Southern California Club Xterra
Southern California Club Xterra => SCCX Xcursion Pictures => Topic started by: Paul on September 05, 2010, 10:27:53 PM
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Day one's track covered portions of the Saline Valley, Cerro Gordo, and Swansea trails.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/TravelMap.gif)
The changes in elevation were dramatic and there were several very steep sections one of which consisted of loose chalk-line stones several feet deep. Even walking on these stones were difficult and one truck ended up stuck with one wheel about 25-30 inches deep off the road. About an hour of tugging and winching got the truck back on the road.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/TravelProfile.gif)
Four trucks all campers came out - Paul and Noon, Kyle and Cutter (the dog), Ed and sons, and Scott and Camile.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea01.jpg)
The views from Saline Valley of the "back side" of the Cerro Gordo and the New York Peak were nice.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea02.jpg)
Ed "Rexterra" trying to figure out some mystery mining action.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea03.jpg)
One on the many abandoned or inactive mine camps near Cerro Gordo
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea04.jpg)
A truck that had seen better times.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea05.jpg)
The private town of Cerro Gordo
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea06.jpg)
The American Hotel which was featured in Ghost Hunters.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea07.jpg)
A thief, a bear, a lover of back scratches, Cutter!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea08.jpg)
The salt tram and some close-up details. There is some restoration work on-going.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea09.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea10.jpg)
That's 1904 ... not 2004!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea11.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea12.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea20.jpg)
Nice pose.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea13.jpg)
The camp site at +9000 feet. The views in both directions, down into the Saline or Owen's valleys were amazing. The campers sat around watching shooting stars and telling UFO stories!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea14.jpg)
Come morning we had to back-track to our winching point to recover some left-behind gear so we got another ride down that "wonderful" shelf road with miles of off-camber action.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea15.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea16.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea17.jpg)
Down within 100 yards of the highway were many petroglyphs.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea18.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Swansea19.jpg)
Looking at the log book from the Burgess Mine we signed in and then I turned back just a handful of pages and nailed our visit from three years ago on the first shot.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/Aug212007Page.jpg)
Had some fun shooting the textures of the Burgess Mine office both before and after sunset.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/BurgessMineSunset.jpg)
Some Milky Way action
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/BurgessMineMilkyWay02.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/BurgessMineMilkyWay.jpg)
And a haunted lantern from inside and the Big Dipper.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/BurgessMineLantern.jpg)
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And here's a panorama from the salt tram looking eastwards toward the Saline Valley
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-9%20Aug%202010%20Cerro%20Gordo-Swansea/SaltTramPanorama.jpg)
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Very cool Paul. Sad I missed it.
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Great pictures Paul. Looks like you guys had a good time.
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Great pics as always Paul! Love the nights shots!
Just a couple of questions:
1) You mentioned Ghost Hunters in the American Hotel... the lady at the front porch... an apparition or the front desk/concierge? ;D
2) Any winching and off-camber pics? Would love to see those!
Thanks for sharing Paul!
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We had a great time, thanks to Paul for putting the run together. Should have taken a picture of the new sticker on Kyles bumper for winching me out of the rocks (shouldn't have backed up-down the trail). Here are a few shots.
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What a great trip! ;D it was my very first with SCCX! Paul was a great leader and had a very nice copilot! Every one else were great people!!
To the pics...I have the recovery pics... :P
This would be my view for the next 2 days...
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXbpfWtTpI/AAAAAAAAZls/84VyPl9g4jo/s720/015.JPG)
Air down...
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXbqhVFA7I/AAAAAAAAZls/7FqHJ5n2Kps/s720/016.JPG)
The start of the shelf road
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXfIbI2aqI/AAAAAAAAZls/AHUMnYdwmEw/s720/060.JPG)
What a knight Armor X looks like after being the tail for two days...
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXdZ4_7MVI/AAAAAAAAZls/Lrnz05JiDts/s720/101.JPG)
RECOVERY!!!
Attempt one...We were hoping I could just pull him up with the rear locked...but toooooo much hill and loose rock...
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXcuYbCu2I/AAAAAAAAZls/q8Ej-QCyjcI/s720/061.JPG)
Attempt 2...We attached a snatch block to his Front recovery point...brought the hook back to my bumper and i placed myself in the holes i dug by trying to pull him up hill. It went smooth with guidance from the BOSS paul. But in my stupidity/My recovery high i forgot the snatch block and shackle...
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXczer9fdI/AAAAAAAAZls/umVpSxxRJLo/s720/065.JPG)
Cutter is my copilot...
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Nqhsc6dwvBY/TIXfX6buUmI/AAAAAAAAZls/ihKLy6TyaqY/s720/074.JPG)
Here is my album, feel free to look at it!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/kylehasafiretruck/SwanseaCerroGordo20100906?authkey=Gv1sRgCIP405vl5sz1zwE#
Great trip and Paul has convinced me to go be a HAM tech... Sweet! And I am also now badged..SCCX!!
Ahh sweet I almost forgot, I get to stake claim to possibly one of the few or only SCCX winch recovery??
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I've been on 24-30 trips since 2006 and there hasn't been a winch out on those trips. For the First Generation era I heard told of some "extreme" rescues or attempted rescues.
