US West Bodie Ghost Town to Mt Patterson 11,654’ June 3-5th 2022

[PapaDave]

Alpine Lakes…Ghost Towns…and camping at Old Cemeteries, what’s not to love

View Rally Point

 

[PapaDave]

Once the trip gets closer I will send out an email (via this site) with all the pertinent info for the trip.

 

[ProtonDecay]

Looks like fun! Couple questions - you mind if we drag along our HQ15? We've camped at Leavitt several times, but have yet to attempt with our trailer; I think we can make it, but may need to get the winch out; we might head up a day earlier so we don't hold things up. For the leg to Bodie, will it be OK to drop our trailer at 395/182 and then come back up the 5 miles or so from 270/395 at the end and then catch up with you guys?

 

[PapaDave]

Looks like fun! Couple questions - you mind if we drag along our HQ15? We've camped at Leavitt several times, but have yet to attempt with our trailer; I think we can make it, but may need to get the winch out; we might head up a day earlier so we don't hold things up. For the leg to Bodie, will it be OK to drop our trailer at 395/182 and then come back up the 5 miles or so from 270/395 at the end and then catch up with you guys?

That should be fine. The trailer to Bodie is good but it’s too tight of a road to get into Aurora the route we are going.

 

[shansonpac]

Dam. That is graduation weekend. I would have loved to go on this trip.

 

[PapaDave]

Dam. That is graduation weekend. I would have loved to go on this trip.

Bummer I was trying to keep it off grad weekends!

 

[shansonpac]

Bummer I was trying to keep it off grad weekends!

There are too many grad weekends this time of year! Next time!

 

[IceIceBaby42]

Looking forward to this trip. Last years was a blast.

 

[PapaDave]

Hopefully there’s not too much snow!

I mean I guess we need snow.

 

[Jim SoG]

Great trip, with some awesome destinations. Family and I did it last last year, also hit Kavanaugh ridge which is right off 395. Would love to join but finally getting my new knee from the VA next week......
Will say I was surprised at how interesting the cemetery in Aurora was....
Jim

 

[Speric]

Not sure it's in the cards for me schedule wise but I would love to go back. A couple years ago I used your .gpx file for the Bodie and Copper Mountain route, but added Aurora to the trip. Super fun except when maybe the "night crawler" or "skin walker" or whatever it was came to visit that first night.

 

[shansonpac]

That should be fine. The trailer to Bodie is good but it’s too tight of a road to get into Aurora the route we are going.

For future reference, would my Turtleback Expedition make it on the road to Aurora? 13' nose-to-tail with a 360º hitch.

 

[PapaDave]

For future reference, would my Turtleback Expedition make it on the road to Aurora? 13' nose-to-tail with a 360º hitch.

Yes the road along the canyon is easy and then after the right hand turn there are some narrow sections but then it’s easy to the cemetery

 

[shansonpac]

Yes the road along the canyon is easy and then after the right hand turn there are some narrow sections but then it’s easy to the cemetery

I just read an article that due to active mining in the area, the mining company has significantly improved the road. 2WD can make it to Aurora.

 

[PapaDave]

Yes the road along the canyon is easy and then after the right hand turn there are some narrow sections but then it’s easy to the cemetery

I just read an article that due to active mining in the area, the mining company has significantly improved the road. 2WD can make it to Aurora.

The first time I tried to go to Aurora in 2019 the road was completely washed out, now it’s been remade and yes it’s pretty easy. The turn up towards the mountain has some twisty parts with trees but not bad at all. A Turtleback would be fine but larger trailers might get pinstriped pretty hard.

 

[ProtonDecay]

Looks like fun! Couple questions - you mind if we drag along our HQ15? We\'ve camped at Leavitt several times, but have yet to attempt with our trailer; I think we can make it, but may need to get the winch out; we might head up a day earlier so we don\'t hold things up. For the leg to Bodie, will it be OK to drop our trailer at 395/182 and then come back up the 5 miles or so from 270/395 at the end and then catch up with you guys?

That should be fine. The trailer to Bodie is good but it’s too tight of a road to get into Aurora the route we are going.

Getting excited studying the .gpx you kindly provided. We've been through Del Monte Canyon, but not over to Aurora, so eager to make that happen. Trying to find an optimal route for the trailer - do you have a particular section in mind that would be too tight? We might be able to go around that via 754 or similar. Worst case, we'd bail out on Saturday night and head up to Dunderberg.

 

[PapaDave]

Getting excited studying the .gpx you kindly provided. We've been through Del Monte Canyon, but not over to Aurora, so eager to make that happen. Trying to find an optimal route for the trailer - do you have a particular section in mind that would be too tight? We might be able to go around that via 754 or similar. Worst case, we'd bail out on Saturday night and head up to Dunderberg.

This right hand turn has some narrow spots after it, but you could go up more and cut back later

 

[PapaDave]

We leave 2 weeks from tomorrow

 

[Sputnik]

And I just spent half the day wiring in some dust lights so I don’t vanish in broad daylight.

 

[PapaDave]

And I just spent half the day wiring in some dust lights so I don’t vanish in broad daylight.

Good to see you!