Beatty to Badwater (B2B)
Moral support for the Judies backpacking 170 miles from Beaty, NV to Badwater, CA!
Arrived Shoshone CA, population 31, the late afternoon of Tuesday 08 FEB to meet up with friends and ready for the B2B hike. We pulled up in front of the 3 cabins on Mohave aka Primrose Lane (built in the 1940s by Mojave Mud trucking company for the truck drivers) and were greeted by Judy P, Sue, John and Judy D.
Judy P is a dear friend and a long term part time resident of Shoshone/Death Valley area. Formerly she was a pediatric pulmonologist at Stanford and more recently a volunteer paramedic in Shoshone. She lives many months each year in one of the cabins with the blessing of her good friend Susan Sorrell whose family has owned and managed the town of Shoshone for generations The Queen of the Desert. Sue P (master of many trades) and John (former fire chief) are Judy’s sister and brother-in-law who are based out of Fort Collins but spend most of their time chasing 60-70 degree weather throughout US, are also visiting. They have their large 2-room Class A bus pulling their red Subaru stuffed with kayaks, bikes, backpacks, and other toys parked in front of and plugged into Judy’s small cabin. Quite the dramatic contrast in soooo many ways! Judy D is a mutual friend and hiker, a former software developer who is also retired, and now an “artist-in-residence.” She has been fortunate to be able to rent the 3rd (artist’s) cabin during the cold Boston winters. Her painting has evolved beautifully and she will be featured at a local show later this month. Her website is: https://www.judydillman.com
The Judys have been hiking the B2B for many years. Per usual, they are planning to hike the entire trek. The rest of us will provide support and tag along for some of the segments.
The B2B hike is an annual backpacking event that is organized by Judy P and usually completed in February as the desert begins to warm, but it’s not yet blistering hot. It starts in Beatty NV and ends in Badwater CA in the heart of Death Valley National Park. It’s a 170+ mile trek with net loss of 3589 feet that generally follows an old railbed and the course of the Amargosa River. The complete trip takes 12-15 days depending on hiking speed and other considerations. Most stretches have no water, so advanced planning for burying water (and food) drops or caches are needed.
The B2B hike was initiated many years ago when mutual friends MAC and Rod each pledged to donate $1 per mile to the Amargosa Conservancy if Judy P were to hike along the Amargosa River. Subsequently, it has evolved into an annual trek with other hikers participating for a variety of reasons and completing varying distances. To date, 6 people have completed the entire route, though not necessarily in a single year, with several others joining and providing encouraging support along individual segments. Judy P, now 80, has been the sole hiker that completes the B2B year after year. Judy D has joined her for the past 6 or so year. Bec completed the Beatty to Shoshone segments in 2018 and the Shoshone to Badwater legs the following year.
For more information on the B2B and photos/videos of past trips, check out this website that was developed by Judy P: https://www.b2bhike.net