full size thru suprise canyon?(newbie)

[benttoy]

Originally Posted by OTR

Benttoy...
Im up in the valley once or twice in the summer.
Lemme know what your weekends look like for the next few months and Ill see what comes together.

Just to let you know though, Its too hot to do much until late September. It has already broken 100 in PV and DV has hit the 110's. Anything I do during the summer is going to be over 5-6000ft to get out of the heat. Starting in October I should make it every month until March.

kris.

We will be gone from June 28 thru July 8th other than that we,re open just let us know

[Krusty]

folks--- a view of the Panamint Valley--- (from the Trona pass side)
the hiway to Death Vally crosses at about the far left if the pic----


another Kool (hot really) jaunt and run, would be up to the 'defence mine', i think it is called. (for those that like to explore old mine shafts !)(north/west side of the valley)

Jail and Hall Canyons are closed i think--- but
Pleasant and South Park as well as Goler, i think are still open.


and for those that go over to Panamint Valley--- as dry as it looks-(and is)--- DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE ON THE DRY LAKE AREA !!!!!!!!!!
some spots illegal, but more than that---you stand a GOOD chance that you will loose your rig !!
That 'dry' lake bed is just a thin/sunburned crust over a lake of mud, hundreds of feet deep !!!!!!! the AKA; panamint lake is fed by MANY streams-----Surprize is only one !-----

so far --I-- have done three rescues on the shores of the lake bed, just south of Ballarat, out from the Salt Cedar trees---


stay on the roads !!!

[rockrknockr]

taken from the top of SLATE RANGE right KRUSTY

[Krusty]

yep--- the first look (or last) of the Panamint valley from the Trona end of things----

[larryboy]

This thread is enough to get me to log in and post. I fell in love with the area a coupla years ago and travel around the valley by motorcycle.

Here are a coupla DV threads you guys might like.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105253

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184463

[rotozuk]

I was up there for Memorial weekend with some friends. We checked out the Salt Trams (they are being repaired now, nice to see!), headed over to Cerro Gordo and then Jackpot and walked up the good parts of Surprise. The guy living at the bottom of Surprise is out of there after a fire. Temps were hot, and the air was kind of hazy. We tried to keep our trips to the upper elevations. I usually visit the valley in Sept and November. November is very nice!

Here are some pics:












Bit of a hike to get this picture.. See the little Jeeps at the bottom?


Mine is still in good shape, even has lights.


more..

[rotozuk]

Heading up Surprise:


The dog was happy to see the cool water!








The burned out site at the entrance. Rumor has it the crazy old man is living in the trailer at Ballarat. Would not surprise we as we stopped near the trailer and had to do a quick vehicle repair and there was an old guy staring us down for a while. Greetings went unanswered.




More pictures here if you are interested:
http://aaaprodisplays.com/rotozuk/Pa...y%20%2707.html

-Wayne

[drnut]

Went up to Briggs this past weekend. What a awsome place! The first time i have ever been there. We went up gohler wash into Death Valley and then to Redlands. We stopped at all the cabins to check them out. It was a bit warm, high 90's and i went up to Briggs in my 1/2 ton Dodge 4x4 on 285's easy. The rest was done in a stock Jeep Wrangler.

[rockrknockr]

Originally Posted by drnut

Went up to Briggs this past weekend. What a awsome place! The first time i have ever been there. We went up gohler wash into Death Valley and then to Redlands. We stopped at all the cabins to check them out. It was a bit warm, high 90's and i went up to Briggs in my 1/2 ton Dodge 4x4 on 285's easy. The rest was done in a stock Jeep Wrangler.

DAMN............i wish i could make it there soon..........i'm TOTALLY jones'n for a DV run man

it's like my old home turf...................i miss the first view of striped butte when coming over mengle pass

[rockrknockr]

thanks for the pics ROTOZUK!

