Nipton CA to Potosi NV
 Overview of Trail | |
| creator: | Tim France (nvprospector) |
|---|---|
| Dates: | May 07, 2011 |
| Distance: | 63.22 miles |
| Trail time: | 7.5 hours |
| Difficulty (1-5): | 1.0 to 3.0 |
| Vehicle classes: | Stock 4WD Small/medium dualsport Full Size |
Photos
Location details
Southwestern United States, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Southern California, San Bernardino County, Ivanpah Valley, Nipton, Primm, Sandy Valley, Potosi, Spring Mountains, Stateline Pass
Summary
Original traction roads and wagon roads connecting different mining districts.
Detailed description
This trail offers many challenges for a inexperience driver. The terrain changes from paved roads, deep gravel, sand, stone steps, sharp rocks, woop-de-dos and wash outs.
It is recommend that you avoid driving this trail with street tires. Many of the areas along the trail have sharp rocks and are hard on the sidewalls. Airing down is highly recommended because of the areas of deep gravel.
Terrain type / brush factor
The route has everything from paved roads, deep gravel and trail washouts
Low to medium brush factor
Permits? Fees? Seasonal closures?
Vehicle requirements are only in effect on the paved sections of this route. There are no permit requirements. The trails are not maintained and it is up to the driver to determine if the trail conditions are suitable to drive.
Attendees (vehicles/people)
Toyota Tacoma / Tim France / (nvprospector)
Toyota FJ Cruiser / Gary Eshelby/Paula Eshelby/Scooter/Micky (xpdishn)
Toyota 4 Runner / Richard Kingham/Zoe Kingham / (CCFD170)
Jeep Rubicon / Calvin Garland/Zane Garland / (CCFDCAL)
Suzuki Samurai / Ed Ferguson / (EFFERG)
Toyota Land Cruiser HZ75 / Lance Blair / (1leglance)
History, geology, etc.
Nipton, CA
The town of Nipton is located at the crossroads of two overland wagon routes. The east-west route carried people and freight from the Colorado River to mining town of Ivanpah. The north-south route went from Goodsprings to Goffs, a station on the Santa Fe Railroad. On January 1900, Karns staked 6 claims in the Crescent District Nevada calling the group of claims the Nippeno Consolidated Mine. A mining camp was formed close to the crossroads of these wagon routes in order to supplies the mines and was called Nippeno Camp.
In 1885, Nevada Senator William Clark wanted to build a railroad connecting Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. In the winter of 1904-1905 the railroad was completed, which passed through Nippeno Camp and close to the wagon routes.
In 1910 the S.P., L.A., & S.L. line was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad System and the Nippeno Camp was changed to Nipton to avoid confusion with another stop along the railroad called Nippomo. A stage coach line from Searchlight, Nevada was established to carry passengers and freight to the railhead at Nipton.
The Union Pacific Railroad abandons the rail station at Nipton 195?.
Primm, NV
Originally called State Line was later changed to Primm in 1996 to avoid confusion with another town called Stateline in Douglas County Nevada.
Pete MacIntyre owned a gas station at the state line in the 1920’s. Having difficult making ends meet, Pete started bootlegging. Pete died in 1933 and the legend is that he wanted to be buried standing up with a bottle of his bootleg in his hands. When the connecting bridge for the I-15 was being built, Pete’s body was accidentally exhumed from his unmarked grave.
Sandy Valley, NV
In 1893 a 10-stamp Keystone mill was built. A small town developed at the Keystone mill, and a post office was established there on January 10, 1896 taking the name Sandy.
The core of the town was established in 1894 by John McClanahan, who opened a store and saloon.
On September 23, 1910 the post office was moved to the nearby town of Ripley.
General considerations
There is a small general store in Nipton, CA. All services are available in Primm, NV. There are no services in Sandy Valley, NV. Cell service is spotty along the whole trail. You are able to reach the following repeaters: 2 meter - 146.88 (-) WA7HXO Mount Potosi (8514’), 70cm – 447.000 W7AOR Mount Potosi – PL 123.0 – IRLP link NARRI, 6 meter – 53.010 (-) WB6TNP Low Potosi, 900 MHz – 927.0375 (-25 MHz) WB6TNP Low Potosi PL 141.3 Link and 927.7375 (-25 MHz) Low Potosi PL 606 (Even though the repeater is shown, it does not necessarily mean that the repeater is still open.)
Resources/links
GPS units/laptops used for tracking/navigation: ASUS EEE PC; GPS puck attached to computer; DeLorme PN-40 (backup in case of hard drive crash); Android Backcountry Navigator (to test alpha release for developer)
Navigation software used for planning/navigation: Oziexplorer
Books/maps used for planning: 1937 Clark County Basemap
1938 Nevada Highway map
1905 Denny’s Prospector’s Map; Showing wagon roads, trails, railroads, and watering places
Mendenhall, W. C., 1909, Some Desert Watering Places in Southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 224. p. 56
Searchlight Bulletin: Apr. 30, May 7, 1909
Important waypoints as coordinates
Trailhead name: 35.467955, -115.270257
Important turns:
35.468312, -115.270230
35.483943, -115.268673
35.525385, -115.249715
35.582807, -115.264187
35.583300, -115.266507
35.618138, -115.345152
35.631585, -115.345345
35.634208, -115.350047
35.629323, -115.362070
35.623875, -115.377023
35.623135, -115.385920
35.612420, -115.390373
35.610630, -115.390807
35.611242, -115.396547
35.615838, -115.403458
35.618270, -115.407670
35.670645, -115.490653
35.699120, -115.494592
35.693020, -115.520268
35.692865, -115.528028
35.764867, -115.582493
35.809312, -115.609378
35.823706, -115.613723
35.854066, -115.644838
35.887221, -115.576576
35.887903, -115.576042
35.893014, -115.568977
35.943982, -115.549125
35.960818, -115.548748
35.971347, -115.541070
36.001143, -115.484513
