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+--- Thread: Nelson Range/Salt Tram/Tow Truck (/showthread.php?tid=26354)
Nelson Range/Salt Tram/Tow Truck - VintageDUG - 2024-05-30
Headed back into DVNP Monday at the end of the long weekend because I reasoned people with jobs would be heading home. The idea mostly worked as I barely saw anyone for two days. For this trip I took my two door JK on one tons and 38s, not because I was expecting any challenges, but because I wanted to test the new/used Rubicon Rocktrac 4-1 transfer case I had recently installed. That part of the Jeep was flawless.
Topped of gas at Panamint Springs and then stayed on pavement until I reached the McKellips girl's grave site. I paid my respects and then traveled a little more pavement before airing down for the dirt. I had three mine camps/sites picked out, but skipped one because all my research showed that the good stuff was all underground. I rarely go very far in mines and certainly not alone. It's covered pretty well on Starbuck's site and You Tube anyway. After checking the mine camps and discovering a cabin that I didn't know about I headed towards the Nelson Range and my campsite/luxury cabin.
On the way there I planned to stop at Boxcar Cabin to use the outhouse. Better than using a wag bag or digging a hole. A couple miles away I stopped to move a bag that was bouncing around on the front seat, hitting my GMRS radio. I sorted that out and pulled up to the cabin, only to discover my hat had fallen out. Having a hike planned and no other head gear, I backtracked to pick it up. LNT is the rule after all. Back at Boxcar I handled business, signed the log book and took some updated pics. Then I headed to my cabin for the night.
I was pretty sure there were two in the area, at least it looked like it on Google Earth. Leaving the "main" road I was surprised to see a family in a pickup coming towards me. Kinda made me proud that I waited for the weekend to wrap up, but once at the cabin I could see no evidence that they had been there. Not much reason to be down that road unless they were exploring, but I guess I'll never know. The cabin seemed just like the pics online, tiny and pretty tidy. A ton of dead bees inside by the windows, plenty of live bees out back. I unloaded and set up my gear before making dinner.
With lots of daylight left I hiked over to see what the other building was that I had located on Google Earth. Turns out it was another cabin that seems to get a lot less visitors than the one I was at. Back at camp I wanted to check some of my route on the laptop so I set up the Starlink. Elon informed me my cable was bad and I didn't have a spare. Those things are fragile, probably so Elon gets paid. I was pulling in one bar of AT&T so I traded some text messages with my wife who got me the info I needed from my desktop top. Then I poured myself a drink and got ready for sunset. It did not disappoint and after some pics I settled into my chair with a fresh drink. Then I saw eyes staring at me. It was the mouse of the house I guess. Probably 2 out of 3 times I'll see a mouse in an old cabin and when you chase after them they disappear. Not this dude. He could care less that I was there, but he made the mistake of hitting the floor and I got him outside with the broom. With that handled I sat down again, only to see a huge mouse standing on my computer bag. After about ten minutes I got him outside as well.
I had about a 30 minute break in the action before I saw movement. And more movement. There were at least three more. I gave up. I wasn't wanted there so I hauled everything outside, put most of it in the Jeep and unsuccessfully tried to get my cot level. The good news is the temps were perfect for laying outside on a cot and not sleeping. And man does that sun come up early! I finally packed up everything and explored around a little more before taking off in the morning. I went back to the "main" road and climbed the back way into Cerro Gordo. There looked to be two ways in and I took the second. I don't if the first way would have been better or not. During the climb up I hit a bump and the Jeep kinda cut out. Luckily it was just the traction control. Well not actually luckily, that should have been a red flag, but for the second time with this Jeep I ignored it and that kicked me in the a$$ later, ironically at the exact same spot. But we will explore that later.
Anyway, I made it into Cerro Gordo, my first time there. A small crew was busy doing whatever you need to do at You Tube's most popular ghost town, but the assistant town manager gave me the point and look tour. He told me the do's and don't of town and sold me a copy of Robert's (the old caretaker) book. When I told them I planned on going to the Salt Tram station next, they started in on how horrible Boiler Canyon was. I should really have a buddy to spot me, I might need my winch, I would be the first Jeep through recently. That made me rethink my route so after a few quick photos I headed down Cerro Gordo Road to stay ahead of the rental tractor that was being returned. (Will Bill Gossett told me later that night that Boiler Canyon isn't that bad and he has been through it since Hillary).
