Topic: 2 New Trails at Johnson Valley (With New And Improved Pictures)

[Rocksurfer]

My club went out to Johnson Valley for the weekend, we were on the western end towards cougar Buttes. On the established trails there isn't very much so we find our own and have found some formitable washes and canyons that haven't been tryed by anyone. Turned out to be an interesting weekend between having someone trying to climb a steep hill in his quad and having it flip on top of him and rolling back down to the bottom cracking a vertibre. We ended up having him ride back to camp in my truck and then run him to the ER in one of our tow vehicles. We also loaded his busted up quad in another truck and put his 2 spares in my truck but in the process of loading them one got loose and started bouncing down the hillside. It was an incredible site watching it bouce up to 50 ft. in the air across to the next canyon. Anyways our injured friend is going to be unable to do anything for about 6 weeks and that's only if there is no surgury required, which the ER wanted to do it immediatly but he wants to get his own Dr. to take a look at it before doing anything.

As to the wheeling it was real rough going, I think that for the entire day we travelled maybe a 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile on the section we did. Our only Jeep lost his brakes, the buggie bent his rear 4-link and ripped the right mount, the 91 red Toyota Truggie hyper-extended his front driveshaft and shredded it, and the coil-sprung Sammi engine shifted and hit his fan, me I took the bypass. Good thing I did becuase of what happened on the quad, and I would have distroyed every body panel on my truck.

Enough BS, here's the pic's:  (note: reply #9 and #17 have links to a lot more pictures)

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

 

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

 

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

 

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

....and the campfire extra curricular activities:

[nowhitefenders]

    Awesome pics, looks like you had a great time even with all the mishaps. Hope the quad rider recovers quickly.

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

   Awesome pics, looks like you had a great time even with all the mishaps. Hope the quad rider recovers quickly.

We pretty much had a blast other than the quad mishap, made me look sideways at my kids quad. He has lost his a couple times on a hill and has been quick enough to get off so far. Looking at 2 wheels for christmas for him, just too scary on a quad.

[rockhound]

So, it's cool to blaze new trails at Johnson Valley? BLM or Eco Nazi's aren't going to scream about the local flora being lost forever?

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

So, it's cool to blaze new trails at Johnson Valley? BLM or Eco Nazi's aren't going to scream about the local flora being lost forever?

It's an open OHV area no restrictions on where you can go at all. All of the Hammer trails were created that way, just a wash or canyon that a club that broke through to the other side. Requires a lot of work though, we've been working on this one for a little over a year and there are still parts untested that are worse than what we have tested. The 1st section of this canyon is simply nuts.

[TurtleTruck]

More pics here:

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

There will (hopefully) be a trip report at this same link soon (if I get the time to do it)...

[TurtleTruck]

The entrance to Lower Shaft Canyon on a recon trip last spring.  Vince (TruckTrader) in his Sammy buggy with Toyota axles:



and

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

More pics here:

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

There will (hopefully) be a trip report at this same link soon (if I get the time to do it)...

That's an excellent photo album Mark, shows what went on while I was running Kevin back to camp.

[Loosekannon]

So is that the name of the trail, Lower Shaft Canyon? Looks like fun

[RokCrawlinToy]

Cool, another trail!!    Good pics.

[crawlerdan]

. The 1st section of this canyon is simply nuts.

that canyon is freakin crazy-been there-wouldnt go back, to much time on my lid to be any fun, and now its 27 hours away, but it does make the con look like a sidewalk!!!

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

So is that the name of the trail, Lower Shaft Canyon? Looks like fun

Lower Shaft Canyon would be only the first section, and the toughest part which has not been broken through. Upper Shaft Canyon are the pictures you see.  Lower Shaft is just simply nuts, it put that Sammy buggy over twice and that was the first few feet. Then there is also Crowbar another section that has an extreme waterfall that we can only winch up so far. I'll see what I can do about getting some pics of Crowbar.......

[rockhound]

Great pics. The sunset shot with the buggy is the coolest.

Wide open spaces, pick your trail. The pioneering spirit lives!

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

Ok here are 2 links to pics of Crowbar and some teaser shots:

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

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

[crawlerdan]

Ok here are 2 links to pics of Crowbar and some teaser shots:

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

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

HEY BRO-IVE BEEN THERE!! AND NOW ITS GOT A NAME!!that pic of the tight squeeze with the sammi, i rolled there!! hehehe, thatsa cool, great job guys

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

HEY BRO-IVE BEEN THERE!! AND NOW ITS GOT A NAME!!that pic of the tight squeeze with the sammi, i rolled there!! hehehe, thatsa cool, great job guys

Which tight spot, and which Sammi?

[crawlerdan]

with the little green sammi off camber in between the two large boulders

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

with the little green sammi off camber in between the two large boulders

[Shoyrtt]

Rocksurfer,
I'm trying to figure out where this is at. If we were to start out a Means Dry Lake and go north towars the sand dune, your two trails are on the western side of the mountains with sand dune, close to Cougar Buttes?   I'm headed up there again for the women's event the 12th and 13th and would like to try to find it.    

[Shoyrtt]

I checked out your club's web site and noticed the location is top secret for now. Let us know when the secret can be revealed.

[Rocksurfer [OP]]

Rocksurfer,
I'm trying to figure out where this is at. If we were to start out a Means Dry Lake and go north towars the sand dune, your two trails are on the western side of the mountains with sand dune, close to Cougar Buttes?   I'm headed up there again for the women's event the 12th and 13th and would like to try to find it.    

TurtleTruck is the one in charge of unveiling them and I will leave that up to him to actually tell everyone where thier exact location is.

