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For a long time I've wanted to run up and over Cerro Gordo, and up and over the hill towards Panamint, to Baker ca. Seen it on the map. Should be doable.
Well the wife and I headed out to Kennedy meadows, did some exploring, then spent the night at the Camp ground. Got up the next morning and headed for the Reward mine. Seen pictures of it, but never been there. Armed with my Garvin, and topo maps off we went. Pretty cool, the fact that you could drive inside of it. Well we headed back to Lone Pine and fueled up, then off to Cerro Gordo. On the way up we came across a gentleman who had a new diesel F350 ford pickup, with a car trailer stacked 3 foot high with 2x12's. Two wheel drive trying to get this wood to Cerro Gordo as a donation. He'd made a turn to tight and bent a trailer wheel. Got the spare on the trailer, hooked on to him and proceeded to drag him all the way to the ghost town. On the way he made another turn to tight and bent another wheel on the trailer. From all the spinning he was doing with the truck rear tires, they were toast also. Figured his donation probably cost around $800 in rims and tires. Dropped him off at Cerro Gordo and over the hill we went.
Now the adventure begins. Armed with just our maps, by ourselves we drop down the North side. ( Scotty had an idea of our route. ) The map shows it as a dirt road, but it's been washed out in places. Stopped and got out at a few places to make sure it was doable. Well long story short we made it down and found the trail that would run us east. Ended up in Death Valley with the wind blowing hard, and used the truck to help block the wind so we could get the tent up. Momma wanted a fire, but we had no wood. Fortunately there was plenty of dried Donkey crap. You know that that stuff burns like briquettes? Seen it on Dances with wolves. We weren't quite sure where we were at, but you know for being lost we really weren't worried. Had plenty of gas and water with us, so we were good. Knew that the 190 hwy was somewhere east of us.
Got up the next morning and headed off to find the 190. Damn were doing good, found it and headed off to Panamint springs. Got our bearings and headed for Ballerat. Story to be continue.
Well the wife and I headed out to Kennedy meadows, did some exploring, then spent the night at the Camp ground. Got up the next morning and headed for the Reward mine. Seen pictures of it, but never been there. Armed with my Garvin, and topo maps off we went. Pretty cool, the fact that you could drive inside of it. Well we headed back to Lone Pine and fueled up, then off to Cerro Gordo. On the way up we came across a gentleman who had a new diesel F350 ford pickup, with a car trailer stacked 3 foot high with 2x12's. Two wheel drive trying to get this wood to Cerro Gordo as a donation. He'd made a turn to tight and bent a trailer wheel. Got the spare on the trailer, hooked on to him and proceeded to drag him all the way to the ghost town. On the way he made another turn to tight and bent another wheel on the trailer. From all the spinning he was doing with the truck rear tires, they were toast also. Figured his donation probably cost around $800 in rims and tires. Dropped him off at Cerro Gordo and over the hill we went.
Now the adventure begins. Armed with just our maps, by ourselves we drop down the North side. ( Scotty had an idea of our route. ) The map shows it as a dirt road, but it's been washed out in places. Stopped and got out at a few places to make sure it was doable. Well long story short we made it down and found the trail that would run us east. Ended up in Death Valley with the wind blowing hard, and used the truck to help block the wind so we could get the tent up. Momma wanted a fire, but we had no wood. Fortunately there was plenty of dried Donkey crap. You know that that stuff burns like briquettes? Seen it on Dances with wolves. We weren't quite sure where we were at, but you know for being lost we really weren't worried. Had plenty of gas and water with us, so we were good. Knew that the 190 hwy was somewhere east of us.
Got up the next morning and headed off to find the 190. Damn were doing good, found it and headed off to Panamint springs. Got our bearings and headed for Ballerat. Story to be continue.
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