A Time of Solace and Solitude in the Panamint Valley
In May of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, there
were no vaccines in the immediate offing. Tired of sitting at home, I
headed out with my RV to Panamint Springs Resort, which is a private
enclave surrounded by Death Valley National Park. As seen in the
adjacent photo, Death Valley National Park was closed to all visitors.
Highway 190 was still open through the park, but even stopping along the
way to take a picture could have netted you a $1,000 fine. No one
understood how, when or where the virus could be transmitted, but the
National Park Service was not taking any chances, one way or the other.
Since
the resort is private and needed to stay in business, they were open
for camping and cabin accommodations. Taking advantage of that and being
completely self-contained, I booked a full hookup RV spot for several
days. When I arrived, the clerk in the general store wore no mask. He
indicated that they would be barbecuing ribs at the restaurant that
night and that I should attend. "Not on your life," I thought to myself.
Although I was largely confined to the resort property, I went on to
enjoy the solitude and splendor of spending time in the Panamint Valley.
Three and one half years later, I was in the process of finishing up
another trip to Death Valley and Panamint Springs. On December 10, 2023,
there were high winds predicted for the southern Mojave Desert.
With the stress of having recently spent time entertaining my friends
in the desert, I was too tired to break camp and head home in 
a windstorm. Instead, I opted for a quiet day in camp at the Panamint Springs Resort.
As I have often said, there usually are no crowds in Death Valley
National Park between Thanksgiving and New Years. This year was no
exception.
When I travel with my fifth wheel, I always bring provisions for
several extra days. If I experience a breakdown or any other form of
delay, my fridge and freezer always have enough food to get me by. In
this case, my full RV hookup made it easy to extend my stay for one more
day. Access to water, propane, electricity and sewer allowed for
luxury camping in one of the most remote and previously inhospitable
places in all of the United States.
On
December 11, 2023 I broke camp and prepared to leave for home. On my
return trip I was able to avoid the delays associated with road repair
between Panamint Springs and Lone Pine. As it turned out, the Panamint
Valley Road to Trona and Mojave beyond was fully open and free of
construction delays. If I had known that on my way into Panamint
Springs at the beginning of my journey, I could have saved hours of
detours and delays. As it stood, my return trip home to Simi Valley
took less than five hours. That reminded me of why I like to visit
Panamint Springs every fall, winter, and spring. In less than a day, I
can transport myself from the city to life in the nearby wilderness.
Panamint Valley may not be as famous as its sister, Death Valley, but
it has trails to explore, sand dunes to climb, off-road tracks for
four-wheeling and a sense of solitude that you will not find at Furnace
Creek, Stovepipe Wells or Badwater. In the off-season, it is my
favorite place for kicking back and 
enjoying
life, just as it might have been almost one hundred years ago. For
those who require instant and constant connectivity, either bring your
Starlink satellite system or just enjoy being beyond the fringe of
connection to the smartphone world. I do suggest bringing a Zoleo satellite communicator, but that device is for text messaging only.
Although I do everything I can to promote visiting the Panamint Valley
during its extreme off season, I do not expect there to be big crowds
in early December 2024, when once again, I shall seek solace in the
Panamint Valley. If enough people read this blog and decide to visit,
perhaps I will see one or two of you there at that time of year.
This is Part Seven of a Seven Part article. To return to Part One, click HERE.
