Itinerary

Proposed Itinerary as of 11/23/2014 (schedule subject to change**)

CB Channel Range: 14-18

These group runs offer a variety of activities including wheeling, sight seeing, places to get out & explore, optional short hikes, photo opportunities, etc. I'm not expecting any difficult or extremely technical obstacles, but have made notes as needed next to a couple of these.

Unless otherwise noted, plan on being gone until around 5 or 6pm for these runs. If y'all want to finish up earlier, let me know! Make sure you start out with a full tank of gas (extra isn't a bad idea but we didn't need to use our reserve fuel last year). Bring enough water, snacks, food/sack-lunch, etc. to hold you over until dinner time (plus the recommended extra "emergency" stash of food & water). Bring a bag with toilet paper, extra plastic bags & a shovel in case mother nature calls.

Please plan on arriving at the designated meeting location in time to top off your tanks, get snacks, drinks, ice, use the restroom, etc. The gas station in Study Butte/Terlingua also has a café and may be serving breakfast. If you get there early & see my truck (red FJ with passenger side that has been kissed by trees) look for me in the café.

**The planned runs listed below may be adjusted if necessary. If there is a chance of icy roads, I will change the timing so that we finish in time to return to camp before the temps drop below freezing.

12/27 Saturday – 9:00 am to 9:30 am: Stop first at BBRSP Barton Warnock Visitors Center (29.269859, -103.755349) to buy park pass (get there early if you want to browse the store, buy books, maps, t-shirt, etc); then meet at the gas station down the street in Lajitas (55 Main St, Lajitas 79852) for 10:00 am departure
Destination - Big Bend Ranch State Park: Cerro de las Burras & additional roads/trails in park based on time left
Special Note - Out of all trails, this one has the highest chance of desert pin-striping, especially in wider vehicles...probably nothing that won't buff out though

12/28 Sunday – 8:15 am: Meet at gas station in Study Butte/Terlingua (Hwy 118 & 170) for 8:30 departure
Destination - Big Bend National Park: River Road West to East and Black Gap Rd (plus adjacent roads/sights)

12/29 Monday – 8:15 am: Meet at gas station in Study Butte/Terlingua (Hwy 118 & 170) for 8:30 departure
Destination - Christmas Mountain; Followed by either County Roads or Cerro de las Burras or Free Time
Special Note - I was informed by the property manager that not only is a high clearance 4WD required, but also a short wheelbase. This is due to recent rains that have led to some sections of road being blocked by boulders, making it dangerous for long wheel base vehicles to get around (since the road is very narrow and has a steep drop-off). If you are in a vehicle that is determined to have a wheelbase that is too long, you can still come but will need to park your truck outside the gate and ride with someone else to the top to see the views. It will be worth it.

12/30 Tuesday – 8:15 am: Meet at gas station in Study Butte/Terlinga (Hwy 118 & 170) for 8:30 departure
Destination - Big Bend National Park: Old Ore Rd & adjacent roads/sights including Ernst Tinaja

 

Attendees:

tlcntx (Tanya) + 1 (Tanya's dad, Tom)
Tanya's son, Chase(in a Tahoe)
Melanie (in a Jeep)
BlindWilly
texasnielsen + 1
Redeemed
PetitFrereArmada (Expo) +2
jediwebdude (A+ for effort!)
Tmill009 +1

 

RSVP list - updated 20140818

tngrlntx + 1

Take me off of the list. Someone had rather camp for New Years at Crystal Beach.

 

Subscribed.

Hopefully I can make this work.

 

'Bout time!!!
YAY!
Put my name on the list!

 

I just spent most of the day going through last years thread!
Glad it was a slow Monday around here.
3 spots y'all went to last year sound very intruiging:
Road to Nowhere
Christmas Mountain
Cerro De Las Burras

 

...
3 spots y'all went to last year sound very intruiging:
Road to Nowhere
Christmas Mountain
Cerro De Las Burras

Those are all trails I enjoyed enough to do again! . I'll make sure to provide details & coordinates for whichever trails don't make it onto the group run list

 

Checking in with the Admiral for approval now (actually, more like "are you joining me?")

