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Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
#10104 01/19/11 07:57 AM
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This morning I locked down another trip to DV, this one in very early March, and have made tentative plans to include Corkscrew Peak and Death Valley Buttes in my hiking itinerary. I've not done either one before, and they both appear to be easy 3rd class routes that look pretty intriguing. I would appreciate any beta from folks who are familiar with either one of these routes. Thanks!

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10106 01/19/11 08:53 AM
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I don't know anything about these peaks, but here is some information:
Corkscrew Peak
Death Valley Buttes

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
bobpickering #10107 01/19/11 09:19 AM
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'Preciate that Bob. I actually found several webpages with photo journals of both, as well as the SummitPost pages, before I posted here. The problem is that I've read conflicting information about the approaches and difficulty level (they're both trail-less route-finding). I do know that Corkscrew's difficulty level can go way up if approached incorrectly. I was hoping that there were board members who might have done one or both of these, and could offer some first-hand info or advice.

If not, I'll go with what I've got and figure it out.

Thanks man!


Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10108 01/19/11 09:31 AM
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There are 7 different sets of Corkscrew pictures in Bob R's Flickr albums.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Steve C #10109 01/19/11 09:56 AM
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Thanks Steve. Bob is actually the one who recommended it to me last year. He said it was his favorite climb in DV. I haven't seen him post on the boards in a while, so maybe I'll shoot him a PM.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10110 01/19/11 10:46 AM
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Gary:

I should have known you had checked all the easy sources before posting your question. I'm guessing that both peaks can be done class 2 if your route finding is right on. The higher ratings probably reflect intentionally or unintentionally missing the easiest route. I'll be getting my "Geezer Pass" in a few weeks, so I might go check it out.

Bob

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
bobpickering #10112 01/19/11 01:06 PM
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Now that's beta I would absolutely trust!

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10128 01/19/11 05:55 PM
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Gary -

I've done Corkscrew several times, and will be doing it again next Wednesday. Using the "standard" route, there's no class 3, not even close. I have a GPS track of it on Wikiloc here, and it contains a brief description of the hike.

BobR has several other routes, some of which may be class 3, but have not taken any of them. Let me know if you have any questions.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10129 01/19/11 06:11 PM
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Hey, good stuff Kevin - thanks! Your route description describes a footpath/trail heading up out of the ravine. Sounds like this approach is pretty straightforward all the way to the summit?

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10134 01/19/11 08:47 PM
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Yes, it's pretty straightforward, especially after finding the right ravine to begin the climb. There are several ravines across the alluvial fan - look for the one towards the top of the fan with the 10' round boulder. Once you start in, you should see a footbed, and occasional duck (cairn). After a few hundred yards there's a larger cairn, on the left. You squeeze between a couple of boulders, and the path becomes more obvious. If you're one of the first ones up in the fall (too hot in summer) this path may be indistinct, but by March it should be rather pronounced.

On the return, you won't be able to see your vehicle until you're nearly there. If you cross the fan too high, you'll run into multiple deep ravines. If this happens, just head downhill, and then angle towards the road. There's a kiosk about a mile below where most park, and occasionally you can see it glint in the sun on the return. I use this as a visual. I also have my GPS loaded with a track so I can verify the route if necessary.

There's a group of us who hike on Wednesdays, and Corkscrew is a favorite despite its long drive. We promised one of the guys that if he couldn't make it, we'd divert and do Towne instead, saving Corkscrew for a later date. In any case, I'll update this thread.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10156 01/20/11 09:12 AM
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I definitely like the alternate routes up - gives a chance to hit "Little Corkscrew" while up there.

Corkscrew album

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10173 01/21/11 04:12 AM
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Good info Kevin - exactly what I was looking for. Have a good time there next week!

Tom, I should probably re-phrase that comment about the difficulty of Corkscrew going up if approached "incorrectly" - that should read "more aggressively" smile. The summit register box must be hard to find, huh?

Sounds like Corkscrew and DV Buttes can be combined into a one-day fun-fest, since they're only a very, very short distance from each other on Daylight Pass Road. Looking forward to it!

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10176 01/21/11 06:20 AM
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Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
... Sounds like Corkscrew and DV Buttes can be combined into a one-day fun-fest, since they're only a very, very short distance from each other on Daylight Pass Road. Looking forward to it!


Well ... perhaps for you, but for me - when I'm headed back across the smallish alluvial fan towards my truck, what's on my mind is how good that adult beverage is going to taste! Corkscrew has some steep sections, even on the easiest route.

