BACKCOUNTRY & 4X4

Posted by Last Chance Rand on November 12, 2003 at 12:30:39:

Trail Report for: Pleasant Canyon/South Park Canyon Loop

Completed full loop trip by ascending South Park Canyon and descending Pleasent Canyon.

Again, found South Park to be in very good condition, but still requiring a high clearance 4x4.

The road work at Chicken Rock was greatly improved, I'm guessing, by Cal4WD organizers who generally pre-run and effect trail repairs prior to their Panamint Valley Days event. Appears that some one to two feet of additional rocks have been added to the low side of the crossing, virtually returning the obsticle to the same condition prior to it's collapse nearly a year ago.

While staying at Briggs Camp, we saw dozens of Panamint Valley Days participants successfully cross in both directions, including a stock Isuzu Trooper.

The ridge run was clear but ascending the ridgeline toward Rogers Pass is benefitted by a rear locker, if you wish to indeed tread lightly. Without lockers, be prepared to spin your tires, tossing significant amounts of scree and dust.

Pleasent Canyon was recently graded by Manele Bay, the new operators of the World Beater Mine. The usually challenging riparian zone has been descimated by their D9, not only eliminating the obsticle all together, but also destroying an enormous amount of vegetation, leaving the riparian zone in ruin. Very, very sad to see.

And adding to the insult are nearly 100 sections of marsten matting that now line the banks of the riparian zone. Manele Bay, too stupid to know what they were doing but with the OK of the BLM, temporarily ruined recreational access to the canyon with this dangerous marsten matting. Now it appears that concerned volunteers from the access community have dug this up from the road bed and layed them to the side. DeathValley.com urges Manele Bay to remove their trash from the canyon immediately.

Note that Manele Bay is considered by BLM to be operating noncompliance with federal mining regulations. To register your complaint directly with Manele Bay, call Dr. Peter Guest and/or Mr. Cameron White at 604-707-0373.

DeathValley.com Trail Reports are provided without warranties or representations. Although our scouts are invited by DeathValley.com to submit trail reports, their accounts and findings are not necessarily verified. Any opinions they express are those of their own and do not necessarily represent the opinion of DeathValley.com. Visiting the backcountry of the Death Valley region can be dangerous without proper preparation, and driving on backcounty roads may cause damage to your vehicle. DeathValley.com and its trail scouts are not responsible for any resulting property damage, injury or loss of life.