Piute Mountain Road via Jawbone/Claraville

@Topanga Taco
Drove down Jawbone from Claraville yesterday, and there's some good rutting damage along the road. The switchbacks aren't so bad, but north of switchbacks are some muddy sections with two notable washed-out sections (3'+ deep ruts). Jawbone was much slower-going than I'm accustomed to. Cottonwood Creek at the bottom of the hill was uneventful.

 

Good stuff SS! So you came up the Bakersfield, or is that Lake Isabella? I can’t recall off hand.

Those 3’ deep ruts/mini gorge’s ain’t no joke in some cases. Not my photo, at Hingry Valley this past weekend, it’s the East side of the Middle Wall. It does t look like it, but those gorges are deep. And that’s where it appears this cat got stuck. I read he got recovered thankfully.

How did your truck handle the washboards heading back into Jawbone?

Cottonwood Creek sounds about right, I’m sure most of the melt is gone. However, a drive up the 395 if you seek an adrenaline water xring. I saw a couple of pictures of a road/campsite in Bishop that was under water. Up further, Manmoth with aim sure to be some massive xings come late June/July.

 

We came up from Isabel, which is super high. No beaches, water is into grass and bushes and trees.

I'm a long-time Baja driver and subscribe to the washboard theory: "10mph is too fast, 70mph is too slow." No problem.

Looking forward to the water -- we'll be in Mammoth, Tahoe and Eastern Sierras the first part of July. On the down-side, no Mammoth Mountain mtb (only the bunny slope stuff will be open).

 

Ahahaaa, beating the bush on that one. Answer given. I was asking as I’m curious if the reverse light output mod is going to handle those situations. Jawbone washboards before you get to the windmills(those things are bad ass up close!!!) just about wrecked the truck. I could see those little bulbs popping out. We’ll see.

Anyone ever wheel the Bridgeport area and beyond? I forget the trail as I did it many many years ago, but it lead to a lake that has great fishing. It was just past the Marine barracks (damn, perhaps I’m thinking of a different trail) on the 120 or 108, me brain cells are webbed on that one. But it’s a great trail.