2 New Johnson Valley Trails: Crowbar and Shaft Canyon

[TurtleTruck]

These trails are in the Soggy Dry Lake area, in the Fry Mountains. Both trails are about equal to Aftershock in difficulty if the easiest route is taken (except for the waterfall entrance to Crowbar, which has only been winched, so far)... there are plenty of alternate lines to play on.

Crowbar
First run 4/23/05 (during the 05 Jambo)

The dramatic entrance to Crowbar is a 12' - 15' very steep, very slick (water worn smooth) waterfall. I am sure that someone will drive it (and earn the right to name it) someday, but for now it has only been winched.

It is steeper than it looks in this picture.

http://www.spinninfours.com/trips/fry2_19_05/images/DSCN5735.JPG


This well built Sammy buggy with Toyota axles gave up after several tries. There was NO traction on the slick rock.

http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5295.jpg


The first ascent was me on the winch.

http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5297.jpg


This was a tight spot for the Toyotas. You can see where we used a crowbar to pry a large rock off of the wall near the passenger side door. This rock would have taken out my A pillar and gave the trail its name, Crowbar.

http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5327.jpg


The canyon is tight and twisty, even for Sammys and Jeeps.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5323.jpg


The canyon is different from the Hammer trails... many of the rocks are set in sand like a Japanese rock garden... you pull up to it with your rear tires and just dig in. This makes some obstacles that look straight forward, much more difficult.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5358.jpg


Nice flex, full size axles...
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/images/IMG_5362.jpg


Continues on next post...

[TurtleTruck]

Continued...

The last major obstacle before the bail out.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar05_05/images/DSCN7304.JPG


It is tight, even for a Sammy.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar05_05/images/DSCN7306.JPG


Glad that I took off the top!
http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar05_05/images/DSCN7269.JPG


Above this point there are no tracks, not even Motorcycle tracks.
http://www.spinninfours.com/trips/fry2_19_05/images/DSCN5805.JPG


The upper canyon is going to take a lot of work to allow anything but a buggy to pass (anyone know of a club that has mostly buggies?)
http://www.spinninfours.com/trips/fry2_19_05/images/DSCN5812.JPG


Hammer time!
http://www.spinninfours.com/trips/fry2_19_05/images/fry%20pano%202.JPG


2 galleries with more pics are here:

-First trip, up to the 1st bail out, 4/23/05:

http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/index.htm

-Second trip, in the 1st bail out, finish the lower canyon, and out the upper bail out, 5/21/05:

http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar05_05/index.html

Next post: Shaft Canyon

[ December 02, 2005, 16:22: Message edited by: TurtleTruck ]

[Desert Jeepin]

Nice!

[JeepRecoveryTeam]

When do you want to go back out Mark?

[TurtleTruck]

Shaft Canyon

This trail is similar to Crowbar, but shorter. I thought it was easier, but others thought it was harder... This canyon is named for a vertical mine shaft located half way up, near the end of the main trail.

We bypassed the lower canyon. It is another dramatic entrance, this time with a rocky notch that has the potential to take out a lot of sheet metal.

We probed the lower canyon entrance last spring and decided to bypass it and drop into the main canyon a few hundred yards above.

Here Vince probes the lower canyon (last spring) and then goes back down (it was an exploration trip).
http://spinninfours.com/upload/DSCN5961.JPG

http://spinninfours.com/upload/DSCN5962.JPG

http://spinninfours.com/upload/DSCN5982.JPG


Now for the 10/22/05 trip: We bypassed the extreme hardcore lower canyon and dropped into the canyon.

This is the first obstacle.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/12hotrod_climb.JPG


The Buggy tried this slot, but didn't fit.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/DSCN8175.JPG


A Sammy did fit, and make it!
http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/15Fred_in_it.JPG

http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/DSCN8181.JPG


Continued in next post...

[TurtleTruck]

Continued...

Some fun ledges and climbs.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/DSCN8197.JPG

http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/DSCN8203.JPG


This notch is the crux of the route, and the last difficult spot before the moderate Cross Mountain Route drops into the canyon at the vertical mine shaft.
http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/DSCN8245.JPG

http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/images/24hotrod_pucker_line.JPG


A gallery of all pictures is here (note that they are not in order):

http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/index.html


And now... for some maps!

First, a close in view of the trails and access routes:

http://spinninfours.com/upload/FryMtnTrails1sm.JPG

Click here (http://spinninfours.com/upload/FryMtnTrails1.JPG) for a full res version of this map (363k), suitable for printing.


Next, a larger view, showing the trail's proximity to Soggy Dry Lake:

http://spinninfours.com/upload/FryMtnTrails2sm.JPG

Click here (http://spinninfours.com/upload/FryMtnTrails2.JPG) for a full res version of this map (719k), suitable for printing.

