DV Turkey Run 2024: Nov 23-27

[OTG Ben]

*** You must have a ticket to attend this event ***

Nov 23-27
Trip duration: 5 days/4 nights
GPX File: download link

Trip Lead: @OTG Ben

Meeting Location Nov 23
Elk's Lodge in Trona @ 8:30am (next to the only two gas stations in town)
82750 Trona Rd, Trona, CA 93562

You should arrive with a full tank of gas, plenty of food and water.
Please make sure you arrive with a full tank of fuel and all of the necessities required for the duration of the trip.

Documents/Fees
America the Beautiful Pass (NP Park Pass), if you don't have one we recommend purchasing a pass, most likely in Stovepipe Wells Fuel Stop.

Food/Water
Plan to bring enough food and water to last you the entire duration of the trip.

Gear & Fuel
We'll stop for fuel in Stovepipe wells. This means you will need a fuel range of at least 250 miles, and there will be a decent amount of 4-low (Mengal Pass, Lippencott Pass, Dedeckera Canyon). If you don't have a long range or auxiliary fuel tank, please carry at least 5 gallons of extra fuel. You must carry a full sized spare tire as well.

Camping
Expect to be dispersed camping for the duration of this trip but we may possibly spend a few nights at developed campgrounds (but plan not to). You should bring the appropriate gear to pack out all of your garbage, including wagbags for solid human waste. Bring at least $60 with small bills for developed campgrounds.

Firearms
This is a family friendly event. We ask that you leave your firearm at home or keep it stowed away in your vehicle at all times.


Medical Info / Emergency Contact
Please print a copy of pertinent medical info and emergency contact info (at least two persons) on a card/piece of paper, and have this attached to your visor.

Comms: GMRS channel 15, freq 462.550
Firewood: please bring firewood if you can!


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Itinerary
We have a significant amount of driving days 1 & 2. We may adjust our itinerary depending on how much ground is covered each of these days, but days 3 and 4 should be fine in terms of getting to our planned camp.

This will be the largest group ever for our annual Turkey Run event. Given the group size, we'll break into two, if not three smaller groups. The plan will be to stagger start times by 15-20 min so as not to clog up the trail along the way. Each group will have at least one person with satellite comms to enable communications between the groups.


Day 1 | Ridgecrest into DVNP

Camp: Warm Springs near Striped Butte or Trail Canyon
Mileage: 100-150 depending on camp (lots of pavement)

• Trona Pinnacles
• Goler Wash/Mengal Pass
• Barker Ranch (old Manson hideout)
• Geologist Cabin
• Striped Butte
• Warm Springs Camp
• Trail Canyon (tbd)

Day 2 | Warm Springs/Trail Canyon towards Hunter Mountain

Camp: Jackass Canyon
Mileage: 120-170 depending on where we camp on night 1 (lots of pavement and fast dirt roads)
Refuel: Stovepipe Wells

• Refuel at Stovepipe Wells
• Hike Mosaic Canyon
• Drive Cottonwood Canyon
• Starwars Canyon
• Conglomerate Double arch explorations (if we have time)

Day 3 | Warm Springs/Trail Canyon towards Hunter Mountain

Camp: Saline Valley Warm Springs
Mileage: 70

• Hunter Mountain
• Racetrack Playa
• Lippencott Pass
• Saline Valley Warm Springs

Day 4 | Warm Springs/Trail Canyon towards Hunter Mountain
Should be a short day where we arrive at the dunes relatively early, to enjoy a final, stress free day on the trail.

Camp: Eureka Dunes
Mileage: 30

• Steele Pass
• Dedeckera Canyon
• Eureka Dunes

Day 5 | Eureka Dunes to Big Pine/Hwy 395 and then Home

Mileage: 50 miles to Big Pine/hwy 395 (mostly pavement)

 

[s30Sam]

Looking forward to it! Thanks for the invite Ben!

 

[Rfeustel]

Awesome itinerary. Thanks, Ben. My son and I are looking forward to it.