Just before the Estelle Tunnel there is a large tent city, probably filled with college kids and instructors. Lots of tents and support vehicles, lots of young folks spread out looking at rocks. Just a guess though. I checked out the tunnel and then went to Keeler. I followed the pole line road until it forced me out to the highway. I turned my flashers on and drove the last mile and half to Swansea still aired down. I found the Swansea Grade and headed up. It's a pretty decent road, it has some crappy spots and some steep spots. High clearance 4 x 4 with a decent driver will get it done.
Halfway up I stopped for lunch and flew my drone around some of the towers I wanted to hike to. No sleep and the increasing altitude was giving my a horrible headache. The upper part of Swansea gets rocky and has plenty a brush for your desert pin-stripping. At the junction I continued to head up, pausing at the Burgess Mine to take in the incredible views. My head was really pounding at this point. I drove to where the road ended and where I should be parking for my New York Butte hike. I just wasn't feeling it. There are dozens of spots you can easily hike to for great views, but I stayed on the road taking in the incredible scenery from there. Then I headed down to the Salt Tram Station hoping a little less altitude and some Motrin would help.
When I got to the old cabin/house, I checked it out to see if I could maybe spend the night there, but I actually felt worse. I explored there and the Salt Tram high point and sent my drone to look around. Then I just decided to go home. Besides a few hikes I hoped to do, I had done what I wanted, even if I rushed it some. Well I did skip Boiler Canyon, so I have a reason to go back. The trip down was uneventful and the 4-1 transfer case really took the load off of my brakes.
Back at the pavement I aired up and felt a lot better. Maybe it was the Motrin, maybe the lower altitude. I tried to think about other places to check out, but I was almost out of CO2 so if I aired down again it would take forever using the little ARB compressor to air back up. I ignored Waze's suggestion for a route home and made my way towards DVNP. I knew I could make it into Panamint Springs with my gas load, I hoped I could make it to Stovepipe Wells. Tunes cranked and snacks out, I made it to Stovepipe no issue. I almost thought about pushing to Beatty, but the Jeep gods were watching out for me. At the pump I noticed a shiny inside left tire and then watched as gear oil rapidly leaked out past the seal. Incredibly a little less than 2 years ago the right side completely ate it's wheel bearing on our way back to Stovepipe Wells Campground from running the Pleasant Canyon/South Park Canyon loop. But that was a January day and we had our RV with us and this was 105 degrees and I was alone. Then I remembered that ABS light on the trail for no reason. I had an ABS light the week before and installed a new sensor on that left side. 18 months ago as we explored different parts of DVNP from our Stovepipe Wells campsite the ABS light would come and ago until Ballarat. Leaving there after airing up it just stayed on. Turns out that's a pretty good sign the tone ring is hitting the sensor because the wheel bearing is toast.
So there I was, hot, tired, cranky and broke down in Stovepipe Wells. AGAIN. I managed to get a call out to AAA and they started working on finding a rollback. I went to find AC and something to eat. An hour or so later they called back to say they were having problems finding someone to come out. I got a second call off to Wild Bill to see if he was in the area, but he wasn't. That's when he told me Boiler Canyon was no biggie. After that, my phone refused to make outgoing calls, though I could receive calls, make texts and oddly use Facebook. How we survived on 3g, I'll never understand. My wife took over dealing with AAA and she hounded them relentlessly. A tow company was finally assigned, but they didn't receive whatever email/paperwork/blessing they needed to actually roll. My wife stayed after AAA and finally a little after 10 pm, 5+ hours after filling up and finding gear oil puddled up, the rollback was there. The driver was completely professional and an overall nice guy. He got it loaded up and we made the 3 hour trip in just under 5. I guess a tow truck with a 6200 pound Jeep on it's back is slower than the actual Jeep. I shoved it in the garage until this afternoon when I tore it apart, discovered it was another wheel bearing so I needed to pull the other side apart and pull the center section to clean. Ten cans of brake clean and a fresh bearing has it all ready to try again. Probably.
RE: Nelson Range/Salt Tram/Tow Truck - DAW89446 - 2024-05-31
Great trip report! Maybe those mice at the cabin ate your wheel bearing because they were pissed that you took the broom to them ...
