Our camp - Panamint Valley Days 2008

I wanted to arrive at Panamint Valley Days base camp early, so we'd have ample time to set up our camp before the sun went down. Prior to our departure, I did a bit of web surfing, to get an idea of what the weather would be like, and to see which mountain passes would be open, as the many of the passes are closed for the winter by early November. Things looked good, as the weather service promised sunny weather, with highs in the mid-70's, and lows in the upper 40's, and a ZERO chance of rain or snow. Caltrans web site told us that Monitor Pass, which is a shortcut for us was open, so that looked good. The weather for Panamint Valley Days, 2008 looked to be the best that I'd ever had to enjoy...

Photo: We've spent an hour filling the back of the truck up at work, to provide campfires for the three nights we were to camp, at Panamint Valley Days 2008. The snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains are in the background.

We left our home in Roseville, CA at about four in the morning, to get a dark, early start for the nearly 400 mile trip to Panamint Valley Days base camp. Any way you look at it, we were facing nearly an eight hour drive, but with the stops we planned to make, I figured our journey would take 10, or maybe 11 hours. So the idea was to arrive at base camp about two in the afternoon, which would give us about three hours of daylight, which would be more than ample to set up our camp.

We stopped at Echo Summit, near South Lake Tahoe, to fill our ice chest with snow, as snow is free, and it lasts more than twice as long as ice. Then it was over both Luther and Monitor Pass, until we reached U.S. 395. We stopped for breakfast at Lee Vining, and then we headed south until we turned off on Pumice Mine Road, near Deadman Summit, to spend an hour or so gathering firewood. Then, it was on to Lone Pine, and from there, east on SR 136, and finally east on SR 190, which would take us to Panamint Valley Road, and on to Panamint Valley Days base camp. We stopped for a few minutes at Father Crowley Point, which gives you incredible views of Rainbow Canyon, the Panamint Dunes, Panamint Valley, and the Panamint Mountain Range.

Photo: Looking into Panamint Valley from Father Crowley Point. Note how CA 190 follows the contour of the land. The tall peak in the center background is Telescope Peak, the highest peak in the Panamint Mountains, and the highest peak in Death Valley National Park. Although Telescope Peak soars to 11331 feet, it doesn't make the top 100 highest peaks in the state of California.

We arrived at Panamint Valley Days base camp shortly before two in the afternoon, on Thursday, November 6, 2008. Although Panamint Valley Days wouldn't officially open until early the next morning, base camp was bustling with activity, and everything was already set up. So we picked a spot near a dry wash, about 100 yards west of Slate Range Road, and about 200 yards north of Registration. We tent camp, so we wanted to be away from much of the action, which generates noise, yet we wanted to be within walking distance.

My wife Sharlene and I have done this before, so we work pretty well together in setting up our camp. Working together, it only took us a little over an hour to set up our camp, including our large canvass tent. A word on tent camping... most folks who attend CA4WDC events camp in a motor home, which is great. We'd love to purchase a motor home, as we're getting a little old for tent camping, but due to lack of time, we just can't justify shelling out the dough for something that we'd only use a few times a year.

Photo: Sharlene snaps my photo as I guy the tent with ropes. That's Telescope Peak in the background, behind the truck.

After setting up camp, we took the time to relax, sip a beer or two, savor the beautiful scenery, and bask in the warm sunshine. You could not ask for better weather, as it was sunny, warm, with a temperature of 76 degrees, and not a hint of even a gentle breeze. Truly gorgeous weather amid gorgeous surroundings... Later in the evening, and more so the next day, we did acquire neighbors in motor homes, but they were very courteous, as are all participants at CA4WDC events.

Later that evening, we enjoyed a fine meal of desert dogs at Chef Andy's Ruff Rock Run Café, and a nice, cheery campfire. The next two nights were essentially the same: Return from the day's run, pop the top on a few beers, enjoy a fine meal at Chef Andy's, sit around the campfire, and later go to bed.

Photo: With drink in hand, Sharlene arranges camp furniture. It's 2008 and we're still using old, 1960's style beach chairs.

Saturday night, November 8th, turned out to be a little different. After enjoying beautiful weather, and a great run, when I returned to camp, I noticed that the weather had changed, in that there was a breeze, and wispy clouds to the north. Sharlene remarked that we could be getting some rain, and that rain would make for a not-so-pleasant night in a tent, but I reassured her that the weather service had said there would be a ZERO chance of rain for the next few days.

