Trip report
Jan 10, 2021 — Titus Canyon Road is a beautiful backcountry road in Death Valley National Park. It's well-maintained and may only cause passenger cars difficulty in some minor sections. Of course being a one-way road, I can't say I'd recommend going for it without a proper vehicle. I wore gaiters due to brush and was happy I did (long pants likely fine too), since the first mile is a little unpleasant. I parked at a turn-off and headed south toward Titanothere Peak. I couldn't see the peak itself just yet, but its slopes were visible. I entered a drainage, but the watercourse offered no reprieve from the brush, so I zig-zagged around the shrubs and generally followed the drainage south. It eventually led me to a low saddle to the north of Titanothere Peak, where the brush dispersed and I found myself on a pleasant slope that led me to the ridgeline. Once on the ridgeline, I continued south and encountered some light Class 2 for the last half mile to the summit. Nothing alarming, just some light obstacles and a couple of loose slopes. I took in the nice views of Thimble Peak and Death Valley below before heading back along the ridgeline, Block Peak my next objective.
A big hump along the ridge added some vertical gain, but the terrain was really pleasant and I soon found myself at the base of Block Peak. The route I took headed up the steep Class 2 slope and I found myself pulling a Class 2+ move that likely can be avoided with a little more poking around. Mellow terrain brought me to the optional Class 4 "block" of Block Peak, but I wrapped around to the left and located a Class 2 option instead. I shortened my trip back to Titus Canyon Road by heading north down a steep and indiscriminately chosen gully/slope combo (Class 1/2) and followed the road back to my car.