Hiking Surprise CYN

[techman]

My wife and I want to hike up to Panamint city. Is vandalism still a problem at the trail head? I would like to drive my 4runner, but we would like to stay up at the city overnight. Would it be more adviseable to drive my camry, (old Pos) and would a car make it to the trailhead.

[broncdawg]

Car can make it to the trail head no problem, but don't know about how secure it is leaving there. I would imagine it would be okay, especially if your Pirate sticker is on the back window. Haha Not a lot of traffic up there because it's a dead end. I'd be more comfortable leaving an older car.

Be sure and sign the guest book, up the trail a hundred yards and let the BLM know you wish the roads was reopened and that Feinstein should take her wild and scenic river designation and shove it up her @%#$&*

[lttlbddy]

Try to work it for a 2 night stay. You can spend a day just exploring at the top. March will be very cool up top as well.

The road was in great shape last Nov. There was a Lexus with a flat parked there in Oct.; so if you take the Camry, just drive carefully.

[techman]

We will have 3 days to do it. How many nights we stay at panamint city will depend on my wife. I will definitely pack enough food to get us through if we decide to stay another night. What kind of night time temps are realistic?

[lttlbddy]

Anywhere between 20 and 40 for the lows, unless it gets cold.

Originally Posted by techman

We will have 3 days to do it. How many nights we stay at panamint city will depend on my wife. I will definitely pack enough food to get us through if we decide to stay another night. What kind of night time temps are realistic?

[Panamint Charlie]

Good advice guys.



I just got back from my latest trip to PC on Sunday night. I brought some buddies who just got back from Afghanistan up there for their first time.

Temps were in the mid '40s for the high and low '20s at night. We were liberal with the firewood that we gathered and kept the cabin around 55 at night. We cut enough wood for the next guy to have a fire. (There's a dead tree up near the water tank and I left a new bow saw and spare blade)

I've personally never seen any vandalism to vehicles at the trail head in over 40 trips. Anything is possible tho.

The trail was in the best condition that I've seen in a few years. Someone had fun with hedge shears and a hand saw.

There is a weather station just past the city, be sure to check the weather trends on it before you leave.
Panamint City Weather Station

[lttlbddy]

Hey Techman, I don't know if you've seen this video that I linked in another thread:

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost....1&postcount=10

[techman]

Awesome. Really looking forwart to the trip. A couple questions. I see that there is a cabin. Can anyone use it? How much room is there? Should I still carry a tent just in case? Also, is there any problems with taking dogs? Is there any poison oak? Thanks for the answers so far.

[lttlbddy]

Originally Posted by techman

Awesome. Really looking forwart to the trip. A couple questions. I see that there is a cabin. Can anyone use it? How much room is there? Should I still carry a tent just in case? Also, is there any problems with taking dogs? Is there any poison oak? Thanks for the answers so far.

Here are a few pics from a 1998 trip:

http://lttlbddy.com/albums/Trips-WC/Surprise98/

There are pictures of that cabin - the "College Dorm". There is also another cabin, that may have been in the video I linked. The cabins are available on a first come, first serve basis. Both cabins can sleep 4 easily. Both cabins have wood burning stoves. The Dorm has (had?) a working water heater; if you brought your own propane, you could have hot water. On the street where the other cabin is, there was an old tub that could be filled with water, then built a fire benieth it for the "redneck hot tub".

There are also several open building that people have used as a wind shelter but if you can't get a cabin, a tent would be a wise thing to have.

Technically, you are in a National Park, so National Park wilderness rules would apply to dogs, which I believe means that they are not allowed.

If there is poison oak, you would have to look for it, I've never paid attention. Where you used to have to bushwack, there was none.

[techman]

Well, i probably wont take the dogs but I looked at DVNP web page and found this to be interesting


"The good news is you can walk them (on leash, of course) on backcountry roads. Interesting ones to try are Twenty Mule Team Canyon Road and Titus Canyon Road into the narrows.

A whole new way to strike up the road, not road debate.

Does anyone have the file for this quad? It would be nice to have a detailed map.

[techman]

Thanks ltlbddy My heart kinda sank seing your pics. Not that they aren't great pics, but knowing that I will be on foot. My buddies and I dreamed about surprise canyon, probably about when you were taking those pictures. None of us had winches or lockers. I remeber watching the Rick Russel video and thinking that someday my rig would be ready. Well my rig is ready now.

[lttlbddy]

Originally Posted by techman

Does anyone have the file for this quad? It would be nice to have a detailed map.

I don't know if you have a good way to print it but here is the topo:

http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/

[techman]

Thanks for all the great advice guys. We had a wonderfull trip. Stayed in our tent the first night, and in the castle the second night. There were quite a few others up there, but they were all very nice, and seemed to be sypathetic to the wheeling cause. I did hear from a couple of people that the park service is talking about "restoring" the area. That would be unfortunate. Thanks again.

[Jes]

Any pictures?