This is a good dirt road route from Means Dry Lake to Soggy Dry Lake: 13.5 miles and 30 minutes driving time with speeds varying from 10 mph on the worst whoops to 55 mph on the smooth sections. Your driving time may vary, but I think most rigs could make the trip in 30 minutes (or less!). The trails are another 10 minutes past the lakebed.
http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/means_to_soggy_sm.JPG

Click here (http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/means_to_soggy.JPG) for a larger version of this map (782k), suitable for printing.

If anyone does these trails, please let me know what you think...

If you would like me to guide you or show you where they are, let me know and I will try to accommodate.

My next certain trip to Johnson Valley will be New Years.

[ December 26, 2005, 04:56: Message edited by: TurtleTruck ]

[TurtleTruck]

Originally posted by JeepRecoveryTeam:
When do you want to go back out Mark? New Years for sure... before that I am busy with family stuff, but may be able to make it out for a day trip...

I just checked my calendar and I am booked solid between now and New Years...

[ December 02, 2005, 18:10: Message edited by: TurtleTruck ]

[TurtleTruck]

By the way, this is the first public announcement I have made of these trails (other than on my club's BB, which doesn't have much traffic)...

Some info got out on the Marlin Crawler board, but I wanted to officially announce them here first, out of respect and appreciation for the kindness you folks have shown me.

[Mustard Dog]

Great report, and great trails Mark, can't wait to check them out.

Thanks alot ;)

[Air Ride]

great pics, very cool

[TurtleTruck]

I will add this information as well:

Recommendations

I would say that Crowbar is too tight for full sized rigs. An Early Bronco is about the maximum width you would want to squeeze up some of the obstacles. A full size rig may not even fit through 2 or 3 of the squeezes on Crowbar, and there is no bypass for those.

I would recommend that if a full size wants to try Crowbar, walk the trail first. It would only take 30 minutes round trip from the waterfall to the upper bail out, and may save much frustration and body damage.

Full size vehicles could probably do Shaft Canyon (not including the extreme lower canyon entrance). I would still suggest walking it first, it is a very short trail.

Suggested minimum vehicle requirements:

Toyotas, Jeeps, Early Broncos and similar rigs
33" tires (you will be doing a lot of rock stacking, 35's would be better)

Samurai's
31" tires (you will also be stacking rocks a lot, 33's would be better)

All Rigs
At least one rig must have a winch in good and safe working order and a couple of tow straps and clevis' to winch the entrance waterfall on Crowbar. We have found that it is quicker to have the first rig up winch the rest up.
2 lockers
crawler gears highly recommended
rock sliders highly recommended
Hard Tops should be removed (especially 4Runners)!
Body Damage is likely

[Butler]

Anybody else have an itch to be the first to drive that first fall that wants to make a trip before New Years?

[SanDiegoCJ]

Originally posted by TurtleTruck:
By the way, this is the first public announcement I have made of these trails (other than on my club's BB, which doesn't have much traffic)...

Some info got out on the Marlin Crawler board, but I wanted to officially announce them here first, out of respect and appreciation for the kindness you folks have shown me. Thanks for posting the pics and details. Nice looking trails. :D

[GJC]

Very cool!

[TurtleTruck]

Just in case you missed it on PBB, the Waterfall entrance to Crowbar has been driven!

Shane (whitebro) drove it Saturday night. It took him 6 tries. The successful first ascent took a near full throtle effort!

Shane named the waterfall Ballerina Rock because it makes you dance around on the slick face of the rock!

Picture and video quality are poor because it was dark:

3 videos are located here (http://www.rockrawler.com/video.html)

This video (http://www.rockrawler.com/Video/geterdun.mpg) (1.24 MB) is the best of the 3. It shows the last few feet of the sucessful ascent and gives you a good idea how much power Shane applied to get up!

I have always known that it would take a very determined, committed, fearless, heavy right foot kind of attack to get up this obstacle... congrats to Shane!

On top:
http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/Ballerina2small.JPG

Looking down:
http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/Ballerinasmall.JPG

[long goatee Sean]

that awsome
that last shot really shows how steep the incline is
congrats
ill get you a wheelbarrel for christmas


to carry around your nuts

[whitebro]

hahahaha thanks... ;)

[ITS PAT]

KICK ASS REPORT MAN THANKS!

[fatkid]

KICK ASS REPORT MAN THANKS!

[Mustard Dog]

Originally posted by fatkid:
KICK ASS REPORT MAN THANKS! Meow

[Air Ride]

smells like sex in here

[ December 21, 2005, 17:19: Message edited by: Air Ride ]

[TurtleTruck]

Last Friday we scouted a good dirt road route from Means Dry Lake to Soggy Dry Lake: 13.5 miles and 30 minutes driving time with speeds varying from 10 mph on the worst whoops to 55 mph on the smooth sections. Your driving time may vary, but I think most rigs could make the trip in 30 minutes (or less for you guys in your new buggies!). The trails are another 10 minutes past the lakebed.
http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/means_to_soggy_sm.JPG

Click here (http://www.spinninfours.com/upload/means_to_soggy.JPG) for a larger version of this map (782k), suitable for printing.

I edited the post above with the maps to add this info...

[ December 26, 2005, 04:59: Message edited by: TurtleTruck ]