Heaven to Hell Gold timing questions.

[MidTNJasonF]

For those who have done Heave (Pikes Peak) to Hell Badwater Basin what did your timing look like?
What considerations did you plan for time wise when setting up your route?

I know that the Pikes Peak uphill gate opens at 9:00am and last vehicle through the uphill gate is 3:00pm. I also know that Timed Entry is now required in the summer (May 26 – September 30). Not sure how much of struggle it will be getting a timed entry pass in early June on a weekday.

I feel like a starting my decent no later than noon would be about right. That would put me into Independence Pass early afternoon. That puts me into Ely a little after midnight but there is a Loves Travel Stop open 24 hours in Ely so fuel, food, restrooms, and a DBR there at such a late hour should not be an issue. Then on to Death Valley for a 8~9 am arrival. Everything should be open by that time in Furnace Creek but it would still be before the heat of the day.

On paper that seems like fairly sedate plan with several hours to spare and no really hard pushes. Only issue I really see is a bit more overnight riding that I would normally prefer. I could do a bit of an extended rest near either along the Independence Pass to Ely segment or in Ely itself which would put me doing more of the Ely to Death Valley segment from just before sunrise to late morning.

I am assuming most everyone gets the DBR for Badwater Basin in Furnace Creek since there is nothing actually at the Badwater Basin trail head and parking area.

 

[EricV]

You can get the 'timed entry pass' online ahead of your trip. Online purchase code: 2off for a $2 discount. The tickets are good for a year from purchase.

They don't seem clear on the process. You might want to call and ask some questions. Like how do I make a reservation for a specific date/time? They talk about a two hour window, but show nothing that I can find for where that is assigned.

Hours vary during the year. From 5/24/24 to 9/2/24 the uphill gates open at 7:30 am and the summit closes at 7pm.

https://coloradosprings.gov/document/ratesandhours2018.pdf

From the Heaven to Hell ride page - HERE

You must take a picture of you, your bike at the TOP of Mt Evans (or Pikes Peak) and the Badwater sign in the parking lot.

Spotwalla.com OR other independent satellite tracking system that will work in remote locations (as of February 2017, cell phone based trackers will not work on top of Pike's Peak, Mt Evans and Bad Water) IS REQUIRED FOR THIS RIDE.

There are NO RECEIPTS at the top of Mt Evans (Pikes Peak does have a gift shop with good receipts) AND Badwater in Death Valley. You should get receipts at the closest stations (for Mt Evans that is Idaho Springs, Colorado and for Badwater we recommend Beatty, Nevada as the pumps as Furnance Creek will not always issue a receipt and can be closed for a variety of reasons).

Remember it is YOUR responsibility to prove you did the ride!

 

[Rollin']

In 2013 there was a solar powered machine in the Badwater parking lot that would give you a receipt. I used that receipt and the Spot Tracker data.
Using a Spot Tracker will show the time, date and place you were at.

Badwater start -

Top of Pikes Peak -

The solar powered ticket machine was in the corner of the lot.

I was also able to use the Spot Tracker for the top of Mount Evans and the stop at the Independence Pass sign.

 

[EricV]

@Rollin' - What was the receipt for?

 

[Rollin']

@Rollin' - What was the receipt for?

Death Valley National Park pass. You could pay for the pass at that machine with a credit card.

 

[MidTNJasonF]

I did not see the machine when I was there last year, June 2023. Of course I was not looking very hard for something like that. At that time Badwater Basin and several sections of that road had just reopened from earlier flooding. There was still a number of barely repaired sections and recently cleared debris. Makes me wonder if it was damaged in one of the extreme rain/flooding events that have occurred the previous two or three years.

There are plenty of options in Furnace Creek for a DBR. The general store at the Furnace Creek Inn, the restaurant at Furnace Creek Inn, the gas station, and the Furnace Creek Visitors Center. As long as you are not there at an overnight hour that is.

I will certainly be calling when trying to make a reservation at Pikes Peak because their site has very conflicting information. It does state 7:30am on one page but clearly states the uphill gate opens at 9am under current hours. No updates to references to what the hours are after memorial day weekend. October 1st to Thursday before Memorial Day weekend - Uphill Gates Open 9 a.m. / Last Entry 3 p.m. / Pikes Peak Summit Closes 4 p.m. / Downhill Gates Close 5 p.m.

I still think a late morning decent might be a good idea. Otherwise the arrival into DV will be in the middle of the night. I would normally start a ride well before sunrise to maximize daylight riding hours but a 4am or 5am start on Pikes peak will not be possible.

 

[EricV]

Current hours just means Today. After 5/24 the hours change to 7:30 am - 7 pm until 9/2.

I'm still not grasping the concept of pre-purchase of a ticket, yet a timed entry pass reservation since it doesn't appear to allow you to pick a date/time. Yet they specifically say it's to help ensure adequate parking at the top.

Death Vally in the middle of the night is a pleasant place w/o any traffic or crowds. And a bit cooler in the summer during the night. This does mean limited receipt locations, thus the IBA recommendation for Beatty, NV.

edit - IMHO, it's worth the time to walk out the boardwalk at Badwater and take a pic of the elevation sign.

 

[Rollin']

Badwater at 4:10 am (6:10 central) is a very dark place. When I turned the bike off, I couldn't see anything. Only 96 degrees.

 

[MidTNJasonF]

I'm still not grasping the concept of pre-purchase of a ticket, yet a timed entry pass reservation since it doesn't appear to allow you to pick a date/time. Yet they specifically say it's to help ensure adequate parking at the top.

edit - IMHO, it's worth the time to walk out the boardwalk at Badwater and take a pic of the elevation sign.
View attachment 11724

It is odd on the timed entry. I would have thought they do it similar to the timed entry at National Parks like Arches National Park. There you have to go online when they release days of tickets and you get a 1 hour window, for instance my ticket for Arches last spring was good for 11am until Noon. I could stay as long as the park was open but could only get in the gate during that 1 hour window for that specific day.

That sign was much more weather worn last spring.

 

[FLHXHS]

I did H2H Gold last year. I choose Mt Evans [or whatever the new name is...] It was 38ºF at the summit @ 06:32. The entry was free as it was before 08:00. I had pre-paid for the entry, but thought I'd go earlier. I was in, up and down fairly quickly.

My initial receipt was Idaho Falls for fuel. Upon my ride to the summit, I did a manual spotwalla entry, and added a photo for posterity.

I headed over Independence Pass [09:00] and was into Aspen [09:43]. I made good time and got to Ely for fuel. [17:44]. I continued to Tonopah [20:04] and got final route fuel at Beatty [21:22]. It was as dark as the inside of a cow by this point, but no stopping me. My Clearwater Darlas shone bright, backed up by the HD passing lights, I descended into the darkness and heat - the Hell portion of this endevour.

I arrived at Badwater at 22:31 to a uncomfortable 109ºF heat. I snapped my photo, did my spotwalla manual entry, and b-lined to Pahrump for a final fuel reciept. [23:48]. Ride complete, my wife booked me a room at a Casino / Hotel, where I managed to chill a beer from the day before using the old icebath method.

I managed to submit my ride, and have successful completion shortly thereafter. It was a grand adventure indeed.
p.s. - The Coors sign: My wife had me pick it up at the brewery during the tour. It did the ride with me, and garnered a few looks indeed.