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Mojave Road ?'s

ridelbz15

Member
Joined
February 2, 2010
Messages
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City, State
San Bernardino
Year, Model & Trim Level
90'xlt bronco II
hey guys me and a couple friends are looking to run mojave road new years weekend, none of us have done it before and had a few questions.

1. is the map you can download on dirtopia accurrate enough to follow loading it onto my gps?
2. is it locked 2wd friendly?
3. we are looking at leaving new years eave night, (friday night) and have to get back home sunday night, is that enough time to go from san bernardino to laughlin and back?

thats is for now, if i come up with anymore ill let ya guys know, anyone else is welcome to go.
 



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1. Should be close enough. Always keep the cairns (rock piles) on your right as you travel west.

2. For the most part. Air your tires way down, there is some deep sand between the dry lake and Afton canyon. Also if the dry lake has seen any moisture and doesnt look good be sure to bypass it especially since you are 2wd.

3. Yes but you will need to keep a good pace. If there is traffic on the road that may slow you down a little. It can be done straight through in a day if you dont stop at any of the 'attractions' or a day and a half stopping at the major points for short breaks.
 












thanks thats some helpful stuff!!
 






ok so were getting ready for the trip this weekend, i know theres a big water crossing some where along the traill, my question is should i take the snorkel off of the stock air box to avoid getting water inside, how deep do you guys think it is gonna be after all the rain we had?
 






well were all ready to go tomorrow nite, anyone here interested in joining?
 






...Be safe out there as it has been the wettest December in history and I know they got rain last night and are expecting more rain Sunday...

...Be sure to take lot's of pics and fill us in on the road conditions...;)

...As for the snorkel I would think twice about going down into the river bed let alone going thru Soda Lake or the Afton crossing...

...There is a Ranger station in Needles you might want to check in with even if you just call them...:scratch: ..I think towing services start at $500 or so for the area so again, plan safely and be prepared to dig each other out just in case...

...This is Brian1 crossing at Afton during the dry season, taken from this thread...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277347&highlight=mojave&page=3

 






...As for the snorkel I would think twice about going down into the river bed let alone going thru Soda Lake or the Afton crossing...

This is very good advise!

You could do the east half of the trail and cutout before the dry lake at the paved road just west of the lava.

...and that crossing was deep when it was dry last spring, about 32" in places
 






yeah my bronco would make it being its got a 6" lift and 33s but we have some low cherokees going so we decided to save mojave for spring time n were just gonna head out to johnson valley n do some desert running and maybe some basic rockcrawling (since im not geared low enough with the manual)
 






like the MOAB post, this post has me really wanting to come out here and run it some time and being from cali i think i might be able to do it this year. i cant go any time soon since i already have two trips planned for the next month that are both in the sierras near tahoe. you guys have peaked my interests so i have a few questions for all you mojave vets. what are the best times of the year to make the run? i wont be able to do it for at least a few months, but would a fall run (sept-oct) be a decent time to try it? and if so, could i make it out there with my rig? i have a 03 ST thats a 2WD, but i have pro comp 30" mud tires, pro comp es3000 shocks, and will have an aussie rear diff locker on it in the next couple of weeks (my mods are on the bottom). my buddy who i think would want to run it with me has a brand spanking new fully loaded but bone stock super duty F150 4X4. im not too interested in navigating obstacles and rock gardens, but im more interested in checking out the scenery and history, are there routes that i could take that would allow me to bypass anythign too hardcore for my rig? being that i run a 2WD, i put beefy front and rear tow hooks on my rig in case i get stuck. going out there with a buddy, could i make it through this trip? any help would be appreciated, this forum rocks.




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thanks tbars, i read the part about rig setups, but any answer to when would be the best time to go? would a early fall run be ok to run with the type of trucks me and my buddy would be going out there with? i dont know too much about what the weather/rain/etc is like during different times of the year. sorry if im missing anything, most of the time im on this forum im at work and/or reading on my phone so i miss alot.
 






..We tend to go in March..The weather then can have hi temps of 30*-100*plus..Fall can still be hot or sometimes rainy.

..Best to pick a month to go and then watch the weather..I saw a couple trips planned that cancelled at the last minute due to rain and /or high temps..We actually ran into snow on part of our trip with below freezing overnight temps this last trip.

...A Desert trip (or any other off road trip) is something not to be taken as light as a normal vehicle trip so what vehicle is only part of the equation. Awareness of what trouble you can get into, your surroundings, before and during the trip weather conditions, the elements, and critters, can easily turn a camping trip into a survival quest.

..Bigger groups, more than two vehicles is always a plus as I've seen one guy getting stuck while trying to get his buddy unstuck..Going out with someone that is familiar with the area wouldn't hurt either..

..I hope this helps..
 






helped a ton, thanks. i really want to try to make it out there some time in october, i will have to keep track of the weather patterns as the fall approaches, and bringing a third buddy out there would be a good idea too. im going to the library today to see if i can find any books on it.
 






LONO, I just found this on wiki, hope it helps some!

"Autumns are generally pleasant, with one to two Pacific storm systems creating regional rain events. October is one of the driest and sunniest months in the Mojave, and temperatures usually remain between 70 °F (21 °C) and 90 °F (32 °C) on the valley floors."

Btw, I loved doing this trip.
 






thanks khiori, i really appreciate it. that info makes this trip all the more possible being that october would be the month that would be the next time i could make it out for that run. me and my buddies are visiting pinnacles and hollister this week, and the sierra mountains including the barney riley trail, corral hollow and blue lakes later on in the summer and now we can start planning for mojave. i am juiced!
 






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