Hike to Big Four Mine - Panamint Valley Days 2008

During the many years that I've been visiting Panamint Valley, I've always wanted to explore the Big Four Mine, located in the north end of the valley, but it was just something that I'd never found the time or opportunity to do. Panamint Valley Days 2008 offered runs to Big Four on Friday and Sunday, but since the upper portion of the trail is Class-4 or better, I had to pass on the opportunity. But I like to hike, so I got the bright idea to drive as far as I could, park the truck and hike the rest of the way. After breakfast on Tuesday, November 11, 2008, I left Panamint Springs Resort, with the goal of exporing the Big Four Mine.

Photo: I'm parked on the unmarked dirt road that heads north from the highway to Big Four Mine. The hill to the left is Lake Hill.

To get to Big Four Mine, drive east on CA 190, as if you're going to Death Valley proper. Keep Lake Hill, which is a "pointy" hill that dominates the north end of the valley, to the north in sight, and as it approaches your 9 o'clock position, look for an unmarked dirt road that heads directly north, toward Lake Hill and the distant Panamint Dunes. The GPS coordinates for the turnoff to this road are N36.20.524 and W117.23.323, and the elevation is 1563 feet. This road is mostly rated as Class 1, but due to several washouts, many rough spots, washboarding, and many other obstacles to low-slung vehicles. I DEFINITELY wouldn't take a passenger car over this road. Signs warn you that the land is wilderness on both sides of the road, so STAY ON THE ROAD! After all, you're in Death Valley National Park.

Photo: Lake Hill, framed by the burned, rusted and bullet-riddled sedans of days gone by.

As you approach Lake Hill to your west, you'll notice a couple of bullet-ridden and rusted sedans near the road. They're worth a stop to check out, but they're really just rusted hulks. Someday, I plan to climb Lake Hill, and it appears that the easiest approach would be from the south, and my maps tell me that there's only an elevation gain of 500 feet or so. Look to your east, and the tallest mountain is Panamint Butte, elevation 6562 feet. Keep driving north, past Lake Hill, and after another 3 miles or so, you'll come to a flat spot, that serves as a parking lot for those who want to hike to Panamint Dunes. In years gone by, there was a 4WD trail that led to the dunes, but thanks to the Desert Protection Act, that trail has been closed since 1994. So if you want to explore the dunes, this is as close as it gets. Distance is deceptive in the desert, as the dunes are four miles distant. The GPS coordinates for this location are N36.25.291, W117.24.706. The elevation here is 1686 feet. By the way, this flat spot has a couple of fire rings, and would make an outstanding place to camp. As far as the Park Service is concerned, I'm not sure of the legality, but due to its remote and seldom-visited location, I doubt there would be any problems.

Photo: I'm at the flat spot, where the road makes a 90 degree turn, and heads east up the alluvial fan into Big Four Canyon. This spot would make an excellent place to camp.

The trail to Big Four Mine does a 90 degree turn, and heads directly east, up the alluvial fan, towards a canyon, appropriately named Big Four Canyon. You'll need four wheel drive, as the road disappears, and immediately becomes a Class-3 trail, as it heads up the alluvial fan. Normally, there isn't much of a trail to follow, but today, I was able to follow a well-defined trail, due to the vehicle activity from Panamint Valley Days, 2008, held the previous weekend.

Photo: As I climb up the alluvial fan, I pause to snap a photo of the dirt road I just drove on, Lake Hill to the right, and the distant Argus Mountains in the background.

Using granny-low four wheel drive, I picked my way up the alluvial fan for about a half mile, until I came to a flat spot, with ample space for me to turn around my full-size truck. Since the trail was deteriorating (or getting better if you're driving a Jeep Rubicon!) and I knew that I couldn't make it all the way, I decided that this would be the place to park, and that I'd hike the rest of the way.

Photo: The trail has now entered Big Four Canyon, and the mine is just around the corner, as the canyon takes a bend to the south.

