Trail Run: Last minute Jawbone area

[FRMNJJ]

Jesse and I are thinking of making a little run up there late Saturday morning if anybody is interested in joining. Open for any other off exursions or exploring is anybody knows of some.

[Buggs]

Hmmmm, sounds fun.

[fourbangeryj]

Keep in mind at the end of this month is the last time you can wheel in Nightmare Gulch until June 16th.

[jimmyrig]

Sound fun but kind of far

[MyBrokenJeep]

Keep in mind at the end of this month is the last time you can wheel in Nightmare Gulch until June 16th.

Sorry for the dumb question... But, why would you not be able to wheel up there after the end of this month? Closing it for some reason?

[Mitch]

Does the seasonal closure include Last Chance or other trails in the area? I was supposed to set up something for Febuary and March.

Mitch

[igofshn]

It will close until July 16th. It only includes nightmare gulch. Last chance does not close. Nightmare closes for some bird mating thing. Even when it is open, it is only open the 16-31 or each month from July-january.

[fourbangeryj]

It will close until July 16th. It only includes nightmare gulch. Last chance does not close. Nightmare closes for some bird mating thing. Even when it is open, it is only open the 16-31 or each month from July-january.

Thanks for correcting my error on the months!
You guys should run it. It's alot of fun. The geology there is really cool!

[JJsKJ]

Here are some pics from a run I went on last Saturday w/ the High Desert 4 Wheelers club.

The trail started by running through some hilly desert scrub areas and then proceeded into teh canyon....

The scenery inside the canyon was fascinating. Everywhere you looked you saw these cool formations.



And we even had to drive underneath some of them.



They surrounded us and towered over our vehicles.


There were a few tight squeezes througout the cyn.


Oh and some scraping on some spots where you got tilted Into the cyn wall. Doug got caught!


Wally just missed it.

Big V's (Tom) full size Blazer wasn't as lucky.



There were a few ledges to negotiate, tough capturing in pics how tough they were and how tight the line was on them. A litle too far to one side and it got real tippy and loose.




And a nice blind, narrow climb that had you wondering what was on the other side. (pic from the back side)

we spent the next half hour wandering through similar formations and rocky sections, none too difficult or fun to need pics. We climbed out of the cyn to find flat, open ground for lunch.

After lunch we went down into the Last Chance cyn to run it backwards. The most exciting part is always the Notch obstacle where the following pics were taken.


A few tackled it while the crowds watched.






Nice little trail, short but scenic and fun/relaxing.
BTW, No more mud hole. It is Gone, buried under a bunch of the canyon wall that fell into it.
(Ok though, I hate mud!)

[Geebo]

really cool pictures and report..can,t wait to do those trails again..Thanks ..

[fourbangeryj]

If the mud hole is gone, how does the water drain? Do you think with a heavy rain it will back up from the previous slide?
I hate mud too so I won't miss it. That mud was really sticky! Took forever to wash off.

Did you take that trail from Nightmare that enters Last Chance right at Cuddy Camp? If so how was that off camber section? Last time I was thru there the dirtbikes had chewed up that section pretty good.

[nwoods]

If the mud hole is gone, how does the water drain? Do you think with a heavy rain it will back up from the previous slide?
I hate mud too so I won't miss it. That mud was really sticky! Took forever to wash off.

Did you take that trail from Nightmare that enters Last Chance right at Cuddy Camp? If so how was that off camber section? Last time I was thru there the dirtbikes had chewed up that section pretty good.

The mudhole is gone, I think the rock pile that created that little dam has opened up a bit and the water is just flowing through and not being retained anymore. Or perhaps the water is just flowing underground?

My Land Rover club ran that same route last weekend:
http://nwoods.smugmug.com/gallery/71...61890214_cWbaj

As for the drop down Opal Canyon into Last Chance, it's very easy, no off camber portion that I can recall.

[fourbangeryj]

The mudhole is gone, I think the rock pile that created that little dam has opened up a bit and the water is just flowing through and not being retained anymore. Or perhaps the water is just flowing underground?

My Land Rover club ran that same route last weekend:
http://nwoods.smugmug.com/gallery/71...61890214_cWbaj

As for the drop down Opal Canyon into Last Chance, it's very easy, no off camber portion that I can recall.

Where does Opal Canyon meet Last Chance?
The trail I am thinking about drops into LC right at Cuddy Camp. There is a real steep drop right at the bottom where you come into LC.

[nwoods]

If you are in Cudahy Camp, you look westerly across the canyon and see the shot up tin tank? That is the exit from Opal.

[fourbangeryj]

If you are in Cudahy Camp, you look westerly across the canyon and see the shot up tin tank? That is the exit from Opal.

Gotcha, never been that way. THANKS!