+- Death Valley (https://dv.netllama.us/dv)
+-- Forum: Death Valley (https://dv.netllama.us/dv/forum-1.html)
+--- Forum: Upcoming Trips (https://dv.netllama.us/dv/forum-10.html)
+--- Thread: Headed to Ibex (/thread-26422.html)
Headed to Ibex - VintageDUG - 2025-01-24
It's still too cold for another trip I wanted to do, so looking over Gaia I noticed a cluster of mines and mine camps in the Ibex zone that I've never been to. One of them has a cool old dump truck and there's neat stuff sprinkled all over. Oh and there's one site I need to hike 6-7 miles R/T for. It is pretty well preserved and hasn't made it's way to the interwebs too much. I think it's in one You Tube video and on one website, so that isn't really too out there. Gonna take my trusty just repaired Rubicon because it's bigger (and I can sleep inside) than my trusty just repaired JK Willys.
Just Empty Every Pocket is real.
RE: Headed to Ibex - Beardilocks - 2025-01-24
If you have cell and need anything, let me know. I’m in the park.
Good luck with cold front/rain/snow the next couple of day.
RE: Headed to Ibex - TacoLand - 2025-01-25
Ooohhh .... report back if you don't mind. I've spent minimal time in that zone and when I tried to check it out again last February Harry Wade Road & the areas around Saratoga Springs were flooded out pretty bad / impassible. Not really sure what I'm looking for down there other than wanting to see some old mining stuff, but seems like a good and remote place to poke around.
RE: Headed to Ibex - VintageDUG - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-24, 11:38 PM)Beardilocks Wrote: If you have cell and need anything, let me know. I’m in the park.
Good luck with cold front/rain/snow the next couple of day.
Will do. I always have high speed internet at camp. Cold I can handle. I don't expect snow down as low as I'll be, but I won't like rain. Good news is I'm retired, so if the weather sucks, I'll come back another time.
RE: Headed to Ibex - VintageDUG - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-25, 09:02 AM)TacoLand Wrote: Ooohhh .... report back if you don't mind. I've spent minimal time in that zone and when I tried to check it out again last February Harry Wade Road & the areas around Saratoga Springs were flooded out pretty bad / impassible. Not really sure what I'm looking for down there other than wanting to see some old mining stuff, but seems like a good and remote place to poke around.
I'll post up what I find. Google Earth has a fresh (12/2024) view of the area and I was able to correct some of my hiking route using it. The road may be gone or nearly gone to my camp spot/hike starting spot. I saw a video from three years ago where someone parked 1/2 way in because the road was gone, but I saw another from 2 years ago with a Jeep parked next to the cabin I'm trying to reach.
If I can't get all the way to my desired spot it won't change much. Instead of approaching the canyon directly from the west, I'll have to come in northeast. Might add a 1/2 mile. The first 1/3 or so of the hike is just wandering through the desert, aiming for the old road. That road climbs up on a ridge and is still clearly visible on GE.
RE: Headed to Ibex - DeathValleyDazed - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-25, 11:12 AM)VintageDUG Wrote: I always have high speed internet at camp. Cold I can handle. I don't expect snow down as low as I'll be, but I won't like rain. Good news is I'm retired, so if the weather sucks, I'll come back another time.Very cool, VintageDUG! May I assume this is Starlink?
I'm way behind in wilderness tech advances so can you or anyone else add comments on new tech and developments?
Sat phones, emergency locators, etc?
RE: Headed to Ibex - VintageDUG - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-25, 12:30 PM)DeathValleyDazed Wrote:(2025-01-25, 11:12 AM)VintageDUG Wrote: I always have high speed internet at camp. Cold I can handle. I don't expect snow down as low as I'll be, but I won't like rain. Good news is I'm retired, so if the weather sucks, I'll come back another time.Very cool, VintageDUG! May I assume this is Starlink?
I'm way behind in wilderness tech advances so can you or anyone else add comments on new tech and developments?
Sat phones, emergency locators, etc?
