Carpenter Canyon & Wheeler Well

By Denis & Sandi Inman

A total of 10 Pahrump Valley 4 Wheeler member rigs, 9 Jeep Wranglers of various models and a Gladiator Rubicon left Smiths parking lot at 7:00 AM on Saturday for a trip up to Carpenter Canyon and then on to Wheeler Well for lunch. The participants were me & Sandi, Matt, Jim, Brian, Dave & Judy, Andy, Sel & Pam, Liz & Poppy, Rick & Mary in the tail gunner slot and Dennis & Laura rode with Mike & Patti in the Gladiator (they said it was very comfortable). We aired down right after we got off the highway and onto Carpenter Canyon Road.

At the cattle guard, the group headed South along the fence line for a while before turning East and taking a slightly different route to the canyon. Carpenter Canyon had running water in the creek as well as in the road and the air temp was very pleasant. There were a few people camping in the wilderness area just beyond the turn-around. When we had about as much of the cool climate as we could stand, we started towards Wheeler Well. Once we got on Wheeler Pass Road, we experienced a bit of weekend traffic and there were a few vehicles at the well also. A thoughtful father even brought his two boys up to the wild animal watering trough to take a dip in the leftover drool. I hope he told them not to drink any of the slobber.