After almost roasting in Death Valley, we began our research for the return route to Maob with a determination to avoid mishap. Since temps were predicted at highs of 105 on the southern return route through Las Vegas, we dismissed that option. I checked out the northern route up Hwy 6 and high temps there looked to be quite cooler in the 80s. Nervous about narrow, twisty, steep grades I googled Hwy 6 and learned that it is a very lonely road bisecting the high desert through Nevada. This US Hwy has one section of 168 miles where there are no services (no towns, no gas, no nothing), traffic on this road is almost non-existent and it travels through Area 51 (aliens – oh boy!).
There were lots of long grades on this road, but they were mostly straight and on only one did we have to pull over and let the engine cool before proceeding. We saw enough cars along the route that we could have gotten help if needed but so few that is was nice not to have to fight interstate traffic. I would definitely recommend traveling this road if you need to get from Utah to Northern California (or reverse).
