[quote="casaintsfan"]Looked like fun, can't wait til nightmare gulch opens up & we can have another big group run both trails.
Awesome job on the video Chris, looks like the TJ is coming along nicely.[/quote]
Nightmare is open right now. Its closed Jan 1st - July 15, and the first half of every month. We were going to run Nightmare out, but found a trail that is only listed on the USGS topo map and simply called "Jeep Trail". That trail was very steep, narrow, and tippy - with near 1,000 ft drop-offs that scared the hell out of the wife

She said that at least as a passenger she could close her eyes, but not while driving! That trail had some very tight turns through some lava rocks that the JK had to ride the sliders around and finally reaches the summit of one of the highest mountains in the area; it was 55 degrees up there! The USGS map has several trails that are not on any other maps, so I think I'm going to spend a day this fall trying them out.
We explored the Talc mines (the drop-off on that road really scared the sh!t out of the wife), the Schmidt tunnel, Bickel Camp, and various old mines and cabins to keep the kids interested. Unfortunately, we did not have time to go to one of the two fire opal mines to get some gems.
I love the El Paso Mountains. The area is like Panamint Valley, but closer and with better scenery.
Yep, the TJ is slowly coming along. I am slowing ditching all of the Rough Country stuff and it gets better every time I do. Goint to put a Lock-Right in the front soon so it is fully locked. The only thing that sucks is doing 45MPH up the pass with the 4 banger.