5th gen 4Runners in scenic locations

It gets pretty cold camping at 8000 feet!
If you go back when the snow clears try hiking the Fairyland Loop trail. At 8 miles in length it gets a lot less traffic and the scenery is spectacular.

 

I camped last night but it only got down to 11 degrees. I was toasty warm in the 4Runner (no heater, just my sleeping bag), but the weather said it was about 10 degrees colder in Bryce. All told, I have a 0* bag (that I used last night), a 30* bag, two 40* quilts, and a wool blanket and a poncho liner… I think I may have overpacked my bedding.

I’ll definitely check out that trail when I’m here next!

 

Did that two summers ago. So damn gorgeous up there, and no one around.

 

An introduction here. My wife has a 2014 SR5 4WD with 320K miles on it. She’s retired and piles up the miles going between our home in Fullerton, CA and our ranch in Stevensville, MT….which she arguably loves more than me. She also geocaches all over the west and into Canada. Meanwhile, I still work to pay for all this and I do all the maintenance and the few repairs we’ve had on the vehicle. It’s almost certain she’ll be home when she needs an oil change. Recently had the alternator go out and I replaced it with an OEM Denso alternator. That was the first “breakdown” type of repair for this vehicle. We’ve ordered a 2023 Off-road for her and will keep the SR5 for local use in Montana. Hoping we can do more flying between SoCal and Montana and less driving.

 

Gorgeous ranch! Are you close to the Yellowstone train station?

 

We are in the Bitterroot Valley which is where they film Yellowstone. Chief Joseph Ranch is the primary filming site with the Bunk House and that is just south of Darby. The “train station” is located in Sula where the East Fork Bitterroot crosses under Highway 93. There is no train or station there, but they use a building there for the scenes. All that is about 45 to 60 minutes drive south of us. I fly fish the East Fork in the canyon below (north) of Sula all the time.

 

ummmmm do you rent out your ranch?! beautiful. I'll pay + yard work and whatever else you want me to do hahah.

 

No we don’t rent…any of our properties. Prior owner lived on Long Island, NY and did VRBO rentals. Had some of the Yellowstone crew staying there.

 

Near Las Cruces NM, on I-10 east

 

Absolutely stunning! A Maryland native and our son is a sophomore at Montana State in Bozeman. We love visiting Montana!

 

Down the road from my house after the snow last week

 

I'm jealous, just from the few pictures. If you need a ranch hand, I'm sure you can a few here, myself included.

 

We're heading to SoCal in spring and plan on including a stop at Bodie. Should have some good pics when we return!

 

If you don't come away with great photos from Bodie, you're doing it wrong...

I could never get tired of Bodie.

 

Took a few with a little instamatic that were great. First went to Bodie in the early 70s before the road was paved (except for the first mile or so). Met a Basque sheepherder. exchanged some smokes with him (Marlboros for his raunchy stuff). Just him, his dogs, rifle and a gypsy-style cart. Wintered in Las Vegas.

Now, I'm getting old and want to stop off one more time if weather allows.

 

Very cool! It's been a few years since I've been to Bodie as well, but last I went there were no paved roads in or out either. I wasn't aware that they'd paved it? Unless you mean the road off the 395 that takes you out there, that's paved, but once you hit the last few miles into Bodie itself, it's always been dirt, unless that changed recently.

 

There's a picture of me on my mom's back in a backpack, not a baby carrier, a backpack, at 6 months old with her cross-country skiing into Bodie haha! Took my kid year old there a few years ago

 

Maybe they haven't. Been almost 20 years for me and 50 since my first visit.

 

Yes, from Rt 395 it’s 10 miles of pavement then 3 miles of dirt to Bodie. A worthwhile day trip.
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509

 

You think it's a good idea to go there this time of year with the snow we got this year?

Safe enough to go this time of year? As far snow.

 

Nope.

SR 270
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM THE JCT OF US 395 TO BODIE (MONO CO) - FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE

https://roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php

 

I'm heading out mid to late April. First time I went it was the other way around: Paved for three, then dirt for ten.

If we can't get there, we'll just have to spend all day at Schat's! ;-( !!!!!

Erick Schat's Bakkery, Bishop CA – Home of The Original Sheepherder Bread Since 1938 (schatsbakery.com)

 

And all dirt going out of there, east into Nevada.

Cool little dispersed campsite right on the state line, too. In the shadow of these bluffs....

 

What Electro said.... Nope! Most snow in 20 years I read

 

Cool. Gotta explore those roads this spring. What is that stone structure?

 

this has been on my list of areas to exlpore too.
if you go in the spring let me know. i can meet up lol

 

I don't recall! I was looking at other trip pics and I found these two which were the next images taken after the campsite bluffs pic but I don't have a caption beyond "state line near Bodie... Just inside Nevada".... Some sort of ore furnace I reckon.

 

Moab, Oct. 2022.