Boondocking south & east of Mono Lake: sandy? buggy?

[profdant139]

We are planning a trip to the Eastern Sierra for the Memorial Day weekend. (Ordinarily, I would not travel during a holiday, but there is supposed to be a meteor shower that weekend.) We are hoping to be in the high country, but who knows if the snow will melt in time?

So I am looking for other options, just in case. I have spent a fair amount of time on Google Earth and with my topo programs, looking at the area south and east of Mono Lake. On paper, it looks fine -- around 7000 feet (so not too hot during the day and not too cold at night). The night sky is dark, with a good view toward the north (where the meteors will be on the night of May 23-24). And I can see lots of boondocking spots, where other folks have camped over the years.

But what I can't figure out is whether the forest roads in that area are too sandy for towing my trailer. There are craters and pumice quarries in the area -- not a good sign! The roads look ok for a jeep with balloon tires, but maybe not for a trailer with normal highway tires? (I know for sure that my truck, by itself, can handle some sand -- we went off road in Death Valley in the Marble Canyon area, which is permitted, and we had no trouble.) Does anyone know if this is a "trailerable" area?

The other question is bugs -- I have read that the area right around the lake is infested with "no see ums" at various times of the year. Is that all year? How far from the lake do you have to be to get away from the bugs?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[wintersun]

garyhaupt wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Just a note on the no-see-ums....you can get the fine window/door screen material that keeps them out. I did my C in just a couple hours. That would be including the fans, yes.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/New-York-Wire-36-in-x-300-in-Fiberglass-No-See-Um-Screen-FCS8499-M/203063...


Gary Haupt

They are attracted to light, eh. Ergo, no light, no bite.


Gary Haupt

Mosquitoes are attracted to the CO2 from your breath. You can hold your breath or use insect repellant.

[D_E_Bishop]

I don't know how far east of Mono Lake your talking about but Adobe Valley north of 1290 has a lot of places to camp. The wild horses might be an added feature during the day. Did catch some giggle bush between the trans/muffler and the skid plate. It started smoking and flared up after we stopped and wet it down. I don't pay much attention to sand but there are a lot of olaces that are hard pan.

Check with BLM in Bishop as much of that area is theirs and not FS. Maybe we'll drive out in the early night time to watch. We're in Mammoth often.

[profdant139]

5000 feet is perfect -- high enough to be cool, not so high that you will freeze. Might need bug spray, though.

[jefe_4x4]

profdan, since the meteor shower looks to be very visible we have opted to go local on a shoulder of Washington ridge just No. of Hwy 20. It's a big open meadow, former logging loading area @ 5000 feet, that drops off to the north down to the Yuba River, middle fork. The weather at that time seems to be a non issue for gazing. There is approaching no light from any man made structures or burgs in the vicinity. We are planning on taking our lounge chairs along and sleeping bags and just gaze up at the heavens, with binoculars at the ready. One guy is bringing his high powered telescope, but I'm thinking it will be too telephoto to drink in the splay. The good news is it's only 3 miles east of our place on the West Slope.
jefe

[rexlion]

My spot was at Sagehen Meadow. Didn't see another soul the whole time, and only heard one motorbike nearby on the road. Good sky view.

[reasley]

Memorial weekend is early enough that insects shouldn't be a problem. That area is very dry in a normal year and with the sandy pumice soil there is little to no standing water.

The ranger station at Lee Vining is the district office for where you are headed if you want to pick up a copy of the Motor Vehicle Use Map. That area is loaded with roads and a few of them are now off limits, however all of the road closures should be well marked.

[garyhaupt]

garyhaupt wrote:
Just a note on the no-see-ums....you can get the fine window/door screen material that keeps them out. I did my C in just a couple hours. That would be including the fans, yes.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/New-York-Wire-36-in-x-300-in-Fiberglass-No-See-Um-Screen-FCS8499-M/203063...


Gary Haupt

They are attracted to light, eh. Ergo, no light, no bite.


Gary Haupt

[profdant139]

Gary, I am not as worried about the bugs inside the trailer -- it's outside that is the problem! We are hoping to view the meteor shower and to sit outside for several hours during the late evening, without head nets.

And Don, we are going to carefully scout the forest roads before pulling off the pavement with the trailer -- pumice can be a real "trailer trap!"

[garyhaupt]

Just a note on the no-see-ums....you can get the fine window/door screen material that keeps them out. I did my C in just a couple hours. That would be including the fans, yes.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/New-York-Wire-36-in-x-300-in-Fiberglass-No-See-Um-Screen-FCS8499-M/203063...


Gary Haupt

[mrw8i]

profdant139 wrote:
Jefe, I also tried one of the Harbor Fright compressors, and it burned out the second time I used it -- thank goodness I had a high capacity manual bike pump! No kidding -- it really worked, albeit very slowly. And we are planning to test out our new winch setup this afternoon.

....

Look at the ViAir brand of portable compressors. They get good reviews and have lasted 3 years so far for me. I keep one in my 3/4 ton pickup that easily pumps up the truck tires to 80lbs as well as I use to keep my trailer tires filled up. I air down my 3/4 ton tires after a trip so the ride is softer on freeways, then I use the ViAir before a camping trip to bring them back up to 80lbs (about once per month). I keep a much smaller with me on my Polaris RZR. Always keep plug kits with me as well.

[mrw8i]

You can get some very detailed maps of the Forest Service Roads at the Ranger Station in Mammoth Lakes. They are printed on newsprint, so they don't last long, but they are detailed and free. I don't know if they are topo, so you might not see steep elevation changes in the roads. That whole area is pumice, not always deep pumice but dusty. Do not drive to Mono Lake shore unless you are on the main road to see the Tufa at the State Park; the roads around the lake can be feets thick loose sand from the old Mono Lake shore - which takes a modified off road vehicle to maneuver.

[nvreloader]

Profdant 139

Try the Black Rock desert/playa or the Bluewing playa that is about 15-20 miles Southeast of the BR Playa.

I know the Bluewing is darker than the inside of a cow, spent many a night out there.

Tia,
Don

[profdant139]

Jefe, I also tried one of the Harbor Fright compressors, and it burned out the second time I used it -- thank goodness I had a high capacity manual bike pump! No kidding -- it really worked, albeit very slowly. And we are planning to test out our new winch setup this afternoon.

Having said all of that, there is no way I am going out to the far places you TC folks go. Even if I do not get stuck, it takes me much longer -- you bounce along at 30 or 40, and we crawl at 10 or 15 mph. The suspension on the trailer is just not designed for rock hopping or washboard surfing -- the impact on the components is magnified at higher speeds.

Without being too precise, roughly where in Western Nevada are you going? We are looking for fallback options in case the Eastern Sierra is cloudy. I thought about the Toquima area, north of Tonopah -- a long drive, but very dark skies.

[jefe_4x4]

Profdan,
Just make sure you have a way to re-inflate low pressure tires (on both the tow rig and the trailer) and you'll be fine. A CO2 tank or a 12v high volume compressor that connects to the battery. I've had bad luck with the China Freight air comprssors. Time to spring for a good 12v. air compressor.
If you read our TR about the Mojave Road (which i think you would do fine on with lower pressure) you'll notice the little blue trailer with about 500 pounds in it had nine pounds of air in the tires.
I've been on many of the trails you inquire about and don't see a problem for you.
Have you got that winch on the front yet? Hm?
After your announcement of the meteor shower time, we too are planning on being in western Nevada during that time to see the show in a very, very dark quadrant.
regards, as always, jefe