The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

Thought I was in the 60+ thread

 

I'm not 60 plus but I am older and grumpier every day. lol

 

Change it to ancient bristlecone pines Inyo national forest and problem solved

 

Yeah, wrong thread. This is the Coping With Senility thread.

 

EDIT: I just read that Death Valley road is closed at the 168. By Inyo County. So... no.

Haven't been up since Hillary, but this whole corridor was drivable no problem earlier this summer. Both routes to the north were in fair condition. Mazourka Cyn was more washed out than years prior, and is probably even more washed out now... but might be the most likely to be passable since it is generally less steep and less "shelfey". As suggested by @theesotericone. I think you'll be fine, but again, lack specific knowledge of post-storm conditions. To get to 168... if there's a lot of damage up there, my guess would be the east fork, but bypass the narrows by driving up and over this hill (assuming it's a legal route -- I took the narrows instead):

 

Just got back from an awesome weekend checking out the fall colors in Bishop! I think I went about a week too late for peak coloring but I was still genuinely impressed.








I also had an excuse to try out the new drawer system/sleeping platform I have been working on for the 4Runner. I liked everything about it except the headroom which was lacking. Not much I can do about that though.






Overall trip was a 10/10 as always. The weather is starting to get a bit chilly at night in the upper elevations but was perfect during the day and in town. Can't wait to come back next month!

 

Yes, it's a legal route. It's also fairly steep and sandy so if you go in that way sometime, which I recommend you do, keep the foot on the gas. Also, it's not fun going in that way with a 2WD vehicle in your group. I was nice enough to tow him up 85% of that hill. lol

 

What road is it? Doesn't look familiar but I've only been up Mazourka a couple times, one being all the way to papoose.

 

It's leading to Pappoose from 168. Not the Mazourka side. I gotta pull out my Inyo Atlas to remember the actual FS numbers but don't go left for the narrows. Bear right the go about 1 mile and look for that hill on the left. There's also another much smaller trail that heads up to the right of the main one. Don't go that way unless your on a quad. lol

 

Not Hines Road?

 

It's 09S215. I just googles Hines Rd because I've never heard it called that. Same road. lol

 

I thought it looked familiar.
These are looking down I believe.

 

Okay... in hindsight, it was stupid to recommend a route I'd never driven, based on outdated knowledge from driving nearby roads. I apologize.

I was suggesting the road visible in my photograph, which bypasses the narrows slightly to the west, but still east of Andrews Mountain. One would still take the east (or "narrows") route between Papoose and the fork just off Death Valley Road -- not Hines Road.

Like I said, I didn't drive this route, but it definitely looks like your photo above @ETAV8R is taken from its summit, looking down towards where I took my photo. The coordinates of the summit would be: 37°04'33.3"N 118°03'31.3"W

My suggestion was rooted in blind speculation... that the narrows themselves might be more susceptible to flood damage, e.g., blocked by a gigantic boulder... and that Hines Road, with its steeper shelf climb, might have washed out. This middle cup of porridge looked just right from a distance, but heck, I ain't goldilocks.

Luckily, it turns out not to matter, as all routes converge before reaching Death Valley Road, which Inyo County reports to be closed. So, driving through to the 168 seems inadvisable.

That said, if I were heading up to Papoose this weekend, and was hoping to emerge northward to the 168... I'd still give it a shot, and via this route. Of course I'd turn back if I encountered a bad washout, an overt road closure sign, or any work crews repairing the roads. But... sometimes you can pick an easy line through a washout, and sometimes they don't post road closure signs when side-trails join the main roads, and sometimes the work crews take the weekends off. In that case, you might make your way through -- but don't forget to look surprised if you emerge from behind a road closure sign. Gosh, I had no idea.

By now it should be clear that I'm providing exclusively bad advice. I think there's a way to block people like me, so you won't see bad advice like this. Hmmm... does that count as good advice?

 

168 and DV road are fine up to SVR...I didn't go past SVR on my recent trip so can't say the road condition past that point. If a mower can operate on DVR then it's passable to normal traffic. It's a case of a road closed signs used frequently in a specific area. I've seen the signs before when there were serious washouts but more often used when there was no issue with the road.

I spoke with someone in the know who knows people have made it to SVWS via North Pass with close to stock vehicles. Once at the springs they were told park rangers would cite them 10k if they stayed. That's a hefty fine (believable?). Regardless I wasn't going to find out. Inyo forest isn't closed so I went there instead. Not all of SVR is managed or within DVNP. So if you want to go to Papoose and the Inyos I'd say go for it. It's chilly at night though.

 

Good to hear, and thanks for clarifying... now that you mention it, I remember reading a post by this guy @ETAV8R stating the exact same thing several days ago!

I was going off the Inyo County website info, which evidently lags ground truth. Haven't been up the 395 myself since before the storms. I don't know why I'm even talking at this point.

But since I am... sounds like the collective advice to @MSN88longbed is to go for it. Godspeed!

 

I've said this before but both Inyo and Mono county will close roads if they can't get their stock F-250's past the damage. The FS has no money to repair them. Hell, Dead Horse Meadow has been "closed" for ten years now. Is it passable? Yep. Stock vehicle? Nope. The FS keeps it listed as closed because they don't have the money to repair it. But, if you got a locker, winch and 33's and most importantly know how to drive you'll be fine. Just use common sense and you'll be fine. BTW, there is no road closed sign from the Royal Gorge side and the FS never officially listed it as closed via a FS order which they have to do for that closure to be enforced. In short, it's the wild west out here. lol

 

Just saw freeze warnings on my phone for Bishop and Lone Pine...altitude is not where I'd be headed. Brrrrr

 

Several years ago I went past the Inyo County closure sign on SVR and encountered a NPS ranger (in a Tacoma) further down the road in the Park. I asked her about the closure and she just laughed, said something about “the county” and told me that I was good to go.
Edit: I realize that’s not relevant now with the backcountry park closure. Though I read the fine was only $5K.

 

here at 65 feet above mean sea level the airport monitor reads 32 degree F

 

Man I wish i lived in south