Looking for trails

Use a two coolers one for beer one for food. Sly park gets hot out.

 

yea it does...its kind of nice cuz its not to far, but it can get packed at times...then it doesnt feel like camping

 

I hear ya but the wife lijes places with showers so ive been to alot of those big sites with her. But im not a fan of it. Looking forward to doing some back country stuff this yr without her. Lol

 

sounds like it's time to install a shower.

anyway, just throw some blankets on your cooler and have a day cooler vs a cooler for storage. day cooler for, well, the day, and a cooler for storage.

sunlight and air heats up coolers. keep it closed or covered and insulated and the ice melts way slower. once the sun sets take the blankets off and let the cooler enjoy the night.

 

My wife was same way until the last trip... She was so mad about digging holes... but by the end, admitted it was nice being away from the usual campground clusterf@$&

 

Ah to be be young again. Lol mine is way past that.

 

Ah, things to look forward to - thanks for the pep talk LOL. Explains the migration I notice from 'couples trip' to 'guys weekend'.

 

Since this thread is about easy excursions, I thought I would share this with everyone.

I just did a little exploring the other day, near Placerville, to the site of the old Slate Mountain fire lookout. Scenic half-day drive (once I got to P'Ville) with just a few miles of easy SUV-level 'wheeling'. In case anyone wants to do this someday, I've included some detail here as best as I can.

Took Mosquito Road north from Placerville down to a unique, historic bridge over the South Fork of the Amer. River. Windiest and narrowest road I've ever been on. Did most of this part of the road in 1st and 2nd gear.



After crossing into the EDNF on forest road 60 (trail 12N64?), and a few miles of rutted dirt road, I came to the (12N76) trail head of an easy 4wd trail (left turn).



This road is very narrow, and on the side of a steep, forested hill. Difficult to make a u-turn on, with my long wheel base.

The gate to the old lookout site is just a mile or so down that road (no signs there). Only room for 2 or 3 vehicles to park off the road there. Then hiked about 200 yards to the lookout site. Just foundations left, but there is a new antenna array there.





Enjoyable trip, but not too exciting.

 

Got friends that live out in the subdivision out there. I wouldn't want to take this road every day. There is another way out there from above Chili Bar off Hwy 49 and 193 (Rock Creek Road). And imagine the guy's surprise when he bought a hummer and drove it home one day only to arrive at the bridge and find his hummer was too wide to fit. True story!

 

Adding to the list of trails in the general Tahoe area (technically, this is up Hwy 88 in Hope Valley just east of Carson Pass). I've mentioned the two trails on this forest road before, but I never took pictures. Went up there today though. Just google map "Alpine Mine Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA" and look at it in Earth view. The road splits and goes two directions a little ways up: Crater Lake to the left (or straight) and Alpine Mine to the right. If you don't have skids/sliders and aren't lifted, this is a good trail to take.

I've gone all the way up to both Crater Lake and Alpine Mine in a stock truck, but 4wd is necessary IMO for Crater Lake (no idea if a Prerunner with a locker could make it or not). Didn't go up to Crater Lake this time because I wasn't sure if the snow higher up was melted enough to turn around. I did not want to have to back down this section ahead and around the corner which was a little worse. Crater Lake is not large but this time of year has a waterfall behind it dropping down. And the mosquitos up here today everywhere we went were horrible!



After backing down, I took the road up toward Alpine Mine. Didn't go all the way today, but up to the second switchback. Some of these pics were taken on the way down, but they're in order of placement on the mountain.

First creek crossing. It's been filled in and quite shallow now. This was the spot of my only dent in my stock skid from years ago. Most of this road is fairly easy with clearance as long as you watch for a few large rocks.





After crossing the first creek, you round a bend and have to go up this dry creek bed (years ago, this had water coming down it).



Stopped before the second creek crossing (this one is only 3 feet across).



This is what the rest of the trip up the hill looks like.





Views looking toward Hope Valley and Blue Lakes





Second switchback. It's uphill from the second creek we crossed and that creek runs right behind this turnaround area (to make these switchbacks, you have to drive onto this turnaround area to get going the other way).



I'm not even at the top of the road yet and the views are fantastic. BTW, very bumpy drive up/down due to all the large rocks. I recommend keeping it in 4Lo going back down.

 

This place looks great.

I might have to check this place out.

 

I've been on that road, up to Crater Lake. Neat spot, and cold at that high altitude. But never took that right turn.

The turn, on to that road from Hwy 88 was always a bit hard to find. Its not real obvious. It looks like private property.

 

Anyone no of some trails near pyramid lake Nevada. Heading up there to camp this weekend.

 

This area is just north of Pyramid Lake. Really cool place. It hosts 'Burning Man' every year.

Official Entrance to the dry lake bed (aka the Playa) :


On the lake bed:


Cruising at 60 mph !

 

Looks like a fun spot. Are there any high elevation trails there ?

 

I no moon rock is close but i dont think my truck can handle that extreme of a trail. I want to run a moderate to hard but not extreme. As im the only built truck going.

 

Not really, just dirt roads in the hills around the playa, which is already at 4,000 feet of elevation, like most of Nevada. Don't need a built rig to explore the area.

There is a small town called Gerlach nearby, with a gas, food, and lodging.

Cool to run the playa, and pretend you're at the Bonneville salt flats, only a lot closer.