Panamint Valley excursion, Dec 19-21 (tentative)

[xL8 APEKSx]

Hey gang,

I haven't been driving the Jeep at all...been outta work for a while and couldn't afford the gas. Seriously itching for an excursion. Have the trip all mapped out. Date is tentative; may move to mid-January. But if you're interested in tagging along, let me know.

*Serious rock crawlers will be BORED. Fair warning. This is an easy trail.*

Loose plans are:

FRIDAY: Head out to Ballarat, camp there for the night.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY: Head down Wingate to Goler Wash, up the canyon to Barker Ranch, north to Geologist's and Russell's Cabins, past Striped Butte and on to Warm Springs Mine. Out of Death Valley National Park via Shoshone, and back home to SoCal.

I've only run the Pleasant/South Park Canyon Loop out there, so I'm jonesing to see some new scenery.

Total trip will be roughly 550 miles start to finish (Orange County and back). Night time temps will likely be right around freezing, so make sure your bags are warm enough. Will detour to check out ghost towns, etc as time permits (shortest days of the year so it depends heavily on daylight and weather).

If you're up for it, lemme know! :spin1:

 

[-96JeepSpeed-]

Sounds real fun. How far is Death valley from OC?

 

[xL8 APEKSx]

About 178 miles to Ballarat, which is just west of the actual Death Valley Park, from the Disneyland area.

The return trip from Shoshone to Orange County is about 233 miles.

That makes roughly 139 miles of trail by the time we go around, over and through the south tip of Death Valley, and out of the park to the town of Shoshone (figuring on the high side and allowing for side tracks).

 

[-96JeepSpeed-]

Thats a long trip.

 

[xL8 APEKSx]

It's not a trip...

...it's an ADVENTURE!

Frankly, I'm tired of Big Bear, and I need to reach a place that really has the feeling of "getting away from it all." This place certainly gives you that feeling. You don't want to break down around here. lol.

 

[FordGuy]

That sounds pretty cool. Post up when you are sure about the dates. I like long trails, could be in.

 

[silverslk]

That sounds pretty cool. Post up when you are sure about the dates. I like long trails, could be in.

x2

 

[karstic]

Possible here

 

[gcurtis]

Your second day is a long mofo. I'd suggest you hit the wash early, head to striped butte valley and down warm springs... camp there or just down the road a bit in the Owls Head mtns. Just that part of the trip alone will take AFD.

Warm Springs canyon has lots of places to camp and would give you a moderate day for both day two and three. Head to Shoshone in the morning and check out the miner's dugouts and then get on the road, but allow time for it, kinda cool.

However, if you head out Harry Wade Rd, you skip Shoshone altogether and save some time.

Just my $0.02

 

[4xSanta]

I could be intrested,keep working on times and trails and we shall see......SANTA

 

[besthaticouldo]

yes i may be in depending on the weekend...im a possible for sure.

 

[xL8 APEKSx]

Cool!

Yeah, the exact where/when to cut off Friday and Sat are not exact yet. It kind of depends on what time I am able to head out on Friday. If I can leave Friday AM, then we may make it as far as Geologist's Cabin or Warm Springs.

But if we don't head out til Fri night and get a night time arrival, I don't think we'll make it any further than Barker. And I'm a little too spooked to actually stay the night there. lol. I think we're basically gonna play the exact stops by ear.

I'll leave a post confirming the trip dates within a week or so.

 

[gcurtis]

FYI, looks you might get in some real wheelin' on Mengal. Should be moved by the time you go, though.

http://www.deathvalley.com/dvtalk/messages/387558.shtml

 

[Original_MudButt]

xL8 APEKSx......... THANKS FOR STEALING MY IDEA!!!!!!:bawl::bawl:

Seriously, I was talking to Santa about this last night........

Kudos, I love the idea!! I was thinking maybe a year from now......

But January would be cool too.....

Let us know.....

 

[BajaCurt]

I might be in for this also.
And a trip to the defense mine sounded interesting after listening to some talk at last night's M&G

 

[xL8 APEKSx]

FYI, looks you might get in some real wheelin' on Mengal. Should be moved by the time you go, though.

http://www.deathvalley.com/dvtalk/messages/387558.shtml

LOL...yeah, they updated that at PanamintValley.com. I wasn't too worried about it. I figured if nobody had moved it out of the way by the time we got there, then our group should be able to scoot it over a bit with a little redneck ingenuity. :gee:

Defense Mine is a little out of the way; it's roughly 27 miles north/west of Ballarat. The network I wanted to hit was south/east of Ballarat.

The other thing I was thinking was some sort of out-and-back. Maybe we could head up Pleasant Canyon...check out Clair Camp/Ratcliff Mine and World Beater Mine, and then tool around in the valley...maybe down to Striped Butte, maybe down to Barker Ranch, over to Warm Springs...etc etc.

Or, we could base camp at Ballarat. Run a Pleasant/Goler loop. Then, head up to Defense before we head home if there's time.

Or...we could save Defense for the next trip. Maybe in Feb?

Decisions, decisions! :dunno:

 

[Original_MudButt]

Decisions, decisions! :dunno:

Well, since you STOLE my idea, I guess you are in charge......


Seriously though, If you come up with a game plan I will be there.......:yelclap:

 

[Original_MudButt]

Also...... If you would like help planning this whole thing, let me know. We are practically neighbors and I would be happy to meet up with you.....

Let me know.

 

[Original_MudButt]

FYI, looks you might get in some real wheelin' on Mengal. Should be moved by the time you go, though.

Ha Ha! Where there is a Jeep, there is a way!! :anon:

 

[JESSE A]

I might be very interested, kind of far for me but i could meet you there. Post when you get the final details.