AWESOME

[benttoy]

I,ve been wanting to do that trip for a while now. this post has just sparked my interest all over again. Awesome pics and stories keep em comming

[Krusty]

the first time i came over the pass and saw Striped Butte------- WTF !!!!
it's so out of place and where did that come from ??!!!!!!!!!

we did the west side 'road' north thru DV--- that was fun !!!


is the horse watering trough still at the top of the pass ?????

[yjsquareyes]

Oh geesh!! Those photos bought me old memories of my annual dune buggy club Memorial weekend trip to Panamint Valley back in the 1970's. We used to camp at Indian Ranch and other spot with a cool spring pool next to Surprinse Canyon entrance. We went on dune buggies and motorcycles run up the Surprise Canyon all the way to Panamint City without any problem. Also to other old mining town in the canyon (I don't recall name of this place) past Ballast. I remember getting stuck in my Yamaha MX 250 motorycycle in freakin stinkin' mud hole (powerful suflur odor!!!) in the middle of dry lake and it took me a while to get it out.

IT is sad to see those trails being closed off to the 4x4 as well as surprised to see them all washed out.

I would like to return and try a run up the Susprise Canyon if it gets open once again.

Thanks for the stories and photos.

[Irish Style]

Originally Posted by Krusty

another Kool (hot really) jaunt and run, would be up to the 'defence mine', i think it is called. (for those that like to explore old mine shafts !)(north/west side of the valley)

There are some cool "optionals" on that trail that are fairly challanging. Waterfall 0 is where my Toyota recieved its first body damage. There is also a canyon that cuts off to the right about halfway up that has a few good lines, then re-enters at about 3/4 of the way up.

Originally Posted by Krusty

for those that go over to Panamint Valley--- as dry as it looks-(and is)--- DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE ON THE DRY LAKE AREA !!!!!!!!!!stay on the roads !!!

My buddy was going across the lakebed on his XR650R and said his rear tire was digging in about 8"s. He stayed on the throttle and made it through, but a truck or buggy would be done.

[LouBell]

We held our annual event in Panamint Valley this year, March 23,24, and 25.
Link: http://www.4x4him.org/4x4him/index.php?topic=520.0

Here are a few pics of the Defence Mine trail that someone mentioned earlier.




And more pics here: http://www.4x4him.org/4x4him/index.php?topic=1184.0

This was my first trip to the Panamints and it was awesome. The desert is amazing and the 4wheeling was challenging. 4 different people have told me that Surprise Canyon is their favorite run of any they have done. So maybe someday..........

[rotozuk]

Originally Posted by Irish Style

There are some cool "optionals" on that trail that are fairly challanging. Waterfall 0 is where my Toyota recieved its first body damage. There is also a canyon that cuts off to the right about halfway up that has a few good lines, then re-enters at about 3/4 of the way up.

The V-notch waterfall is nice.

The other option is called Cummins Cut and it has options to its options. Again a fun optional-optional v-notch in there.

-Wayne

[Jeff Knoll]

Originally Posted by Krusty

BLM burned down the cabin at the top of Jail Canyon !---
but you could take the hand made road south over into Hall Canyon (above the falls) where there was another 'survival' cabin-- the local club cleaned up the cabin and put in a air-tite stove, JUST BEFORE THEY CLOSED Jail and Hall Canyon !!!!!- a lot of the Argus Range has been closed also.

Friends of the Panamint and the Tin Benders have been tryin to get Surprize Canyon re-opened---
after all, there are several people that have bought the houses/cabins in Panamint City, and mineral rights to the mine----(me included)--

i hope to get back up there before i am planted in the ground !!!!

I remember taking my 2 year old daughter (now 14) on the Jail and hall canyon trails and visiting that cabin with David Frieburger and Rick Russell. The first owner of Off Road General store Mark somethingorother and another guy who was a comadity(sp) trader who has sinced passed away was with us. If I remeber correctly it was right before they closed the canyons and we where doing an article on it. I have the Mag here somewhere. I took a stock 1985 blazer up there with the wife and a toddler, we slept in the back. It was mid June because I remember making plans for the trip at Hi desert round up. We met at the " Cocky Bull" Near Adalanto. That stock 85 blazer was a far cry from wheeling now.

