2000 Death Valley Torture Test: Behind the Scenes
By Jeff Bartlett
Photography by John Kiewicz, the author
Welcome to our annual vacation in Hell. In brain-boiling summer heat, we toured the arid 122-degree Death Valley dust bowl in the latest four-wheel-drive sport/utility vehicles, exploring mines, ghost towns, and river beds. It has become a Motor Trend tradition to push the performance limits of SUVs in one of the most extreme landscapes in the world. The scenery and discoveries were spectacular, but the sacrifices were real and the risks were grave.
What SUV would you choose to take to Death Valley? We had a diverse group for 2000, spanning from the cute-and-affordable Ford Escape and SUV of the Year winner Nissan Xterra, up to the luxurious Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX4, and Mitsubishi Montero. With seven test vehicles, and cargo-toting Chevrolet Blazer and Tahoe, the MT Editors and MT TV crew spent several grueling days pushing man and machine to the limits for the "Crazy from the Heat" test in the September 2000 issue.
No amount of adversity could keep us from having fun, though. Join us for a micro-behind-the-scenes photo diary of the grueling trek as we explored mines, tackled dunes, buried treasure, and sweated profusely.