Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Haven't done Mengel Pass yet, but it's on my list for want to do!

 

Did that trail in the early 90's , was relatively easy in my old jeep that's locked front and rear

 

Here's a fun trail outside of Trona Ca in the Slate range


Isham Canyon trail


https://youtu.be/DB3f-2JNdls

 

I got the itinerary for the trip. Looks like I'll be leaving another grill on the road to the Race Track That follows a nite at Trona. I'm thinking about spending another night before and maybe after by myself. Haven't thought that far ahead yet. It's been years since Ubehebe so maybe down that way? Also considering Wildrose.

Since this is a photography trip, I'm not thinking too much about wheeling. I'm actually pretty excited for the trip even tho it's pretty much tourist destinations.

 

Not Death Valley but definitely related...

 

Definitely not lately

 

At 123.1:1 low range , 12 forward gears and 3 reverse even today it would be easy !!!

 

I haven't been up for a year or so, but I find that people's ideas about a trail (condition/difficulty) are generally based on their past experiences and so unless you've wheeled with them, it's hard to translate what's easy/medium/hard.

Mengel itself changes over time of course, but I've run it several times (in each direction) and while the tricky parts vary slightly each time, I've not ever run it and had the overall difficulty change that much.

So, curious what you'd rate some various trails as, and then maybe we can give a better sense of how Mengel rates. I see from previous posts that you've run Steel/Dedeckera, so start with that, and then throw in various other DV trails as well.

 

I read your post from a couple years ago and was inspired, but I know conditions in DV can change rapidly, hence my post. I ran steel pass down through dedeckera two years ago In my truck with only rock sliders and didn’t think much of it. I did put the sliders to use on that trail, but the truck and I handled it well. Since then I’ve put skids, front and rear plate bumpers, and a ~2.5” lift on.

edit: my avatar is of the waterfall in dedeckera

 

That is many gears!

 

I ran Mengal Pass on December 8th with my DCLB, Jeep, and FJ cruiser. Definitely intimidating when you first come up on it, but we made it no problem. Id recommend sliders and skids (even tho I never touched.)

 

SM465 granny 4spd 6.54 1rst gear

Dana 18 Atlas T /case 3.50 low range and 2wd low front or 2wd rear capability

Saturn 15% overdrive

5.38 ring & pinion


It was fun splitting gears

 

I wish them luck on their HGTV renovation entry - it would be a worthy one as they really got hammered in the quake and as I understand it not a lot of help afterwards. It’s been a hard luck community for a long time.

Way back when people at China Lake and in Ridgecrest used to drive to Trona for entertainment and groceries. Trona was the happening place and Ridgecrest the backwater. Things reversed in the 80s as the video mentions.

 

Yeah, this is why I say that experience is important to describing a trail. I ran Dedeckera a couple months ago, and where a few years ago I'd have said it was a little nerve racking, now I'd say that it's just plain fun/easy (and the conditions - at least there - haven't changed all that much).

Interesting to hear Valley Wells mentioned, since we were just there as part of our Mojave trip, and it seems reasonably far away... though in the desert, I guess small towns that have some distance between them are probably closer than the miles might imply.

Thx for posting, was fun to watch.

 

you never touched because......35's?

 

33's on 2.5" 5100's. Got VERY close several times lol but never did

 

Thanks for sharing. I was in Trona last March and again just this January, and I’m ashamed to say I’d forgotten all about the earthquake in between those visits. That certainly explains some things that seemed abandoned last month. I wish them well. I usually stop and at least fill up or buy a few things when I pass through.

 

So how would you compare mengel to steel pass?

 

I live in Ridgecrest, trust me those quakes were anything but forgettable LOL. 4,000 aftershocks and still counting. People literally have PTSD from it(I work at the hospital.) I'm still even jumpy when a big truck drives by the house or when a door slams, no joke.

 

Different “Valley Wells”. The one associated with Trona is a bit north of town on the Trona-Wildrose Road. It was an absolutely huge pool, more like a giant pond. Was eventually shutdown by county health department I believe due to combination of concerns about flow rate and swimmer load as well as having sloped sides (drowning risk I think). Once it closed the only social thing kids could do was drive into the desert and get drunk.