Inyo mountains 20140912-14

[troyboy162]

Starting of planning. Lots to see out there of course. I want to use this run to take a chunk out of a future northern death valley run.
probably spots to see:
Pirate radio station 24/7 with the live sounds of wind chimes and birds
salt tram (8th wonder of the Mojave)
tram cabin (restored historic tram keepers cabin)
burgess mine cabin (crack shack with the worlds best view)
cerro gordo (amazing ghost town preserved by a on site care taker)
reward mine (extensive exploration expected)

"A venturesome minority
will always be eager to set off on their own,
and no obstacles should be placed in their path;
let them take risks, for godsake,
let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned,
eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches -
that is the right and privilege of any free American."
--Edward Abbey

http://www.justruns.com/gallery2/d/34773-2/IMG_4948.JPG

Difficulty: 3- trail-rating (http://www.justruns.com/files/dif.htm)

When/Where:
CB channel:14
FRMS/GRMS channel:15 (bring two radios to share with a CB/Ham equipped rig)
2M HAM: UY simplex primary 146.430MHZ
Monitor 146.52 (National Simplex Calling Frequency)
70CM HAM: UY/UE simplex secondary 435.000MHz Please have this programed into radio prior to trip
Repeters:
146.9400- 103.5 Bishop, Silver Peak
145.3400- 100.0 Ridgecrest, Randsburg Peak


Itinerary subject to large changes:

DAY1
-Depart from local cabin at 730 am
-Climb up into the inyos
-Arrive at Cerro Gordo (will try to have tour set up ahead of time)
-follow ridge to trams and cabins
-Camp at 9000 feet

Day 2
-wake up to the most beautiful sunrise imaginable
-depart at 730am and head up the 395 to reward mine
-Look for blue Linarite and pay for your whole trip lol
-I might leave the mine later in the day if I can find someone who wants to really check this mine out. Otherwise I'll do the usual drive in and out.






Travel times:
San Bernadino 3 hours (https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=cerro+gordo,+ca&daddr=san+bernardino&hl=en&sll=38.631303,-105.341807&sspn=28.618163,57.084961&geocode=Feq-LAIdGmj5-CF_kw_WlrfvZykROBeNIYHAgDF_kw_WlrfvZw%3BFblzCAId20 wC-SnzuP3ifVPDgDGNwoeMeMZnKA&t=h&mra=ls&z=8)
palmdale 2 hours (https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=palmdale&daddr=cerro+gordo,+ca&hl=en&sll=35.532226,-117.998657&sspn=3.74119,7.13562&geocode=FeqjDwIdk6_1-Cm13XDshFfCgDE64BKtLXlsag%3BFeq-LAIdGmj5-CF_kw_WlrfvZykROBeNIYHAgDF_kw_WlrfvZw&t=h&mra=prev&z=8)





Requirements:
-donation for Cerro Gordo tour. (Will ask whats needed prior to trip EX: money, water, canned good)
-Working reliable Truck. This is not a recovery run.
-4x4
-AT or MT tires for rock protection. C, D or E rated tires only No exceptions
-Spare tire within 3" of other tires
-Tools
-Recovery points front and rear
-tow strap without hooks
-Clothing/food/water/fuel for Three days in high mountain environment. (remember the nights could be cold)
-first aid kit.


Recommended:
-32" tires
-Mine exploring gear. No vertical required.
-wood for camp fire
-cot for sleeping in Cabins. Hanta virus is possible though not likely.
-favorite beer.


Fuel requirements:
TBD

Camping requirements:
Primitive camping. Pack it in/Pack it out. Possibility for crude, abandoned cabins without heat or water(think hanta virus)



Weather info and conditions:
Expect chilly nights and mild days at altitude and warm temps on the valley floor.

for camping purpose the limit is 6 vehicles. :

1. Troy
2. Sean maybe
3. JD maybe
4. jynxx1970 expo
5. PowerWagner
6.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Man, I wish we had "exploration/expedition" type wheeling in the Southeast.
I would love to so a trip like this.

All of our parks you can wheel HARD all day and maybe cover 8-10 miles total.
Its pretty technical crawling, but not a lot of space.

[troyboy162]

Its new for me too. They try this stuff in Vermont where I am from and it dosnt look very exciting hoping from one land owners property to another. You just have to come out and visit!

[Seanz0rz]

If I go, I would be meeting you on Friday night, probably late. Or early Sat morning. I'll know more as it gets closer. I know we are doing Pismo, and this is pretty close to that, so we'll have to see.

