the Mojave?

i've never been. sure it's more of a Socal thing.

i'm gonna load up some firearms and head down this weekend. meeting up some friends for some down-time next to a campfire. they go all the time, and know the water ponds and stuff.

i'll probably burn about a 1000 .22Lr rounds.

anyone ever camp down there? i expect freezing at night..no?

 

I used to be out there 2 or 3 weekends a month when I lived in LA, but that was to ride dirtbikes. In January it can get pretty fkn cold at night (and during the day too). It snowed on us one weekend actually. Have fun tho, the desert is awesome

 

I live in the Mojave Desert !!

 

I did the Mojave Trail run (3 days 2 nights) about a year ago in December. First night we camped there it was about 14 degrees at night, it was effing COLD. Daytime was a comfy mid 60s low 70s though.

I recommend going with at least one other person, or have a GPS/satellite phone because there is little to no reception out there for cell phones and civilization is scarce at best, once you're deep in.

 

This coming weekend we're supposed to get hit by another very cold / wet storm with snow level down under 4k ft . I would watch the weather forecasts as the Mojave rd gets very ugly and will wash out after a heavy downpour

 

this is all VERY good info!!

 

Also, a GPS/satellite phone is good for having a comprehensive map/layout of the land while you're out there, or have your route planned out on a downloaded map before hand. It gets really easy to get turned around or lost in the Mojave, the deeper in you go the harder it is to stay on the trail. We got turned around on the Mojave trail more than once, and if it wasn't for my buddy that had a real time GPS map with him, we would've been in trouble

 

The dry Soda Lake bed is AMAZING to check out, but avoid driving through it if it's rained recently or is going to rain while you're there....it'll turn into a massive, salty mud pit real quick

 

Spent a couple nights there last April with some stovies. Mid Hills CG. Just camped. Over 12 hour drive from up north.
Duane

 

That dry lake bed is no joke , it'll get really nasty after a good downpour !!

 

I spent 4 nights there about 2 weeks ago, it was great. Not very cold, I was wearing shorts in the day and a light coat at night.

 

Not liking to camp we spend 1 day and haul ass to Laughlin, day 2=haul ass back to Barstow. Go enough times to explore different side roads each time. Cheap rooms and buffet in Laughlin. MR is worth checking out for sure.

 

Interested to hear back about the Mojave Road conditions if that's where you go. I'm headed down there in a couple weeks myself

 

Damn. Temps dropped to the teens! I slept in a tent. The rain fly froze rigid. I used a sleeping bag and covered myself with another. And I wore a down jacket.

The roads were graded smoothed. The place is stunning in beauty.

We found old land claims and awesome mines.

 

I'm curious about Mojave trail. Is it possible to do by Rav4?

 

someone on car and driver did it in a stock F150.

 

but F150 is a little bit different

 

In a RAV4 you could do some of the sights from the pavement: lava tube, Kelso station, etc. But, for example, from the mail box to Kelso Rd is 20 miles of 3' whoops.

 

I was just out there this weekend...don't think you would want to try many of the sections in a Rav4...much of the preserve is explorable by the paved roads though

 

how was it overall?