Yes, I pack Starlink along most trips. A few times I've used it during the day to check the weather, re-do a route, or research a broken Jeep. Mainly I set it up at night so I can call home. My bigger Jeep has a dual battery system so I can run Starlink via a cheap inverter without fear of killing the starting battery. With my mostly stock Rubicon I take one of my many battery systems (most are Anker systems) that range from 300 watts all the way to could power my entire RV. The smaller systems can be recharged while driving during the day, the bigger systems will never charge all the way back up with just the 12 volt cord. I've thought about a DC-DC charge system, but haven't gotten very far with it. I'll usually take the bigger battery when I'm also running a fridge. I have a Garmin InReach on a dash mount for each Jeep. It's very secure so even if I roll over I can still reach up and push the SOS button. I take it with me whenever I leave the Jeep for any reason. I have dash mounts for the iPhone and have used the message via satellite feature on it with decent success. I also have an iPad Mini dash mounted on each Jeep. Usually the iPhone takes care of pavement navigation via Waze and then the iPad takes over on the dirt with Gaia. The iPhone also is my main camera, though I do have several mounts for DJI Action cameras (Go Pro clone) and I have an assortment of drones I can bring depending on where I'm going. Though I have two Jeeps, I don't have two of everything else. All the tech, tools, recovery gear, etc gets moved between Jeeps. The bigger Jeep has a hard wired Ham Radio and I'm licensed for it, but I barely know how to use it. I have several handheld ham/GMRS radios that I use on Jeep runs, that I also sent the check to get licensed for. And for Easter Jeep Safari I still have a handheld CB radio. 99 percent of what I do is solo rig and most of the time I'm solo person as well. My grandkids all know where the spare Jeep key is, how to use my messaging apps and where the survival backpack is kept. They have been told that if anything happens to me, the safest place is probably back at the Jeep.
RE: Headed to Ibex - DeathValleyDazed - 2025-01-25
Wow, I wish my iPhone hot spot could reach you anywhere inside DEVA so I could mooch off of your fabulous set ups. Being lazy and with limited funds I rent from Farabees when going rough road. I used to say, "If I can see it, I can hike to it." These old bones are starting to differ with that opinion. lol
RE: Headed to Ibex - VintageDUG - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-25, 03:05 PM)DeathValleyDazed Wrote: Wow, I wish my iPhone hot spot could reach you anywhere inside DEVA so I could mooch off of your fabulous set ups. Being lazy and with limited funds I rent from Farabees when going rough road. I used to say, "If I can see it, I can hike to it." These old bones are starting to differ with that opinion. lol
I used to be an extreme day hiker. Mt Whitney the standard route was usually pretty early in the season since it was so easy. Cactus to Clouds to Cactus, Rim to Rim to Rim and so many other stupid hikes. Now I get as close as legally possible with the Jeep. We were close to some of Shorty Lovelace's cabins back in the day but didn't stop to explore because it might have taken ten minutes. Our only goal then was miles and gain. We even set up and ran our own 1/2 marathon into Badwater. Twice. I wish I would have used some of that energy to explore Beveridge or the many other places I'll never get to now.
RE: Headed to Ibex - MojaveGeek - 2025-01-25
(2025-01-25, 03:18 PM)VintageDUG Wrote: I used to be an extreme day hiker. Mt Whitney the standard route was usually pretty early in the season since it was so easy. Cactus to Clouds to Cactus, Rim to Rim to Rim and so many other stupid hikes
That's some pretty serious stuff. I hear you though about "used to" being a tough day hiker. Cactus to Clouds is way beyond my ability these days, but I think back to the Mahogany Flats to Panamint City traverse I did years ago (NOT in a day, though) every time I see the Panamints.
This summer I did a 15 mile hike with 4K feet of gain, 12 miles on excellent trail (Rainier) and the rest across open meadow, easy walking. That's pretty much my limit. But, I can wake up pretty early and have another big day the next day, which says something. Most of my days are much less than that, and going off trail is a big multiplier of time