CA4WDC Panamint Valley Days Event 2024

CA4WDC's 38th annual Panamint Valley Days took place from November 08 to November 10, 2024, in beautiful Panamint Valley, located in California's Mojave desert, on the extreme western border of Death Valley National Park. I enjoyed the event with lots amazing four wheeling, great food, and good times with friends.

As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.

Photo: Welcome to CA4WDC's 38th Annual Panamint Valley Days! This is the dash plaque, a souvenir of the event, and a great way to begin this amazing four wheel drive adventure.

Photo: It's around three in the afternoon on Tuesday, November 05, 2024, and I've set up my camp at Panamint Valley Days Base Camp, and am enjoying the mid-November afternoon. I left my house at 03:00 in the morning in order to arrive well before sundown and give me ample time to set up my camp.

Panamint Valley is located just west of Death Valley, and since the mid-1990's, much of the valley, including the PVD base camp area, is within the boundry of Death Valley National Park. From my home in Roseville, any way you look at it, it's a 9-hour drive to Panamint Valley, so I wanted to make the most of my time and trouble, so I arrived a few days early so I could relax, soak up the beautiful scenery, and simply get off the grid for a few extra days.

The afternoon weather was simply "okay," as the sky was cloudy, temperature was in the mid-50's with a gentle breeze of around 10 mph. 'Twas the calm before the storm, as the weather would shortly change.

Photo: I'm a happy guy, as I'm grilling a burger and potatoes for dinner tonight. This time of year, darkness happens around 5 in the afternoon, so I decided to enjoy a early dinner rather than cook by the light of my propane fired lantern.

Photo: Tuesday dinner of cheeseburger, complete with Cheddar and Provolone cheese, dill pickle slices, tomato, onion, lettuce and a slice of lunch meat ham. I parboiled the potato wedges and finished them on the griddle to a nice, golden brown. The burger was garnished with Thousand Island dressing, and I dipped my potatoes in ketchup. Thanks to the wind, which was picking up, I had difficulty in getting the cheese to melt, but it all worked out, as the burger was delicious, and hit the spot. There is nothing like a cheeseburger and potatoes when you're camping in Panamint Valley!

Dinner worked out great, and I finished before darkness fell. After dark, many things went wrong, including the table collapsing as I was leveling it, and the wind... We're talking about Santa Ana winds, so strong that I couldn't get my campfire going. Actually, I didn't have it too bad, compared to the folks in Ventura County, where the fierce winds spawned the Mountain Fire, which destroyed hundreds of structures and charred many thousands of acres.

I had no way to measure the winds in Panamint Valley, except by the flag, which was taught, which truly indicated strong winds. Without a campfire, it was COLD. After several attempts, I managed to light my propane lantern, so at least I didn't have to sit around in the darkness.

Around 19:30 in the evening, cold and tired of the wind, I gave up and crawled into my sleeping bag and entertained myself by listening to the results of the 2024 Presidential election. Needless to say, I was elated with the results!

Photo: Wednesday morning, November 6, 2024, dawned clear, bright and WINDY, and it took all of the courage I could muster to climb out of my sleeping bag and brave the elements. It was WINDY and chilly, with the temperature in the low 40's, and the wind made if feel much colder. Breakfast to the rescue!

Today, I enjoyed a breakfast of seasoned ground beef, cooked in a roux with gravy, better known as S.O.S.. If you've served in any branch of the armed forces, you'll be very familiar with this fine dish, and you'll either love it, or hate it. I love it! During my Navy days, I enjoyed many fine breakfasts both ashore and at sea, where S.O.S. was the center of the meal.

Along with S.O.S., I enjoyed two fried eggs, a hashbrown patty and a piece of toast. Yes, it's easy to make decent toast in a frying pan when you're camping. Who needs a toaster in Panamint Valley?

Photo: I'm a happy guy, as I'm ready to enjoy a Wednesday morning breakfast of S.O.S., fried eggs, hashbrown patty, along with a slice of sourdough toast. Yes, it's really easy to fry toast over a campstove, and it certainly adds to the breakfast.

Between breakfast and dinner, I simply hung around camp and tried to stay out of the wind. Since I pretty much had base camp to myself, I didn't feel comfortable leaving all of my camping grear until other four wheelers arrived.

Photo: Wednesday dinner began with two seasoned chicken breasts, coated in masa harina, and fried in my iron skillet. The masa harina adds an "earthy" taste, and the olive oil implants a "nutty" taste, which makes for great fried chicken in the desert.

Photo: Fried chicken is cooking in Panamint Valley. I'm proud of my work, as I hold up a nearly finished part of a chicken breast.

