Potato ridge/rocky gap Las Vegas

MTG

Caught the Bug
Yesterday 2012jkfng702, FoxC, and I took advantage of some great southern Nevada weather and made a run at Potato Ridge/Rocky Gap. We ran it South to North beginning at Lovell Canyon Road off highway 160 and ended up at Red Rock Canyon. The trail is actually an old road that used to be the only way to get between Pahrump and Las Vegas, NV. Being an old rocky road you can actually take a stock jeep through with little trouble, but we opted for the harder route and spent most of the day in about 4-5 washes that serpentine through the canyon. Beings it had recently rained, the route had been washed out in places which made it both "new" and more challenging in a few spots. All in all it was a great day, we suffered little damage and made a few new friends.

We had a few GoPro's rolling and some decent cameras to take pictures (hopefully Chris and Craig will post some), below are some pictures I took with my phone.



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Heading out highway 160.



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Not more than 10 minutes in the first wash we saw a jeep on the road along the side of the wash. They paralleled us for a few minutes and we met up at the first crossing. Frank and Linda were a nice semi-retired couple from Washington state on vacation in Vegas. They had a 2 door JK sitting on 35s and jumped in line and spent the rest of the day with us.



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Working out way through some beautiful country!



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After a while we came across some more fellow jeepers. These guys were from Iceland and were in town for SEMA. They decided to get a trail run in before heading home. Not sure their affiliation, but they were driving the rig from Overland Journal.

A little further up the trail gets a bit more difficult including a nasty rock wall that has some potential for A-pillar damage.



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Chris seeing how close he could get without actually touching it! Who was spotting you anyway. ;)

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This sign reminded us not to use our hang gliding equipment.
 
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Working out way through the Rainbow Wilderness Area.



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Taking a few minutes for a lineup shot and to take in the magnificent view from the top.
 
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Working our way down.



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FoxC below on one of many switchbacks.



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Be sure to pick a good line!



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Knuckles taking in the view of Red Rock Canyon below.



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Like all runs you are often too soon reminded of civilization. Unfortunately for us (or perhaps them?) that reminder came in the form of these pink/purple monstrosities!



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You can just see Las Vegas through the valley.


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Finally back on pavement and aired up. Sun setting behind the mountains after an awesome day on the trail!
 
Great pics. I haven't run that trail in the daylight since June. It seems happier under sunlight.
 
Great pics. I haven't run that trail in the daylight since June. It seems happier under sunlight.

Yeah, I had only ran it once before...at night. As always, it was a completely different trail.

BTW--sorry to hear about your jeep. :grayno:
 
What a day...great people...great trail...great weather...what more can we ask for!

2012jkfng702 making his approach to a tricky line:
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MTG trying a different line:
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Getting a little twist on:
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...and time for a pose!
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2012jkfng702 spotting our new found friends from Washington through. They are a great pair and it was fun spending some time with them. She kept saying: "I told you we need more lift and more tire honey!" Now thats a wife!!
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The wash is starting to get tight:
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...and you remember that different line that MTG was trying...?:
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That looks like the same rock at the entrance to the last wash that 2012jkfng702 got beached on last spring. In fact we call it Chris Rock.
 
ProfessionalDriver said:
Guessing this is the obstacle responsible for the damage to the new muffler... :thinking:

Yeah. Think so. Nothing big, but it did a number on the transfer case skid.

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But hey, that's that they are there for right?
 
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awesome trip report!! haven't been up that way in years - definitely need to run it again. :thumb:
 
Skirmish said:
That looks like the same rock at the entrance to the last wash that 2012jkfng702 got beached on last spring. In fact we call it Chris Rock.

That's the one! We got the first three rigs through relatively easily and then decided to see if the other line was doable. It took some work but we made it. I think Chris would have been fine with his 6" lift but Knuckles just about got high centered. :doh:

BTW Craig, great pics. Forgot we had an audience at that point!
 
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wayoflife said:
awesome trip report!! haven't been up that way in years - definitely need to run it again. :thumb:

There is some fun stuff around here. Amazing how pretty Las Vegas is...once you get out of town. :cheesy:
 
This is what happened last time. 6" lift still left him high centered. Got pulled off by his old TJ.

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Somehow he managed to bust a sway link in the process.
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Last couple times I've been on that trail have ended in carnage. Good to hear you guys had fun.
 
What's up with the pink tour busses in that one shot?[/QUOTE]

Thats our vegas pink "jeep" tours. They run tourist out to lake mead and red rock from the strip. Welcome to Vegas...:rock:
 
That's the one! We got the first three rigs through relatively easily and then decided to see if the other line was doable. It took some work but we made it. I think Chris would have been fine with his 6" lift but Knuckles just about got high centered. :doh:

BTW Craig, great pics. Forgot we had an audience at that point!

gee...I wonder why that audience didnt join us :thinking:
 
Awesome pics! Looks like you had a great time. One of these days Steph and I need head out to Vegas and explore this cool trail. Thanks for sharing.
 
Yeah that was a awesome trip ill get my pics up when I get home. Had to upload my camera app back on my computer this afternoon. Might be able to put video up too. Thanks for reminding me of that high center Kieth;-).
 
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