Post by Explorer 1 on Nov 12, 2015 7:49:35 GMT -8
The long narrated versions.........
Panamint Mountains Adventure.
It started on a Thursday evening leaving the greater Los Angeles area slowly with traffic over the Cajon Pass.
Our Thursday evening destination was Trona Pinnacles, made famous by the Plant of the Apes movie along with some episodes of Star Trek. We arrive in the darkness with a blanket of stars. Even with the lateness we made a fire and enjoyed conversation around the fire until late.
The next morning after a quick breakfast we made a tour of the pinnacles in daylight before we rendezvous with one more of our party in Trona. We were now 7 vehicles:
Me in my 2012 Jeep JKU
Murrie – 1998 Surf-mobile Blue Jeep XJ
Rudi – 1996 Jeep ZJ
Carl – 1995 Jeep XJ
Fern – 1998 Jeep ZJ
Jim – 2015 Jeep JKU
Matt -2014 Jeep JKU
After topping off our gas tanks in Trona we were off the 1849 Death Valley party’s escape trail which starts just north of the town on the gravel pit road.
The Escape trail starts as a well graded road and once over the top slowly deteriorates into a rocky path until it rounds the southern shore of Panamint dry lake. From here it crosses the Ballarat road coming south from Ballarat and into to Goler Wash/Mengel Pass trail.
Depending on when the last time they ran a blade through the canyon, Goler wash can be a mild trail. If you’re lucky there could have been a recent downpour washing out what the blade had corrected and the dry falls can be a bit more of a fun challenge. Such was our case as it was obvious, by the few tire tracks that a more recent storm had displaced sand, gravel and rocks so it appeared we were one of the first to travel the canyon.
Our group has a very eclectic group of drivers and vehicles. Some of the drivers had little experience and what could be considered a mild climb was an all-out adventure. Regardless it was a fun trail to drive.
Here are a few of the fun climbs the group did.
We did a side trip visit to the burned out Barker Ranch, made infamous by the Charles Manson gang. It was a nice looking rustic place before the fire, now burned and ran down it just a place for burros to hang out and a collection of junk.
Here is the Ranch House 10 years ago:
Back on the Mengel Pass trail we crested the pass and went right up to the view point on the south side of the pass. Another fun and challenging climb for some.
By the time we got to the Geologist Cabin some of our group were ready to call it a day I took a rest down Butte Valley to explore the former resort Warm Springs. A side hike to the source of the warm springs yielded a nice warm pool and loads of green growth even this late in the year.
We then returned to the Geologist Cabin for the night and enjoyed the warmth of the fireplace. I brought along the Charlie Manson story (Desert Shadows by Bob Murphy) given to me by Jay Steel years ago. (Jay was the one who with a few friends used some old dynamite to complete the trail from Eureka Sand Dunes to Saline Valley, they put an old metal sign at the top and the name stuck although miss-spelled on some maps)
Eventually some of the guys, weary from the day’s activities started sawing off some in their chairs so we decided to call it a night. The geologist cabin is really a wonderful place to camp, great views and a fully lite outhouse complete with an automatic night light.
The next morning we headed back over Mengel Pass retracing out route. On the way down we met up with one of our friends who had tried to find us by driving up Goler Wash in the dark and ended up spending the night sleeping in his back seat. I was surprised he did so well at night in the Canyon seeing he was driving a pretty much stock full size Dodge truck.
On the way in he broke a front shock so we decided to remove it on the trail, also one of Fern’s front control arms came loose and needed to be tighten and a weld broke loose on his rear track bar.
Once down the canyon and on the road toward Ballarat he and the owner of the Full size Dodge decided to call it a trip and head home with their wounded vehicles. I also think Roz with his full size Dodge wasn’t looking forward to trying to get that long wheelbase vehicle around over and through the bridge and chicken rock.
So with two fewer vehicles we headed up the steep, narrow and unmarked South Park trail toward the fancy and very nice Briggs Cabins. In route one of the XJ’s overheated and we took a break to allow it to cool down.
The Briggs cabins have to be two of the nicest cabins anywhere that are only accessible with 4WD. I think the guys were amazed at the features and comfort available on a first come first serve basis.
Shortly after the cabins are what is called by some Chicken Corner, Chicken Bridge and Chicken Rock, A lot of chickens here! None of them are much of a challenge to the experienced off road traveler but to the newer traveler there is plenty of pucker power.
The trail continues through the “car wash” at Counter springs. Weather was warm enough that we didn’t need to climb through any ice in the trail. In Middle Park we chose the less traveled right road and found two stripes of gooey mud to drive through which gave all the vehicles a light tan patina.
On the north slopes over Rogers Pass we found some snow to drive down adding the white stuff to our trip experience.
Down Pleasant Canyon to the World Beater Mine Cabin for the night. After seeing the Briggs Cabins, the guys were a bit disappointed and most slept outside. The cabin at 6000 ft. gave us a bit of a cooler evening with the temps in the morning in the low 30’s.
A breeze picked up that evening adding to the chill factor and we kept the fire going and sat close until we called it a night.
Sunday saw a big breakfast and we headed off to do some exploring before we headed down the canyon for home. We followed the World Beater Mine road to the top of the ridge for some great views of the Panamint Valley and the snow crowned Sierra Nevada Mountains. From on top I could see what looked like a new mine or a re-opening of an old one down in the bottom of the canyon south and west of Pleasant Canyon. One could just make out some newer heavy equipment when I used the zoom on the camera.
We continued to travel down to Clair Camp and noticed a couple of travel trailers, one being a 5th wheel model. They had plates as current as 1988. How in the world did these get up here? There were lots of old structures at Clair camp and some newer ones abandoned that had signs of being occupied in the recent years.