We lit our camp fire, relaxed, and later enjoyed a wonderful barbecue dinner at Chef Andy's. Later during the evening, as we contemplated attending the "Welcome" to Panamint Valley Days, and the raffle, we noticed that the sky was getting cloudy, and the wind was picking up. I double-checked the stakes and ropes that held our tent in place, as Sharlene sat near the fire and read a book by lantern light. We decided not to attend the "Welcome" or the raffle, as we were both tired, and decided to make an early night of it. Before going to bed, I wandered over to where the "Welcome" was being held and snapped a few photos at night. Then, it was back to our camp, and time to go to bed. We were asleep by 8 o'clock that evening.

Photo: Shalene effortlessly inflates the queen-size air mattress, using the on-board air compressor that our truck is equipped with.

As we slept, the wind really picked up, and by 10 o'clock, both of us were awake, and listening to the wind howling outside. The wind would be gusty, and it would blow, then it would be calm, and then another gust would blow. Inside the tent, the wind was loud, and even though we were tired, we couldn't sleep. I guessed that the wind gusts were in the neighborhood of 50 mph or so. I reassured Sharlene that the tent would hold, as it was securely staked down, well-guyed, and it had been through this sort of weather before. But tonight was different...

Around 11 o'clock, the tent decided that it had enough, and the pole holding the peak of the tent collapsed, and the top of the tent fell down on us. Sharlene wanted to go outside and fix it, but I wanted no part of it, as it was cold, windy, and downright nasty outside, and I didn't want to re-engineer the whole thing, as we had to break camp in the morning. It wasn't to happen that way, as with the top of the tent unsecured, and the wind howling, we were afraid that the wind would rip the top of the tent apart. (As an aside, during High Desert Roundup, 1998, the wind destroyed a brand-new dome tent, that we'd purchased for the trip, in only two nights.) I still didn't want to go outside, but at Sharlene's urging, we both got dressed, grabbed flashlights, and went outside, into the wild, windy night.

Photo: Camp, on Thursday, November 6, 2008, with the beautiful Panamint Mountains in the background, as dusk approaches.

The tent was standing up ok, as the four poles that held the corners up were well staked and guyed. The problem was the horizontal pole that holds up the peak of the roof, in the center of the tent, as it's made of three aluminum sections that slide together, and the wind blew them apart. What needed to be done was to swing a rope over the top of the tent, tie a knot on each end where the horizontal roof peak pole fits into the vertical pole, and then stake the extra rope down. By doing this, it would prevent the three pieces of the horizontal pole from coming apart when the wind blew. If I would have thought to do this when we set up the tent on Thursday afternoon, it would have been a simple procedure that might have added 5 minutes to the whole operation. But tonight...?

Photo: After camp is set up, I take a photo of my beautiful wife, Sharlene. Actually, we're still unloading stuff from the truck, into the tent.

Sharlene and I struggled to hold the poles together, so I could get a rope over the tent, but it was much easier said than done, because by now, instead of coming in gusts, the wind was blowing hard and steady. The loose top of the tent caught the wind, and acted like a sail on a sailing ship, and it was too much for us; we didn't have the strength to hold the pole together, so I could do the rope work. Needless to say, we were no happy campers... Now what?

A good Samaritan neighbor noticed our plight, and came to our rescue. At first I politely declined his help ("I'm a real he-man, and I don' need no stinkin' help...") But at Sharlene's urging, I accepted his help. He and Sharlene held the pole together, and I tied first one end, and then the other to the vertical poles, and gently raised them to their maximum height. Then, I staked the poles down, and thanked our kind neighbor for his help. Now for some sleep...

Photo: Being the photographer, I'm usually behind the camera, rather in front of it, but I decided that it was time for me to have my photo taken, as I help to keep the truck standing. Note the GPS receiver mounted on the dash of the truck, in a "heads-up display" fashion, to my left.

After who-know-how-long we finally went to sleep, despite that fact that the wind was blowing, and constantly battering the tent. You could feel the tent moved, but with the extra re-engineering job that we'd performed the tent held up through the rest of the night, without a problem.

