Overview
Still in the planning phases of this one, but I need to get out and see the Skidoo mill before its gone. There are tons of things I want to see out there but I dont see myself being able to take a week off to see them all. This is a two day trip (with a potential friday run) to hit a few of the highlights. Trip would start at Ballarat ghost town early saturday morning aka I will be traveling to DV friday night.
The trip has been adjusted since DVNP has decided you need to be saved from yourselves at the expense of erasing history. More Gates are put up in DVNP then back filling the mines, but we will be avoiding the park areas on purpose. Make no mistake we are going to Death Valley though lol.
Advisory
We will be traveling through the home territory of the Panamint Desert Bear aka "Hanaupah". This Bear is said to migrate to higher ground during the summer months and feed mostly on WW2 jeep parts and BFG tiresWe will also visit a known home of Tommy Knockers. haha Death Valley has as much fictional history as real.
[img width=800 height=533]http://deathvalleyjim.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_6727.jpg[/img]
The worst part:
communications:
CB channel: 14
FRMS/GRMS channel: 15 (bring two radios to share with a CB equiped rig)
2M HAM: 146.430MHZ (UY simplex primary)
70CM HAM: as needed
146.760 PL 100
146.970 PL 123
147.060 PL 100
147.210
442.300 PL 131.8
Mount Potosi 146.880 - 100.0
Table Mtn 145.280 - 131.8
Table Mtn 447.200 - 94.8
145.3400 ? pl 100 this covers most of panamint and high locations in the Inyos.
mazourka 146.7600 ? pl 100 covers almost all of saline and the inyos.
Itinerary Subject to large changes
Saturday
-7am departure from Ballarat. Exact meeting spot TBD
-look around ballarat prior to 7am (not too much to see)
-head straight for mengel pass (this is the hard way for great justice)
-mine with some potential for underground time.
-Manson camp where Charles Manson was finally caught by the police. Its burned down but we will check it out. No bodies were ever found there
-Coyote Canyon
-mine with some potential for underground time.
-camp somewhere TBD
Sunday
-8am departure
-jail canyon
-skidoo mill
-telescope peak time permitting
Potential Friday run( trying to fit this in around PVD's schedule)
-Defence mine for time underground (taking direct route and not the obstacles)This mine will include ladders and more dangers then any other we will be in. Read below info on mine safety.
-Mininnete cabin
Travel times:
San Bernadino to Ballarat- 3.5 hours
Palmdale to Ballarat- 3 hours
Las Vegas to Ballarat- 4 hours
Requirements:
-Working reliable Truck. Recovery's out there can cost 1k in towing fee's easily.
-4x4 (The trip should me on easy roads but I have not personally seen any of them nor the side roads we will inevitably take)
-AT or MT tires for rock protection.
-Spare tire within 3" of other tires
-Tools
-1 recovery point
-tow strap without hooks
-Clothing/food/water for two days in DV. (remember the nights could be cold)
-first aid kit.
Fuel requirements:
[b]
We will not be traveling past any other fuel points then Trona (see below). The availability of gas at the closer locations in DV is not 100% reliable and they charge 1-2 dollars more per gallon then normal.
Minimum fuel requirments ~260 miles from gas station to gas station. figure in offroad milage too. EX I get about 10-12 mpg offroad.
Trona on the way in and out of death valley Update: TRONA MAY HAVE CLOSED ITS GAS STATION
Furnace Creek(emergency. not on route)
Panamint Springs (emergency. not on route)
Stove pipe wells(emergency. not on route)
Camping requirements
primitive camping.
Friday night: 36 Deg 4'5.02"N, 117 Deg 10'33.94"W http://goo.gl/maps/P5fbf Alternate meeting spot if that 7am saturday morning http://goo.gl/maps/qfDb7
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5346076.pdf
MINE EXPLORING IS AT YOUR OWN RISK
Please read this page for answers to FAQ
http://www.undergroundexplorers.com/safety.htm
Please watch this video to become familiar with hazards
http://youtu.be/85FkHbUGuGk
The most important thing to bring with you is your head. Mine dangers are all about calculating the risks involved. For instance, you might encounter a vertical shaft and be curious how deep it is and thats fine. What you can do is stand back at a safe distance and throw a rock down to listen for it to land...or you can crawl on your belly and peer your head over with a flashlight to see if you can see the bottom....or you can step to the crumbly edge and look down. One of those scenarios is a safe approach, one is a smart approach, and the other is a unsafe approach. People get hurt when they dont use there head. I think I've read there was 5 deathes in the last 10 years due to mine exploring. everyone of them was doing something stupid.
For gear I would bring 2-3 flashlights per person. The theory here is if you hit your head you will wake up to a dead flashlight. Bring tons of battery's and expect to be underground for up to 6 hours if you intend to see all of the mines in there entirety. Bring a small backpack to hold water/snack and battery's. Wear clothes that you wouldn't mind sliding into home plate with because they will get extremely dirty. A hard hat isn't a bad idea. I've hit my head a few times already even being careful. Wear hiking boots or shoes that provide traction and protection. Rope also isnt a bad idea for emergency's and gloves for climbing have come in handy
I wear pants, tshirt, backpack(gloves, batterys,water), helmet and army boots.
Weather info and conditions:
http://www.nps.gov/deva/upload/Morning-Report.pdf
http://www.death.valley.national-park.com/weather.htm
November brings more managable heat but also large swings to night lows. Be sure to bring a range of clothing. Underground temperatures are pretty stable so thats one bonus of this hobby. You can expect 60-70 underground.
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but I'm broke from building my truck, so I'll be able to do more stuff like this once I get caught back up.
Originally Posted by Seanz0rz
