Travelalls and Surprise Canyon

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>We are planning 5 different runs, including an overnight run up
>Surprise Canyon!  Stay tuned for more details as the plot unravels=2E
>
>=2E=2E=2Eand if John Hofstetter's Travelall is up for it, I would be honore=
>d to  =20
>sit at a campfire with John, at Panamint City after he drives up the  =20
>falls=2E=2E=2E
>
>We should have something on our website next week=2E
>
>Joe Valdez,
>Scouts West/CA4WDC
 Hey Joe,
You've got the situation mixed up. My Travelall (sold nearly 20 years 
ago) was up at Panamint City many times with 1976 being the year that a 
series of winchings were necessary to get it there. When you take a 
vehicle that big up a canyon like that, the condition of the canyon is a 
bigger factor than the skill of the driver, although that's important 
too. I think I mentioned a while back that I stuck the nose of my Terra 
up against the first marble waterfall a couple of years ago while my son 
was in the process of winching up the falls, and realized that neither 
the Terra or I cared enough about getting up Surprise to suffer the 
mechanical damage that would ensue. I couldn't even stand the thought of 
the first few feet of winching that would tear the push bar protection 
off the Warn winch mount. Pictures of that 76 winch up the canyon are on 
my web page which I've not yet downloaded to my ISP. Anyway, good luck to 
those of you who attempt it. I'll watch for when you are scheduling it, 
and meet you at Novak's or below the marble fall so that I can watch your 
progress. Rick whats-his-name with his Sidekick video on the Panamint 
Mountains shows a remarkable collection of vehicles going up Surprise, 
but even with them being very careful there was still considerable 
damage. With no mining interest filling in the falls, the ascent of the 
canyon will continue to get more difficult. Even if a mining interest of 
some consequence goes back into Panamint City, they may well choose not 
to repair the road, as most of the loose stuff is now gone from the top 
and fill would probably have to be brought in from the bottom, and 
expensive proposition.
As you may already know, the last major mining effort up there used air 
transportation and ignored the road. 
Keith who mines up there quite a bit got his Jeep up there a few years 
ago, by enlisting the help of Rocky Novak who used a big hand winch and 
six or seven days to get the Jeep over the falls. 
Nah, thanks for the invitation, but I'm not interested. Been there, and 
kind of done that. 
John 
John

John Hofstetter
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Member, California Rifle and Pistol Association
Member, Sierra Macintosh Users Group  Member, MacTwain Macintosh Users 
Group
Charter Member, FRIENDS OF DEATH VALLEY   Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition
Life Member, Association of California School Administrators
Owner of 79 Scout Terra "It's a legend"