Telescope Peak

Every now and then, Los Boyz like to leave the heavy packs behind and opt for a car-camping trip. You know what that means: better food, more beer, and of course, the martini shaker makes an appearance. This time, we set our sights on the highest point in Death Valley—Telescope Peak. Funny enough, this was our second crack at it. The first attempt? Snowed out. Yeah, ironic for Death Valley. That snowstorm led to a sketchy drive down a muddy, winding dirt road from our campsite. But that’s a story for another time.

After an other worldly drive through Searles Valley, Trona, and the barren landscapes of Death Valley, we rolled up to Mahogany Flat Campground and locked down a prime spot. The beer started flowing, and it wasn’t long before we broke out the backcountry corn hole and bocce ball. The night was capped off by some killer BBQ, courtesy of Eric and his trusty Lil’ Smoky grill. Good food, good drinks, and plenty of laughs around the campfire, thanks to Eric’s retelling of his famous Angus and pickle slicer jokes.

The next day, we made the 16-mile round trip trek to the summit of Telescope Peak. The views were insane, stretching across Death Valley and beyond. It was a solid hike, but the real highlight? Coming back to camp for more beers and chilling out after bagging the peak. Classic Los Boyz adventure.

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