This country is remote, and you're unlikely to see another human being, so you should behave like a good Boy Scout and come prepared. There is no cell phone service, so I carried my Vertex VX-150, which is a 2-meter ham handheld radio that's capable of reaching the repeater in Trona, if I find a elevated, clear spot. Besides my Garmin Colorado GPS and my digital camera, I carried 1/2 gallon of water, as there is no water available. The day was sunny and mild, so I wore short pants, T-shirt, and sturdy hiking boots. Prior to departing, I left a detailed itinerary, including my estimated time of return, with my wife, Sharlene, with instructions to call out the cavalry in case I didn't return. I covered my bases...

Photo: When you four wheel to Big Four Mine,, you actually drive in the wash. This isn't even the hardest part of the trail!

So I followed the faint tracks east up the alluvial fan. Near the entrance to the canyon, the trail goes up a little hill, and drops down into the wash. If you were four wheeling, this spot would separate the men from the boys, as the trail becomes a rough, very rocky, Class-4. Not only do you do a near-vertical 3-foot drop into the wash, but you have to contend with many boulders of varying size. As you enter the wash, if you look up into the canyon, you'll be able to see Big Four Mine's ore tipple, up on the hillside.

Photo: The mine workings are perched high up on a hill. Once upon a time there was a Jeep trail leading to the workings, but those days are long gone, as the road has been obliterated by rock slides.

There has been a rumor circulating around the four wheeling circles for years that the trail to Big Four Mine is home to the dreaded Panamint Desert Bear, AKA "Hanaupah," so I kept a sharp lookout for this ferocious omnivore. I wasn't sure what to do if I encountered him; I guessed that I'd have to improvise. At the very least, I'd glean some outstanding photos!

After another half mile or so of hiking, Big Four Mine is reached. My GPS told me that I was a mere 2.01 miles from the flat spot, where most folks would hike. Your GPS coordinates for the mine are N.36.25.819, W117.23.400, at an elevation of 2551 feet. You've climbed 915 feet, since leaving the flat.

Photo: Telephoto close-up of the mine workings. There are cables and assorted junk everywhere.

I dredged up a little history on the mine and found that it was a lead mine that was active until about 1952. Most of what's left of the mine is on the hillside on the north end of the canyon, and it consists of an ore tipple, a bunker, the gloryhole, and lots of rusted cable. At one time there was a road leading up the hill to the workings, but that road has long since been obliterated by numerous rock slides. I imagine if someone was foolhearty enough, and wanted to expend considerable effort, that one could scramble up the hillside, but that's not for me.

I was surprised to find that the trail continues past the mine, so I decided to follow the trail as far as I could. Past the mine, the canyon narrows, as it twists and turns through the mountains. As I followed my GPS, it had the trail up to Big Four Mine labeled as "road," but past the mine there was nothing but contour lines, and the graphic map of the Panamint Range. I followed the trail another .4 miles, where it abruptly ended at a beautiful, rust-colored, dry waterfall. My GPS told me that I was at N36.25.714, W117.22.905, at elevation 3054 feet. Total mileage from the flat is 2.74, with an elevation gain of 1418 feet. It had taken me about 2-1/2 hours to make the hike, due to the fact that I took many photos, and made lots of stops to check out everything.

Photo: A forlorn ore bucket sits on the canyon floor. They used to bring the ore down via aerial cables. That's a pile of lead ore in the background, the stuff that they used to mine at Big Four.

If you were going to four wheel to the waterfall, you'd find the trail to be quite a challenge, not only from where the trail dips into the wash before it enters the canyon, but just before the end of the trail there is a rock garden that appears to require 33" tires and at least one locker. At the end of the trail, the turn-around is quite narrow. I noticed during Panamint Valley Days, 2008, that CA4WDC limited this run to 30 vehicles, and for good reason, as there isn't a whole lot of maneuvering room.

Photo: OK kids, this section of the trail, past the mine, separates the men from the boys. It's Class-4 all the way! Note the tire tracks from the run four days previous, from Panamint Valley Days 2008.

Photo: The end of the canyon. You can hike into the narrow section in the middle of the photo, but it ends after only a few yards. This area is the turn-around space for the trail run; you can see why the run has to be limited to 30 vehicles, as there isn't much room.

Now I can say that I've been to Big Four Mine, albeit on foot. No, I didn't have a close encounter with the dreaded Panamint Desert Bear, but I did a lot of exploring, took many photos, got some healthy exercise, and had a wonderful time.