By: Rachel Arst McCullough 

PC: Loren Geller

If you're wondering what to do with the skis you just tore up on the Shirley wiggle (yes I’m in a prom dress) or on the woodchip run at Palisades, why not finish them off with sand?

After working all winter, I was ready to bust out of Tahoe and get up to something new after a winter of the admittedly very awesome routine of getting up and skiing snow nearly every day.

My actual destination was very close to Death Valley National Park at the Eastern Sierra Observatory for the Great Orion Dark Sky Festival. This made experiencing Death Valley National Park an obvious add-on after deciding to drive that far south. I’ve wanted to see a super bloom forever, so figured that must be the combination. But a quick Google led me to the fact that this year was too dry for a super bloom.

So, plan B was to go explore some sand dunes. The first dunes I looked at on the national park website had a message: sand boarding is permitted. Sand boarding? And down a rabbit hole I went. It’s snowboarding on sand. I saw a few photos online and that was all I needed to be completely sold on the idea, except with skis. Remote dunes, incredible scenery, and keeping in ski shape while off the hill for a week. And being able to put to use skis that I had retired after more than 500 days on snow.

Although this was meant to be a side quest, it ended up being the highlight of the trip. The skies were mostly clouded over during our time at the observatory, but the dunes delivered.

Desert camping setup

PC: Loren Geller

Gotta have shade in the desert. I was the only one with skis though.

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

Stovepipe Well in Death Valley National Park

PC: Loren Geller

Jackery power was essential.

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

Tonopah views on my morning run.

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

What? There’s something besides a snow-covered world out there? Arrived in the dark and woke up to this gorgeous view.

Death Valley Mesquite Dunes Sand Skiing

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

Last minute rub on wax job with graphite wax.

PC: Loren Geller

Basically the same way I dressed for skiing every month of the year in the Sierra in 2023. I already had the system dialed for cool clothes and carrying my skis.

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

It was no super bloom but there were pretty flowers

PC: Rachel Arst McCullough

Not everyone has to have a pair of rock skis. It’s great hiking on the dunes whether you ski or not.

PC Loren Geller

Skinning without skins!

PC: Rachel McCullough

Waiting for someone to sand skin is boring. Or relaxing. Or naptime.

PC: Loren Geller

PC: Loren Geller

Wind in my hair kind of fun.

Great Orion Dark Sky Festival

Since the sky was a bit cloudy at night, the highlight was looking at the sun during the day (there is a special filter for this) and hearing the astronomy talks each evening.

Gear highlights

• Coalition Snow skis (Jen is a Tahoe local)
• Jackery and solar panel
• OR sun gloves
• OR sun sleeves
• TMS Big Truck hat
• TMS vuori t-shirt
• Goodr sunglasses
• Camelbak bladder
• Patagonia black hole duffel bag