Vegas 4X4 caching?

[+media601]

(oops...posted this on the wrong forum...not sure what to do about that.)

 

I have tried posting this on the Nevada Geocaching Association site but I can't seem to get my user account validated there so I'm trying here.

 

A friend of mine and myself will be in Vegas for a few days after Christmas. We are renting a Jeep Wrangler with the thought of exploring and caching along some of the desert and Red Rock back roads. neither of us are experienced off roaders so we are looking more for "high ground clearance" roads rather than "rock crawling".

 

My original plan was to seek some of the back road caches in the Mount Charleston area, but I realize some of these may be closed due to snow. We don't mind cold (born and bred Minnesotans) but would prefer not to do any Jeep-boganning. Also I understand that driving in the washes is now prohibited, cutting off some of the caches in that area.

 

How about the Red Rocks area, such as Willow Creek/Rocky Gap? Open in winter? Suitable for noobs? Does Valley of Fire have any 4X4 roads?

 

Any advice, recommendations, or other info appreciated. Caching as well as non-caching routes. Feel free to email me. Thanks.

Edited December 13, 2006 by media601

[+Cache Heads]

I'm sure a mod will move this eventually. (best would be the west/southwest forums)

 

The first thing I would try is running a PQ of the area with the attribute included and terrain set to 2 or above. Once you've got a list of moderate terrain caches that allow 4x4s, check the areas that they are in on the map and then email a couple of the owners for info on those areas.

 

I'm a member of the SoCal 4x4 Geocachers.... not sure if anyone over there knows much about Nevada, but you could give it a whirl!

 

Happy wheelin' and cachin'!

[+media601]

I'm sure a mod will move this eventually. (best would be the west/southwest forums)

 

The first thing I would try is running a PQ of the area with the attribute

 

That's a good idea on the attribute PQ. Thanks, I'll try it.

 

BTW I did finally get onto the NGA board.

[Meckers]

I was in Vegas last September and did an awful lot of Southwest sightseeing but only one geocache.

 

Try this website. It is a treasure trove of off road sites around Las Vegas.

 

http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Hike_index.htm

 

I hope you are wrong about the washes being off-limits as I intend to go back out in the spring to do nothing but cache the area. I think what you heard is that the backcountry areas are off limits to any vehicle that is not street legal. That would permit your Jeep. I drove up Echo Wash from the Northshore drive and found the "Echo Bay View" geocache. The wash had a "Only street legal vehicles permitted" sign or something like that (possibly "No Off Road Vehicles Permitted").

 

The area near the Valley of Fire has the "Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway" which is recommended only for high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicles. It sounds fabulous and I'm still kicking myself for not allotting enough time to traverse it. Read my posting at the above mentioned geocache to see my itinerary.

 

Good luck and have a great time.

 

Meckers

[+Cache Heads]

I'm surprised this never got moved so you could get some better answers... mods must be off for the holidays already...

 

(hey, looks like a great website Meckers... I'll have to check it out! )

Edited December 14, 2006 by Cache Heads