Trona Pinnacles Gathering 11/10-11/13 2011

[dperez]

I am planning on going up to the Trona Pinnacles on 11/10 thru 11/13. As far as accomodations, camping is primitive, motels are in nearby Ridgecrest, CA.

We'll meet at the Pizza Factory in Ridgecrest on Friday 11/11/2011 at 7:00PM.
(1601 N. Triangle Drive, Ridgecrest, CA 93555)

Here's some info if anyone is interested but not familair with the area:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/trona.html

[Map of the Area (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Trona+Pinnacles,+San+Bernardino,+California&hl=en&ll=35.662317,-117.521439&spn=0.37824,0.86998&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.898798,77.871094&vpsrc=6&geocode=Fch7HwId0xoB-Q&hnear=Trona+Pinnacles&t=m&z=11)]

-Daniel Perez

[BrianShaw]

Hi, I haven't been there in almost 25 years. I seem to remember the road being rough (and I think that caused one of my tires to get a separated belt). Do you know if the road is OK for street cars?

That place is site of one of my more fun photography expeditions!

[Kevin Crisp]

Generally the road is fine for passenger cars, so long as it hasn't rained and turned the middle stretch into gumbo. Don't stop if you hit a sandy patch, keep moving.

[dperez]

Brian,

I'm not sure what the condition of the road will be at that time, but the BLM site mentions that crossing the washes between the main pinnacle group could be a problem for non-4x4 vehicles. Other than that, the BLM does not require 4x4 vehicles for the roads in the Pinnacles area.

I'll more than likely go up there ahead of time just to be sure and I'll report back on the condition of the roads.

-DP


Hi, I haven't been there in almost 25 years. I seem to remember the road being rough (and I think that caused one of my tires to get a separated belt). Do you know if the road is OK for street cars?

That place is site of one of my more fun photography expeditions!

[dperez]

This gathering is canceled due to the impending storms this weekend. Yosemite might be a better bet.

[gary892]

I visited the Trona Pinnacles On October 21, 2011. The dirt road leading to the Pinnacles was not that good. It is a distance of five miles, from the paved road, and it took 30 minutes in an SUV to get there. There are washes, soft sand and as someone already said keep moving. As one approaches the Pinnacles there is a section of sharp rocks one has to drive over and I was lucky to not have tire damage. The road is a washboard road and finding the correct speed was sometimes tough.

I had never visited the Pinnacles before and now that I have seen them, I have no desire to return. Having been raised in a small town in the desert might have something to do with my opinion.

If you do visit the Trona Pinnacles, make sure your vehicle is in good mechanical shape, you have food and water and some way to get help if you need it.

There are primitive toilets (Pit Toilets) at the site. There are no services that I could find in the town of Trona. One needs to drive to Ridgecrest for services, and if I remember it's about a 9 mile drive.

My two cents.

Gary

[Kevin Crisp]

I am glad to hear this trip has been postponed. We had some rain last weekend and more is coming. There is a section of the dirt road to the Pinnacles that can easily get gummy and slippery. You'd be driving through thick alkali mud and it would be easy to get stuck there even with AT tires and 4X4.

[dperez]

Dakotah,

I agree totally with what you are saying. I canceled the gathering mainly because I wouldn't want to be responsible if somebody came out and they were not prepared for the road conditions. If I'm going out there alone, then yes I'm gonna be there when the weather is more dynamic. But for a photo gathering, and my first attempt at organizing one, I figure I'll go for some clouds in the sky without the rain.

I just think there are better places to be during a storm, like Yosemite for example. That's where I am heading to instead.

Take care,

-DP


The Trona Pinnacles are a great location for some good images. If you can't get something good there you are too tired or need an infusion of vision.
So the road is bumpy and soft and has rocks... nothing prevents you from walking a bit.
So storms are predicted, you don't get photos of great clouds and clearing storms unless you are on site when it happens.
The area is easy to get to but not for those who want all the comforts of the beehive and living room which helps keep it nice for those willing to get out and search a bit.

It is worth the trip if you are at all creative.

[dperez]

Ya... I don't think I want to roll out there with my Honda Fit! I helped a guy a few weeks ago who got stuck on a dry sandy road with a Ford SUV. My littile Fit wouldn't stand a chance.

I'll settle for driving to Yosemite with chains.

-DP


I am glad to hear this trip has been postponed. We had some rain last weekend and more is coming. There is a section of the dirt road to the Pinnacles that can easily get gummy and slippery. You'd be driving through thick alkali mud and it would be easy to get stuck there even with AT tires and 4X4.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Ya... I don't think I want to roll out there with my Honda Fit! I helped a guy a few weeks ago who got stuck on a dry sandy road with a Ford SUV. My littile Fit wouldn't stand a chance.

I'll settle for driving to Yosemite with chains.

-DP

That is what I'm doing!!!

[dperez]

Dakotah,

Were you able to get any good shots on that Death Valley trip that you had to dig your way out of? I know exactly what you mean. I used to live in Flagstaff and sometimes when the weather got bad it seemed like I had all of northern Arizona to myself.

Where are you located?

-DP



dperez, I'll go with what you said. Have spent a lot of time in some of those areas and never seen a soul because 'bad weather' was forcast. Did take two days to dig out at The Racetrack one winter after a good storm washed out the road. Had to pile rocks for a day and a half to make a bridge to drive across before I could get out. Another time I came out from there in the snow and had one set of tire tracks leading to my vehicle at the road blockade managed by a Park Ranger who insisted I could not have come from there. My tire tracks, our footprints in the snow... where else could I have come from?

Some great foul weather photos in odd locations make for good trips and uncrowded locations.

Enjoy Yosemite. We are hoping for some snow here. A skiff of half inch yesterday and with winter on the way the next few snows should stick. Hope so as it will be getting cold soon. Last night was 16 degrees and we are waiting for Winter to come. Good windy snow conditions make for some nice photos tho they do have me shooting with the smaller cameras as setting up an 8x10 in 30mph+ winds and blowing snow doesn't work too well. With a windbreak or some protection it is doable but at 20 below zero taking a half hour to set up a windbreak doesn't work too well for me these days. So, gear to match the winter extremes.

[Jim Graves]

Well, here's a photo from the webcam titled Sentinel in Yosemite from Nov. 4. This should get your juices flowing ... pretty nice! Looks like it may not be quite cold enough for snow, though, for this weekend ... but should be some good clouds.

http://home.comcast.net/~mary.j.graves/sentinel.jpg

[Kevin Crisp]

You can't print that screen shot without a permit.

[Jim Graves]

You can't print that screen shot without a permit.

You talkin' to me?