Status of Nightmare Gulch?

[Mtbikbob]

I wanna go, just to watch the LR's run through it. I am not being mean, just think it would be fun to watch. However I should be on the Rubicon at that time. Call me lucky.
Mike are you sure about the closure dates? I do remember seeing a sign on the trail of the months that it is closed. July through Jan is what HotRodOil is saying....sounds right.

[JJsKJ]

I wanna go, just to watch the LR's run through it. I am not being mean, just think it would be fun to watch. However I should be on the Rubicon at that time. Call me lucky.
Mike are you sure about the closure dates? I do remember seeing a sign on the trail of the months that it is closed. July through Jan is what HotRodOil is saying....sounds right.

'Open to motor vehicles: July-January, second half of month"

copied from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631
lower right hand corner of page.

First half of month is open to pedestrians & equestrains only.

Nightmare Gulch is closed or restricted seasonally for raptor species sustainablility.

[JJsKJ]

If I can make another trip up there next weekend, I might be there on the 20th. If not, i am going to plan a run up there in late January.

[SAR Jeeper]

I'm going to Panamint Valley and Death Valley on the 25th. Maybe I'll just hit Nightmare Gulch on my way out there.

[Mtbikbob]

'Open to motor vehicles: July-January, second half of month"

copied from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631
lower right hand corner of page.

First half of month is open to pedestrians & equestrains only.

Nightmare Gulch is closed or restricted seasonally for raptor species sustainablility.

That's right, the Raptors. While driving through it I was nervously looking around for those raptors....thinking they may look like the ones from the movie, "Jurassic Park". Funny me.

[nwoods]

Trip Info & Update

Here is some info on this upcoming weekend trip to Nightmare Gulch. Remember, this was written for a bunch of beginners in their shiny new Land Rovers. Please don't laugh :-)

Trip Date: October 20th
Meeting Time: 10 AM
Meeting Location: Jawbone Station.
Departure for trailhead: 10:30 AM
Contact info:
Nathan Woods
(949) 280-5710 cell
FRS: channel 7.1

Plan of the Day:
Meet at Jawbone, make introductions, perform radio checks, basic off road communication and spotting training, then off to the trail head to air down, regroup, and some more training. We will go through Nightmare Gulch, then traverse through some abandoned mining areas to Last Chance Canyon and head down Last Chance to the main road. We will then air back up and say goodbyes, or those who are interested will head into Mojave for dinner at a local grease pit.

Where the heck is Jawbone Station?
Jawbone is a little building off the 14 highway, east of Mojave, west of Randsburg and the 395. It’s near a tiny little spot on the map called Cantil, CA. As you are heading east, it’s about 25 miles after Mojave. Heading east, you will pass a small old run down gas station (on your left) and then Jawbone will be just a mile or two after that. It will be on the north side of the 14 (on the left).

There are clean bathrooms and lots of cool maps and off road books inside the station. It is not funded by the State or Federal Park Service, and runs solely on volunteers, so please buy something and help keep it open. Also, be sure to check out the taxidermy room!
• Here is a mapquest link: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...ANTIL&state=ca
• Googlemaps link: http://tinyurl.com/348ywy

Links & Info:
• Jawbone station: http://www.jawbone.org/station.htm
• Park info: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631
• GPS data: http://www.jawbone.org/maps.htm (not of our trail, but of Jawbone Station anyway)
• Photos of past trip: http://blog.nextstepdesigns.com/?cat=24


Questions & Answers
• Which vehicles are planning to go?
Answer: I have 6 modern Rovers signed up, including my own. There are also a few Jeep guys from MyJeepRocks.com coming along, simply because they want to and we might need their help if the trail is in bad shape.

• Are kids/wifes/spouses invited?
Answer: YES! I am bring my wife, 9 yr old son, and 5 yr old daughter. There is lots of opportunities for them to run along side the vehicles and get their energy level suitably expended. The will get dirty and possibly wet. Plan accordingly. I am bring sandals and spare clothes for the kids for the trip home.

• Do I need a co-pilot / spotter?
Answer: No. We will all spot for each other, with myself being the primary spotter

• Are we eating at a restaurant or should I bring food for lunch and/or dinner?
Answer: I plan to have dinner in Mojave, but lunch on the trail. This is a “Bring your own food” affair, so plan accordingly. Bring plenty of water!

• What time and where should we meet?
Answer: See above for trip info!