(least ways that's the public version!)

 

I knew The Queen (And yes, I say that very lovingly, cuz she is my queen) Wasn't going to go. What I didn't expect was "Whatever you spend on YOUR vacation, I get to spend on MY vacation, or just on me"
pfffft... OK DEAL!!!

 

Big Bend is now requiring Bear resistant containers.
Here is a link to the superintendant park rules, etc.
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/parkmgmt/upload/2014-Superintendents-Compendium.pdf

 

Thanks for sharing the info . Luckily, we shouldn't be impacted by this unless someone in our group is planning to camp at Big Bend National Park. As far as I know, this isn't required at Big Bend Ranch State Park. However, it's probably not a bad idea to take that precaution wherever you camp if bears are known to frequent the area. BBNP has many more bear sightings than BBRSP. They both have mountain lions though - and they aren't all little like I used to think.

 

Oh yes, I think I mentioned this in one of the other treads but you might enjoy another forum if you aren't already on there.
BigBendChat - Enjoy over 1000 years of collective experience in Big Bend National Park

It seems like there are a lot of locals on that site.

 

Subscribed!!! Hoping I can go!


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

Do it!

 

Looks like I am a "go" for the December trip but will not be doing the October excursion (have a business trip competing with the same dates.).

What a great Christmas gift to myself. :grin

Will be texasnielsen +1

:clap::clap::clap:

 

Oh, gotcha.
Well you'll be there in spirit

 

Hey Tanya,
At the campsites in Rancho Topanga... do they each have a firepit?
It was sort of hard to tell from the photos at the campsites website.

I saw a portable charcoal grill on sale yesterday that I didn't get but found a cool "Griller" for the campfire on sale at kotulas.com
Bob-A-Que 360° Swivel Outdoor Grill | www.kotulas.com | Free Shipping
I figure it's lighter and easier to haul around than the cast iron "tail gate" grill I currently have.

 

There is at least one fire ring at each camping "area", not necessarily at each campsite pad.

 

I found a single burner at sams club last weekend but didn't get it.
Thanks for the offer
I'm just making sure I've got what i need without over thinking it, lol.

 

I did find the coleman stove this weekend. I'm going to dust it off and test it in the comming weeks and make sure it's up to snuff.

On a side note, I'll only be staying until the morning of the 31st.
My Wife doesn't want to spend NYE alone and since she's being such a great sport about me taking this trip, I'll be making it home in time to celebrate

I can't remember being so excited to go on a trip since I drove from DFW to Houston for Hurricane IKE!

 

sub'd

 

Are these actually "trails" or "roads" ? In other words, if I were to come down for this should I bring my FJ or my *ahem* big rig ? (crew cab long bed) Just curious how serious the wheeling is.

I'll see if I can work it in. No promises just yet. As I have trips in Oct and Nov already. Have been wanting to get to Big Bend for many moons.

 

It would be great to have you join us...whether it be this year or in the future.

There is a combination of dirt roads & trails, some of which simply require 4WD & high clearance. There are only 2 trails I've been on that might be an issue for the long bed...they have a little Black Bear Pass flavor, not as steep of a drop but enough to be concerned. The switchbacks aren't quite as tight but they are both narrow & have some washouts you have to squeeze by.

There's plenty of stuff you could do instead of those trails if you want...but they have some really nice views .

I'm going to ask Curtis to chime in as well to give input regarding some of the trails in the state park that I haven't been on yet since I'm strongly considering more of those this year.
@Old Sarge

 

I'll dig out my National Geographic map and maybe do some other research. Seems like there was a great write-up on Expo some time back.

Oh, looks like I found some light reading. The first report is the best.

