Desolation Canyon
Trail Sign
June 9, 2025 Trailhead Sign Installation
It was a warm early morning (101 at 8 am) when we all arrived at Desolation Canyon trailhead. Everyone was anticipating the sign installation while at the same time envisioning the 1949 California Centennial Pageant that took place at this site. The trailhead sign commemorates this event and will share the history with park visitors for many years.
In attendance:
Death Valley National Park Service: Abby Wines, Jennette Jurado, Larry Cody, Olivia Holah and Jeremy Kapenstein
Death Valley '49ers Life Members and 1849 Pioneer Harry Wade Descendents: Janette Jensen and Judy Bedell
Special thanks to Jeremy Kapenstein, DV Park Maintenance and Larry Cody, DV Park Volunteer for your work installing the sign.
The Death Valley ‘49ers worked with the Death Valley National Park service in creating and installing a permanent trail sign at Desolation Canyon. The sign acknowledges the location of the 1949 California Centennial Celebration and the vision that became the Death Valley ‘49ers. From this first event, the annual encampment was born along with the mission and purpose of the non-profit 501.3c organization.
The interpretive sign includes photos and historical information for park visitors to imagine 65,000 people in the canyon for the pageant and celebration. It will be installed at the canyon trailhead.
Thank you to our donors:
Death Valley Conservancy
Death Valley Natural History Association
Margie Barbosa
The Bedell Family
Paul ‘Bear” Bradford
William Boyce
Don and Lucye Christiansen
Henry Golas
Jerry Gotbe
Marvin and Janette Jensen
Leslie Ide, Old West Trio
Ryan Magnon, Alter Nation Toys
Patricia Quintana
Douglas Shearer
Special Thanks To
Mike Reynolds, Superintendent Death Valley NPS
Adam Ramsey, Concessions Management Specialist and '49ers Liaison DVNPS
Kayla McCraren, Visual Information Specialist, DVNPS
Death Valley ‘49ers Officers, Board of Directors and Members
Event Organizers from the First Celebration in 1949 to our 75th Anniversary Encampment
November 9, 2024 Sign Dedication
1949 View of bleachers with crowd. In the far distance you can see the long line of cars parked on Badwater Road. As Mike Reynolds stated in his presentation, 5,000 spectators were planned for and 25,000 arrived into the canyon. It is estimated that 65,000 to possibly 80,000-100,000 spectators attempted to come into the park for the event and caused a huge traffic jam. There was also shortages on lodging, food and fuel.
1949 Pageant participants with the Borax 20 Mule Team and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in the background.
Thank you to Life Member Lisa Pitts for recording the dedication ceremony. After the ceremony she and her husband explored the area and were able to compare a current Google Earth image of the canyon and note on the photo where the bleachers were located. They also climbed up to where others stood to watch the 1949 event where they found bottles and cans on the ground left behind.
Phil and Karen Goodman standing with the temporary sign where the permanent sign will be placed at the canyon trailhead.
Janette Jensen, DV '49er Life Member who envisioned this project and worked with the park service to complete it.
