Topic: Last Chance Canyon: 12 November 2016

[Sage Bromax]

Veteran's Day Weekend.  I may be able to do this one.

[RikRong]

Veteran's Day Weekend.  I may be able to do this one.

Awesome!  Let me know, and I'll add your name to the list.

[RikRong]

After putting up a post on the Explorers of the Mojave Desert FB page, there were a few camping places suggested.  They also said dispersed camping is okay wherever you could find a spot. 

Holland Camp:
http://deathvalleyjim.com/2012/12/28/holland-camp/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/El+Paso+Mountains/@35.4377355,-117.8334081,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c170a77a8e1255:0xbbf6b40a04c38762!8m2!3d35.4377373!4d-117.8158985

Jonie-Jack cabin in Bonanza Gulch:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bonanza+Gulch/@35.4344199,-117.9004886,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c177973c646b89:0x135addad4ab37d20!8m2!3d35.4344032!4d-117.8917338

http://deathvalleyjim.com/2013/08/20/bonanza-gulch/

[occupantX]

Count me in
What is the planned meetup spot and time? I may drive up there Friday night after work and stay somewhere closer, then dont have to get up so early Saturday...

[RikRong]

Awesome!  We're going to meet at Last Chance Canyon Rd at 9 on Saturday. Knightrider and JFanaselle are talking about camping, but I'm not sure which nights. Take a look at the links above, there is also a ton of BLM land to camp. Last Chance Canyon Rd should be on the Google Maps link in the OP. I'll add your name to the list.

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[JFanaselle]

Hey Rick - what time on Saturday do you think the off-roading and exploring activities will conclude? Childcare is becoming a bit of an issue for me on this trip now that my parents moved away (the in-laws both work, so they aren't as flexible with having Gavin as often as my parents were, especially for multiple days/nights). It's about a 3 hour drive to the meet spot from my house. So we'd have to leave about 5:00 am Saturday morning (to allow time for gas/breakfast stops, or any unforeseen delays), which means Gavin would have to go over to the in-laws' house Friday night.

So I don't think we'll be able to camp after all - we'll likely have to head home at the end of the day and get Gavin from the in-laws late Saturday evening. The other option is to bring Gavin along and camp Saturday night with him, but he's not a very seasoned camper yet and it would likely be a burden on the rest of the camping group, which I don't want to put anyone through. I think he probably needs a couple more "family" camping trips before he's ready to camp with the group.

[RikRong]

Hey Rick - what time on Saturday do you think the off-roading and exploring activities will conclude? Childcare is becoming a bit of an issue for me on this trip now that my parents moved away (the in-laws both work, so they aren't as flexible with having Gavin as often as my parents were, especially for multiple days/nights). It's about a 3 hour drive to the meet spot from my house. So we'd have to leave about 5:00 am Saturday morning (to allow time for gas/breakfast stops, or any unforeseen delays), which means Gavin would have to go over to the in-laws' house Friday night.

So I don't think we'll be able to camp after all - we'll likely have to head home at the end of the day and get Gavin from the in-laws late Saturday evening. The other option is to bring Gavin along and camp Saturday night with him, but he's not a very seasoned camper yet and it would likely be a burden on the rest of the camping group, which I don't want to put anyone through. I think he probably needs a couple more "family" camping trips before he's ready to camp with the group.

BLUF:  The only set plan I have is for the main canyon, Bickel Camp, and Burro Schmidt Tunnel.  After that, it's wide open

Joe, it'll probably take us about 2 hours to get through the main part of the canyon.  After that, I was just planning on looping around to Bickel Camp and then Burro Schmidt tunnel for lunch and exploration.  We can loop off the hill after the tunnel and back down to LCC Road if you need to head out at that point, then the remainder of us can duck back into the hills.  We can also do Burro Schmidt and come back down to Bickel.  However, from the tunnel side you only have easy access to 14, if we loop back down the hill from the tunnel, it'll give you easy access to 395.  I'm willing to work with whatever time you need.

[JFanaselle]

We wouldn't need to leave any earlier than you for the day Rick, so no worries. Just wondering when you planned on calling it a day yourself. My wife is talking with her mom about it now, and it looks like she may actually take Gavin for both nights after all. I'll let you know.

[SteeevO]

seems like a cool area to check out. For some reason I always thought that LCC was a more technical trail.

[RikRong]

We wouldn't need to leave any earlier than you for the day Rick, so no worries. Just wondering when you planned on calling it a day yourself. My wife is talking with her mom about it now, and it looks like she may actually take Gavin for both nights after all. I'll let you know.

Okay sounds good.  Honestly, I'd like to leave before dark and that's fairly early during this time of year.

seems like a cool area to check out. For some reason I always thought that LCC was a more technical trail.

LCC itself if pretty technical, but the hardest parts have bypasses.  However, the rest of the area does have some technical parts, but there is also a lot of sight-seeing sites back there too.

[SteeevO]

I need to get up there and scope it out. I won't be able to this time around with you guys though.

[RikRong]

I need to get up there and scope it out. I won't be able to this time around with you guys though.

It's definitely worth checking out. Look into Friends of Jawbone, they sell a pretty detailed map of the area.

https://www.jawbone.org

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[SteeevO]

the whole area up there gets pretty complicated actually.. especially if you were to decide to go up there in an OHV (dirt bike, SideXSide etc.) there are so many area linked together.. Jawbone, Dove Springs, Red Rock Canyon S.P, Cal City, Rand Mountain Management Area, Spaingler Hills, & Grass Valley.

[RikRong]

This is just under two weeks out, so bumping this to the top for anyone else that might want to attend.  We'll meet at Last Chance Canyon Rd. at 0900 on Saturday, work our way through the canyon, to Bickel Camp and then to Burro-Schmidt tunnel.  Depending on time, I thought we could do lunch at the Tunnel, but if we're at Bickel Camp for a while, we can eat there too.  I don't really have a set schedule, we'll just go with the flow.

Reminder for those attending, please bring something to give to the Camp caretaker, firewood, water, canned goods, etc.  Thanks!

Map:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Last+Chance+Canyon/@35.3682919,-117.925355,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c1788eae8c8d1f:0xfaf8cfd7ea58aaf3!8m2!3d35.3682937!4d-117.9078454

[JFanaselle]

From what I have heard offline, there are several people planning to attend and planning to camp either Friday or Saturday night. So I think some coordination is in order for anyone who wants to camp together, just to ensure that we're not all spread out and camping around the same general area when we can easily have a nice group setting.

So, here's the plan for the wife and I - We are leaving the house by noon on Friday and traveling up to the general area. We'll spend some time exploring along the way and plan to arrive around sundown (or earlier, if camping). Our plan was to stay at a hotel somewhere unless others are camping in the area and wouldn't mind some extra company. On Saturday morning, we'll be at the trailhead at the scheduled start time. We will not be camping Saturday night as the wife and I have other plans in the area Saturday evening. So we're up for a Friday evening camping session if anyone else is planning the same.