Pahrump Point and Ibex Dunes

[wingding]

I day hiked to Pahrump Point (between Shoshone, California and Pahrump, Nevada) in the Nopah Range on Saturday. It was a nice hike mostly with a fun summit ridge. The hike is about 8 miles round-trip with 3400 feet gain. There's not much gain in the first two miles, which is along a road that you're not allowed to drive on anymore (unfortunately). It gets steep over the last two miles as you head up a wash and a couple gullies to gain the summit ridge.

Here are pictures I took:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/2149069/1

I was planning on doing Stewart Point, which is the same area today but my ankle decided to give me problems and cancelled those plans. I ended up camping out by Ibex Dunes and getting up early this morning to go check out the dunes. Here are some pictures I took of the Ibex Dunes:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/2150480

[BSquared]

Good pictures, as always. I particularly like the low-angle sun on the dunes, and the colors it produces.

On the self-portrait on Pahrump I noticed that you're wearing what looks like a Garmin Foretrex or Forerunner—what do you think of it? I've been lusting after one, but it'd be good to have a first-hand account of its good points and bad points.

[wingding]

It's a Foretrex 101 - very basic and not expensive as far as GPS's go - I think you can find it out there for about $100 if you shop around. It replaced a Garmin Etrex (the basic yellow one without mapping). The Etrex was good and I used it for 4 year, but the screen finally got so scratched up that I was having trouble reading it.

The Foretrex is also very basic - almost the same functions as the Etrex. It does not have mapping, but that doesn't bother me much because I input waypoints and use them. It's supposed to be waterproof, but I haven't checked to makes sure. You can download waypoints from your computer if you get the pc interface cable and have the software. I just print out my waypoints and put them in manually - slower that way but easy enough.

I wanted the 101 because it used regular AAA batteries (the 202 is dependent on special rechargeables that would make it harder when backpacking).

Anyway, I am pleased with the Foretrex 101 - it's pretty darn accurate and has held up well through lots of banging around out there. I'd buy another one.