Death Valley - Hike, Bike, and Explore

This ride is a fixed-base or semi-fixed-base ride, please read the ride description for more details.

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW 

Come visit and explore America’s largest National Park within the lower 48 states.  Death Valley is known for extremes:  It is North America’s driest and hottest spot (with fewer than two inches of rainfall annually) and a record high of 134°F and has the lowest elevation on the continent of 282’ feet below sea level (Bad Water).

This ride is a first for BAC.  The tour is a fixed base ride starting in Furnace Creek, Death Valley.  We will switch days between riding and hiking with one day where we will rent 4-passenger jeeps and explore Titus Canyon and possibly visit the famous "Racetrack" or Twenty Mule Team Canyon where borax was mined!  If you love biking, hiking, and amazing landscapes come experience Death Valley. The co-leader Wayne Martin has led numerous private bike rides in Death Valley and is well acquainted to the area.  A little back ground  on Wayne.  Wayne has led numerous (nonprofit) hiking, biking, and kayaking trips all over the world for his close friends, which I am fortunately one of them!  Many of you have already rididen one of Wayne’s rides.  Wayne, unknown to most cyclists, created the famous Markleeville Death Ride some 30+ years ago.  Each year 2,700+ cyclists signup for this ride, and it is sells out within hours of opening.

COVID REQUIREMENTS:   All participants must be fully vaccinated including booster shots if applicable and be prepared to present vaccination documentation for viewing by Ride Director if requested.
If we still have a Covid 19 risk, we will follow all the necessary rules, and change activities as needed to remain Covid compliant, and keep the tour as safe as possible. We will invite participants to a Zoom meeting approximately 45 days prior to the tour start date to finalize our COVID protocols. You may be asked to wear PPE in public, maintain social distance in public and limit social gathering in public according to the state's mandate. 

RIDE RATING: This ride is rated at 3B; however, routes can be shortened or lengthened from 2B to 4B.    The rides are essentially out and backs, which can be reduced to 3B levels or lower if the rider wishes. All rides have sections of 10%+ grade.  Some rides will require remote starts.  Riding and hiking days will be determined based on weather.  SImply put - If there are strong winds, we’ll hike, if not we’ll ride.

RIDE LEADER EXPECTATIONS – For safety reasons, all riders must ride with a companion!  NO EXCEPTIONS!  Essentially there is no cell phone coverage and WIFI is only found near Furnace Creek.

Furnace Creek to Artist Palette and back - 24 miles, 2,353'.                      https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522757

Furnace Creek to Bad Water & Artist Palette & back - 40 miles 2,860’       https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522779

Furnace Creek to Bad Water & Back - 35 miles 1,553’                              https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522790

Furnace Creek to Dante’s Point & Back - 50 miles 5,612’                          https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522797

Furnace Creek to Dante’s Point Turnoff – 24 miles 2,160’                          https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522814

Dante’s Point Turnoff to Dante’s Point (car required) - 26 miles 3,438’        https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522833

Furnace Creek to Panamint Springs (car shuttle back-Key swap)              https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522861

– 55 miles 5,990’

Panamint Springs to Furnace Creek (key swap) – 55 Miles 3,906’            https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38522869

ROUTING EXPECTATIONS:  All participants must have the RWGPS app, and must know how to download RWPGS route maps and /or Garmin GPX files to their devices.  Downloaded tour maps will include free turn by turn voice cues (“Voice Navigation”) and the ability to print cues sheets and route maps.  Participants will require only the free ‘Starter‘ RWGPS plan to use RWGPS.  Many of the 2018, 2019 & 2021 riders preferred downloading the routes and cue sheets files via RWGPS to their smart phones, then saving the files offline. The smartphone screen provides an improved view of where you are on the route, a visual display of Points of Interest, special cafes or rest stops, and hotel addresses & phone numbers. These maps come with screen saving Voice Navigation – bring an earbud!  Participants should have better than average map reading and directional skills.

WEATHER: Riders should plan on cooler mornings and evening temperatures. Average temperatures can range from lows of 46°F to highs of 74°F in February, and 55°F to 82°F in March. NO NEED to bring your rain gear!  Extreme highs in February have hit 100°F, and 110° in March.

LOGISTICS: Travel options to Furnace Creek are limited unless you drive.  The closest commercial airport is Las Vegas (LAS) where you can rent a car, and drive 2.5 hours to Furnace Creek.  If you have a private plane, you can fly to the Furnace Creek airport (DTH), which is within walking distance to our hotel.  

BICYCLES: All riding is on pavement.  However, we recommend you equip your bike with 28mm tires. Tandems and E-bikes are welcome.

LODGING & MEALS: Our lodging will be the Ranch at Death Valley (think Motel 6 with NO breakfasts provided).  However, there is a resturant near by, which serves breakfast.  Meals - six (6) self-made lunches, and the first and last night’s dinner. Rotating assigned teams of four are responsible for laying out Happy Hour snacks and the lunch preparations each night.

COST & ADMINISTRATION: The cost estimate is $2,075, which includes 7 days lodging, 7 evening Happy Hours, 6 lunches and 2 dinners, 4-passenger Jeep rentals, Garmin daily GPX files and RWGPS daily route maps comes with full RWGPS voice navigation features for downloading to your GPS devices or phones. The initial deposit of $1,200 and the BAC ride fee of $50 will be due upon acceptance to the ride. The second payment of $875 is due September 15, 2022.  The ride cost does not include transportation to and from any airports, and other types of entertainment – museums, golf course fees (walking distance from our hotel), and public swimming pool.  

SINGLE RIDERS:  Singles are a great addition to a ride, and we welcome them. We do not discourage singles from registering.  However, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED singles find their own roommate prior to signing up. The Ride Leader will assist single riders by attempting to match other singles who apply for the ride.  When a single rider applies for the ride and if space is available and if the rider is accepted by the ride leader, the single rider will be moved from the Waitlist to the Pending list and instructed to disregard BAC’s automated payment requests.  The ride leader will reserve a spot for the single rider for 45 days or until September 15, 2023, whichever comes first.  If a single roommate is not found in this time frame, the single rider will be moved from the Pending list back to the Waitlist.   

Please Note:  If a single roommate is not found in the time frame and the single rider mistakenly paid the ride deposit, the single rider will be moved from the Participant list to the Waitlist and the single rider will receive a full refund less the BAC fee and credit card fees.  If a roommate is found, both singles riders will then be put on the Pending list and their deposits will be required at that time. 

SOLO RIDERS:  Xanterra is the concessionaire for the Death Valley National Park. Hotel reservation requests are normally made over a year in advance. Unfortunately, this does not provide the Ride Leader the flexibility needed to add additional rooms for Solo riders.  

CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled due to participation below stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
Please remember that BAC Ride Directors are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Director. While on the ride, support your Ride Director with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Director informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Director’s decisions.

Before participating in any BAC tour, members should review their medical coverage and assess whether what you have is sufficient. If it isn’t, you should purchase additional travel medical coverage. There is also limited coverage for medical expenses associated with accidents incurred by US residents when on tours within the US. None of the policies maintained by BAC will cover costs associated with self-quarantines that may be government mandated. Members should also ensure that vaccinations are up to date (e.g., annual influenza, tetanus, etc.). If travelling outside your home country, you may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that the appropriate vaccinations are up to date.

Please be sure to read the ride description carefully, respond promptly to calls for payments and emails from the Ride Director.  While on the ride, consider offering to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation.  All our Ride Directors are volunteers, and we ask that participants respect their decisions.

SIGN-UP
To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At this time, you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit (insert dollar amount) by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. To contact the Ride Director, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description. Waitlisting is encouraged.