Trail Report: New Dixie Mine Rd to Rattlesnake Cyn

[Mitch]

I had a call on Friday from some new friends with Victor Valley 4 Wheelers asking if I would lead a "mapping" run from New Dixie Mine Road in Landers to and thru Rattlesnake Canyon. This will be an addition for next years FITD. So I met Mike, John, John, and Craig this morning for breakfast and a game plan for the run. They brought the wives, kids, and dogs and were ready to go! I asked Curtis to join us so I would have a spotter and someone to hold my hand on the SWITCHBACKS. It turned out to be a beautiful day and warmed up nicely. Blue skies and an awesome run. Nice meeting the new faces and a few old ones too.

Mitch

New Dixie Mine Road heading west from Hwy 247 near Landers







Abandoned cabin off a side trail





Lunch time at an old cabin foundation along the trail



This scares the crap out of me! Thank you Curtis for spotting me up the switchbacks!









Down the trail to Rattlesnake Canyon







Rattlesnake Canyon

[headhunter]

Hey Mitch,

Looks like a fun run!

Glad you made it through the switchbacks OK.

Christian

[GeepMe]

That looks like a great run. I'm gonna have to do that one soon.

Is this the trail that begins on a private ranch?

As far as switch backs, those do look nerve racking. But like Jack Burton always says," A good spotter, and besides.....it's all in the reflex's."

[mkjeepers]

[COLOR="Blue"]
Mitch
I'll have to show you the trail from Awesome Cyn over to New Dixie. I call it the "junk car" route, because of all the abandoned cars.

BTW who spotted Curtis up the switchbacks.

mk[/COLOR]

[curtis]

Great time Mitch thanks for the invite.

[Mitch]

Mike,

Curtis is the man with steel nerves! No spotter needed for him. I think he has followed you too many times! If the extra trail isn't blocked soon this might become impassable. The last turn is losing ground quickly. It took everyone 3 or 4 times to make the last turn. I will set up a posted trip for this run in a couple of weeks.

Thanks again Curtis.

Mitch

[HPAV8R]

Hey Mitch,

Thank you for putting together this run, you did a great job of leading us through and discussing the history of the area. Thanks also to Curtis, it's always nice having experienced Jeepers along! This looks like it will work out very well for next year's Fun in the Desert event. We will have to get out there earlier on the next mapping run so we can check out some of the off-shoots. You can begin thinking up a good name for this trail, I think the first Trail Leader gets to name it...

Best Regards,

Mike

[flatpoint]

Looks like a fun run Mitch,if I'm not mistaken, those switchbacks dont look any defferent than the Circle T trail.......hmmmmm.....

[Geebo]

Mitch, as always cool report and great pic,s ..and be brave buckaroo..don,t let them thar switchbacks worry ya!!LOL..coming from a guy that refused to drive his jeep on a shelf road..Looks like a good time..Geebo

[Mitch]

Geebo,

It's all good. I have avoided this trail since May just because of that one spot! But Curtis helped with that the confidence thing. I did think about you when I got to the point of the turn where I had gone as far as I could then had to back up. Kinda just sat for a minute then asked Curtis to come back. He barely had room to get out of his Jeep. Rather narrow, loose, and steep. I'll be ready again in a couple of weeks.

Mitch

[curtis]

Mike doing Awesome,Junk Car,New Dixie, and Motino Wash in one day would be lots of fun don't you think?

[Mitch]

Curtis,

I called Mike and told him I'm ready for that loop. I want to run it before I set up the upcoming trip. Sounds like fun.

Mitch

[curtis]

OK sounds good Mitch. I'am sure we could find a few to go.

[Roger]

OK sounds good Mitch. I'am sure we could find a few to go.

That would be me. I wanna go!

[HPAV8R]

Mike doing Awesome,Junk Car,New Dixie, and Motino Wash in one day would be lots of fun don't you think?

Curtis,

That would be a fun, albeit, full day. We'd have to start out a little earlier and keep the flow moving. I'm up.

Mike

P.S. My days off are currently Sun-Tue.