Author Topic: Ballarat Ghost Town, Barker Ranch, etc. Sunday, December 22nd.  (Read 3034 times)

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Offline Mojave Dirtball

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Ballarat Ghost Town, Barker Ranch, etc. Sunday, December 22nd.
« on: December 23, 2019, 07:03:46 AM »
It was a small group but we really enjoyed the run.  Many thanks to Kurt, Cliff and Nancy and my lovely wife for a wonderful day.  We met for breakfast at the Outpost Café at 6:00am.  At 7:00 we started the long trek up 395 to Trona Road then through the mineral mining town of Trona into Panamint Valley.  A right turn across the lakebed to the "sort of ghost town" of Ballarat where Kurt made a field repair of his sway bar link.

After visiting with the few residents of, and other visitors in Ballarat, we headed south along the East side of the lake to Goler Canyon.  This trail is always a treat.  Steep canyon walls dotted with cacti, historic mining sites, 100 year old buildings and numerous fresh water springs.

A right turn at the Death Valley Western boundary took us to the infamous Barker Ranch where Charles Manson and his band of murderous followers were arrested in 1969.  Unfortunately the main house and workshop burned in 2009 but some out buildings and the rock walls of the house remain.  We ate our lunch under the trees at Barker Ranch then went back to the main trail and headed up to the top of Mengel Pass for some great views.  We had intended to continue on to Striped Butte and Geologist's cabin but the sun was getting low in the sky and the trail conditions were such that we did not want to be struggling to get back up the pass in the dark so we turned around and headed for home. 

We reached pavement again and finished airing up just as darkness fell and headed for home.  Thanks again for a great run!.  Too bad more folks could not join us.  Maybe next time.
Never the last trail.

Offline Mojave Dirtball

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Re: Ballarat Ghost Town, Barker Ranch, etc. Sunday, December 22nd.
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2019, 07:06:42 AM »
A few more photos.
Never the last trail.

Offline Mojave Dirtball

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Re: Ballarat Ghost Town, Barker Ranch, etc. Sunday, December 22nd.
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2019, 07:10:01 AM »
And a few more.
Never the last trail.

Offline Kurts TJ

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Re: Ballarat Ghost Town, Barker Ranch, etc. Sunday, December 22nd.
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2019, 09:05:33 AM »
Great pictures Jim. I had a good time and was ever so lucky the few residence in Ballarat had the right nuts and bolds to replace the once I had lost somewhere along the trail.
No bad days...let's go wheelin'

Kurt & Rebecca