 

[cedillor-3976]

I am checking in with my wife and two kids (15 and 11). Looking forward to this trip.

 

[ronaldre-697]

I am looking forward to it.

 

[JHunter]

Can't wait for another Turkey Run! Gobble Gobble. See ya'll then.

 

[K ccart]

I’ll be there looking forward to it

 

[DPurdy85]

Can’t wait for the trip!!

 

[camtnbiker]

Dean and are looking forward to it.

 

[nckwltn]

I'll be there!

Not sure if solo or with wife and kids, but will know soon.

 

[Rfeustel]

Hi all, there seems to be a Hampton Inn and a Best Western on different sides of Ridgecrest. We need to come down the night before. Either side of town a better bet/less risk for leaving the loaded Truck outside? Advice appreciated.

 

[schultzp-8939]

We're excited to be joining as well. It'll be either Hanna (13) and I or the we'll bring whole gang including the dog. We will likely be driving through the night on Friday night to get to the meet-up on Saturday morning.

 

[schultzp-8939]

Nick and I will have some width issues up high ---- is that narrow spot on Lippencott passable for us? I've always thought the protruding wall and the slightly wash-out and narrow section would be an issue for a truck with a camper and a lot of width up high. Any thoughts?

 

[nckwltn]

Nick and I will have some width issues up high ---- is that narrow spot on Lippencott passable for us? I've always thought the protruding wall and the slightly wash-out and narrow section would be an issue for a truck with a camper and a lot of width up high. Any thoughts?

I've been up/down Lippencott several times nothing is coming to mind about problematic sections. But I've never traversed with the camper, but I know it's possible. I'll have to check some videos to see if there are possible issues.

I think the Dedeckera Canyon is more concerning for me

 

[nckwltn]

Hi all, there seems to be a Hampton Inn and a Best Western on different sides of Ridgecrest. We need to come down the night before. Either side of town a better bet/less risk for leaving the loaded Truck outside? Advice appreciated.

I'm guessing that as we get a little closer, there will be a group camp-site picked out. I plan on heading up that way Friday night and camping for the night.

 

[Rfeustel]

Hi - one more question. Will there be options to offload trash during the trip? Perhaps somewhere with a dumpster or even a vault toilet?

 

[nckwltn]

Hi - one more question. Will there be options to offload trash during the trip? Perhaps somewhere with a dumpster or even a vault toilet?

Obviously no trash in vault toilets, but we will be passing through Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. Both of these locations will have trash cans at gas stations (and flushing toilets).

There are pit toilets at the Saline Valley Springs and Eureka Sand Dunes. Not sure if the route takes us by any other options.

 

[OTG Ben]

@Rfeustel

Here's the route we're looking at. I still need to create the finalized gpx file which I'll share in the next week or so. Many of the out and backs are optional depending on what sort of time we're making, so our overall mileage could be significantly less than what you see in the GPX file once shared. The arrow is pointing to Stovepipe Wells, our last opportunity for fuel until we reach Big Pine!

 

[Rfeustel]

Obviously no trash in vault toilets, but we will be passing through Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. Both of these locations will have trash cans at gas stations (and flushing toilets).

There are pit toilets at the Saline Valley Springs and Eureka Sand Dunes. Not sure if the route takes us by any other options.

Yes, no tash in toilets. I normally use wag bags but recently got a portable chemical toilet (Joolca) and wondered about options for emptying the solids container if necessary. Family of 3 over the entire Dark Sky festival in Panamint last week and didn’t even half fill it. So just working through options. Thanks!

 

[cedillor-3976]

We're excited to be joining as well. It'll be either Hanna (13) and I or the we'll bring whole gang including the dog. We will likely be driving through the night on Friday night to get to the meet-up on Saturday morning.

I am glad to see that we will see you again my friend. I am bringing the whole gang, Anabella (15), Gregory (11), me, my wife and the dog Monique. We are looking forward for a fun, relaxing, exciting, memorable trip like always.