About this event
PCA SDR Off-road Tour
Explore these Natural and Cultural Landmarks of Central California:
Trona Pinnacles, Ballarat Ghost Town, Alabama Hills, Manzanar Site, and Reward Mine
October 4-5, 2025
This October, the PCA SDR is heading North for a two day off-road adventure to explore natural and cultural landmarks in central California and the Eastern Sierras. This is a two day event which means a hotel stay in Lone Pine, CA, will be necessary on Saturday night.
Below is the schedule summary:
Day 1: Saturday October 4th
Drive begins leaving from San Diego in the early morning. First off-road stop is the Trona Pinnacles, about 4 hours north of San Diego.
Heading towards Death Valley, the next stop will be Ballarat Ghost Town.
Next stop: Hotel in Lone Pine, CA.
Day 2: Sunday, October 5th
Alabama Hills Movie Road tour of all the stops, including a short hike to view the arches, and stops along the way to take in the views.
Next it's dirt roads to Manzanar Detention Facility Historic Site.
Then across the valley for some high speed dirt roads to Reward Mine at the base of Mt Inyo.
The trip home is a 5 hour drive, unless you stay another night in Lone Pine.
Event requirements
This is an event for Porsches only: Cayennes and Macan SUVs, and any dirt road capable Porsches may attend. With that said, the majority of the driving that will be done will be on roads that only a Cayenne can safely handle. If you are interested in attending with a Porsche that's not a Cayenne, please contact the event organizer to discuss how the event will work for you.
Details regarding the hotel locations will be provided upon event registration.
Basic requirements:
1: A road-trip ready Porsche with no mechanical issues is essential as we will be 300+ miles from home, far from any Porsche service centers or independent shops. If you have a known issue, don't come until it's confirmed to be addressed.
2: Appropriate tires in good condition are one of the most important pieces of equipment for this event, as the primary source of a mechanical issue would be a flat tire. We will be driving over 600 miles on highways, and up to 50 miles on unpaved roads. Because of the long drive, unless you can mechanically support your own vehicle, ensure your road side assistance coverage is in effect. The temperatures can be high, and on the road trip portion of the drive, the speeds can be high as well, which means old tires with minimal tread depth are a liability! The more technical off-road trails in the area can be rocky, which makes getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere an elevated risk. Therefore, having a spare tire and having off-road oriented tires are a requirement if you are going to explore off the maintained dirt roads.
3: Off-road driving experience is not necessary, but if you are a newbie, reach out to the event organizer to go over basics so you are mentally prepared. The purpose of the event is to get exposure to the off-road abilities of your Porsche, and experience those capabilities while enjoying some incredible wilderness scenery and varied terrains and landmarks along the way. There will be plenty of time to learn about the off-road programming features of your Porsche and enthusiasts to share knowledge with.
4: We will be using FRS Radios during the drive. Be sure to purchase a radio so you can fully take part in the experience.
5: Waivers: This is a special kind of PCA SDR event since the whole family can come along for the drive. All adults in attendance, driver or not, will need to sign the paper waiver at the drivers meeting held before departing on Saturday morning. Please note, only the main registrant needs to register for the event; when registering, please indicate the number of people that will be in your vehicle. Everyone in a car needs to sign the waiver the morning of the event.
If minors will be attending the event, which they are absolutely encouraged to do, a Waiver for Minors must be signed by both parents. If only one parent will be actually attending the event, download the waiver PDF, print it in color, and have both parents sign the waiver, and bring it to be turned in at the morning tour briefing. Both parents need to sign the waiver for any minors in attendance. If you do not follow that exact protocol, you cannot attend.
Once you register for the event, you will get a confirmation email with information about reserving a hotel room, and links to download the Self-Inspection Checklist, and a link to the Minor Waiver.
***During the week prior to the event, you will get an email from the event organizer with detailed information of the meetup location, and time, as well as car preparation info.***