196 miles with 9,100 feet of elevation gain*
Locate ride on interactive map.
[Interactive Course | enlarge]
[Route Profile]
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Counties Visited:
Inyo County
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Cities/Towns Visited:
Furnace Creek, Shoshone, and Stovepipe Wells
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Climbs:
Mile 47 (cat. 3), 52 (cat. 2), and 76 (cat. 3)
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Stops:
Mile 17 (Badwater), 45 (Ashford Mill), 73 (Shoshone), 102 (Ashford Mill), 129 (Badwater), 147 (Furnace Creek), and 172 (Stovepipe Wells)
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Description:
The Death Valley Spring Double Century is an epic ride through one of the world's greatest outdoor sports arenas. The spring event covers the southern part of Death Valley National Park, while the fall event covers the northern areas.
The ride starts at Furnace Creek Ranch, located below sea level. On the way south, the route passes Badwater and the Devil's Golf Course, before climbing Jubilee Pass and Salsberry Pass (from the western side). The southern turnaround point is Shoshone, after which the two passes are crossed again (from the eastern side).
The course then continues north back to the starting point and beyond, passing the Devil's Cornfield and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The northern turnaround point is Stovepipe Wells, from where the route leads back to Furnace Creek.
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Pictures:
[Ride Start]
[Mid Ride]
[Death Valley]
[Badwater]
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Personal Notes:
At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater is the lowest point in North America. The site itself consists of a small spring-fed pool of water next to the road; however, the accumulated salts of the surrounding basin make it undrinkable, thus the name «Badwater».
We were fighting a gusty wind all day, blowing predominantly from the east. The most exposed sections included Salsberry Pass West and Ashford Mill to Badwater. After sunset the wind finally calmed down, and we continued riding under a beautiful full moon. For some time I was shadowed by three coyotes, but eventually they disappeared into the desert.
The DNF (did not finish) rate for this ride was 37 percent, partially due to the fact that the starting and eventual ending point is passed at mile 147.
Death Valley Spring Double Century - Current Weather:
See also California Triple Crown.