Panamint Valley Days

[Mikegyver1]

I'm planning on going. this will be my first time out there. looking forward to it.
I'll be tenting it. Any must do trails out there for the first timer?

Mike

[Russ Chung]

Russ has GPS of where we camp. We are always down the left side from main camp about 1/4 to 1/2 mile.

N36 07 43.8 W117 20 41.1

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...,0.018003&z=16

Directions: From the PVD registration area, follow the side road toward the west about two-tenths of a mile. Look for the MJR banner. We usually set up camp on the south side of the road.

At least four of us (Igofshn, Cohuhol, CWeed and myself) will arrive Thursday afternoon. Come and camp with us, but if you arrive on Friday, the best spots may be gone. Unlike the High Desert Roundup site, which is fairly flat, the Panamint Valley Days site is criss-crossed by small gullies, so you may have to go farther away from us to find a level site. If we are lucky, we might get Al (Igofshn) to share some of his dutch oven desserts with us.

[igofshn]

We'll make something for dessert.

I'll have my Samurai and my Red F150 with pop up cab over camper. The red p/u is very easy to see.

[Jason]

Up until last year, I had a pop up cab-over camper for my F-150. I think it was a late 80's model but it was too heavy to lug around. So I sold it. I probably will miss it for this trip but I have a tent heater if it get too cold.

[igofshn]

Up until last year, I had a pop up cab-over camper for my F-150. I think it was a late 80's model but it was too heavy to lug around. So I sold it. I probably will miss it for this trip but I have a tent heater if it get too cold.

Mine only weighs 1500lbs. I have no trouble with it and towing the Samurai. Mine is a 2010 cabover. Got a great deal on it. $7500 brand new. Everything except A/C. Has an out door shower.

[Russ Chung]

I'm planning on going. this will be my first time out there. looking forward to it.
I'll be tenting it. Any must do trails out there for the first timer?

Mike

Mike,

I see that you have 37s. You would probably be interested in the Isham Canyon run; it's the most technically challenging trail at PVD. Here's a poser shot of Al (Igofshn) taken a few years ago when he was driving a TJ:



Another interesting run is the South Park Canyon/Pleasant Canyon loop. One of the highlights of this run is the infamous shelf road and bridge:



The Goler Wash run takes you to Barker Ranch and into Death Valley where you will see Striped Butte.



The Defense Mine run gives you a chance to explore the inside of the mine. The Defense Mine, Goler Wash and South Park Canyon runs are scheduled at the same time, so you will have to choose one or the other.

[Jason]

Thanks for the pics Russ. I haven't decided what trails to run yet. I want to see and do it all. How much extra fuel will I need for all the sightseeing stuff?

Al,
A pop-up is the way to go. I miss just pulling up into camp and boom! Done. I am looking for another one. The newer models are much lighter plus the one I had was made for the standard size truck bed. I had to leave the tailgate on and to tow the jeep, I had to run an extention bar. The extra weight changed the angle of the tow bar and that changed the way everything worked.

[Russ Chung]

...How much extra fuel will I need for all the sightseeing stuff?

Jason,

I bring an extra 10 gallons of gas. I fill up everything when I leave home, then I top off my gas tank in Trona. It is 28 miles from Trona to the PVD base camp, so I arrive with almost a full gas tank and an extra 10 gallons in the cans. That is enough for me to run the trails on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then I refuel in Trona on the way home. The gas prices in Trona are usually only a few cents higher than elsewhere in Southern California. Gas is also available at Panamint Springs Resort which is about 20 miles north of the PVD base camp, but it usually costs about a dollar more per gallon than elsewhere.

Russ

[dirtman13]

Great trail description Russ. Isham is a really fun trail as well as Pleasant Canyon loop. I need to make it to this one of these years.

By the way the gas is usually a little more than a dollar per gallon.

[igofshn]

Great trail description Russ. Isham is a really fun trail as well as Pleasant Canyon loop. I need to make it to this one of these years.

By the way the gas is usually a little more than a dollar per gallon.

When were those taken. last year it was about 50 cents higher than everywhere else.

[Willard]

Looks like the station @ Panamint Springs. But yeah, last October it was about $.70 more than everywhere else.... now 2.00??

[dirtman13]

Picture was taken in 2008. Hopefully it's gone down.

[igofshn]

That is when it was 4.60 here in Fresno.

[Mike]

Isham Cyn rocks! Here is my video from January 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlFf6Htk5L4

Defense Mine and the South Park Loop are both really cool and historical runs. I'd say that if you are looking for challenging trails, I'd rate them from toughest to less tough as:

• Isham Cyn
• South Park Loop
• Defense Mine

[Mikegyver1]

Wow! thanks for the great info. Russ! I'm looking forward to this trip, got my fingers crossed that I can get the time off to go. I'm kinda' leaning towards the site seeing stuff. I wheel the hardlines all the time and never get a chance to stop and check out the sites. Isham trail have anything to see other then rocks?.. lol I'll watch the video. thanks for posting it up Mike.
Do you guys follow the herd at this event or go off on your own?