This year as in years past the Bakersfield Trail Blazers hosted the Surprise Canyon run during this years at Panamint Valley Days event. A total of 23 trucks were signed up for the run. With this many trucks we needed to get an early start in order to get up to the top before dark.

A small group know as the "Cook Crew" headed up the day before. While the main group was heading up the hill the Cook Crew started preparing the huge dinner for those coming up to spend the night in the town of Panamint. The trail crew headed out 1/2 hour before the main group and were in place to help the main group up.
 

Marlin started the day off with a safety inspection of all the rigs planning to go. This was followed by a drivers meeting. We had 23 rigs  total - 4 Scouts, 4 Toyota's, and 15 Jeeps. Marlin and the safety crew inspected each truck to make sure each was up to the task ahead.

   As we started down the trail one of the Jeeps (driven by Lloyd Feltman) started making a loud thunking noise from the drive line. We had not even arrived at the first of the seven falls and already we had major problems, we were hopping this was not a sign of things to come.

Looking under the Jeep we found a broken t/case mount. A few passes with one of our on-board welder was all that was needed to make Lloyds truck derivable again.

Just a few miles into the trail we came to the first of the seven famous water falls. Everyone got their recovery equipment out and we plunged into the tuff part of trail. Marlin assigned spotters and trail hands to each of the difficult points and the rigs were helped to move along with relative speed.

Along the way up we had several truck failures that slowed up down. Lloyd had his second and final failure less than an hour after breaking his tcase mount. This time his front D30 axle broke a U-Joint at fall number two.

With no spare axle it was not realistic to continue so his rig was parked just off the trail and left for dead. We picked it up on our way down the following day. 

Continuing on we had still more problems at waterfall number five. This is the hardest climb of them all. This nearly vertical climb twists up to the right, like a spiral stair case. Here Moe Brown's Ramsey winch burned up Tom's Haus Ramsey 9000 broke in half and split apart. Both winches were rendered useless and had to be winched up by other trucks. John Sharp broke a Birfield joint climbing up five also.

   By early afternoon we arrived at fall number seven and each of us took our turn climbing and winching up to the top. Fall number seven marks the end of the hard part of the trail and from this point on 4wd is only occasionally needed.

Two hours later we arrive at Panamint City. Each truck brought up one bundle of wood  (special thanks to Dale Walton) for the camp fire. As soon as we arrived we setup camp. Some setup tents, others rolled out sleeping bags in some of the old miners houses that still dot the landscape around the valley. As evening arrived we gathered at the main camp and enjoyed the camp fire's warmth as dinner was prepared and served. Steak, beans, chicken, salad and lots more. Truly a great dinner and plenty of food for all.

As the temperature dropped more and more wood was added to the fires, it sure was getting cold!    After dinner Marlin came out and gave us an hour long history of Panamint Valley, including lots of detail about the silver mines, who owned them and what happened to this tiny boom town.

All that remains today are about 10 small buildings and some abandon mines but in it's hay-day there were over 2,000 inhabitants.

Saturday Morning we awoke to find a light dusting of snow on the ground and light snow falling from the blue sky above. At 8:00 am in the morning it was only 15 degrees. We quickly joined together at the main camp for warmth from the fire, hot chocolate and a hot breakfast of bacon, sausage and eggs awaited us.

   Our planed departure time to head back down the trail was 12:00 Noon. This left us time to take a short tour. Marlin took us on a hike to sour doe canyon and the "Wonder of the World" and other abandoned minds. At noon we met together under the great chimney that towers over the city.

   We headed out under a light snow falling. Going down seems much easier but going down takes it's toll just as well. One jeep rolled over onto its side,  one of the Scouts broke a U-joint in his front D44, and one Toyota took some heavy body damage in the squeeze section. 

A great time was had by all and later saturday night Lloyd Feltman was awarded the first annual hard luck trophy for having the most difficulty on the trail. The total account of damage was four broken axles, 2 broken winches and lay over. Most trucks came back with at least minor body damage. Here's looking forward to next years event!