• What condition is the trail in?
Answer: I have no idea. The trail has been closed all summer. No one seems to have gone through recently, and so we don’t quite know what we will find. There are two sections of the trail that could cause some problems, one with water, one with a possible rock fall. There should be a few Jeep guys along with us with a winch to help clear the trail should the rock have fallen over the summer. It will be an adventure!

• Will my truck get scratched?
Answer: Probably not…depends on how well you listen to your spotter. We will go through some basic training at the trail head. Omid & I both ran this trail last year in our LR3's, and neither of us had any scratches or issues. At no point will you be forced to go beyond your level of willingness. This is intended to be a safe, fun, family day out into the middle of nowhere, far from civilization, cell phones, and any possibility of rescue. LOL! Just kidding.

• Is anyone Camping overnight?
Answer: I don’t know. I personally am not. Omid mentioned that he might.

• What do I need to bring?
Answer: The most critical things are as follows:
- Full size spare tire
- FRS radio (I’ll have a few extra if necessary)
- Food for lunch
- Water – minimum of 1 liter for everyone in your truck
- Small trash bag. Pack it in, pack it out, take photos, leave only footprints.
- Clothing for every type of weather. This is the foothills of the Sierra’s and the tip of the Mojave. The weather can be hot, cold, wet, or unbelievably dry… at the same time.
- Sturdy shoes that you can get dirty
- Full length durable pants that you can get dirty. I use REI’s zip-off lightweight quick-dry mountaineering pants.
- Camera!

Helpful items to bring (if you have them). I will have all these on hand, but more is better:
- Tire repair kit (safety seal or similar)
- Recovery strap
- Recovery shackles
- Portable air compressor (we will be airing down)
- Small tools, socket set, screwdrivers, etc…

[Kodiak Spirit]

wow, that seems so incredibly well organized, I don't know if I can go to something like that...

[screwball]

Alright, I wanna go too....Count me in!

Patrick

nwoods, I'm also a member over at LLRforums & Discoweb.org, but didnt see this event posted. Are you still going?

caravan anyone?

[bruce p]

Here is some info on this upcoming weekend trip to Nightmare Gulch. Remember, this was written for a bunch of beginners in their shiny new Land Rovers. Please don't laugh :-)

Trip Date: October 20th
Meeting Time: 10 AM
Meeting Location: Jawbone Station.
Departure for trailhead: 10:30 AM
Contact info:
Nathan Woods
(949) 280-5710 cell
FRS: channel 7.1

Plan of the Day:
Meet at Jawbone, make introductions, perform radio checks, basic off road communication and spotting training, then off to the trail head to air down, regroup, and some more training. We will go through Nightmare Gulch, then traverse through some abandoned mining areas to Last Chance Canyon and head down Last Chance to the main road. We will then air back up and say goodbyes, or those who are interested will head into Mojave for dinner at a local grease pit.

Where the heck is Jawbone Station?
Jawbone is a little building off the 14 highway, east of Mojave, west of Randsburg and the 395. It’s near a tiny little spot on the map called Cantil, CA. As you are heading east, it’s about 25 miles after Mojave. Heading east, you will pass a small old run down gas station (on your left) and then Jawbone will be just a mile or two after that. It will be on the north side of the 14 (on the left).

There are clean bathrooms and lots of cool maps and off road books inside the station. It is not funded by the State or Federal Park Service, and runs solely on volunteers, so please buy something and help keep it open. Also, be sure to check out the taxidermy room!
• Here is a mapquest link: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...ANTIL&state=ca
• Googlemaps link: http://tinyurl.com/348ywy

Links & Info:
• Jawbone station: http://www.jawbone.org/station.htm
• Park info: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631
• GPS data: http://www.jawbone.org/maps.htm (not of our trail, but of Jawbone Station anyway)
• Photos of past trip: http://blog.nextstepdesigns.com/?cat=24


Questions & Answers
• Which vehicles are planning to go?
Answer: I have 6 modern Rovers signed up, including my own. There are also a few Jeep guys from MyJeepRocks.com coming along, simply because they want to and we might need their help if the trail is in bad shape.

• Are kids/wifes/spouses invited?
Answer: YES! I am bring my wife, 9 yr old son, and 5 yr old daughter. There is lots of opportunities for them to run along side the vehicles and get their energy level suitably expended. The will get dirty and possibly wet. Plan accordingly. I am bring sandals and spare clothes for the kids for the trip home.

• Do I need a co-pilot / spotter?
Answer: No. We will all spot for each other, with myself being the primary spotter

• Are we eating at a restaurant or should I bring food for lunch and/or dinner?
Answer: I plan to have dinner in Mojave, but lunch on the trail. This is a “Bring your own food” affair, so plan accordingly. Bring plenty of water!

