Pinyon MOUNTAIN TRAIL

[tslaby]

Date: Dec, 13-15
Leaders Tim Slaby , Roger Mullens
Shadowizard@yahoo.com
619/698-9795 Tim OR Roger 619-579-7120
Trail Communication: CB-14 - HAM 146.490 MHz

This is a family friendly event !

Directions to Camp

1: Start out going East on I-8 E. 68.04 miles
2: Take the IMPERIAL HWY exit toward OCOTILLO. 0.22 miles
3: Turn LEFT onto IMPERIAL HWY/CR-S2. Continue to follow CR-S2. 20.40 miles
You will see Butterfield ranch on the left side LOOK FOR THE JUST RUNS SIGNS!

If you get lost call 760-765-1463
Total Distance: 88.67 miles
14925 Great Southern Overland (S2)
Julian, CA 92036


Facility Information
The camping area is Very nice. I have made arrangements with Butterfield Ranch to accommodate all of our camping needs. This campground is set up for tent or RV camping. There is water, electric and sewage at every site. For more info go to www.butterfieldranch.com .The cost for camping is $10 per night tent or $15 RV with full hook-ups. They also have showers and full bathrooms JUST RELEASED THE SWIMMING POOL IS HEATED AND READY TO GO! Bring your swimsuit!




Vehicle Requirements/Skill Level:

Stockers can make this trail, but may require some strapping or maybe a tug with a winch. Good tires will avoid any need to unroll the winch lines and tow straps. The thing is, there are some places that have some rocks, but nothing is really that severe. It is just that low bellies AND street tires are the things that get stuck. A locker or two is good, but again, stockers can make the run.
Full-size 4X4 WILL HAVE A HARD TIME! This Trail has a tight spot called the Squeeze (6FT width), It has no alternative If you can't get through you must turn back Grand Cherokee's will be ok But nothing wider.
Everything must be tied down securely in your rig. There is a spot on this trail called Heartattack Hill. It will send things that are not secure flying.

Required Equipment:
CB -Fire Extinguisher -First Aid Kit, Full size spare &; suitable jack - Tow Strap
and tow attachments FRONT and REAR

Run Schedule
We will depart camp at 8:30 SHARP on Saturday. The Saturday run will be an all day run. SATURDAY 14th Pinyon mountain trail
We will depart camp at 8:30 sharp. We will caravan to the trailhead. Pinyon mtn. Trail. We will air down and disconnect sway bars here. On the trail we will check out Sand stone canyon and then exit through diablo drop off and then spend some time playing around the mud caves! This should be a very fun run and have lots of sights to see. We will have lunch on the trail!
There is a geocache on pinyon mountain trail. Maybe we could find it
Bring your GPS
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache...s.aspx?ID=4106

SUNDAY 15th Rodrigous Canyon to Chariot Canyon ? day run
We will depart camp at 8:30 Am this run is a half-day run. It should be a semi- challenging run with some good obstacles. On the way back through chariot there are some mines to explore, If we can find them!

If you would like to make this a day run make sure to arrive early form El Cajon it take about 2 hrs to get to camp


Check out the justruns website
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justruns/

[Joe Dillard]

Pinion MT is where I met some of the members here. It was a fun run & was my first ride through that area. Very nice area for pics & really nice views. Have fun!

[Desert Fox]

Tim,

William and I ran Pinyon Mt on Sunday the 10th of November. Here is a quick summary.(1)The trail is 30 miles long. Anywhere it is flat, which is about 20 miles of the trail, the washboarding is very bad and airing down to the 15 psi range is advisable or it will beat you to death. This has two impacts, (a) OBA is required at the distant end, and (b) airing down to 15 psi will make it very difficult to get a stock Jeep with street tires through the "squeeze" and rock garden section of the trail. (2) The right side of the "squeeze" has been compacted over the last year. Both William and I scrapped the right side of our Jeeps going through this run. While I am not a fan of rock stacking, if you have stock Jeeps or Jeeps with less than 33" tires, I would spend ten minutes building up the right side of "Squeeze" track before sending the stockers through. (3) We made a side trip up Sandstone Canyon, which is 16.8 miles from RT S2. This is an absolutly spectacular run, which will add about six miles and 40 minutes to your trip. Problem, there is only room for two or three Jeeps to turn around at the far end, and a good deal of the canyon is only "one Jeep wide." Stockers can make this side trip.

Now for Chariot and Rodreguez Canyons. First off,
both of these canyons were burned to the ground in the recent Julian fire. There's not all that much to see unless you are into shades of gray and black. The owners of the Golden Chariot Mine have tried to block the gate at the Banner end of the trail, but horseback riders and off roaders keep opening the gate and running the trail anyway. In Chariot Canyon itself, it is very easy to spot about a dozen or so mine openings because the brush and trees have been burned away. That being said, all of Chariot Caynon is owned by the Golden Chariot Mine Corp and is private property. Enough said. I recommend that you run this trail the week prior to your advertised run to see that it is worth the time and that you will be welcome.

Fred