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Getting towed out of Saline Valley can cost a small fortune. Of course things happen and even the best prepared sometimes wind up needing help and unless you have a bunch of friends who are mechanically inclined and willing to go out of their way for you, then you'll get stuck with a big bill!

CrustyOldFart: That's no lie! I've heard of retrieval bills being up around a few thousand dollars. No doubt that they overcharge, but most people have no choice other than to pay up!

drdesert wrote:CrustyOldFart: That's no lie! I've heard of retrieval bills being up around a few thousand dollars. No doubt that they overcharge, but most people have no choice other than to pay up!

A few thousand sounds like a stretch, but a couple thousand is probably possible, especially if we're talking a larger vehicle like an RV or large truck with an over-sized camper mounted on it. I read that the charge is somewhere around $300 per hour for vehicle extractions on back country dirt roads. And naturally the rougher the road the more hours an extraction will take. So check your equipment before you go, drive in a group that includes some auto mechanics, and be prepared to tow a member of your group out. It's a bit of a hassle, but it's cheaper than the alternative.

Abandoned cabin in Saline Valley at Steel Pass
Interesting place. Not exactly luxurious, but something worth stopping to take a look at.

Saline Valley might be a great place to lay low for a few weeks before it starts getting really hot. Not many people out there. Stock up on food and head on out for a leisurely two or three weeks while most of the rest of the world hunkers down in the cities or the suburbs. Beautiful views and fresh air beats four walls and cramped quarters!

shadylady: The passes into the valley might be blocked by snow. Then again, snow this late in the season is likely to be powder and so you might be able to drive right through. Just watch out for hidden rocks which may have fallen onto the road buried beneath the snow.

Eastern Sierra News: Update on Missing 76-Year-Old in Saline Valley
Not sure if this guy was ever found. This report is from May 2021.

Visited Saline Valley Hot Springs by Helicopter
Most people drive in, but these people flew in and probably didn't stay long.

Walking around Saline Valley Warm Springs, DVNP.
Yeah, the view is really nice!