I was curious where you might have gotten the idea that Corkscrew and DV Buttes are a single day, so I went looking and found this on Summit Post - "Additionally, the Buttes, which are so accessible and short that even the average hiker could do the roundtrip in 2 hours, can be coupled with Corkscrew Peak for a very rewarding half day of Death Valley hiking" (emphasis added) which is one of the reasons I rarely put much stock in Summit Post. Often too much hubris and exaggeration for my tastes. That SP statement is total horse sheet.

There are lots of great hikes in DV. For me, when I'm hiking solo, doing Class 3 stuff is an unacceptable risk, but that's just me. I'm more of a hiker than a climber.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10178 01/21/11 07:42 AM
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Yep Kevin, that SummitPost page is exactly where I got that idea. I wondered about that after reading that Corkscrew is 3300 feet of gain and the Buttes are 1000, both being described as class 3. I'm mostly a hiker also, so I'm with ya there!

Guess I'll split 'em up. Thanks!

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10380 01/27/11 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: KevinR
There's a group of us who hike on Wednesdays, and Corkscrew is a favorite despite its long drive. We promised one of the guys that if he couldn't make it, we'd divert and do Towne instead, saving Corkscrew for a later date. In any case, I'll update this thread.


A group of us did Corkscrew yesterday, and based upon that I revised my Wikiloc entry. Unfortunately, this BB's software won't let me revise my previous post above to reflect the correct link, so use the one in this thread as a reference instead of the one above. The reason I revised it is that the waypoint marked the wrong place for the mouth of the "black canyon/round boulder". I also added some photos, one which contains information on finding the parking area beside the state highway, and another a visual of the "black canyon".

For the most part, the threadway is well-defined after leaving the deep ravine, and finding the way up is fairly straightforward, as mostly you can see the trail from below. Any difficulties will be about .5 miles below the summit on the decent, as you pass thru a moderate rock band. No problems finding your way up, but do note the small rock cairns at the top of the band as they're not as obvious on the way down.

It was a great hike with long views and a cool breeze. Total elevation gain was 3,550 over 3.8 miles.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10382 01/27/11 12:11 PM
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Kevin, I really appreciate the follow-up and detail - we'll certainly use it! 1000 ft gain per mile - steep, but sounds like fun. Looking forward to it!

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10425 01/28/11 07:31 AM
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There are a variety of routes to Corkscrew's summit. Here is a description of the easiest which does not seem to be in any guidebook. All GPS coordinates are UTM NAD27.

Park along Daylight Pass Rd. A good spot is near the signed service road at 502470 4064703. Do not hike directly towards the peak. Instead, hike to the right of the peak through a very wide wash to where it splits at about 502122 4067655. There is a large light colored boulder here that is visible on Google Earth. Take the left fork. Here is a picture of the split. The boulder is at the left.



Hike up the left fork for a few hundred feet. It quickly narrows. On your left, you will come to a small gully marked by numerous cairns.



The gully goes a short distance and dead ends. On the north wall of the gully, you will see a use trail leading up and out. Here is a picture looking back to the gully. You can see the wash you entered in the upper center of the picture and the use trail is obvious.



From there, follow the use trail (faint at times) and many cairns up a ridge to a rock band. The use trail passes through the rock band at an easy point. Above the rock band, the use trail is easy to follow to the summit. The route is pretty much class 1.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
RichardK #10427 01/28/11 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted By: RichardK
There are a variety of routes to Corkscrew's summit. Here is a description of the easiest which does not seem to be in any guidebook. All GPS coordinates are UTM NAD27.


To avoid confusion - in looking at the pictures it appears to be the same route I described above. Your picture shows the "black canyon" - this was how it was described to a friend of mine by the locals in Beatty, and it's an accurate description. If you compare your picture with mine in the Wikiloc link, you'll see they're the same. There's only one class I exit from that little canyon - shortly beyond the left turn is a dry waterfall which requires rock climbing skills.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
KevinR #10429 01/28/11 08:19 AM
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Kevin, that's some awesome detail. I truly appreciate your effort in getting this to me. Neither of the two DV guidebooks I've always used have any entries for Corkscrew - and that surprises me with the Digonnet guide, 'cuz the damn thing weighs 5 pounds!

I'll definitely collate this info and use it in March. It appears catpappy is going to head out there with me, so we'll have at least two sets of eyes on the terrain.

Re: Corkscrew Peak / Death Valley Buttes
Bulldog34 #10431 01/28/11 08:32 AM
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I would not neccesarily agree that to be the easiest or the easiest to find way up. Although it is listed route in Zdon's guidebook. The easier way up is to aim for the V-notch that lies between Corskcrew and the small "little corkscrew" to the left. From the ridge of the "v-notch" continue to follow the ascending ridgeline(class II) all the way to the summit. As for descent, I agree that the route Kevin posted is easy to negotiate and follow and makes for a quick descent. This makes a great loop hike.

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