N-forker,
I see you live in Lone Pine. You must work for DWP or operate one of the few businesses in that tiny burg. If you still want to backpack, I suspect you are not a pedo viejo like me. Been driving through there on the way to Eastern Sierra Nevada for 50 years. I think I can see where you are coming from in wanting a lot more off-road flexibility in a go (almost) anywhere RV. If you need space beyond what is available with a truck camper with front and rear racks and other stuff hanging around, and seeing what you want to take on said off-roadness, I would go with a
A small, 4x6 or 5x7 enclosed aluminum cargo trailer and do a springs over axle with flexible replacement auto type leaf springs and shocks, not the stiff old trailer springs. The axle should be at least a 5K pound version with E rated tall tires to take you up on Coyote Flats/Funnel Lake. Most of the heavier stuff inside should have the ability to be strapped or bolted down to resist damage. Further, go with a pintel instead of a ball hitch as it is much better off road with a lot more distance to the limit of travel plus the 8 to 16 ton capacity. The down side is it is a lot more 'clunky' with it's Neanderthal technology. It is way over kill but I've been over the edge too many times with mere mortal hitches and stock trailers.
The best site for off road trailer options is on Expedition Portal. The trailer forum is the very best off road trailer forum anywhere.They come up with the very best wild and whacky ideas. Here follows our RV train in Afton Cyn.starting on the Mojave Road:
The pintel arrangement:
Our little blue Bradley/'55 with lots of clearance and 15" tires.
