The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

If you like chocolate the next time your here stop by Great Basin Bakery and get a bag of their Mud Cookies. Everything in Great Basin is really good but the Mud Cookies are on a whole other level good.

 

I have some in my freezer right now. I buy a bag and bring em back. They are so rich. I also like the mixed bag of cookies and the lemon ones. An acquaintance from Saline Valley was the first person to tell me about Great Basin Bakery.

 

Copper Top is

Interested in trying the mud cookies next time I'm up.

 

have you been to the burger place on the reserve?

 

Burger Barn. Yep. I've known one of the owners for 15 years.

 

Does no one like Salsa’s there? Stumbled across it a few years back while in Bishop and now MSM and Salsa’s is always a stop for me.

Their habenero hot sauce is spicy but very good.

Also, if you guys haven’t heard AH will be limited access now I believe.

 

I just found this thread.

Like the OP, I was introduced to the Owens Valley when I first went backpacking to Kennedy Meadows, back in the '80s. To this day, the Eastern Sierras is (are?) my favorite place.

In 2018, we did a trip though the southern part of the Owens Valley - DE VIII - The Owens Valley

We had planned to continue the trip last year, but thought staying inside for 6 months would be a much more enjoyable way to spend life. Turns out, not quite as enjoyable as a trip across the country - who knew?

The plan for Part 2 of the trip is Mammoth, Bodie and up the Nevada border.

 

I am planning a trip from Crescent City over to Susanville, then going down 395 to Ridgecrest. Return trip through Death Valley to Nevada and back to the coast in April.

 

Does anyone tow a 20ft-22ft trailer up to mammoth or june lake areas? I’m looking into buying a trailer but don’t know if my taco can pull it up there without over heating LOL. I have a 2013 Tacoma Baja edition with the tow package and it tows 6500lb max and the trailer is 3800lb dry. Any tow something like that up there and if so what do you recommend beefing up on the taco before towing something like that?

 

To answer your second question, I suggest installing a larger-than-stock transmission cooler and a temperature gauge to monitor the trans temps. I also installed an external filter. You might consider a transmission shift kit as well.

You will need to increase the load carrying ability of the rear suspension - air bags are one possible solution, in addition to heavier duty springs.

A brake controller. eTrailer sells a harness for the controller that plugs right into our factory wiring - easy, peasy.

Lastly, a lighter trailer. I know people tow heavier trailers with our trucks - but it is not fun. Prepare to go slow up hills, and don't look at your mileage.

 

I live at 4,500ft and tow our 24ft trailer with a 4,500lb dry weight (5,500 lbs loaded) over the Sierra passes several times a year.

The only things you 'need' to tow that weight are a brake controller and a weight distribution hitch (this is all I had for the first year with the trailer, in addition to an ultragauge to monitor transmission temps).

Airbags are not a solution for towing (they are for payload and don't shift any weight off the rear axle). A properly set WD hitch will have the truck sitting nice a level, even on stock suspension. I've since upgraded the suspension on the truck and I'm running a Dakar leaf pack. The truck rides better when towing with the aftermarket suspension (less bounce and I do t hit the bump stops as often).

You won't win any races and can't be afraid to make the truck work (you'll be wound out at close to redline in 2nd gear if you want to maintain 55mph going up the passes).

It is tiring to tow that much weight and you will average 10-12mpg so plan on extra fuel stops.

 

Right on! Any upgrade to the transmission cooler? I do have a icon AAL and bilstein 5160 with reservoirs will that help? How about adding sumo bump stops and sway bars?

 

I will definitely add the transmission cooler upgrade and the temp gauge but I’m hearing that the gauge is not needed when adding the big cooler. I have AAL icon springs but I’m sure I’ll need beefier ones.

 

The Great Basin Bakery is nasty! And they have horrible service! Do Not Visit this bakery for any reason..... Yuck.

 

I towed my trailer for 3 years before adding an aux transmission cooler. I think the ultragauge or scangauge is more important than a larger aux cooler for the transmission.

The AAL and 5160 should be better than the factory off-road suspension I was towing with originally but no idea how much of a difference it will make. The factory leaf spring is the weak point IMO and an AAL is just a temporary fix.

I bought the anti-sway bar add on when I got the WD hitch but only used it once.

I'm running factory bumps still and they haven't been an issue at all with the aftermarket leaf pack and WD hitch.

Everyone's comfort level when towing is different so I'd suggest renting a trailer and putting your truck to task before buying one since you will probably lose money if you decide it's too much trailer for you or your truck.

Side note, we are selling our trailer (2015 Jayco X213) in the next month or so. We bought it because we wanted the additional amenities when camping when I was going through cancer treatment. It was also great for our kids when they were babies/toddlers but now that they are a bit older and I'm feeling better we are spending most of our camping trips outside of developed campgrounds and want a trailer that will not get destroyed off-road.

 

that’s a great idea about renting a trailer! Yeah I would have to beef up the rear leafs, get the gauge and cooler, electronic break, the gauge and WD hitch and maybe the sway bars to feel a lot more comfortable towing that weight from Los Angeles to June lake 3 times a year. I have a buddy selling a 2013 eclipse Milan lite 18 ckg for real cheap 5k and he’s basically new so that why I’m trying to see what it would be like tow a trailer that size up the mammoth hills to June lake

 

Looked like a great trip!

 

It was.

I am glad we made it to Cerro Gordo before it was sold and subsequently burned.

I'm out of jerky as well....

 

They do mail order.

 

@BayAreaSpecialtyJerky on IG.