Photo: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, corn, and a bit of Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce for seasoning. I confess that I got the potatoes a tad on the runny side, but it all worked out to make a delicious Wednesday dinner.

Photo: I take a bite into the chicken. Masa harina makes for the perfect coating to chicken, as the fried crust compliments the mild taste of the chicken, but doesn't overpower it.

Photo: It's around 16:30 in the afternoon, and it's already beginning to get dark, but Telescope Peak still basks in the November sunlight. I'm beginning to get a few neighbors, after enjoying a day or so of solitude. At a little over 11,000 feet, Telescope Peak is the highest peak in the Panamint range.

Photo: Tonight, I enjoyed the warmth and company of a cheery campfire.

Photo: Thursday morning, November 8, 2024, I woke up to a beautiful, sunny morning, with just a light breeze, which was quite a contrast to the wind I had to endure yesterday. Time to get bacon, sausage, eggs and more on the griddle for breakfast.

Photo: I show my camp cooking skills as breakfast is nearly ready. The biscuits were made at home and I simply brought them along, as it's a hassle to make biscuits from scratch in camp.

Photo: Sausage, bacon, fried eggs, hashbrowns with biscuits and gravy. I made the gravy from butter, with pan drippings, along with masa harina and powdered milk. It all worked out.

Photo: I'd been busy exploring the area for much of the afternoon and I as got back to camp, I was treated to a beautiful sunset.

Photo: Tonight I got to cook in the dark, using lantern light, which isn't too bad, as my propane lantern is very bright, and since I use a large propane bottle, my supply of propane is nearly unlimited. I'm cooking chili verde tonight...

Photo: Chili verde, with seasoned, diced pork, coated in masa harina and pre-fried, potatoes, onion, peppers, garlic and green enchilada sauce. Dinner worked out well tonight.

Photo: During today's travels, I was able to find some extra firewood, so I was able to enjoy a nice warm fire to help ward off the chill and keep my company.

Photo: Friday, November 08, 2024 I woke up to an absolutely gorgeous morning, which was bright, clear with just a gentle breeze. I knew it was going to be a great day!

Photo: It was time to fire up the griddle and get a hearty breakfast going. There is nothing like bacon, eggs, a hashbrown patty and toast to get you going on a Friday morning in the desert.

Photo: I smile at the camera, thanks to my handy tripod which allows me easily to take a "selfie." Notice the 2x4 that I've used to level the stove on the uneven ground. It was one less piece of wood to feed to the campfire.

Photo: Friday morning breakfast of bacon, eggs, hashbrown patty and toast. Naturally, I used Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce to season the eggs, as it always enhances a great breakfast on desert camping trips.

Photo: Registration set up their trailer last night, and by early Friday morning, event registration was in full swing. Most participants are members of CA4WDC and have paid for the event online, as "walk-ins" aren't accepted at these events. The events that CA4WDC host emphasise fun, safety and responsible use of public lands.

Photo: The Run and Line up Board, along with run sign up, is posted at Registration. You sign up for the run of your choice, but there is a limit of how many vehicles can sign up for each run, thanks to four wheeling logistics and the narrow canyons in the Argus Mountains.

Photo: This is tomorrow's Run Sheet, which lists everything you need to know about your run, including radio information, run leader, time of departure and where the run leaves from. The sheet is posted next to the map on the Run and Line up Board.

Photo: I toast CA4WDC along with the 38th annual Panamint Valley Days event. By late morning, the wind had completely died down, the sun was shining brightly and it was tee shirt weather. FINALLY!!!

Photo: By late morning, Base Camp was beginning to come to life with four wheelers pulling in and setting up camp. Most people who attend these events prefer to camp in motorhomes, but there are a number of four wheelers, like me, who prefer the simplicity of a tent.

Photo: Slate Range Road, which leads into Base Camp from Nedeau Road is very dusty, as several Jeeps make their way toward camp, most likely after a morning of exploring the beautiful valley.

Photo: By early Friday afternoon, Panamint Valley Days Base Camp is a very busy place.

Photo: Early Friday afternoon my friend Robert arrived, and with his dog Boo Boo leading the way, he made it over to Registration to pick up a tee shirt, along with his registration package.

Photo: Robert seems to be a happy four wheeler as he admires his event tee shirt. At most CA4WDC events, event tee shirts are sold, on a pre-order basis, as they are great to wear during the event, and help you to relive the event in the years to come.

Photo: Late Friday afternoon in Base Camp, as more rigs continue to pull in and set up camp.

Photo: I'm not lonely anymore, as there are rigs all over the area. We saved an area behind us for our friends Susan and Cody who were due to arrive early Friday evening.

Photo: Due to the busy day, I did my cooking in the dark and made a quick meal, as much of it was already made, and all I had to do was to heat it up. Grilled carne asada, refried beans, Mexican rice, and canned salsa made for a fine Friday night dinner.