Big Bend National Park: A week in the wilderness - Expedition Portal
Big Bend NP Jan 2013 - Expedition Portal
Big Bend Ranch State Park Trip - Oct 2013 - Expedition Portal
Big Bend National Park - Expedition Portal
Big Bend Country 2012 - Expedition Portal
Big Bend Nov2011 - Expedition Portal

 

Great Articles, thanks for posting them!

 

Thanks for sharing the articles Woodsman!

 

Big Bend in December, one of our family traditions!

For the past five years we've done a national park thing during the Christmas break, and I've done a Big Bend Ranch thing during the Thanksgiving break. All my desert pin striping has come from the state park.

It takes a while to make it from Terlingua to Sauceda Ranch and from there into Fresno canyon or wherever you go, will be additional time.

Were you thinking of going deep into the state park?

 

Nice! I'd love to go more than once a year! My vacation days are always stretched thin - otherwise, I'd also love to spend a couple of weeks in the area when I go.

This will be my 5th year to go. Last year was my first year to go in December. The first 3 years were during/after Thanksgiving week. I've only spent a few days total in BBRSP and would really like to see more of it - but since it's soooo spread out, camping somewhere centrally would be the most efficient (time & fuel) way to see more.

I'm still on the fence regarding whether or not this year will be the one that I spend most of my time in BBRSP.

So, can you answer Woodsman's question about the state park? I know his longbed truck would be fine on the trails in BBNP (Old Ore & Black Gap)...not sure about the un-maintained high clearance 4X4 roads in BBRSP though.

 

We just returned this weekend from BBSP. A week of Fj Camping. The park is really green at the moment with all of the rain out there. Roads are in pretty good shape.

The brush has grown a lot too. I tried something different this trip to protect the truck from desert pin stripping. PlastiDipped the sides. It worked great and peeled off easily. The white truck has White PlastiDip on it.

 

Great idea! A little too late for mine though

Great pics as well!

 

Looks like the Guale-2 site. Fantastic picture.

 

The last time I was in the Solitario was November of 2012. Since the whole park is an old collection of cattle ranches, there are steel water pipes all over the place. I don't recall having a problem in the Solitario but you certainly see the pipes sticking out here and there. It might be worth checking in with the park. Blaine Hall is the resident ranger/geologist.

 

Hey Tanya. True confessions. I'm a geologist. So affirmative on your question, I'm into rocks and minerals! :wave:

On the bears, funny you should say that. This July my wife and I bugged out of a campsite in CO because of bears, ya I know, a couple of cowards.

Speaking of glowing in the night, have you seen the Marfa lights?

 

Negative on the Marfa lights, although I hung out at the Marfa Lights Viewing Area for several hours hoping to see them, which was fun in itself somehow. :lol:

And wow! I've heard some of those bear stories from other campers too! That's probably why my spidey sense bear alert was on high alert .

If y'all are going to be in Big Bend between Christmas & New Years, I can show you where to find some Terlingua Calcite if you want. It phosphoresces the most beautiful blue! The ground around it has so many small pieces that one quick wave of the SW lamp & it looks like a blanket of shining blue stars!

 

Is it the end of December yet?!
I just purchased some more camping equipment this week.
I was lacking a good sleeping bag and I bought that funky grill for the fire pit that I had been looking at. They marked it down even more since the last time I looked.
I got a handheld Midland CB setup from Vegas Nick about a month ago. I've run the cable, but haven't tried the CB out as I don't have the SWR meter to tune it yet.
I ordered a snorkel on the pathfinder group buy, not sure if it'll be here in time and if it'll be installed by then.
I've also got a winchmount & winch for the stock bumper that I need to install. They are sitting in the garage waiting for me to get brave enough to attempt it.

Oh well, just thought I'd bump this thread again. I can't wait to go out west!

 

I have an swr meter and the hole saw for the snorkel install. You're welcome to borrow them anytime!