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Looks like a fun trip. Did you guys actually make it into Saline Valley? From the route shot it looks like you just came up the back side of Cerro Gordo from Lee Flat. That's a fun drive up through the P/J transition zone.
Paul, diggin' the Saline panorama shot...you can actually see the Bat Rock Rd/Hot Springs area and up into Steele Pass. Nicely done.
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Looks like a really great trip, nice run reports by all along with the photo series.
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Looks like you had a great time. I take it that shelf road was kind of slippery with all that loose stone?
Great pictures too. Kyle, you've got some nice shots in your gallery as well. Paul's shot of Cutter with those white eyes makes him look almost possessed.
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Very nicely done ;D always great to see another Beautiful run!
Want to go back and hit some trails around bishop (Sand Cyn, Bristlecone Pines, out Silver Cyn) for some fall colors like part of route we did back in 9/07 with these.
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Hey guys,
It was great meeting everyone Sat morning in Lone Pine, sorry we were not up for the trip! Paul appears to be a very capable leader, glad it was such a good weekend run weather wise. Had a few snow flurries up there yesterday....
There is a fantastic run out of Bishop, going over the northern Whites into Nevada and back. Lot's of fall colors, mining and wild horses too! Also may see Antelope, one never knows.
I have done it 4 times now, it never gets old!!
Juat a thought....
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Want to go back and hit some trails around bishop (Sand Cyn, Bristlecone Pines, out Silver Cyn) for some fall colors like part of route we did back in 9/07 with these.
Yes, of course!
I've got some scheduled classes this fall but if I'm not out-of-town I'm good-to-go.
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It was a great trip and would run with Paul, Noon and all the others anytime! Thank you so much for inviting me/us and hope to see everyone out there soon. Did someone say Mojave Road run??? :D
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Ahh sweet I almost forgot, I get to stake claim to possibly one of the few or only SCCX winch recovery??
I've winched a couple guys but haven't posted as to not make them feel bad
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Winching happens. Not a big deal.
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Well, Oz I posted Becuase we all seemed to be great buds on the trip and it was a moment of excitment and adventure...
I have been winched before, i have had to winch myself, and I never felt bad.....
Yah i get razed and its a funny moment. But its not a big deal... at least to me...
Im sorry if i hurt any ones feelings. it was not ment that way at all...
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Oh don't get me wrong - I hope I didn't infer that you shouldn't post that. I was just saying that I don't do it so the 'recoveree' dosnt feel like I'm razzing them. I've taking a strap before too.
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I think it was the SXR's run - SILVER XTERRA RUN to Cerro Gordo.
Mark
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mark...and one Knight Armor....who was in back the whole time... lol
Oz it is ok, I just really want to make sure no feelings were hurt.
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Nothing against the wincher or the winchee, but I LOVE seeing winching pics! Just as much as water crossings and other extreme condition shots.
As rare as these recovery tools are used, as noted by Paul, it's one of those things that you "don't really use all the time but good to have" kind of tool, especially for the outdoor off-road adventure we do.
I think the pictures are a good learning tool also, not just for proper winching techniques, but also to get a good idea of the seriousness of the terrain in case one may venture out there... off the beaten path.
I wish I can post some winching pics myself... but so far, the Warn winch I've been meaning to install is still in the box. Just have to find the time or weekend to install it.
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Oh a winch fetish!
Most times a tug rope will work and we tried one but since Kyle was forced to tug up-hill over some very loose rocks with no firm bottom and Scott was hanging the rear right wheel way over he couldn't get enough traction to get out and Kyle couldn't get enough more than to keep his truck moving alone. We dug and dug and that still didn't help. We tried to set up a yoke and a pulley to split the load to both sides of Scotts truck but had to go with one side and the pulley. About ten minutes (they're slow) of winching and moving Kyle's truck up the trail a bit and Scott was free.
We can set up a demo of proper/safe methods if anyone is interested. I practiced with a dead bug (VW) in the hills above my house pulling the thing out of a gulley and they dropping it back end for another run at it. I've also done self-recovery from the near-by school parking lot.
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Paul that is a great idea!!!
I think a lot of people don't really practice winching until well u need to be winched! Haha
It might be an idea to possibly cover other recovery methods... the strap, higlift, good winch anchors, self recovery??
Id definetly be down for a day like that?
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What a great idea Paul!!!
I've heard of 4WD clubs doing basic winching techniques and classes and I thought this would be a great opportunity for fellow SCCX members if we can all get together, talk about self-recovery topics and practice on some basic winching skills such as:
1) Properly strapped on a tree (with a tree saver strap and a snatch block)
2) Attached to another truck through a shackle or bumper
3) On sand (with a pull-pal, sand ladders, etc.)
4) Steel wire vs Synthetic rope | Roller fairlead vs Hawse fairlead
5) And most importantly... safe winching techniques.
Perhaps we can schedule our very first SCCX Self Recovery Xcursion during a trail run (or just a plain winch clinic). We can discuss other self recovery tools, winch preference (hydraulic vs mechanical) and all other extreme conditions gear.
Sign me up!
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I'm going to come just to get stuck so you guys can get your winching fix and when I get my own winch you guys can get stuck for me.