• What time and where should we meet?
Answer: See above for trip info!

• What condition is the trail in?
Answer: I have no idea. The trail has been closed all summer. No one seems to have gone through recently, and so we don’t quite know what we will find. There are two sections of the trail that could cause some problems, one with water, one with a possible rock fall. There should be a few Jeep guys along with us with a winch to help clear the trail should the rock have fallen over the summer. It will be an adventure!

• Will my truck get scratched?
Answer: Probably not…depends on how well you listen to your spotter. We will go through some basic training at the trail head. Omid & I both ran this trail last year in our LR3's, and neither of us had any scratches or issues. At no point will you be forced to go beyond your level of willingness. This is intended to be a safe, fun, family day out into the middle of nowhere, far from civilization, cell phones, and any possibility of rescue. LOL! Just kidding.

• Is anyone Camping overnight?
Answer: I don’t know. I personally am not. Omid mentioned that he might.

• What do I need to bring?
Answer: The most critical things are as follows:
- Full size spare tire
- FRS radio (I’ll have a few extra if necessary)
- Food for lunch
- Water – minimum of 1 liter for everyone in your truck
- Small trash bag. Pack it in, pack it out, take photos, leave only footprints.
- Clothing for every type of weather. This is the foothills of the Sierra’s and the tip of the Mojave. The weather can be hot, cold, wet, or unbelievably dry… at the same time.
- Sturdy shoes that you can get dirty
- Full length durable pants that you can get dirty. I use REI’s zip-off lightweight quick-dry mountaineering pants.
- Camera!

Helpful items to bring (if you have them). I will have all these on hand, but more is better:
- Tire repair kit (safety seal or similar)
- Recovery strap
- Recovery shackles
- Portable air compressor (we will be airing down)
- Small tools, socket set, screwdrivers, etc…

I have a feeling these guys won't be eating bologna sandwiches on a rock for lunch.

Nightmare actually has some pretty good sized boulders as I recall. Can stock LR go through ok? I saw a guy take a full size Suburban up there last year and the carnage was considerable. Don't want to sound mean, but I would be concerned to take a nice stock vehicle through it it were mine.

Personally, I love sharing the backcountry with FJs, Hummers, LRs, etc. These guys are more than welcome on the trails. Frankly, the more involvement we have in the 4wd community, especially from those with deeper pockets than me and my type, the better chance we have of keeping many of our beloved trails open.

Be safe in Nighmare and I hope you guys have a blast.

[JJsKJ]

Personally, I love sharing the backcountry with FJs, Hummers, LRs, etc. These guys are more than welcome on the trails. Frankly, the more involvement we have in the 4wd community, especially from those with deeper pockets than me and my type, the better chance we have of keeping many of our beloved trails open

Especially if you can get all those other 4x4 owners to join orgs like Blue Ribbon Coalition, CA4WDC, FOTR, etc. so that those groups can continue to pay for the lawyers that are fighting for our trail access.

[nwoods]

Thanks Bruce, if the trail is not blocked by that one large rock, we will be fine. Don't confuse civil mall crawling capabilities for lack of off road prowess. They are still Land Rovers, even if they don't have solid axles anymore :-)

Patrick, looking forward to meeting you. Still wish you were bringing your mall crawler. It would look SO much better in the photos I'll be taking :-)

Weather is in the low 70's, sunny, with some wind. Bring a windbreaker or pullover and let's have some fun.

Jawbone at 10am

[nwoods]

I forgot to mention, my club supports CA4WDC and CORVA, and I eat tuna lunchables :-)

[nwoods]

Trail was fun, and in very good shape...except for the last hill, which has gotten very torn up. It was a challenge for our LR3's with 31" tires. Thank goodness Patrick with his '06 LJ and 33's was along to make the first accent, and pull the rest of us up.

Other than that last hill, it was a very nice day. Bit windy on the way back!

I hope to have photos up later tomorrow evening.

[Mtbikbob]

Outstanding! Looking forward to pictures and the rest of the trail report. I dont remember the last hill, I'll just have to refresh my memory with the pictures you post.

[bruce p]

I gotta go offraoding with you LR3 guys. How dependable are the LR3's as daily drivers? I see alot of them on the road but also understand they have a reputation for being "fussy". Of course, I own a Mercedes which is th epitome of "fussy" so are the LR3's better or worse than the MBZ?