Photo: Early that evening, our friends arrived, and we built a nice campfire, and we sat around the fire and chit-chatted until it was time to turn in. Left to right, Cody, Susan and Robert. Lucky me, as I'm taking the photo.

Photo: Saturday morning, November 9, 2024 was absolutely beautiful, with no wind and not a cloud in the sky. Our friends, mother and son team of Susan and Cody camped next to us.

Photo: Me... the early bird, as I got up early, before today's run, and got breakfast going. If you're going for a trail ride, you need to begin the day with a full breakfast.

Photo: Bacon, eggs and corn tortillas cook on the griddle for today's breakfast.

Photo: I decided to travel to Mexico without leaving Panamint Valley, and enjoy a breakfast similar to countless breakfasts I've enjoyed in Tijuana loncherias. Bacon, scrambled eggs, refried beans, corn tortillas, seasoned with Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce. Muy sabroso desyauno para este manana de Sabado. This is truly the way you enjoy a Mexican style breakfast in Inyo County!

Photo: Our friendly and knowlegeable trail boss, Mr. Dan Kus of the Gear Grinders Four Wheel Drive Club - out of nearby Ridgecrest - www.geargrinders4wdclub.org - calls everyone over for a driver's meeting, prior to beginning our run. We signed up for the "Historic Run," which would give us a tour of Chinese Camp, Reilly, Kopper King, Panamint Crater and Snow Canyon. Here are the historic locations, mines and ghost towns we visited today:

* Chinese Camp at the Slate Range Crossing
* Anthony Mill Ruins, a.k.a. Reilly Town Site
* Onyx Mine
* Kopper King Mine
* Panamint Valley Crater
* Snow Canyon, St. George Mine and Golden Lady Mine

Our run began at 08:30 in the morning on the Née "Shotgun" Road looking south, as our first stop was the Chinese Camp, in the Slate Range, at the south end of Panamint Valley.

Photo: Susan chats with a member of today's group, while son Cody looks on, ready to take photos. Susan and Cody make a great mother-and-son four wheeling team. We enjoyed 'wheeling and camping with them, as we're all friends.

Photo: Anyway you look at it, Robert's 2016 Jeep Rubicon is a real beauty, and it's well-built to handle just about any trail that Panamint Valley or the Rubicon can throw at it. Robert gets in his Jeep to retrieve his cell phone... but coverage is practically non-existent in Panamint Valley. Of course Boo Boo is waiting behind the Jeep for Robert to finish his task.

Photo: We're heading east Slate Range Crossing road - now a four wheel drive trail - with Susan and Cody's Jeep in front of us. The shelf road winds down from the top of the Slate Range Crossing and then levels out to a sort of flat area, where Chinese miners camped back in the 1860's and 1870's.

Photo: Susan snaps a photo or Robert and Boo Boo as we explore the Anthony Mill Ruins, a.k.a. Reilly Town Site.

Photo: Robert, Boo Boo and I strike a pose at Reilly Town Site, with the "Chinese Wall" in the background. Thanks, Susan Jackson for taking the photo.

Photo: Our group explores the foundation of the Onyx Mine production facility. We took an hour break here for lunch, before heading north to Panamint Crater.

Photo: The last stop of the day, Snow Canyon and the Golden Lady mine, proved to be a very interesting place to visit, in many ways other than the historic mining operation.

Photo: Meet Michael, holding his pet guinea pig, as he and his girlfriend were camping at Golden Lady Mine. Michael turned out to be a truly interesting character. How many campers bring a pet guinea pig with them when they're camping in Snow Canyon, high up in the in the Argus Range?

As we were nearing the Golden Lady Mine, Michael stopped every vehicle in our group, including ours, and engaged each driver with friendly chit chat letting them know that he had a "friendly" pit bull, and if you had a dog, could you please keep it on a leash? In our case, Boo Boo was riding with us, so we simply left him inside the Jeep as we explored the historic mining operation.

In chatting with Michael, I asked him what he and his girlfriend were doing, and he said they were prospecting for gold, and would be camping at the mine for several days. I didn't give it another thought.

Later that evening, back at camp, Susan and I were chatting about Michael and his girlfriend, and as a retired social counselor, she had other ideas of what they were really doing. After remembering the disarray of their camp, I have a tenancy to agree with Susan.

Photo: Michael handed the pet guinea pig to his girlfriend, who was lounging in the back of their small truck, which served as their home. Michael claimed they were prospecting for gold, and after chatting with Susan about that, I highly doubt his story, but it's not my issue to confront.