More later,
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
Panamint Mountains Adventure.
It started on a Thursday evening leaving the greater Los Angeles area slowly with traffic over the Cajon Pass.
Our Thursday evening destination was Trona Pinnacles, made famous by the Plant of the Apes movie along with some episodes of Star Trek. We arrive in the darkness with a blanket of stars. Even with the lateness we made a fire and enjoyed conversation around the fire until late.
The next morning after a quick breakfast we made a tour of the pinnacles in daylight before we rendezvous with one more of our party in Trona. We were now 7 vehicles:
Me in my 2012 Jeep JKU
Murrie – 1998 Surf-mobile Blue Jeep XJ
Rudi – 1996 Jeep ZJ
Carl – 1995 Jeep XJ
Fern – 1998 Jeep ZJ
Jim – 2015 Jeep JKU
Matt -2014 Jeep JKU
After topping off our gas tanks in Trona we were off the 1849 Death Valley party’s escape trail which starts just north of the town on the gravel pit road.
The Escape trail starts as a well graded road and once over the top slowly deteriorates into a rocky path until it rounds the southern shore of Panamint dry lake. From here it crosses the Ballarat road coming south from Ballarat and into to Goler Wash/Mengel Pass trail.
Depending on when the last time they ran a blade through the canyon, Goler wash can be a mild trail. If you’re lucky there could have been a recent downpour washing out what the blade had corrected and the dry falls can be a bit more of a fun challenge. Such was our case as it was obvious, by the few tire tracks that a more recent storm had displaced sand, gravel and rocks so it appeared we were one of the first to travel the canyon.
Our group has a very eclectic group of drivers and vehicles. Some of the drivers had little experience and what could be considered a mild climb was an all-out adventure. Regardless it was a fun trail to drive.
Here are a few of the fun climbs the group did.
We did a side trip visit to the burned out Barker Ranch, made infamous by the Charles Manson gang. It was a nice looking rustic place before the fire, now burned and ran down it just a place for burros to hang out and a collection of junk.
Here is the Ranch House 10 years ago:
Back on the Mengel Pass trail we crested the pass and went right up to the view point on the south side of the pass. Another fun and challenging climb for some.
By the time we got to the Geologist Cabin some of our group were ready to call it a day I took a rest down Butte Valley to explore the former resort Warm Springs. A side hike to the source of the warm springs yielded a nice warm pool and loads of green growth even this late in the year.
We then returned to the Geologist Cabin for the night and enjoyed the warmth of the fireplace. I brought along the Charlie Manson story (Desert Shadows by Bob Murphy) given to me by Jay Steel years ago. (Jay was the one who with a few friends used some old dynamite to complete the trail from Eureka Sand Dunes to Saline Valley, they put an old metal sign at the top and the name stuck although miss-spelled on some maps)
Eventually some of the guys, weary from the day’s activities started sawing off some in their chairs so we decided to call it a night. The geologist cabin is really a wonderful place to camp, great views and a fully lite outhouse complete with an automatic night light.
The next morning we headed back over Mengel Pass retracing out route. On the way down we met up with one of our friends who had tried to find us by driving up Goler Wash in the dark and ended up spending the night sleeping in his back seat. I was surprised he did so well at night in the Canyon seeing he was driving a pretty much stock full size Dodge truck.
On the way in he broke a front shock so we decided to remove it on the trail, also one of Fern’s front control arms came loose and needed to be tighten and a weld broke loose on his rear track bar.
Once down the canyon and on the road toward Ballarat he and the owner of the Full size Dodge decided to call it a trip and head home with their wounded vehicles. I also think Roz with his full size Dodge wasn’t looking forward to trying to get that long wheelbase vehicle around over and through the bridge and chicken rock.
So with two fewer vehicles we headed up the steep, narrow and unmarked South Park trail toward the fancy and very nice Briggs Cabins. In route one of the XJ’s overheated and we took a break to allow it to cool down.
The Briggs cabins have to be two of the nicest cabins anywhere that are only accessible with 4WD. I think the guys were amazed at the features and comfort available on a first come first serve basis.
Shortly after the cabins are what is called by some Chicken Corner, Chicken Bridge and Chicken Rock, A lot of chickens here! None of them are much of a challenge to the experienced off road traveler but to the newer traveler there is plenty of pucker power.
The trail continues through the “car wash” at Counter springs. Weather was warm enough that we didn’t need to climb through any ice in the trail. In Middle Park we chose the less traveled right road and found two stripes of gooey mud to drive through which gave all the vehicles a light tan patina.
On the north slopes over Rogers Pass we found some snow to drive down adding the white stuff to our trip experience.
Down Pleasant Canyon to the World Beater Mine Cabin for the night. After seeing the Briggs Cabins, the guys were a bit disappointed and most slept outside. The cabin at 6000 ft. gave us a bit of a cooler evening with the temps in the morning in the low 30’s.
A breeze picked up that evening adding to the chill factor and we kept the fire going and sat close until we called it a night.
Sunday saw a big breakfast and we headed off to do some exploring before we headed down the canyon for home. We followed the World Beater Mine road to the top of the ridge for some great views of the Panamint Valley and the snow crowned Sierra Nevada Mountains. From on top I could see what looked like a new mine or a re-opening of an old one down in the bottom of the canyon south and west of Pleasant Canyon. One could just make out some newer heavy equipment when I used the zoom on the camera.
We continued to travel down to Clair Camp and noticed a couple of travel trailers, one being a 5th wheel model. They had plates as current as 1988. How in the world did these get up here? There were lots of old structures at Clair camp and some newer ones abandoned that had signs of being occupied in the recent years.
More later,
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