[troyboy162]

Sounds good! still lots to plan on this one, but I have never seen the salt trams and have always wanted to cruise around on top of that mtn range. They are wood so they wont be there forever. I forgot about pismo when is that this year? has it been decided?

[Kryptoroxx]

I gotta check my schedule to see what's going on around then. If I can get my locker and re-gear done I will be more than good.

[Seanz0rz]

Sept 19 is pismo.

[troyboy162]

dang thats tight with this one. Id like to do both lol

[4x4mike]

Because of the distance and time from home I'm only going to be able to do Pismo. This trip looks like fun, just cramped for time.

[troyboy162]

I had tottaly forgotten about pismo. This trip is turning out to be more of a two day run anyhow. I think 3 days would be just too slow a pace.

[Seanz0rz]

Put me down as 75%, especially if it's a saturday-sunday run.

[Jaydee914]

Damn, I'm out for this one too. I have 2 wedding weekends in a row. Maybe I'll be able to hit Pismo afterwards.

[Seanz0rz]

Even though its the weekend before Pismo, I'm like 90% now. I'm trying to talk Lexi into it now.

[troyboy162]

sounds good. Seems like its just 1 days of things to see with a run to reward the next day. . I have read other trips up there that spend two days, but the area is alot smaller then coyote flats

[troyboy162]

Looking at opening this trip up to other forums. Anyone else on the fence? I cant change the date unfortunately. I'm booked up pretty tight for sept.

[Jaydee914]

I've been upgraded from "I'm out" to "maybe", since I've apparently been downgraded to the "B" invite list for the wedding that weekend apparently, lol.

[Seanz0rz]

Don't worry too much, you are always on our A list!

AWWWWW.....

I'm still a maybe. If I don't have to take Friday off and don't have anything come up, no reason I won't be there.

[troyboy162]

Good deal! I hope you both can make it!
Reward mine could be a little intense if we get into the manway. Its pretty steep chutes and ladders.

[Seanz0rz]

Open it up. I'll invite a few people but they probably won't come. Lame.

[troyboy162]

cross posted to expo since its mostly that.

[Seanz0rz]

Be good to meet some new people.

[Kryptoroxx]

I would really love to do this one as well....gotta get parts in my truck first though....not sure how much will be left over at this point or if I will even have the rear axle done.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[troyboy162]

Yeah it would be good to add to the group of wheelers. As it stands I might as well just text you and JD rather then post on this forum :)

[troyboy162]

Krypt it would be great to have you along! Get that rig ready :cool:

[Kryptoroxx]

Yeah it would be good to add to the group of wheelers. As it stands I might as well just text you and JD rather then post on this forum :)

Hopefully I will be around long enough to get out a few times lol. Never can tell with the military though. If I get stationed overseas again I am definitely coming back with a d4d though.

[Seanz0rz]

Bump! Krypt? you in yet?!

[Kryptoroxx]

Nope....someone thought it would be a great idea put a training op for all of Sept. It wasn't me but I am still shooting for the trip in November. That one I should be able to make. I really wanted to make this one too. Oh well it's looking like I will be around for the next year at the very least. Right now though I am a one legged man in an a$$ kicking contest.

[Jaydee914]

Any other news on this trip? My attendance is becoming a possibility again. It sounds like a Friday evening meetup and early Saturday morning departure?

[Seanz0rz]

I'll be out there late Friday night. I'll try to get off work at 4. Should be able to do that.

[troyboy162]

this one is still a go. It was quietly on the rocks for a bit but its gonna happen.

unfortunatly I'm on second shift now so you guys may have to throw rocks at my truck in the morning lol

heading out friday night for a cabin in the area and then starting the trip in the morning. I'll pm you guys the GPS so you can get a feel for where we are headed. I'm still too paranoid to post sleeping locations on the internet lol.

[Seanz0rz]

Thanks. I'll take a look when I get a chance. What time friday night are you leaving? I might meet up with you and convoy up.

[Jaydee914]

I'll be in Vegas till Thursday (after being in Jersey for a wedding for the weekend), so I'll probably find someplace to camp out Thursday night and meet up with you guys Friday at some point.

[troyboy162]

sweet this should be a fun one!

[Seanz0rz]

Any info on the other attendees? Specifically ham radios.

