Found Beautiful Campsite On Piute Mountain Road And Got My Jeep And Trailer Stuck In The Snow
Awesome Overlanding trip to Piute Mountain Road. Started my day at Jawbone Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Park and ended it dispersed camping at 6000 ft. Following day I was engaged in off-road recovery digging my Jeep and trailer out of the snow on a mountain road.
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The Route To A Beautiful Campsite At 6000' Elevation
This Overland Adventure Started At The Intersection Of Kelso Valley Road And Piute Mountain Road
I had no plan on this part of my trip. I simply ended up here. A steep mountain road was a invitation to explore. A night of awesome camping and bad offroad decision the next day.
Sageland: Much Of The History Around California Is Related To Mining
The intersection of what is today Kelso Valley Road and Piute Mountain Road was once a mining camp. No buildings remain. Sageland ran out of luck almost 150 years ago. Today Sageland will be the start of my Overlanding route.
My Overland Vehicle Is A Diesel Jeep Wrangler That Loves To Climb
Piute Mountain Road Starts off very steep and continues to climb for several miles. I put my off-road tires to good use. The beginning section passes by the Bright Star Wilderness.
The Road Not Only Climbs - It Bends And Switchbacks With Steep Drop Offs
Solo Overlanding provides a sense of solitude and a opportunity for self reliance. It does not however lend itself to sightseeing when four-wheeling a mountain road. The penalty for going over the edge is severe.
First Section Of Piute Mountain Road Passes By The Bright Star Wilderness
Incredibly rugged terrain This Wilderness does not even have established hiking trails. Incredibly challenging backcountry travel for backpacking and tent camping.
Several Miles Of Climbing And Piute Mountain Road Flattened Out
This was the first side road I encountered. Could it be a campsite?
Off-Road Trailer Towing: I'm Always Wary Of Exploring Narrow Side Roads
Off-road towing requires a different approach. Narrow short roads can be problematic. I took a chance and drove up. A turnaround and one of the most beautiful campsites I have seen.
A Bad Offroad Decision Would Not Ruin This Awesome Camping Trip
A solitary campsite on a solitary mountain. Snow capped mountains to the north, massive piles of rocks. I found a incredible camp. Excellent place to see sunsets and sunrises.
Looking North Towards A Snow Capped Mountain
There are many peaks North of this campsite. At first I thought I was seeing Mt Whitney. After looking at maps I'm not sure. No matter the name it was a amazing view.
Getting Ready For A Windy Night Of Camping
I felt the wind picking up. I lowered the Jacks to stop my Maggiolina Roof Top Tent from getting buffeted. I'll add this to the camping checklist under the heading "windy nights on the mountain."
Amazing Sunrise At 6000' And A Connection With Nature
Peace, solitude and a sense of accomplishment at finding amazing campsite. My wanderlust was paying off. At least for now.
Down The Hill And On To Piute Mountain Road: Packed Up And Heading Home
My plan was to continue driving over Piute Mountain Road. I would eventually meet up with Highway 178. 178 West passes Lake Isabella through the Kern River Valley and on to Bakersfield.
Remote Travel And Many Opportunities For Adventurous Overlanding
Piute Mountain Road is well marked and it is easy to find your way. If I had more time I would do more exploring. The road is in good condition but rough.
More Climbing And More And More Snow
I had thought my campsite was the top of Piute Mountain. As I drove farther I realized there was more climbing to do. Then I started encountering snow. Tracks told me vehicles had already been through. No problem, I kept going.
Tracks in the snow ended and that should have been a signal to me. I had a choice. Reverse course or try to make it through the snow. With my tires aired down and a layer of packed snow I had no chance. I got stuck pretty quickly.
My Favorite Piece Of Off-Road Recovery Gear: My Shovel
Time for a Jeep and off-road trailer recovery. The road was climbing and I knew I would encounter more snow around the bend in the road ahead. Reversing down the hill was the only choice. I would deal with turning the Jeep and Trailer around after that.
Backing Down And Sliding Off The Side Of A Mountain Road
First task: shovel snow out from behind the tires. Next: Back up without jack knifing. Increasingly difficult when Jeep started sliding off the road. Traction Boards would have helped. I was able to maneuver my way down the hill without them.
Jeep And Trailer Recovery Performed Seperatly
No way would I be able to turn my Overlanding rig around on this narrow mountain road. Unhooking the trailer was my only option. The Exventure has independent parking brakes on each wheel.
I used a snatch strap as safety in case the trailer wanted to roll away. Setting the parking brake on 1 wheel allowed me to pivot it 180 degrees. Turning Jeep around is easy just about anywhere.
Disaster Avoided: Time To Hook Up Trailer To Jeep And Head Back Down The Mountain
Judging the success of a off-road recovery is easy.
Are the vehicles extracted and mobile?
Did the operation cause damage?
Did everyone finish with all their fingers and toes intact?
I had to be especially careful performing this Jeep recovery. Traveling solo raises the stakes. Nobody has your back. The rescue plan has to reflect that.
Freedom - Escape - Self Reliance - Solitude: Checked Off A Few Boxes On This Overlanding Adventure
Here is a quick summary of this trip.
Start at the intersection of Kelso Valley Road and Piute Mountain Road.
Climb the mountain to a beautiful campsite at 6000'.
Find snow and get the Jeep and Exventure Trailer stuck.
Head back down the mountain and home.
Conclusion
I started this trip in Joshua Tree, went through Jawbone Canyon and found Piute Mountain Road. Had the good fortune to find a incredible campsite. Had my skills and determination tested with a unusual off-road recovery. During this adventure I was exploring a part of California completely new to me. Awesome!
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