Every other year, Dave and I travel out to the desert to seek solitude (pics from 2007 trip to DV). This was our fourth trip out to Death Valley and covered some areas we have never been to before - what a surprise that was...a wonderful surprise.

We set off from Ridgecrest south on Hwy 178 towards the ghost town of Ballarat. We spoke with the owner of the one and only store about the conditions of Goler Wash. He was real nice - he said some parts are bad but we should use our best judgment by getting out of the car and scouting the road ahead before proceeding further. He offered us some cold drinks. We declined on the cold drink offer and thanked him for the advice and headed towards Goler wash.

Goler Canyon Road (or Goler Wash), is a 4 wheel drive rough terrain that runs up the west side of the Panamint Range to Mengel Pass, then drops down into main section of Death Valley National Park . It passes several stream crossings along with rustic ranches, old mines & eventually ends up descending into Death Valley. There are three cabins in Goler wash; the first small shack you'll come across from the western entrance is called Newman's Cabin. It was the headquarters for Newman Mine, a historic mining operation close by. Barker Ranch, once the hideout of serial killer Charles Manson and his gang, and the third cabin just above Barker is Myers Ranch, which unfortunately burnt down due to someone's negligence.

Then the road climbs a steep class III terrain towards Mengel Pass. The last stretch over Mengel Pass is difficult. Under normal circumstances, high-clearance 4x4 SUVs can reach this point without a problem. Those with skid plates should also be able to get over Mengel Pass but some caution must be taken to avoid undercarriage damage. Some rock stacking may be necessary. In addition, there is always the possibility that a flash flood through the canyon could make it more difficult. This trail is extremely remote, so extra gas and plenty of water is highly recommended.

Dave had heard about additional cabins in Butte Valley. We didn't see Russell from the road, but noticed Stella was occupied (the occupants were flying the American flag - thought that was an indication for occupancy, but we learned later that only the rangers fly the flags). We weren't aware of the Geologist's cabin, which sits out further from the other two cabins on Butte Valley Rd. When we saw it, we thought it might be a ranger station so Dave suggested stopping to check it out. His persistence paid off. It was indeed one of the shelter cabins open to the public. When I opened the door to this little abode, I was surprised to find a meticulously maintained interior! This place is truly a gem! The Geologist's Cabin has the nicest views, and is a nice tight river-rock and cement single room building. We learned later on from two people, who have been coming to the cabin since the 70's, that random people who stay help maintain the cabins (i.e. repair or replace roof) (Adopt-a-Cabin system). They also told us some creepy stories about the cabins from 10-15yrs ago, but I wouldn't utter any of it. The other cabins are mice infested and are posted with danger signs explaining the deadly Hantavirus, which is spread by inhaling dust from mice droppings. People stay in the cabins despite the warnings. I've posted some pics from the other cabins, including Warm Spring Camp, an abandoned Talc mine located down Warm Spring Canyon. All the cabins are available on first-come, first-served basis.

We enjoyed the cabin so much, we ended up staying there for two nights!