[TurtleTruck]

We have 1 more trip in the planning stages so that we can break Lower Shaft Canyon (in the next 6 weeks).  This trip will be limited to Spinnin' Fours Club Members and Friends of the Club (folks who have wheeled with us or been active on our BB).  Once that portion of the canyon is established I will announce the location of the trails.  I already have a detailed topo map and directions prepared and will post this.

To avoid any confusion, there are 2 trails, in 2 different canyons that we have scouted and established.  These trails are different from the Hammer trails...  the canyons are more sandy and the rock is more water worn smooth.  It sort of reminds me of a Japanese Garden with the rocks set in sand.  Because of the dynamics of smooth rocks set in sand, what looks like any easy line is sometimes much more difficult than you expected.  There are still plenty of rocks and ledges...  it is not all sand.

I think that these trails are a little easier than the Hammer trails, but still very difficult, and well worth checking out.  Plenty of challenge without guaranteed breakage...  I am looking forward to what others opinions are.  This dificulty rating is based upon the easiest line...  there are plenty of insane lines for big dogs and tube buggies to play on!

These trails have some very tight sections.  Full bodied Mini Trucks and 4Runners are in serious danger of body damage in the rear quarter panels and bed, and tops should be removed from 4Runners.  Sammy's and Jeeps have fit better, especially the Sammys!




Crowbar:  Established 4/23/05 (the weekend of the Tin Bender's Jambo) and 5/21/05.  This trail has an awesome "winch only" entrance (at least none of us have made it yet without winching). 

The upper portion of the canyon, "Upper Crowbar",  is going to take a lot of work to establish, but will be well worth the effort.  At this point "Crowbar" bails out just before the upper canyon.

We named it "Crowbar" for the crowbar that was used to pry a rock knob off of a squeeze that would have taken out my 4Runner's A pillar!

This is a link to pics from the 4/23/05 trip:  http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar_sb/index.htm

This is a link to pics from the 5/21/05 trip that completed the last 1/2 mile of the main trail, bailing out before the upper canyon:  http://spinninfours.com/trips/crowbar05_05/

Shaft Canyon:  Established 10/22/05.  I think that this trail is a little easier than Crowbar, but others think it is more difficult.  Perhaps I think it is easier because I did it in my Truggy, rather than my 4Runner...  So far we have established the easier (but still difficult) middle portion of the canyon.  There is a moderate trail that give access to the beginning and end of the trail and allows you to bypass the very extreme Lower Shaft Canyon.  Upper Shaft Canyon is also yet to be run.  It has only a few obstacles, but will be fun.

Shaft Canyon is named for a vertical mine shaft located at the end of the middle portion of the trail.  I suppose it could also stand for the  front drive shaft that Peter had the splines pull out of twice.

This is a link to pics from the 10/22/05 trip:  http://spinninfours.com/trips/shaft10_05/index.html

 

[TurtleTruck]

HEY BRO-IVE BEEN THERE!! AND NOW ITS GOT A NAME!!that pic of the tight squeeze with the sammi, i rolled there!! hehehe, thatsa cool, great job guys

With all due respect, I don't think so...  a lot of Johnson Valley rocks and canyons look similar.  There was no evidence of any 4x4 travel in either of these canyons, only single track and the ocassional quad...  the first 4x4 tracks in the canyon and the on the bail out routes were put there by us during recon and when we broke the trails.

PM me with where you think this obstacle is and I will confirm or deny...

 

Rocksurfer,
I'm trying to figure out where this is at. If we were to start out a Means Dry Lake and go north towars the sand dune, your two trails are on the western side of the mountains with sand dune, close to Cougar Buttes?   I'm headed up there again for the women's event the 12th and 13th and would like to try to find it.    

Rocksurfer is being intentionally vague...  Cougar Buttes is about 20 miles due west of Means Dry Lake, these trails are actually a little closer than that, but still no where near Means.

I am sorry that we cannot reveal the location yet.  Your trip timing is just a little early.  I hope that you understand...

[TruckTrader]

That waterfall entrance to Crowbar is really slick. I don't think anything but a comp buggy stands a chance of making it up that without a winch. I have tried that waterfall numerous times now, and been denied each time. I switched out my 39.5 IROKS in favor of some 39" Red label Krawlers just for that obstacle - yeah, that's right I spent major bucks just to try and make that darn thing. The Krawlers performed a little better but I was still no where near making it up. I can't wait to see the Tin Benders and others take a whack at this obstacle. Maybe someone can tame it and name it!

[gotrocks]

well someday I'd love to go wheeling down there, looks cool guys glad to hear of another trail opening up

[crawlerdan]

With all due respect, I don't think so...  a lot of Johnson Valley rocks and canyons look similar.  There was no evidence of any 4x4 travel in either of these canyons, only single track and the ocassional quad...  the first 4x4 tracks in the canyon and the on the bail out routes were put there by us during recon and when we broke the trails.

PM me with where you think this obstacle is and I will confirm or deny...

 

Rocksurfer is being intentionally vague...  Cougar Buttes is about 20 miles due west of Means Dry Lake, these trails are actually a little closer than that, but still no where near Means.

I am sorry that we cannot reveal the location yet.  Your trip timing is just a little early.  I hope that you understand...

well its been three years or so, so its possible that tracks could not be there anyu longer, in fact, judging by the winds there, i doubt tracks would last more than a few months, but i coluld be wrongit looks as though the location is to the left of the jackhammer and sledge hammer trails a few hundred yard and up that ravine... but i could be wrong