Death Valley National Park - Telescope Peak

On September 29, 1968 myself, Steve Henderson, Bob Johnson and Tim McSweeney day hiked to the top of 11,049' Telescope Peak on a trip from San Diego. We also climbed White Mountain Peak the previous day.

We arrived at Mahogany Flats about 11 p.m. the day before and sacked out. Up at 6:30 a.m. and cooked breakfast. We left for the Peak at 8:15 a.m. on what was mostly a long not too difficult walk. There was a long switch back climb near the peak. We made the top at 11:15 a.m. and enjoyed the scenery. We left at 12:15 p.m. and were back at the car at 2:15 p.m. We saw wild burros on hike.

Telescope Peak is the highest point within Death Valley National Park in California. It is also the highest point of the Panamint Range, and lies in Inyo County. From atop this desert mountain one can see for over one hundred miles in many directions, including west to Mount Whitney, and east to Charleston Peak. The mountain was named for the great distance visible from the summit.

Telescope Peak is also notable for having one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. Its summit rises 11,331 feet above the lowest point in Death Valley, Badwater Basin at -279 feet, in about 15 miles, and about 10,000 feet above the floor of Panamint Valley in about 8 miles.

This is comparable to the rises of other tall, but better known, U.S. peaks. It is even somewhat comparable to the rise of Mount Everest above its northern base on the Tibetan Plateau, a rise of roughly 13,000 feet. However Everest rises much more, and much more steeply, above its southern base in Nepal.

A variety of trees can be found on the mountain, including single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), limber pine (Pinus flexilis), and, at the highest elevations, the ancient Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva).

The trail to the top starts at the Mahogany Flat campground which is reached via California State Route 178 which eventually ends and turns into an unpaved road that winds up through Wildrose Canyon to a parking lot where the trail for the summit starts. The section from the Charcoal Kilns can be rough and might only be suitable for 4-wheel-drive cars with high clearance, depending on weather conditions.

Hiking Telescope Peak by the normal route involves a 14 mile round trip hike. The trail starts in the western part of Death Valley National Park at Mahogany Flat campground. The trail slowly winds itself up to the summit 7 miles later at a steady gradient of roughly 8%.

The standard route is maintained by the National Park Service, and no permit is required to climb the mountain. This route leaves directly from the Mahogany Flat Campground, and travels approximately two miles to Arcane Meadows. From Arcane Meadows, the trail winds five more miles gradually up toward Telescope Peak, mostly following the ridgeline to the summit. This route can also be used to access two nearby peaks, Bennett Peak and Rogers Peak, a traverse that adds on minimal extra mileage.
Charcoal Kilns - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Charcoal Kilns - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
The summit is to the left rear (left edge of picture) of what appears to be the top

Flowers along the trail to Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Flowers along the trail to Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Flowers along the trail to Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Flowers along the trail to Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Summit of Telescope Peak, Bob, Steve and Tim - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Summit of Telescope Peak, Bob, Steve and Tim - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Summit of Telescope Peak, Don, Tim, Bob, Steve - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Summit of Telescope Peak, Don, Tim, Bob, Steve - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Steve looking through the summit register - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Steve looking through the summit register - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Summit register entries by other people from San Diego - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Summit register entries by other people from San Diego
Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Panamint Valley from Telescope Peak, Tim McSweeney, other unrelated group - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Panamint Valley from Telescope Peak, Tim McSweeney, other unrelated group
Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Death Valley from Telescope Peak, Bob Johnson, Tim McSweeney - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Death Valley from Telescope Peak, Bob Johnson, Tim McSweeney
Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Death Valley from Telescope Peak, Steve Henderson - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Death Valley from Telescope Peak, Steve Henderson
Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Telephoto of Badwater area from Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Telephoto of Badwater area from Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Heading down from Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Heading down from Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968

Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968
Wild Burros on Telescope Peak - Death Valley National Park - Oct 1968