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James Stoness
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James Stoness
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James Stoness
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James Stoness
Story & photos by James Stoness
The world has many strange and wonderful happenings and one of the weirdest has to be the tale of Sliding Rock Valley hidden in the depths of Death Valley National Park.
To see rocks move downhill in a landslide is not unusual, nor is the moving of rocks and sand by rushing water. Seeing tracks left by rocks that have moved across a dry lakebed on their own is definitely – otherworldly.
Death Valley National Park is the lowest area in North America, and is dry and very hot in the summer. The park preserves an area that is geologically unique. For instance, Bad Water basin is 86 metres below sea level, and Mt. Whitney, just 130 kilometres away stands 4400 metres high. Moisture from the Pacific region passes over several mountain ranges before reaching Death Valley and the eastward moving air quickly laps up moisture, which leaves the park extremely arid. The usual annual rainfall is only a little over 6 centimetres. The dryness of the valley limits the growth of plants, which makes the rocks and cliffs of the park very striking. It’s easy to study their geological beginnings, and to prospect.
More recent geological events have caused the valley to drop, while the nearby mountains rose, and are still rising. Although there isn’t much rain, things really move when the bare soil is attacked by rain. Several times in recent years, floods have wiped out highways, and in the autumn of 2015 floods severely damaged the historic Scotty’s Castle and destroyed part of the road to it.
It is these constant floods that help form the flat valley floors found in Death Valley Park. Silt levels out the roughness of the valley floor, and a lake forms in periods of rain. Evaporation eventually dries up the lake to form a playa, which is a flat, dry lakebed in the bottom of a valley. The wide Armargosa River flows through the valley but eventually disappears into the sands of the valley floor, sometimes creating a shallow lake in the lowest part. Evaporation of the big lake at the end has left an enormous salt covered valley.
It is in the back country where you will find the Racetrack Playa. Tucked at the base of Ubehebe Peak this playa is about one-kilometre wide and 4 ½ kilometres long, and so level that it only drops about 4 centimetres along its length. It is here, that the mystery occurs. Early people passing through the area mentioned seeing large and small rocks sitting way out on the playa with long tracks behind them, as if they had slid along the surface of the playa. It still continues to this day.
There is another natural phenomenon. When water has flooded the surface and left behind a thin layer of mud, evaporation starts to take place. When the water is gone, the muddy surface dries creating a complex pattern of polygons somewhat like the repeating pattern of a carpet.
However, what causes the rocks to move? They’ve been studied, filmed, and people have formulated a variety of theories, including aliens curling with the rocks. The best theory suggests that when the lake is flooded the water is usually very shallow. Since it can get very cold here, ice forms across the surface and freezes around the rocks gripping them firmly. At times the lake is exposed to severe winds coming down the valley, which could start the ice sheet drifting, dragging the rocks along the slippery bottom of the playa.
The rocks do move. There is no doubt. To visit Racetrack Playa, head north in the park to Mesquite Springs campground (near Scotty’s Castle), and turn westward heading past Ubehebe Crater where the pavement ends. Next is a rough, rough, washboard road with rocks strewn across the surface in places. It’s a trail that follows the outwash river from the mountains for 43 kilometres, and then rises in elevation about 1000 metres. With care, a two-wheel drive vehicle should be able to do it, but you never know what flooding has occurred along the way to make it slippery, or litter the surface with rocks, so 4WD is better, and high clearance can help in cases where there are rocks.
When you get there to see and photograph your first rock and the track it has left behind, you will definitely feel the trip was worthwhile. When I looked across the playa, the tracks were very visible, and way down at the end of each track, was a rock.
Be responsible! Do not move the rocks, and do not leave tracks, or leave debris that will spoil the experience for the next person.
If you are experienced, it is possible to leave the valley at the south end using the Lippincott Road, which can be very tough and even be closed. You need to be prepared for an overnight on this if things go badly. Ask the rangers before you even contemplate it. It’s definitely a 4WD, and heavy tire road.
Almost anyplace along the road to the Racetrack Playa will present fabulous desert scenery, and depending upon the time of day the shading of the mountains change from dull sandy grey to striking blue shadows.
However, you will be taking this trip in the winter months. You do not want to be out on a backcountry trail when summer temperatures reach into high 40’s Celsius. Winter months have more comfortable temperatures.
A visit to the Racetrack Playa is not for everyone. The rough road takes its toll on vehicles and people, yet just going there is an adventure that will revitalize your travel urge. We have enjoyed it once, and surely a time will come when we can do it again.