Anyone driven their camper over Mengel Pass?

[BillTheHiker]

Just did Warm Springs Road in DVNP and hiked up Mengel Pass, parking about one mile from the Pass. Hard to imagine a camper making the pass. I was warned in advance my Tacoma even without the Fleet would be a bad idea to try it.

The last ten miles before the pass were horribly rocky but nothing technical and had no problems and glad I have load range E tires.

 

[Captm]

I've done the Mengal Pass several times over the years. Each year the was difficulty was different due to the amount of that years rain and number of vehicles that had traveled over the pass prior to my trips. Be prepared to stack rocks if needed. Sorry I could have not been more helpful. Check out https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/ for more current information.
Cheers!

 

[ntsqd]

I've been over it several times in square body Suburbans and too many times to recall in my old '84 Xcab Yota. While a friend of mine has taken his crew-cab long-bed Ford (on 37's) over it I'd be really hesitant to do it with a camper.

The ~1/2 mile of the east slope closest to the pass isn't the only challenge. The 'slot' a couple miles to the west of the pass, with it's tight U-turn, might get interesting. More importantly the 'waterfall' west of the mines in Goler Wash can be a serious challenge depending on how recently DVNP graded it.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip>
More importantly the 'waterfall' west of the mines in Goler Wash can be a serious challenge depending on how recently DVNP graded it.

From my understanding it is the owners of the mine up Goler who grade the road for access and that portion of the road is outside DVNP and Inyo County's.

Last time - maybe three years ago - we were up there, the road in from the west was smooth up to the mine.

We've walked Mengel Pass a couple times. Nuff said.

 

[BillTheHiker]

Thanks for the info.

 

[ntsqd]

Ski, good catch. I had been told that it was DVNP who graded it, but on review it is outside of the Park.

Glad to not be this guy:

Just to the rear of him is an off-camber, in his case Left, that leans you into an abutment. Both Subs felt fine there, but it felt like I was going to kiss the shell rear window every time I drove the Xcab thru there. Reality is that the glass was far from being in jeopardy, but it always felt like it was!

 

[SunMan]

Three trips over Mengel with a 2006 Tundra and a Hawk. No issues. Haven’t been over it in my 2017 Tundra. Yet.

 

[Central Toast]

I did it several years ago in my 2003 Tundra (stock height) with a Hawk. Customized the the truck on a rock right under the passenger side door while trying to negotiate the very spot where that van is pictured. Probably avoidable if I were a better off roader! Otherwise the trip was fantastic with the camper. Spent the first night in the canyon on the west side as shown in my profile picture.

 

[M1010 Mike]

Yep, did this with my old Ram diesel and FWC up Mengal Pass