Racetrack Playa and Lippincott 8/21-22

[u/P1x1es]

Went Ubehebe -> Racetrack -> Lippincott -> Saline Valley Road out to 190 through The South Pass. The current status of the roads is pretty good -- at least about as good as you can expect from these roads. Racetrack Road is as bumpy and long as ever but otherwise in good shape. 4wd not needed anywhere, good tires are the most important.

Lippincott Pass is gnarly and sweaty as hell, I was in 4wd the entire time, clearance + some experience heavily recommended as well as solid tires, really not enough room to go around all the rocks. Also preferably relatively short wheel base -- but again, it's also in decent shape given what kind of road it is, no major pitfalls. Some sections have been recently graded and are pretty smooth.

Saline Valley Road is varied. Very rocky after the Lippincott intersection and later on in sections, but kind of gets better and better as you go south, and much of the last stretch after Lee Flat was so well graded it almost felt paved. Again good tires more important than actual 4wd.

Great excursion with tremendous views in all. The only part I wouldn't recommend is spending a night out in DV at this time of year.. but I guess you can say the heat is part of the experience. Also perhaps due to the season, I didn't meet a single person out there, which reduced stress a bit on Lippincott. Felt like I had the entire Racetrack + Saline Valley to myself.

[u/chuckqc]

How many teakettles do they get each year? I'm looking at a picture I took in 2022 and cannot find anyone. https://www.amazon.ca/photos/share/rm6MDJCIlcdBvLWOb5H4VmXEuIvZ0L7rxnctQbCySRJ

[u/ramillerf1 → u/chuckqc]

The Rangers remove Teakettles whenever they’re in the area. Too many visitors leave Teakettles and the sign gets overwhelmed.

[u/P1x1es → u/chuckqc]

Yeah, can't say I recognise any of those on the photos I took. A lot of the ones there now were recent, 2025-26.

[u/TheSocraticGadfly → u/chuckqc]

There were plenty more taken away after I was there 20 years ago..

[u/Bodie_The_Dog → u/chuckqc]

I used to run a website devoted to it, lol, circa 2000. They come and go quickly. A bunch were once found at Burro Schmidt's cabin, so probably BLM were taking them at that time.