| Eastern Sierra 4x4 Club

Trip Report

Kavanaugh Ridge Run & group camping

August 31, 2024

The following is from John M, the run leader.

I plan to attend our August Club Meeting on Wednesday 8/14 and will be able to fill in any blank spots, but here is the short version of our Kavanaugh Run & group camping. You are invited to both. You can come camping & join us on the Run. Or just come up on Saturday 8/31/24 for the actual Kavanaugh Run.

As a bonus, Greg W has volunteered to lead some exploration trails up & around Bodie, Masonic etc. on days prior to our Saturday run up Kavanaugh. He’s very knowledgeable of the history of this area & this will be interesting.

But 1st a little background: In addition to the actual Run you are also invited to join those of us who will also be camping several days prior to the Run to Kavanaugh. The actual Run is rather tame, however, you will be rewarded with a truly spectacular view at the very top of and looking down on the Hoover Wilderness. Depending on how wet the winter has been…at the top I have looked down on as many as 8 different lakes w/o moving around. There are more lakes but that is the most I have seen personally.

Once we finish the Kavanaugh Run, those that wish to do so can join us for a bit of history & have lunch @ an old mining site from the 1800’s nestled close to 3 old mining cabins. These cabins while full of history and are old, they are still standing…well mostly so anyway. This is a really cool area to have lunch. Once we leave Kavanaugh it will take a bit less than 1 hour to reach these cabins to have lunch.

Some including myself & Maureen, will be camping at the free & relatively unknown campground just off Virginia Lakes Road. In the past we have had a large camping contingent with plenty of room for all. (Trailers, motor homes, truck campers as well as tents). Again, this campground is free & the sites are pretty large. No reservations, first come, first serve.

Again, the actual trail up Kavanaugh is pretty tame, however the trail to the mine/ cabins/ lunch while short, can be tricky…not dangerous but tricky. You will need 4wd AND a transfer case that you can shift into low gear. You will also need a good, working communication system. Our Club requires you to have a GMRS radio.

Here’s how to get to our campground. Going on memory but this should get you there:

1) 395 & Virginia Lakes Road

2) West (left) on Virginia Lakes Road approx 2.4 miles to FS road 32139. Go LEFT (South)… in the past this FS road 32139 has not been marked to where you can see the sign driving west. If you accidentally go past this road, once you turn around, you can see a sign that indicates 32139. Just remember…2.4 miles once you turn onto Virginia Lakes road.

3) If things go right we will camp in the actual 1st campsite on the RIGHT, if not previously occupied.

IMPORTANT MEETING INFORMATION FOR THOSE NOT CAMPING. I WILL MEET YOU AS DESCRIBED BELOW @ 9:00am SATURDAY 8/31/24. Please be on time so as to not hold up the rest of the group. I suggest the following:

1) leave Bishop area by 7:15am. No leader, just leave on your own.

2) drive to Whoa Nellie Deli. (Lee Vining Mobil gas station just a bit south of Lee Vining.) Get supplies, (lunch?) gas up if necessary.

3) then LEAVE Whoa Nellie Deli no later than 8:30am. This will give you time to drive to the 9:00am meeting place on Virginia Lakes Road.

4) 9:00am meet at turn out on Virginia Lakes road. I will meet you & we will then join the rest of our group & begin our Kavanaugh Run.🎯 HERE’S WHERE WE WILL MEET: at a pull out area on Virginia Lakes road, approx 1/2 mile from 395. Can’t miss it, probably will be trucks etc parked there…me too. We will then leave as a group @ 9:00am sharp.

Have a 4wd vehicle, working GMRS radio, bring a jacket, chairs & lunch. As I recall, Kavanaugh is above 11k elevation.

Thanks, John M

The trip up to the Ridge was somewhat eventful, due to another group that was ahead of us. To be kind, we will say they were City Dwellers in mostly new & mostly unprepared vehicles…for even this mild trail. A brand new Jeep (NOT a Rubicon) took 3-4 try’s at a modest obstacle and the vehicle behind him was totally unable to skirt the obstacle, even tho he made 10 or so attempts. He was driving a brand new Mercedes Benz of some sort (yes, you read that correctly). I went & asked him (extremely nice fellow btw) if his friends ahead of him were going to come back & give him a hand. He said he hoped so. Our group guided him back down to a safe pull out and we went on up…his ‘group’ had not started down to help yet, but said they would do so soon. We saw the Mercedes still parked at the bottom as we drove down.

Here are some Kudos to our Member Rick D who successfully scooted his Subaru not only past that obstacle, but all the way to the top with absolutely no issues. Good job.

We started back down about 10:30 am and drove over to the Dunderberg Mine area for lunch and some social distance conversations. Again, thank you all for adapting. Most also went down to view the Stamp Mill.

As a group we then went down to 395 via Greencreek Road. Some turned right to head back & some of us went to the Jolly Cone in Bridgeport for a bite to eat.

No problems & no wrench awards. We encourage others to step up & lead our Club on some runs. No experience necessary. Pick an area you would like to visit, do a Pre Run so you are comfortable with directions etc. and give your Club a hand. 😎. We can accommodate more than on Run in a month. Again, no experience is necessary and we could use your help.