Day 3 trail. Photo by Steve Bradley.
Death Valley Encounter: 2011 Results for 50′s and LD’s. Coming soon: Overall Results.
2009 Death Valley Encounter Photos
Ring in the New Year at the Death Valley Encounter
Multi-Day Endurance Event
December 28,29,30,31,2012 (2013 ride season) 50/50/50/50 &25/30/30/25
Sanctioning: This is a multi-day format of 4 separate 50’s and 4 LD’s. It is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference.
Directions: Please do not show up to this camp any earlier than noon on December 26th! Also,if you need fuel fill up in Ridgecrest. The fuel station in Trona is currently closed.
1. Leave Ridgecrest on Hwy 78 (The Death Valley Highway),which is the road to Trona
2. You will cross a railroad track in Trona. Continue on Hwy 78 (Death Valley Highway) for another 6.45 miles to the entrance to Valley Wells Country Club.
3. Turn right and camp in the large parking on your right. Do not camp with horses in the parking lot of the golf course. The correct location is to the right of the paved road. Don’t pull in there before noon on December 26th. If you are arriving in the area earlier than that you can find nice accommodations at the fairgrounds on the east side of Ridgecrest. There are also numerous open areas in which you can camp in the desert. You are welcome to call us at 907 209 8881 when you get to town and we will help you with your needs.
Basic Ride Info: The ride will take place from ONE camp for the entire time this year!
Meals: Dinners are available each evening of the ride. The first three nights the cost is $10. The fee for the New Years’dinner and dance will be $20 and will be a steak barbecue with all the fixings. You will need to pay for your dinner ticket for the New Years dinner party when you check in to ride. Lunches are included each day and will be hot soup and hot chocolate on two of the days,bbq hot dogs on another day,and bbq beef sandwiches on another day. Plan to dress up for the New Years’Party as we will have special awards for best dressed along with some other fun prizes!
Some areas of this ride are in jeopardy of being placed into wilderness which would completely eliminate this ride in the future.
Trail Description: The trail will be similar to last year and will include the nice new single track trail down the spine of the Slate Range where you will be able to see the Manley escape route from a birds eye view. The ride will consist of desert type terrain that will range from really good footing,soft sand to rocks and hard packed. Elevation gain will be moderate. All four days will be loop rides out of the same camp.
Awards: Daily awards will be given in addition to sweatshirts for the riders completing all four days on one or more horses. We will also have “Boobie”awards like last year and will also have a drawing at the New Year’s Party for free ride entries to those who are “Bests Dressed”(and whatever else we can think up!)
Ride Rules: AERC rules apply. The management,unlike the AERC Board of Directors,is able to differentiate between an endurance ride and an endurance race. If you are into endurance riding you will probably enjoy this ride. If you are a real competitor and are looking for a race you are likely to find the lack of structure here to be an abomination. This is an old time endurance ride like we used to have when you could print all the AERC rules on a single page. Back in the good old days we used to ride more and read less. Those were better times.
Ride Photographer: 2011 (2012 Ride Season) Photos by Steve Bradley Photography.
You can pay at the ride after determining how many days you end up riding. Fees are $100.00 per day.
Phone 760-375-8915 or 907 209 8881 or e-mail duck@xprides.com or karen@xprides.com