In conjunction with Death Valley National Park (DVNP), the Coalition of American Canyoneers (CAC) is planning two public service projects: one on Saturday, February 14th and one on Sunday, February 15th. A third project, outside of the park, will occur throughout the entire President’s Day weekend.
Golden Canyon Clean-up
On Saturday morning, February 14th, the plan is to hike this popular and non-technical canyon and gather trash as we go. In addition to cleaning up the main canyon, we will be checking as many side canyons as possible since many of them have garbage and waste that needs to be removed. CAC will provide trash bags and latex gloves.
Survey of a Military Airplane Crash Site
DVNP would like some assistance of either canyoneers or mountain climbers who feel comfortable moving around on the steep terrain below Dante’s View. There are openings for two to four volunteers.
Early on Sunday, February 15th, we will meet with DVNP rangers and descend to the site of a non-historic 1978 military airplane crash near Hades Canyon. In the days following the crash, most of the larger pieces were removed. The site is located halfway down the mountainside at around 2,800 ft.
The plan is to get GPS coordinates of the range/boundaries east, west, north, and south of the debris field. We’ll also be checking to see if there are any remaining debris pieces too heavy to move. Sometime in the future, a clean up of the area may occur.
This project is not related to the drop tank that is down in the canyon.
Slabby Acres Camp Clean Up
This project is completely informal and voluntary. Located just outside of the park, Slabby Acres is an old mobile home site that is used by canyoneers, hikers, and RV’s. Since it is an informal site, outside of the park’s jurisdiction and without trash collection facilities, it is a mess.
CAC will provide trash bags and latex gloves. The idea is to give bags to everyone who wants them and just police the area around where you are camped. Using one bag for recyclables and the other for trash is encouraged. If everyone can take a bag or two with them when they leave, we will have succeeded in cleaning up this area. This can only help keep the site open for our use in the future.
Slabby Acres Camp location:
• From the junction of Highways 127 and 190, drive 10.3 miles west on Hwy 190. You will see a 3000′ elevation sign on the right (north) side of the road. The turn off to the Slabby Acres camp is on the left about 0.6 miles after you pass the sign.
• From Furnace Creek, drive southeast on Hwy 190 to the turn off for Dante’s View. Go another 6.2 miles on Hwy 190. You will see a 3000′ elevation sign on the right (south) side of the road. The turn off to the Slabby Acres camp is on the right about 1.1 miles after you pass the 3000′ sign.
Future Projects
DVNP and CAC are hoping to coordinate tamarisk removal from a few different canyons. This invasive species has a bulls-eye on it. Other projects are in the works.
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The Coalition of American Canyoneers is your organization. Its ultimate success depends on the participation of the canyoneering community. If you haven’t already done so, please become a member. The more members, the louder our voice in supporting canyon access by promoting conservation, education and safety. PLEASE JOIN! It’s free (Donations welcome).