Sunday morning, November 9th, we awoke to a cloudy, gloomy morning. Since we were leaving that day, the plan was to break camp, pack everything in the back of the truck, and then enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Chef Andy's before leaving. So we got up, got dressed, and started to do things as de-flating the air mattress, packing our clothes, and rolling up the sleeping bags. As I started loading things into the truck, I looked to the north, and low, dark, mean-looking clouds were moving into the north end of the valley, which is only about 15 miles from Panamint Valley Days base camp. The clouds really looked like rain clouds, and I could smell the approaching rain, but I reminded myself that the weather service had promised a ZERO chance of rain for today. Soon, the wind came up, again, and I went into the tent and told Sharlene that we better get a movin' as it really looked like rain was on the way, despite the prediction of the weather guessers.

Photo: Friday, November 7, 2008, our camp, with the dramatic Argus Mountains in the background.

Just as we'd finished with all of the stuff inside of the tent, and started attending to outside things, we felt a few sprinkles. So we hurriedly packed up the lanterns, table chairs and other outside items, as the sprinkles turned into a light, misty rain. Next, it was the task of breaking down the tent, folding it, folding the tarp it sits on, and packing the whole assembly in the canvas duffle bag. Under dry, no-wind, clean conditions, this can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. But on this Sunday mornings, conditions were somewhat less than ideal to take down a tent, and stow it away properly. Like setting the tent up, it has to be broken down in a certain order, and folded in a certain way, so it'll fit in the duffle bag. After that task is accomplished, the tarp has to be given the same treatment. Then, the poles and stakes have to be stowed, and last, but certainly not least, the rope has to be coiled in a certain way, and everything must fit together, so it can fit into the canvas duffle bag. As an ex-Navy guy, I'm especially picky about how the rope must be coiled, as it must be "squared away" and conform to Navy standards. Yes, even in the desert at 0800 on a November morning, in an unexpected, soaking rain.

Photo: This lady wasn't paying attention to the contour of the land, and managed to get her Toyota Sienna van high-centered on one of the little undulations near our camp. With the help of five good Samaritans, she was able to get un-stuck. Moral of the story: Don't attempt four wheeling with a low-slung van!

By 0800, we had broken our camp, packed everything, and loaded into the truck in record time, but there was one drawback: In our haste to get things done, neither Sharlene nor I had donned rain gear, so we were soaked to the skin, in the soaking rain. Contrary to my usual m.o.r., I neglected to take photos of the break-down operation as I was too involved trying to get things stowed away in record time.

After all of this work, it was time to drive, not walk, due to the soaking rain, over to Chef Andy's for a much anticipated hot breakfast. Well, that was a breakfast that didn't happen, as a rain-bedraggled Chef Andy crew was in the process of taking down the Ruff Rock Run Café, and no they weren't serving breakfast, as they closed when the rain started to fall in earnest. I can't blame them for closing early, as the rain made conditions totally miserable. The temperature was cold, I read 44 degrees, and when you combine that with a soaking November rain in the desert, that's cold.

Photo: There is nothing like a warm, cheery campfire on a cool November evening, and we were well prepared, as we'd gathered ample firewood on our way to Panamint Valley Days.

So we bid farewell to Panamint Valley Days, 2008, and headed over to Death Valley National Park for a day of sightseeing, before spending a cozy 3 nights at Panamint Springs Resort. Thanks to the efficient heater in our truck, by the time we arrived at Towne Pass, both Sharlene and I were dry, despite the fact that I got outside the truck to take numerous photos in the rain, and at Towne Pass, the light snow. We took in some of the magnificent scenery in the Stovepipe Wells area, before making our way back to Panamint Springs by way of Emigrant Pass, Aguereberry Point, and a snow run to the famous Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. We finally wound up at Panamint Springs Resort, where we were to spend three wonderful nights. As an aside, we purchased coffee, and sandwiches at the Stovepipe Wells general store.

Photo: "Main Street," Panamint Valley Days 2008, on a cold, rainy Sunday morning, as camp is being broken. You can't imagine how fast a cold, soaking rain will hasten departure from camp!

Looking back, from our arrival on Thursday, until late Saturday afternoon, we experienced some of the most beautiful weather that I've ever seen in Panamint Valley. So if we had to endure a night of wind and rain, well... that's par for the course when you camp in the desert, especially Panamint Valley. When I initially set up the tent, had I taken a few extra moments to prepare for what was to come, things would have turned out quite different. But I relied on the fact that we were to experience a "ZERO" chance of rain... and set up camp accordingly. Never again!