[troyboy162]

I'll ask when I send out the info to the guys on the other forum. I intend to nerd out with mine a bit while we are on top of the mountain lol. We might have line of site to keller peakish???

[Seanz0rz]

Maybe. Also try the big bear repeater

[Jaydee914]

There's got to be a repeater up in Inyo.

[troyboy162]

JD is your dog old enough to go wheeling yet?

[Jaydee914]

Haha, not yet. She would drive me absolutely bonkers in the truck all day! Plus, she'd be a tasty snack for the wildlife out there (mountain lions, hawks, large squirrels....)

[Seanz0rz]

Don't forget me. I might get hungry in the middle of the night!

[troyboy162]

Bummer. Won't be long until she's gonna demand to go along when ever she sees you pack the truck

[Jaydee914]

Yeah, soon enough! At least on trips when Sean brings enough midnight snacks....

[Seanz0rz]

What's our weather looking like out there? Hot? wind? etc?

[Jaydee914]

We're still a ways out, but the forecast for Lone Pine is highs of high 80's/low 90's, lows of low 60's. Sunny, no wind

[Seanz0rz]

Thanks. I just got to looking at the track last night. Didn't realize it was so close to lone pine.

Can't wait!

[Jaydee914]

Yeah, it's just up (and over) the hill from there. Pretty stoked for this trip!

[Seanz0rz]

Getting ready this weekend is pretty difficult. Sick with something that is kicking my butt! Yesterday it was over 100, today isn't much better. Add the 25% humidity with it, and it's difficult to do anything outside.

Fixed my passenger headlight (finally, it's only been broken for months) and I'm going to attempt to install the sleeping platform and rustle up my camping gear. Bleh.


Troy, have you managed to contact the caretaker of Cerro Gordo? Hitting the store later today (and probably Thursday) and would like to pick up some stuff for him.

[troyboy162]

I'll remember to call him this week. Battling limit straps today. The location for total axle droop allow too much articulation and sends one shock into the frame. Its way too much flex anyhow. Out in cougar buttes and the hammers when Jason first started strapped his axle we learned that excessive rear flex leads to instability in lots of real world wheeling. Now I have to figure out a new mounting point...

[Kryptoroxx]

Getting ready this weekend is pretty difficult. Sick with something that is kicking my butt! Yesterday it was over 100, today isn't much better. Add the 25% humidity with it, and it's difficult to do anything outside.

Fixed my passenger headlight (finally, it's only been broken for months) and I'm going to attempt to install the sleeping platform and rustle up my camping gear. Bleh.


Troy, have you managed to contact the caretaker of Cerro Gordo? Hitting the store later today (and probably Thursday) and would like to pick up some stuff for him.

Yeah that humidity and the cold sucks! I was doing my elocker this weekend with the exact same situation. I'm finally feeling good today but I didn't get to the front diff swap. Guess that will have to wait till next weekend or the weekend after.

[troyboy162]

message sent out

[Seanz0rz]

Doesn't look like we will need too much extra fuel, correct?

I'm excited! Tonight is packing up camping gear and doing some truck maintenance

[troyboy162]

I just realized today that I needed to look at that. Off the top of my head I'd be surprised if extra fuel is needed, but I don't like to be anywhere without 5 gallons extra these days. I'll double check the route milage when I get home. There is fuel in olancha I believe.

[Seanz0rz]

I'll toss 5 gallons on just in case. I don't think 10 is needed. Mileage looked around 130, but you know the route better.

[Jaydee914]

Packed up, fueled up and on my way from Vegas! Going to stop in Pahrump for the night, do some shopping in the morning and head out. I'll do some exploring then see you guys at Nelson cabin in 2 days.

[Seanz0rz]

Just an FYI. Pretty large solar flare /CME today expected to hit Friday. This will interrupt GPS and possibly our ham radios. Be safe out there.

[Seanz0rz]

Pulled in at 130. Camp has pretty good cell service.

Gnight

[Kryptoroxx]

I know this is a bit far out for legitimate planning but I really wanted to go on this last year and couldn't because of work. Any chance there will be a repeat or similar run?

[troyboy162]

northern death valley would be up next, but I am suck at edwards for quite a dew months. I would expect the next trip will end up being the white mountains or coyote flats again

[Kryptoroxx]

Sounds good. I was just thinking about inyo.....and the awesome photos from it. Looked like a cool trip.

[troyboy162]

it was good, but there is not much terrain up there. Coyote flats will be closed soon, so its time to get back there. and try the northern trail.