Mojave Road Trail

Here's the "official" MR website.

http://www.mojave-road.com/

Seems like it has a lot of good info. If you just search for GXP or KMLs for the Mojave Road, you'll get several to choose from.

 

OK, here's the first post (of two) for our recent trip along the Old Mojave Road. Enjoy!

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Excited to test out the rear shock relocation I'd just completed, I headed north from Phoenix toward Las Vegas to pick up @mrs.turbodb who was flying in for a two-ish day trip along the Old Mojave Road - a historically significant trail through the Mojave National Preserve in southern California...

...that wouldn't turn out at all as we'd planned!

Check out the first installment and tons of photos at
Mojave Road Part 1 - We Head West​

Mojave Road Part 1 - We Head West

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I went through the water crossing 3 weeks ago and it was deep. I am lifted 3 inches and on 33". Got a little water into the back door because the door seal is apparently shot. I have a snorkel. Without it I assume water would have been sucked through the intake under the fender. There are ways around the crossing though.

 

dang it, I have about 3 days to do a solo trip and am debating if I should run this. CA has been getting a lot of rain lately which has got me thinking to do it some other time???

 

Just don't hug the shoulder too tightly like I did and hit that rock in the water that nearly made me flop over lol. Man that wouldve been bad, I still shudder when think back on that moment especially seeing the photo/video of it

Now that I've got 33s and a snorkel I need to set a date with that crossing again and get my revenge...right up the middle of that bitch

 

Only feasible way around that crossing is to backtrack several miles and take another route out to the highway. There's the mud pits next to the water crossing but you'd have to be insane to attempt that. They're god knows how deep and if you get stuck in it, good luck getting out. Maybe certain times of the year it's more dry than others but when we were there last, I would've rather taken my chances on the train tracks than go through that mud.

Last time I was there, the crossing was deep and I nearly convinced myself to try taking the train track bridge around the crossing. But luckily the group talked me out of it...not only is that stupid dangerous if you get stuck on the tracks (trains go through there every half hour or so) but its also a federal crime lol.

Best way to do the crossing if you're worried about the water is to hug the side of it, but be wary of what's on the bottom...I hit a rock or tree root under the water doing that and it nearly flopped my truck over. But if you hug the side and take it slow, it'll keep your intake above the water line. I got a bit of water in through my door seals doing that too.

 

Not to mention if you try to go through the mud pits you're trespassing on land where vehicles aren't allowed. There's a fence there, but it keeps getting cut down by people trying to bypass the water crossing by driving through the mud.

Luckily it's only about 10 miles to backtrack and go around like we did when we did it.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35....-116.3318522,15233m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0

 

I went around as well, was not that big of a deal to go around.

 

...At 60 feet in, the water was quite clearly up over the top of the tires and bottom of the doors on the driver side and I could tell it was even deeper on the passenger side - @mrs.turbodb now much more serious about the crossing than she'd been the afternoon before. And we were still getting deeper.

"Hope it levels out." I think I said out loud, "We're getting really close to the intake." My adrenaline at this point was high, but I kept my cool and made sure to keep a good bow wake in front of the truck.

Read the story and see the puckering-pics:
Mojave Road Part 2 - So Much Adrenaline I'm Shaking​

And check out the entire Mojave Road trip [part 1] [part 2]




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interested! This looks like a fun trip.

 

Anyone wanting to spend more time in the area might consider combining the MR with the Bradshaw trail. This could make a giant loop of sorts. The Bradshaw trail is similar to the MR but on the south side of I-10. A distinct feature of the Bradshaw is the abundance of collectable rocks, everywhere. One particular spot is known as the Hauser Geode Beds. Once located, one could pick up more crystal filled geodes than practical to carry (in a truck), in a few hours. The surrounding area has numerous "beds" differentiated by color and type of crystals. All connected by a maze of trails. Then there is all the other stuff, fossils, petrified wood, agate, other semi precious gems and even a bombing range. I once found a deluxe leather handled Estwing rock pick, dropped by some excited traveler.
Quick link https://www.desertusa.com/thingstodo/ttdtrails/du_ttd_bradshaw.html

The main point of this post is the book "Gem Trails Of Southern California"

$16 Gem Trails of Southern California

https://www.amazon.com/Trails-South...-1&keywords=gem+trails+of+southern+california

Rockhound or not, it's a valuable "supplement" to any SoCal adventure. Many of the sites are never mentioned by the 4wd crowd but are near popular trails. It should be considered as sort of a guide to side or spur trails each with souvenirs at the end. Many end up at abandoned mine sites, other mildly historical spots and generally picturesque places.

 

Going there mid march cant wait, friend wants to bring his 250 so gona be interesting how that goes

 

You didn't think we'd let you get away with saying there are pics and video of it, and NOT post them, did you???

 

I'd have to really dig for the video, dunno if I still have it...but this screenshot is the moment I hit whatever it was that was underwater.

 

Anyone know if the "road" that continues west, past Fort Piute is drivable?

A lot of the tracks I've seen online backtrack back the the east then head south on the powerline road. I'm assuming there's a reason?

The all knowing Google Earth shows a road that continues to the west from the fort, but not like that means anything... It likes like there is a washout or something... so hard to tell from the aerial photos.

 

It is not. It's a hiking trail only. You'll get to a gate, and that's the end of the road. If you are travelling west, you back-track to the power-line road and head south, then west.

Edit: though it's just a hiking trail, it's worth hiking up a ways (a mile or so). Piute Canyon is a beautiful place. Photos (except the one below, lol) in Part 1 of the Mojave Road trip.

00001 - 2018-12-06 - Mojave Road at Fort Piute​

 

Great beta, that's awesome, thanks.

Looking to try and put a trip together with my father in law and maybe a few others. Looking at maybeApril, if not then it might have to wait until Oct.

 

So which side is better? i am heading out there in 2 weeks dont know if i want to experience oh shit moment lol

 

Well if you're concerned about your air intake sucking in water, then you'll want to hug the same side that I did because that's the side your intake is on. It will keep it elevated above the water. If you take the left side of the water crossing, your intake will be submerged and that will be bad news obviously.

Just take the right side like I did and take it slow...if you expect the rock or whatever it was to be there, you'll be fine. Just go slow and you'll bump over it, go too fast and you could be in trouble. If you feel you're tipping over, remember to always steer into the direction that you're tipping, not away from it.

 

$14 worth of PVC (not my pic, btw): you're welcome.



My 86 4Runner had a custom "snorkel" my brother built. It was all internal, and basically just extended the stock intake up inside the fender well. It looked 100% stock and the intake was essentially at the bottom of the windshield. I've been thinking about doing the same thing for my Taco, but I have that stupid K&N intake. Would need to get a stock airbox back on there first...