Hopefully your group is OK with getting up early in the morning. Sunrise in DVNP is magical. It is definitely the best time to photograph Zabriskie Point. If you are up to a two hour hike with some steep climbing at the end Golden Canyon starting at the west end will take you to the back side of Zabriskie Point. The Sand Dunes also require an early start. They are especially good when there has been a lot of wind over night and you get there in the early morning (like before dawn). Otherwise they are covered with foot prints.

I just finished leading our Death Valley workshop on 2/12 Z point is easy short walk on a paved path. The dunes can be tougher, if you park about 1 mile past the main parking area and walk in most of your walking will be on hard packed ground with some rocks, Otherwise to get to the higher dunes from the main parking area you are walking up and down over the smaller dunes either way its about a mile walk to the higher dunes, you don't need to be on the highest one to get great photos there. The crater I have never hiked into, its 700 feet deep, we stop there for a strech break before heading to the racetrack. from the parking area its an impressive sight.

The racetrack - well we went back there with jeeps and the plya was so wet we couldn't get out to where the good rocks are, they are about a mile in from the parking area but if its dry its flat walking. there has been some vandalism there. people drove cars out leaving tracks all over the place and they spray painted some of the rocks.

Badwater is easy walking and another place to consider is the charcoal kilns, there may be snow there in december, they opened up 2 days before our workshop started, they are at about 9000 feet.

So If you are in fairly good shape I would say the dunes will be the hardest to do, if you have 2 cameras get a double harness and have a wide angle and something like a 24 to 120mm on the other, then just bring your tripod. I shoot from a vest most of the time and very rarely carry a pack to a shooting location.

check out big pocket vest, they are birding vest with like 14 pockets, I can carry an f4 70 to 200 in one front pocket and a 24 to 120 in the other. with my 3rd lens on a camera. plenty of room for batteries and memory cards. as well as filters. I also carry a Sat phone in the vest because cell coverage there is very spotty. although it has been getting better. But if one of my clients needs help want to be able to reach out for the help.

Have fun and enjoy the trip, I am thinking about putting a second trip up for late October or erly November, its in the works right now. Maybe we will see each other.
Joe

Thank you Joe for all the information. It must be fun taking a group to places like the Valley. From what every one has said the Sand Dunes is the only place where it will be a little difficult for someone north of 70. I work out in a gym three times a week and walk at least 2 plus miles a day but climbing in sand for over a mile wouldn't be too bright. Our group leader suggested I take the short walk in to the smaller Dunes and use PP afterwards to remove foot steps. We will be in the park between Nov 8 - 12 and staying at Furnace Creek. It would be great to see you if planning works out. Thanks again for your help.......George

some times the foot prints make really cool patterns in the sand also having people in the photos helps show scale. I am not sure where you will be walking in from but if you pull off on the road and walk in on the harder ground when you get to the sand it is a gradual climb up the spine of a dune and its really not thta hard of a walk. other wise climbing a dune you step up 3 feet and slide back 2 feet so its slow going.

Also a tripod tip for you in the sand extend your thinnest legs on the tripod and let them sink in. this will keep the sand out of the joints on your tripod legs