Panamint Valley Days

[Torxhead]

This was a large event that was attended by me and a few of my fellow club members and was hosted by the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs. There were quite a few trails that I could choose from so I picked the Defense Mine/Cummins Cutoff which required 33" tires and a locking differential. We spent about 6 hours driving up into a canyon over lots of large boulders. It was pretty challenging and I was quite tired afterwards, I was great to hang out with a bunch of four wheelers that had some well set up rigs. The association also put on a dinner and a huge raffle. Looking forward to wheeling again after I get my hard to shift Transfer Case fixed.

 

[hole]

The Defense mine is on our radar for a future trip. Glad to hear you had fun!

 

[Torxhead]

The Argus Range just opposite of the Panamints is loaded with stuff to see like the Minnietta Mine and Osborne Cabins, Darwin Falls, China Garden Spring, the town of Darwin, Defense and St. George mines, and Lookout City, just to name a few.

 

[JR74CJ5]

looks FUN! :drool:

 

[Sasquach]

Torx, not challenging you in any way but are you sure you did the cummins cutoff? I was there last year and a look at the cutoff was enough for me. Your first picture is the water fall and looks like you took the hard way thru there witch is a challenge for most. Defence mine is an awesome trail/destination. The cutoff bypasses most of the remaining road/trail and usses a wash of boulders to save a few hundred feet at the entrance to the defence mine.

 

[Torxhead]

I signed up for the Cummins Cutoff, which was led by the San Diego Four Wheelers, who did a great job. The return trip was on a mining road, I think most everybody was just to beat to visit the mine. Half the trip was spent just getting to the first waterfall after traveling thru a very rocky wash. Most of the trail consisted of large bolders where I was able to do fine on the beginning, further up the trail, it was a bit tougher. If I got hung up, which I did a few times, I just took another line and managed to get up. I included a shot of waterfall one back in the late '90s to show what mother nature has done to the trail. Back then it was called Stone Canyon, which did require a winch to get up was later closed off.

 

[Sasquach]

That sounds right, a very rocky wash. It bypasses the mining road a bit, I looked at it from the top last time there and decided against the carnage involved and ended up having enough dificulty getting up whats left of the mine road. Awesome area there for sure and thanks for the write up.