February 12 -14, 2025 Shoshone, California

 High of 61 and partly cloudy.

We drove to Tecopa this afternoon. There was a fire last night where the cars are. We went to do a dump and visit the hot springs. 

View from the dump. This area was a wetland with a hot spring called the bore hole or the mud springs. They were drilling for minerals here and hit hot water and were unable to stop the water flow. Since then the wet lands developed, which are the main habitat  for the endangered Amargosa vole. The spring is very popular. The thought is that the fire started at the spring. 

The bore hole fire. Sunset south.

Sunset west. Rainy and in the 50's. We drove up to Death Valley  Junction to meet the Judy's at Amargosa Hotel where they were spending the night as part of their 170 mile backpack. Since it is in the middle of nowhere, there is no where to get dinner. So we catered.

Eagle Mountain in the rain. Amargosa Hotel. 

Amargosa Hotel is famous for the Opera house. Marta Beckett, a famous ballerina in her time, bought the old Borax 'town' and fixed it up. She  did a one woman show every night with ballet and opera. She made all the costumes and painted the backdrops. She starting in 1967 and performed well into her 80's. She performed whether there was a audience or not. She painted the inside of the old recreation hall with a with an audience, including the king and queen. She and the opera house became famous and in the end her shows were mostly sold out. We are coming back on Saturday for the 57th anniversary of the opera house and to watch a ballet on the opera house. Our room. Marta painted the head board and the 'statues' on the wall.  Not all the rooms have paintings, but the ones that do, all are different. 

I stretched my legs and walked to the Timbisha Shoshone campground. Part of their reservation is a small lot near the hotel. There is a dispensary on it and this new campground. For $35 you get a gravel pull through site with a picnic table and fire ring, plus a pit toilet, right off the highway. Firewood $15. No hook ups or water. We had our dinner in the dining room of the Inn. There are murals on the walls. 

The Judy's heading out in the morning. The hotel and opera house are run as a non profit. Sadly since Marta passed away the property has become very run down. It's too bad, since the place is a historical landmark. 

Evidence of the rain in Shoshone. The city hauled away about half of the branches that John cut off the giant bush. Filled one dumpster, with just as many on the ground next to it.

The city hauled away about half of the branches that John cut off the giant bush. Filled one dumpster, with just as many on the ground next to it. A nice new sign with the hiking trails in Shoshone. 

Sunset.