Description
I have had to change the trip due to fire closures of Monache Meadows and Sherman Pass road
Friday, Meet up at Kramer Junction (or closer to home, if everyone wants). After optional breakfast, we head to Big Pine, gas up, and start up Big Pine Death Valley Road. We exit pavement on 36E404/Mazourka Canyon Road. We will wander around the Squw Flat/Papoose flat area, at about 8000 feet, so the weather will be nice. I think that there are a number of old mines to explore in this area. We can find a nice place to camp and spend the night.
Saturday, we head down Mazourka Canyon Road to Independance. We are on pavement for about 30 miles. Just past Lone Pine, we take Highwayy 136 around Owens Lake, to Swansea. From there, we head up Swansea-Cerro Gordo Road. We can explore the Burgess Mine area, and then head along the ridge to the Salt Tram. We can either spend the ight near there, or continue halfway to Cerra Gordo to a noce camping area I have stayed at before.
Sunday morning, we can visit the Cerro Gordo ghost town, before heading down the very quick and easy Cerro Gordo road back to pavement in Keeler. Then it's a short drive on pavement to Olancha, and then down 395 back to home.
Location
Rendezvous @ Kramer Junction Roadhouse
We should plan to leave the Roadhouse about 9am. If you want to have breakfast there, arrive early. If not, sleep in a little.
Take hwy 395 to Kramer Junction (Intersection of 395 and Highway 58). The Roadhouse restaurant is on the right, just before the gast station and the stop light.