Since so many people have asked; Yes, we are doing a ghost town run in 2015! This year, it will be in conjunction with the Bodie After Sundown event on August 29th.
Estimated mileages:
AUGUST 28th
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Vegas to Hawthorne: 315
HOTEL
August 29th
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Hawthorne to Bridgeport: 35
Bridgeport to Bodie: 20
Bodie back to Bridgeport: 20
CAMP
August 30th
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Bridgeport to Keeler: 168
Keeler to Cero Gordo: 15
CAMP
August 31st
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Salt Tram Road: 33 miles
Keeler to Las Vegas: 218
All trails on this run are stock friendly. The salt tram road can be difficult but we have taken a fully stock rig through there with no issues. Depending on the weather, we'll have a few minor water crossings.
Meal wise, if you want to post up a date that you want to bring something for a main course, please do!
So right now it's shaping up to look like we will come up from Vegas through Goldfield and hot some ghost towns on the way to Hawthorne. We'll bed down at Hawthorne and get up and run to Masonic then set up a day camp in Briedgeport. On to Bodie for the nights events then run Bodie-Aurora-Hawthorne trail for a middle of the night visit to the Aurora cemetery before getting back to Hawthorne for the night.
would help if a brief description of the trails in terms of level of difficulty is added for the information of those who are first timer or quite new to off-roading but are interested to participate. thanks.
The trails are all stock friendly on this run. The salt tram road is stock doable but I certainly suggest armor. We ran it a few years ago with a bone stock rig in our group and she handled it with no issues.
There will be, depending on weather, a few minor creek crossings in and out of Bodie.
If I am still in Cali by the end of Aug, I would be interested in going. I went to Bodie a few years back on my KLR650 and it was a blast. I did go during the day, so a night run would be sweet.
So in my excitement for this trip, I've been poking around looking for info on the various places we will visit and just random ghost towns in general. Found this great site, covers many of the ghost towns in Nevada and California. Great part is that the write ups are all written from the dogs point of view, love it. Some great info and possible resource for a future run!
Any thoughts or suggestions on supplies? Anything from the last run you wish you had brought but didn't etc? Will we need fuel cans for this run? Have a Baja EXP so I only have a small amount of open rack up front since the RTT is on the back of it. Was either putting the RotoPax up there, or if not required, was going to put firewood there that Id purchase in Vegas. Wishing I had a fridge right about now....but based on the map it looks like we are going to be near some places we may be able to get things (ice) at; one cannot have warm beer in the desert!
Thoughts on this or other gear/items to bring? Coming from So Cal so I am trying to pack light at home, and grab goods in Vegas. Coming out Thursday night, any idea on departure time on Friday?
We tend to do ok on firewood. I'd try to bring 5 gallons of gas just as a buffer. Gas near Bodie last year was almost $7 a gallon. We made it back into Hawthorne with some gas to spare but I always feel safer having extra. We will pretty much always be near supplies. Meet at the Lowes at Durnago and 95 (El Capitan Blvd) at 0800. Hope to roll out by 0900.
Anyone interested in camping on Friday instead of a hotel stay? Looking at staying at Twenty-Mile Beach on Walker Lake. Its about 20 minutes north of Hawthorne, and you can actually camp lake side.
From the BLM Website: Walker Lake is 15 miles north of Hawthorne on U.S. 95. Sportsman’s Beach offers 40 sites, tables, vault toilets, fire rings, and a boat launch. Other sites along the lake include: The Cove-camping; Twenty-Mile Beach-camping, fishing and boating; Tamarack-camping, day use and boating; East Shore-camping, day use and boating. Fees: $6 per night for developed sites; $4 per night for undeveloped sites.
Hope to do a little night fishing and then meet the group back in Hawthorn for our westbound journey into Bridgeport.
JunglistFJ I may be out there camping. I will be coming down from Sactown and havent decided to hole up in town or stay out at the lake. I will look for any FJ's at the lake when I get down there. I may be over on the east side of the lake until after sundown doing photography.
Hey Frank,
Sounds good, we will either be at 20 Mile or State Beach which is closer to Hawthorne. I will post the final spot before the trip. I am in a black diamond FJ with a RTT on a Baja Rack. I will have a few buddies in the rig with me, plan on staying on the beach and casting a few lines out.
Looks like it is west of where we will be on the California side, south of Bridgeport. Checked InciWeb and it looks like we are in the clear at Walker Lake, NV but depending on status, it may present a challenge on our southbound route to Cerro Gordo. My bet is that we will be all good by the time we are in that area.
Figured it out, there is a Walker Lake, CA and a Walker Lake, NV.
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