My new trailer build Panamint/Death Valley test run.

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smritte

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Scott
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Just finished up a four day shakedown trip for my new trailer. Link to build thread. I cut the trip short due to the fact the wind never stopped. I was only able to have a camp fire on the last night. Temperatures ranged from high ninety's to the high teens. Wind gusted to around 40mph. This means I spent more time inside instead of outside. This also means a diesel heater has bumped to the top of the list of things left to add in. The interior wasn't bad and my body heat kept it ok except for the last night where it dipped into the high teens.

First night was in Panamint Valley. I was suppose to go to the PVD event but managed to screw up the dates and arrived a week too early. I guess that's why no one was there yet. The weather was mild and when I went inside I was invaded by these big flying ants. I took me a while to figure out they were squeezing past the seal on one of my screens to get at my inside lights.

Cruiser Trailer 2.jpg
Airing down. Heading to first camp. While I was here, I met a couple of guys driving a TJ. We chatted for a bit and they told me they spend their free time exploring mines. It was getting late, so I said goodbye and headed off to camp. In all my years of backcountry exploring, one thing I learned, you be nice to people you meet. You never know if you may need help.

Camp night 1.jpg
Camp night 1. Panamint.

At this point is when I decided to cruise over to Death Valley and do some sight seeing. I drove back to Trona, topped off fuel and off I went.
I made my way over to Furnace Creek for fuel stopping at Stove Pipe Wells, Mesquite Dunes and Salt Creek. I realized I had not put any POI's in my map and I didn't bring my Death Valley paper maps. Fortunately, Furnace Creek had a bookstore and I bought a nice map. It was just after noon and the wind was blowing pretty good by now so, I decided my next area would be near Beatty Nevada on the other side of the hills. I will drive up into a canyon once over the pass and look for a sheltered place to camp then head into town to top off fuel and plan out my next leg.

camp night 2.jpg
I had to settle on a flat spot in the open. There were no spurs up the canyon to park on. Death Valley frowns on leaving the roads and I didn't want to be "that guy". It worked out ok. I got to see how the trailer held up to high winds. This area got to push the suspension to its limits. The route in was considered a 4wd only route. Even though I took it in 2wd, the road was very rutted out and I was pleased to see the trailer suspension working properly.

The next day I drove up to the Chloride mines and the town of Chloride just above me. I had scouted the area the night before. The road was pretty bad and with nowhere to camp was why I parked where I did. I left the trailer behind and explored with just the Cruiser. Getting back I hooked up and went into Beatty.
After topping off my fuel and chatting with some people in the gas station, I decided to drop down some and visit the ghost town of Rhyolite. This place was pretty cool and I met a couple of guys from my area who were headed through Titus canyon and then camping in Eureka Dunes. I decided to travel with them. It had been a long time since I saw either of those so, off we went.

Titus was as cool as I remembered it and we stopped for lunch at the end. heading back out, we passed by Crankshaft junction. I seem to remember more "crankshaft's" the last time I was there. Arriving at the Eureka Dunes camp ground, around four (ish), we set up camp and had dinner. The nice thing was, the wind had stopped. That means I can finally have a campfire.

Eureka Dunes 2.jpg

Eureka Dunes.jpg
That night the temps dropped into the teens. The guy with the RTT said the wind started blowing during the night but I never heard it.
We decided to head out the north end of Death Valley and pick up the I395 near Lonepine. Grab lunch and fuel then head home. As it turned out, the road we chose put us in the town of Big Pine. That's almost an hour farther away and it was snowing pretty good with a wind that brought the temp down to the high 20's.
The weather had a high wind advisory along 395. I decided to head out then and not stop for lunch with my new friends. The wind was brutal and it took me almost six hours to get home. Along the way I had snow, hail, wind, heavy downpour rain and a nice lightning storm.

There are a few things that need changing. My water pump quit working, I need some cabinet doors or some bungy netting on my cloths storage (they end up all over the floor). The outside motion detecting lights work better than I thought they would, the insulation was perfect. I do need some more shelving and some pouches or something for small storage.
All in all I count the trip as a success and cant wait for my next.
 
