The back road

[rotozuk]

I recall brining this subject up a couple of years ago and was told it was CLOSED, but thought I'd add it here for discussion.

While looking at some old maps for the area I found an alternate road the came into Pananmint City from the Death Valley side. I recalled this after seeing this picture from someone elses Death Valley thread:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/theotherbigjoe/DV2/MVC-002F.jpg

I found a bit of history on the route that may or may not be correct. As I recall, the road was possible closed by the National Park and fell into disorder. It was then turned into a foot trail and maintained by a group of kids after several hikers got lost on the trail. (Actually had some photos of the trail work the kids did.) Then even that little maintenance stopped.

The trail crossed through an orchard that used to help feed the miners in Panamint and reports are that the Orchard was still producing good fruit 10 years ago.

I think it is now called Johnson Canyon road?

[OTR]

That picture is not from the Death Valley side, it is in Ballarat on the PV side.

The orchard is Hungry Bills ranch. There are still some trees there, but havnt heard that they produce much. Bill had irrigation set up that is no longer, without it the only water the plants get is rainfall. Theres not much of that.

The route you speak of has never really been a "vehicle" route. 130 years ago, Hungry Bill used pack animals and an occasional cart. The trail today can be difficult to follow and is almost non existent in many areas. It follows Frenchmans Canyon to the south east out of town. It gets pretty steep at the top. I know of a few people that have hiked it in the last few years, good view from the top.

kris.

[Krusty]

on some of the earlier maps, it looks like there was a road along the top of the ridge, north and south---
i tried to get some of my Navy buds, to fly a LOW/ SLOW pass and check them out----
looked like there MIGHT have been access to Panamint from Plesant Canyon, but couldnt be sure, and maybe even from Hall--(but its closed now also-)

[rotozuk]

Funny thing is that I had a dream about this trail last night...

Anyhow I put Google Earth to work on the area and could not find any signs of a vehicle sized trail where I though it would be. Not only that, but as Chris said above, that pass gets really steep, and the Death Valley side looks even worse and pretty dry, but there are some big patches of green here and there, so I'm guessing must be some water flowing.

I only found one thing that looked like it may have once been an orchard, but after Chris' description I'm sure I was wrong.

That would be a hell of a hike!!

-Wayne

[larryboy]

I think it is now called Johnson Canyon road?

It shows as Johnson Canyon on my maps, heads west from West Side Road ending at Hungry Bill's Ranch. Maybe a mile from Sentinel Peak, topo lines get really tight west of Bill's.

Edit: On garmin mapsource it shows "Panamint Pass" northwest of Bill's. Anything named as a pass implies "road". Just like Manly Pass over to Fish Canyon.

[ZJHeepFixer]

My map also shows Johnson Canyon going into hungry Bills and then into Panamint Pass but is marked as an old trail?

Would love to hear more...

[Irish Style]

On my Topo USA program it shows the "Hungry Bill's Ranch Trail".

It is 4.6 miles from Hungry Bill's Ranch to Panamint City. You climb from an elavation of 5150" at Hungry Bills to 8083" just before the 3 mile mark, then drop back down to Panamint City at about 6300".

A buddy of mine and I were thinking about trying it a couple years back. I remember reading a story of a couple of guy that tried it with severe problems. I can't remember the details, but one of the guy's wife droped them off in Death Valley on Friday, and was supposed to pick them up in Panamint Valley on Monday. They couldn't make out the trail, split up, didn't have enough supplies, and had a bad weekend. I don't remember if they made it or not, but it sounds like a hike that needs some planning and maybe scouting before trying it.

[Krusty]

PLANNING is a must !!!
A respect for the hostile enviroment is a 'hast to do' !!

a couple years back---- the manager of the Trona airport-- (he should know better !) was on a SHORT trip------ just a look at Surprize Canyon (after they closed it)---

he and his dog drove up to the mouth of the canyon and just as they were getting to the gate, had a flat tire on his toyota----- no spare, --no big deal--- figured he'd walk back to ballarat-- just a couple miles down hill-------




a couple hours later a dog wandered into Ballarat---- they knew the dog so they went lookin---- they found the guy- expired ! about 1/2 way back----



***** notes-
only two miles !--
why leave a vehicle that is capable of running ?
why set out across DESERT without water ?
folks knew he was up there and if he didn't show up afterwhile, they would come looking-
why leave the water in the canyon without any ?? (or even a wet towel)-
so you have a flat tire--- DRIVE IT !!!!!
etc, etc, etc----
bottom line--- he died a totally preventable death !!!!!!

this desert WILL get you if you give it 1/2 a chance !!!!!!!!
look around--- HOT and DRY---- should be a clue !!!!!