Telescope Peak, 11049 ft (3367 m)

Where: Death Valley National Park

Trail head: Shorty's Well, near Badwater

Length: 22 miles round trip

Cumulative elevation gain: 12000 ft

Difficulty: Extreme

Reservations required: No

Advance planning typically required for permit: N/A

Permit requirements: Get pass upon entry to Death Valley park. If arriving very early or late, get pass upon exit.

Price: Pay at park entrance, waived with national park pass

Report date: 2007-05-19

Reported by: Silviu

Driving directions: Take Hwy 120 E into Yosemite, then Interstate 395 and turn left in Lone Pine to 190 E. Approximately 9-11 hours from the Bay Area, depending on traffic conditions.

Maps: TopoZone.com map

Trail condition: There is no trail for the first 14 miles until you reach the trail coming from Mahogany Flat. For the first 9 miles, you will follow the dirt road into the Hanaupah Canyon. Then you have to find your way without any trail.

Description and other notes: Climbing Telescope Peak from Shorty's Well is a real challenge for any serious hiker. The combination of length, cumulative elevation gain, dryness and possible hot weather makes it extreme, as a day hike. The views from the top are spectacular: the lowest point in the contiguous US (Badwater - elevation -280 ft) is less than 16 miles away; the highest point (Mt Whitney - elevation 14494 ft) is only 70 miles away. Usually, Telescope Peak is snowless between June and October. In May, there is a chance of snow on the ridge leading to the top and crampons and ice-axes may be needed.

Comments

Historic Charcoal Killns, close to the Telescope Peak trail head. If you have a small car, most likely you will have to leave it here, as the dirt road is pretty raw from here (only 4x4 cars are advisable).

After almost 9 miles from the trail head near Shorty's Well, you can find one of the springs in the Hanaupah Canyon. Don't miss it, it's the only source of water and it's a real bless!

The ridge between the South and Middle Forks of the Hanaupah Canyon. You will follow this ridge until reaching the Telescope Peak Trail.

Last climb and you can reach the Telescope Peak. These several hundred feet seem an eternity!

Death Valley from the Telescope Peak Trail. Badwater and Shorty's Well trail head are approx. 15 miles away and 11000 ft below you.

Telescope Peak from the trail. From here you still have almost 6 miles and 2000 ft downhill.