Photo: Susan and Robert chat, with the headframe of the Golden Lady Mine in the background. By now the time was about 2:00 in the afternoon, the sun had already dipped behind the mountains, and it was getting quite chilly, and coats or sweatshirts were in order.

Photo: Mr. Pit Bull was leashed in the back of Michael's truck and seemed to be passively guarding it from what came across his path. He didn't seem to be aggressive and just sort of sat and stared at me as I snapped his photo.

Photo: End of the trail: Back in camp, Susan and Robert discuss the day's event, as we enjoyed a full day of fun, family-friendly easy four wheeling, with a couple of easy/moderate hill climbs thrown in the spice up the day.

Photo: By 04:00 in the afternoon, the sun had set behind the Argus Range, and it was time to get ready for a long, dark Saturday evening.

As in almost all CA4WDC events, Saturday night is the culmination of the event, as the kids and adult raffles are held, and the "Welcome and Awards" concludes the event.

Photo: Before attending the raffle and awards, Susan heated up leftover beef stew for dinner. Nothing better on a chilly November evening in the desert than a hot bowl of homemade beef stew!

Photo: Susan presents to me a bowl of her homemade beef stew, along with a biscuit. Such a great dinner!

Photo: I'm a happy diner, as I'm ready to enjoy a bowl of Susan's beef stew, along with a biscuit. I went back for seconds...

Photo: Susan's homemade beef stew, along with a biscuit made a perfect Saturday evening dinner.

Photo: After all of the runs had returned to Base Camp, before the 07:00 evening event, Jeeps began parking near Registration, where the event was being held. I didn't attend the awards ceremony or the raffle, as I preferred to take photos and sit by the warm campfire.

Photo: After the awards ceremony and the kids raffle concluded, around 07:30 in the evening, the adult raffle began. Several hundred four wheelers set up chairs around the raffle, with hopes of winning prizes, especially the grand prize.

Photo: These guys know how to relax, as they toast around a warm fire, as they watch the raffle unfold.

Photo: Raffle winners are announced by the emcee, who was handed a ticket by a staff member who pulled a random ticket out of the squirrel cage. A set of four tires, from Kumbo Tires, was the grand prize.

Photo: After the raffle, all of my friends returned to camp, and we spent the evening chit chatting around the warm campfire, which really came in handy on this chilly evening. Left to right, Cody, Susan, Robert and your author.

Photo: Sunday, November 10, 2024, turned out to be another beautiful morning, without a cloud in the sky and not even a light breeze. Such a great morning to get up early, greet the day, and get breakfast going!

Photo: Sardines, hashbrown patty, eggs and toast cook on the griddle. I use butter and olive oil on the griddle, as it helps to avoid food sticking to the cooking surface and it makes for a great taste. Toast is easy to prepare on a camp griddle in the desert.

Photo: Sunday morning breakfast of sardines, hashbrown patty, eggs over easy and toast, with Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce, served Texas-style on the side for dipping.

Our friends, Susan and Cody, packed and left mid Sunday morning, looking forward - sort of - to their long drive home to El Dorado County.

After breakfast, Robert wanted to drive into Ridgecrest - a one plus hour drive - as he had pressing business to attend to, which required Internet access, which is nonexistent in Panamint Valley. He did his Internet business and then we went shopping, as I needed a few items, including a tomato, condiments and an onion, for tonight's dinner.

Photo: Back at camp, by around 03:30 in the afternoon, the shadows were getting long, as the sun was beginning to set over the Argus Mountains, to the west of us.

Photo: By late Sunday afternoon, Base Camp had folded, and we enjoyed the area nearly to ourselves. Several runs are listed on the "Schedule of Activities," but participation is nearly nonexistent, as Base Camp is mostly vacant by noon.

Photo: After we returned from accessing the Internet and purchasing supplies, it was time to light the stove, and make dinner by the fading sun, and the cheerful light from my propane lantern.

Photo: Potatoes and a hamburger patty cook on my cast iron griddle.

Photo: Tonight's dinner of a cheeseburger and grilled potatoes. Thanks to today's trip to Ridgecrest, I was able to purchase an onion and a tomato, and obtain small packages of mustard and mayonnaise from a fast food stop, thanks to Robert's hunger.

Monday, November 11, 2024, we broke camp and headed toward Texas Springs Campground, located near Furnace Creek, for another six days of fun and adventure in Death Valley National Park. Click on the link to move over and enjoy our next adventure.

The trail ride was SO much fun, the scenery was beautiful, and camping with friends was simply wonderful. CA4WDC's Panamint Valley Days is, and has always been one of my favorite four wheel drive events, and the 38th annual event certainly lived up to my expectations.

For more information about Panamint Valley Days, check out the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Club web site at https://cal4wheel.com. Great four wheeling!