Bodie area

[DougJ]

Hey guys. I live in Prather, CA and I'm currently deployed to Iraq. I'm expecting to come back home in April or May and I'm hoping to take some time off when I get back. From past experience I know I'll want to just hang around the house a bit so I have a few projects I want to do to fill that time. Lot's of honey-do's to catch up on, plus I'm working on ordering up a Rigidco bumper to install too.

After that I'm wanting to take the family on a trip or two in the XJ. One of the places I want to go is Bodie. I'm hoping to be able to explore the area, camp & fish a bit, check out Bodie, and maybe do the same around Mono lake. I'm not looking to do any hardcore wheeling on this trip, think of it as more of an expedition / exploration kinda thing. I do want to get into the back country and away from everybody and everything. I don't know the area at all so I'm looking for any input you guys might have on where some good remote campsites are, trails to explore, fishing spots etc.

Anyone got any input on this? Thanks in advance,

Doug

 

[Letterman]

Thinking of Mono lake made me remember this thread:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=942181

But in April or May it could be too early, the 120(Tioga Pass or Tioga Road) over Yosemity to Mono might still be closed off, 120 opens mid May on light snow fall years.

 

[Nevada City Sparky]

You should be fine in April or May. A suggestion: get a rockhounding book of the area. To the east, you can find all sorts of cool rocks like Ryolyte, Jasper, Obsidian, etc.

If that don't blow your hair back, there's hot springs up the road outside of Mammoth Mountain.

You're also close to Death Valley there and the spring time is beautiful there. Lots of wildflowers, old ghost towns, and odd geologic formations. Take a run to "Race Track" in Death Valley for a very unusual experience.

send me a Private Message and I might be able to go with you. I go through that area every April around the 15th on a pavement-less trip from Reno to Vegas

 

[DougJ]

Some good input guys thanks. I'm hoping to be able to plan it out a bit while I'm here, so that after I back and when I get my stuff done I can just jam. I'm not sure yet exactly when it will be, but I know I'll need a few weeks at least after I get home to do a few things. If I make just the Bodie area and have to come home that's cool, but if I can afford the time I'll try to make a bigger trip out of it. I would like to pass through Yosemite and over the pass, so I'm definitely hoping it's open by the time I'm ready to go. I'll go around if I have to though. I'll even push the time back a little if I need to.

Nevada City Sparky, good info! As I get a better feel for when I'll be going I'll let you know.

Some good camping spot info would be great, the more remote/primitive the better. Anyone got GPS coordinates?

Doug

 

[mavrick]

If you go a little farther south into the mammoth/bishop area there are some cool trails. But you would probably need to do it later in the summer cause of snow. Here are some pixs from some of my trexs. I think they are what your looking for. Not hard, backcountry, beautiful and some fishing.
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=962921