, watch the video: https://youtu.be/VdzHGG8MDOo

Then headed home through Tonopah and Ely, the longest stretch of road I've ever driven with no services whatsoever - 168 miles between the two. There are 23 miles of straight road without a bend in this picture, just north of what used to be the only gas station between the two towns, Warm Springs, now just a ghost town.



Total distance driven: 1,665 miles over the four days. Not a hint of mechanical trouble.

Good time had by all.

Previous Trips:

Alaska May 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196219

Idaho and Montana Rivers February 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190776

Red Canyon, Utah February 2016: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188740

California Highway 1 November 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182600

Great Basin National Park and City of Rocks October 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181134

Pike's Peak September 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ht=peak&page=2

Uinta Mountain Range, Utah, August 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173539

Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower, July 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173539

Pony Express Trail in April 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166241

Mexico and around in February 2015: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162633

Ghost towns of Modena, UT and Pioche, NV in November 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155331

Million Dollar Highway, Durango to Montrose, Colorado in June 2014 https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142975

Transcontinental Railway Grade in May 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139471

City of Rocks, Idaho in April 2014:https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137684

Capitol Reef National Park in March 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133018

Grouse Creek and the AAA garage in February 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130966

Grand Canyon in January 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128820

Moab, UT in December 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127222

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument November 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123694

Across Nevada on US 50, "The Loneliest Road in the Country", October 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120098

Mount Evans (the highest paved road in North America) August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013

Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872

Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523

Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822

Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137

Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511