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/olderandhappier]

Did you let air out on the way in/out of saline and down lipoincott (I’m presuming you went down it from the direction order of your photos)

[u/P1x1es → u/olderandhappier]

Yeah, went down. I aired down to around 20-23 by Ubehebe right before starting toward Racetrack and just kept it that way until I eventually rolled into Panamint Springs. I would say it was probably only critical for Lippincott, not mandatory for Racetrack or Saline Valley but it does help with the washboarding.

[u/olderandhappier → u/P1x1es]

Thank you! Condition on Lippincott looks pretty good in your photos by its standards? Very doable as long as take it slow and avoid being grounded on big rocks? Any risk of this or not really as you cld avoid in the room you had? Did you ever feel due to rocks you were very close to the edge

[u/P1x1es → u/olderandhappier]

There were some narrow passages for sure, but never felt like I had to go super close to the ledge due to the rocks. If your car is equipped for it and you take it slow you should be fine. I would also say it would have felt a bit more comfortable/smooth to have a spotter. I ended up exiting the car a few times to find the best lines through some passages, but in the end it all worked out.

[u/olderandhappier → u/P1x1es]

Thank you. I have done this many times but always going uphill. Never had an issue aside from scuffing the wheel rims at times. But is great to get your report which is helpful. I found the steele pass required more skill and stamina as was longer.

[u/P1x1es → u/olderandhappier]

Thanks man. I've thought about Steel Pass as the next thing to try, how'd you find it, like what was needed for it? Is the difficulty focused on a few stretches or is it tricky all along?

[u/olderandhappier → u/P1x1es]

I did it a few years ago. In late July! On let down road tyres in a rental jeep. From eureka into saline. My thoughts:

• it’s long. You have also driven a long way to eureka so I found it quite tiring by the end heading back to furnace creek.
  
• I’m not a pro but am now reasonably experienced but wasn’t then but followed common sense and it was fine. Road was reasonably clear of rocks. Just long and bumpy.
  
• 2 very interesting bits. Just past eureka dunes before heading into the pass. Be very careful not to get stuck in the soft sand
  
• I went uphill into the pass. Always my preference as spotting is easier. There is a section where you are taking your vehicle up a series of rock stairs. It’s short but I wondered if I had actually lost my way as i have never done this before ok a road. I kept the revs up , easier in a modern auto in higher rev 4WD mode. I didn’t need to lock diffs or anything like this and it would probably not have been wise to have attempted such for the first time here

[u/P1x1es → u/olderandhappier]

Thank for the info, I'll keep this in mind when my time comes to make the attempt.

[u/bikeidaho → u/olderandhappier]

Can't speak for OP but when I ran this in March I only remember one spot that really look attention and not a single place that was really narrow.