Death Valley: Coyote Canyon/Mengel Pass

[4Rager]

I'm planning on hitting Coyote Canyon and staying at the Mengel Pass cabin in Death Valley in a few weeks, and on my fancy map it says "4WD with experienced drivers only". I was curious if anyone has experience on that trail and what it's really like? Here's the thing, I know I'd be fine in my 5th gen, but I'm trying to sell it, so I'll likely be taking my 2500 Duramax with a 3" leveling kit and 33" Duratracs. It's 4WD with a LSD, so a wannabe locker in the rear, so really the only limitations will be width and wheelbase. Should that be an issue?

 

[Ray Dunakin]

I tried to go through there last August. Went up the canyon from Panamint Valley, did ok all the way up to the pass. But just a short distance below the pass on the other side, I came to a place that was just a steep, narrow jumble of boulders. If I'd been there during the day, perhaps I could have piled up enough rocks to make it passable, but as it was I didn't get there until late in the night and was already behind schedule, so I turned back.

Of course, the trail changes for better or worse with every rainfall, and there's been a lot of major storms in the area since then, so I have no idea what condition it might be in now.

.

 

[4Rager]

I tried to go through there last August. Went up the canyon from Panamint Valley, did ok all the way up to the pass. But just a short distance below the pass on the other side, I came to a place that was just a steep, narrow jumble of boulders. If I'd been there during the day, perhaps I could have piled up enough rocks to make it passable, but as it was I didn't get there until late in the night and was already behind schedule, so I turned back.

Of course, the trail changes for better or worse with every rainfall, and there's been a lot of major storms in the area since then, so I have no idea what condition it might be in now.

.

Hmm thanks for the input. My friend checked the road conditions and it said "open". There are a bunch of youtube videos I can check out, but I was hoping for input like yours. Sounds like it could be rough. I'll definitely be doing more research before I go.

 

[Bodie the Dog]

I've never driven it...

but used to hang out with a bunch of jeepers who called it "Mangle Pass."

 

[JD914]

Mengle Pass is definitely one of the tougher trails in DVNP and even Goler Wash/Coyote Canyon can be difficult, depending on conditions after storms. I'd be very hesitant to tackle that route solo in such a large vehicle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hltoppr]

I did Coyote/Mengel/Golar wash in January in a stock TRD Pro 4Runner, and had to stack some rocks and used a spotter in a couple of areas, but made it through with only minor undercarriage scrapes.

There were a couple of folks in full sized rigs going through from the West when we were there. I don't think my old 100 Series Land Cruiser would have many issues with size, so other than length I wouldn't be too concerned. Likely with careful driving, a spotter and taking your time you'll be fine...likely.

-H-

 

[Spenny]

I'm sure others have been more recently than I (November) Goler Wash was a joke and graded like a road - 2 wheel drive sedan would have made it without putting their doobie out or breaking a sweat.

Mengel, also coming from the Goler side would have been easy enough. Our group was a pile of long travel Tundras and a lonely 4runner (me). One 2wheel drive tundra made it up and over the hardest with a little tug. The day before a 2wd Xterra was dropping into Butte Valley.

All this was in November though.

 

[boyfester]

I'm planning on hitting Coyote Canyon and staying at the Mengel Pass cabin in Death Valley in a few weeks, and on my fancy map it says "4WD with experienced drivers only". I was curious if anyone has experience on that trail and what it's really like? Here's the thing, I know I'd be fine in my 5th gen, but I'm trying to sell it, so I'll likely be taking my 2500 Duramax with a 3" leveling kit and 33" Duratracs. It's 4WD with a LSD, so a wannabe locker in the rear, so really the only limitations will be width and wheelbase. Should that be an issue?

Did you complete your trip already? If not, we just went up Coyote Canyon last weekend but it doesn't go all the way through. We camped in the canyon before it go too narrow. We then backtracked out and headed up Goler Canyon to Striped Butte. Goler Canyon is really easy now. Either the park service or the flooding filled in all the tough spots with sand and we had no issues. As for the rocks before and after Mengel Pass, we had no challenges. There was a solo Toyota Tacoma in front on us that was stacking rocks but this due to his stock step rails that were hooking up on rocks. We did spot him and got him through with a couple of scrapes on his step rails. We didn't have any issues though.

 

[Drunner97]

Mengel's pretty easy if you know how to pick a line. We did it 3 times in one day back in November, including once in complete dark.

Here's [MENTION=133319]MACT4R[/MENTION]

Here's [MENTION=117408]Oneluv13T4R[/MENTION] (locked 2wd, but he did it up and down no problem)

Trail limo.