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MMc

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I am glad the rig works like you wanted and expected it to. Sounds like a fun trip.
 

smritte

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Overall, yeah, I'm happy. One that part really shined was the insulation. I have a tent heater but didn't bring it inside. It took about an hour for the inside to warm slightly from me just being in it.
 

TRED LYT

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We’re headed that way next weekend for a little 4 day getaway ourselves. Been watching the weather channel and all has been looking pretty mild. For the most part it’s saying lows expected in the high 40’s. Sounds like a lie! You were down as low as the teens at night. Sounds chilly! We’ll be in an RTT. Did the guys you were with in the RTT do okay? Good thing my wife runs hot!! I’ve heard the wind can be brutal there. I’m curious to know if you found any weather sources that were more accurate than the a Weather Channel? That trailer looks pretty nice. I’m just finishing one up myself. It’s more of a dirt bike hauler and I’ll shift my RTT onto it. My 97 Land Cruiser feels top heavy and gets sketchy on steep side hills. At about 27 degrees, it feels like she wants to tip over. No bueno! I’ve puckered a few too many times, so I think it’s time to shift some weight. Anywho.....I’m interested in any more reliable weather source you might recommend. Cheers!
 

smritte

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Weather source, not really. If you look at Death Valley, the weather is normally taken from Stove Pipe wells or another low area. The low temps were due to the storm that came through. When I'm out there and I encounter wind, it's normally due to the weather shifting. In this case it was a cold front. I went from high 90's to about 60's daytime in about 12 hours. That's when the wind started. Figure 4 days and no wind the first and last days, until we came out into Big Pine at the end. That road out went to almost 7000 elevation. Now we started having snow flurries. When we got into town, it was snowing, the wind was blowing again and howled all the way back the 395.
Watch the weather for changes and wind advisories along 395. That's been the best for me so far. If your going in through Trona, Two fuel stations were open. Stove pipe and Furnace creek both had fuel and I popped into Beatty to top off also.

The other two vehicles in the last picture, did well that last night. The wind picked up a little but I didn't hear it in my trailer. It was brutally cold that night, enough that if I was in my RTT I would have used my tent heater. If you get one for your RTT, I made a wire hanger for mine and it hangs by my feet. That way I don't kick it over accidentally.

I'm hoping the weather stay stabilized next week. I'm running the Mojave road and sleeping in the back of my Cruiser. Have fun on your trip.
 
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TRED LYT

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Influencer I

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Laguna Beach, CA
First Name
Richard
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Sherman
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KM6ZPJ
Weather source, not really. If you look at Death Valley, the weather is normally taken from Stove Pipe wells or another low area. The low temps were due to the storm that came through. When I'm out there and I encounter wind, it's normally due to the weather shifting. In this case it was a cold front. I went from high 90's to about 60's daytime in about 12 hours. That's when the wind started. Figure 4 days and no wind the first and last days, until we came out into Big Pine at the end. That road out went to almost 7000 elevation. Now we started having snow flurries. When we got into town, it was snowing, the wind was blowing again and howled all the way back the 395.
Watch the weather for changes and wind advisories along 395. That's been the best for me so far. If your going in through Trona, Two fuel stations were open. Stove pipe and Furnace creek both had fuel and I popped into Beatty to top off also.

The other two vehicles in the last picture, did well that last night. The wind picked up a little but I didn't hear it in my trailer. It was brutally cold that night, enough that if I was in my RTT I would have used my tent heater. If you get one for your RTT, I made a wire hanger for mine and it hangs by my feet. That way I don't kick it over accidentally.

I'm hoping the weather stay stabilized next week. I'm running the Mojave road and sleeping in the back of my Cruiser. Have fun on your trip.
Thanks very much for your input. Very helpful. I’ll be looking at weather changes for sure. Hope it’s stable this week. Great idea for the tent heater hanger. I have one and will rig up something to keep it off the floor of my RTT. I’ve always worried about catching something on fire inside the tent when sleeping. I stocked up on little green propane bottles, so we’ll have more than enough for our trip if needed. Also, it seems we’d need to hang the heater low enough so it doesn’t burn the top of the tent. Lots to consider. Thanks again!
Happy Trails, Richard
 
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