One of the guys in the group was really into old mining equiptment and felt that all the Mill at the top of Jail canyon needed was a set of bearings and it would run. Some where I have pictures of all that equiptment. It was amazing and you would never know it was there unless you went searching for it. We found it following some rail cart track up the canyon behind some big trees and over growth. The place was like paradise with water, shade tree's and even birds. I can't belive its been over ten years since I have been up there.

[Krusty]

Jeff, and others--
this is exactly why this 'thread' was started !!
For those that have done the Panamints and have their memories, and those that have never been -- to show them what they are missing- !

When you get as far down the trail as I have, and especally when it comes to Surprize Canyon--- memories are just about all that we have left !!!

[Panamint Charlie]

Here's a few vids I put together a few years ago of running Surprise Canyon in my 85 Toy. My last trip was the Sunday before the gate went up. I hike it a few times a year now.

http://www.panamintcharlie.com/ascenthi.html

http://www.panamintcharlie.com/panamintvideohi.html

http://www.panamintcharlie.com/descenthi.html

http://www.panamintcharlie.com/index.html

[Panamint Charlie]

oh yeah, Jail is still open. The cut-over to Hall is closed.

Happy Canyon had a trail that you could use to reach/overlook Surprise Canyon near Marvel Canyon. Happy is also closed to vehicles now

Panamint Pass to Hungry Bill's Ranch on down Johnson Canyon is the way out of Surprise into Death Valley. The trail through Panamint Pass is pretty much wherever you make it. Otherwise, there is no trail through there anymore.

I went up South Park last weekend in my FJ Cruiser. Stayed at Briggs for the night. 85-90 in the shade. Cut a tire near chicken rock somehow.

Surprise Canyon


panamintcharlie.com

more Surprise Canyon 4x4

Some of my crappy old Panamint City pics

Happy Trails

Charles

[OTR]

Nice of you to make it over here Charles, and thanks for linking the pics and vids.

kris.



And, dont loose hope Krusty...

[rockrknockr]

Originally Posted by Jeff Knoll

I remember taking my 2 year old daughter (now 14) on the Jail and hall canyon trails and visiting that cabin with David Frieburger and Rick Russell. The first owner of Off Road General store Mark somethingorother and another guy who was a comadity(sp) trader who has sinced passed away was with us. If I remeber correctly it was right before they closed the canyons and we where doing an article on it. I have the Mag here somewhere. I took a stock 1985 blazer up there with the wife and a toddler, we slept in the back. It was mid June because I remember making plans for the trip at Hi desert round up. We met at the " Cocky Bull" Near Adalanto. That stock 85 blazer was a far cry from wheeling now.

One of the guys in the group was really into old mining equiptment and felt that all the Mill at the top of Jail canyon needed was a set of bearings and it would run. Some where I have pictures of all that equiptment. It was amazing and you would never know it was there unless you went searching for it. We found it following some rail cart track up the canyon behind some big trees and over growth. The place was like paradise with water, shade tree's and even birds. I can't belive its been over ten years since I have been up there.

talk about a time warp man. i was up in jail cyn in the 60's when gus and inez troster actually lived there in a frickin house! i was up there 3 years ago only to see everything burned down

[Panamint Charlie]

Mill at the top of Jail canyon

I never got a chance to see the house that used to be up in Jail, just that sad excuse of a shack the is there today. It could be a nice place if someone put some work into it though.

A few pics of the Corona Mine in Jail Canyon

[Panamint Charlie]

Originally Posted by OTR

Nice of you to make it over here Charles, and thanks for linking the pics and vids.

kris.

Sorry Kris...Been hiding in the shadows for a few years now. I think It's a go for that trip. Let you know soon.

[rockrknockr]

great pics CHARLIE

i'd say you earned the prefix on your name