TacoSTIG: PNW MT Build

Thanks man, little by little it's all coming together.

 

Factor55 1.5" fairlead installed.



And initial spool of the Spydura. Respooled it under tension a few days later. Tip, don't forget to slip the nylon sheath on the line before you spool it. It wont fit over the other end.

 

Rigid Dually Ambers going in

 

Hey man! sorry for the late reply and thanks for the props! Where abouts are you? I've been thinking about heading up your way this summer, lots amazing terrain to explore. Plus Whistler!!

 

No complaints, I had one of the earlier models that came with a plastic air line. Long story short I blew a hole in it and they sent me out a braided line and now it's standard with the mount. I think it's the best compressor mount solution if you're hurting for space. Not to mention counter balancing the battery weight.

 

Thanks Mike!

 

Is that the fairlead I sold you? About time you put it on!

 

Glad to get an update!

AvE does some interesting reviews and some make me laugh. I saw the video of him tearing apart the jump packs and just laughed. Its cheap chinese stuff and he was surprised it was made cheap

I rather like your propane storage. I might have to try to find a tank like yours to do something similar.

And i never new you could set up alerts for craigslist. Im going to have to look into that instead of searching "fj40" for everyday lol

 

I need to know how these work out!

 

No worries! There are more important things than spending time on the internet!

I'm in greater Vancouver, practically on your way to Whistler! Definitely let me know if you come up here. I know some really incredible locations to camp, and I know some even lesser known and very amazing trails all over this area. Plus obviously Whistler! Have you ridden in the park before?

You're build is basically where I want to get mine to! I'm hoping to get on 35s by the end of 2017. Did you go with floods for your amber duallies? That's what I have, I'm curious what you think about them?

Also, how do you carry bikes on your setup? I'm finding bikes to be the most frustrating thing to have to work around when planning out my usage of truck space.

Sorry, lots of questions

 

TRIP REPORT:

WABDR 2016 (Washington Backcountry Discovery Route)


Instead of a night at the titty bar my good bud and I decided to hit the trail as a proper send off into his new married life. Him and I had been camping together for a few years but never attempted anything longer than a casual weekend. In short we had a lot to learn, so we made a rough plan, packed the bags, and hit the trail.


The Route:
The full route follows the Cascade Mtns covering 575miles from Stevenson on WA's southern border up to Night Hawk on the Canadian border.
http://www.backcountrydiscoveryroutes.com/WABDR


Given our time frame we made the call to cut the WABDR roughly in half starting the trip in Ellensburg and covering the northern leg.
By doing so we'd have more time to explore side trails and make more frequent stops to enjoy the view vs racing the sun logging the extra miles.
This trip wasn't about the destination, it was about free exploration, adventure, and discovery.



Day 1: Ellensburg to Beehive Reservoir
Delay number one: Gear
We wanted to start the trip at the crack of dawn as you do... but decided to hold off to do one final triple check that we weren't forgetting anything. Thankfully we did because I realized I was dangerously low on mountain money 'aka Toilet Paper' and Jason didn't have his camera batteries. After addressing those oversights we were off to Ellensburg!

Delay number two: Coms
I had built a nifty CB mount a few weeks prior to the trip but was still having issue getting low SWR readings so I picked up a backup magnet mount for the trip. I tossed it on the roof and it tested pretty good without any adjustment. But now road testing it with Jason... it was horrible. We decided to press on and figure it out at our first fuel stop in Ellensburg. Grabbed the swr meter and now saw freakishly high readings, now it suggested that the antenna was too long. Unsure why it tested fine the first time?! Without hesitation I broke out the tool box, grabbed the metal snips, and started hacking. Three inches later readings were dropping but still too high and the snips were failing to cut any further. That's when the idea hit to move the antenna to the hood... it sure looked doofy but SWR readings were out of red and good to go.

Two delays later we were on route.



Looking down over the city of Ellensburg



Reaching the summit the landscape quickly took a turn


Only skeletons remain of what once was a lush forest. This would be the view for many many miles to come.


Wild flowers flourished among the dead.


The pavement ended here, goodbye clean truck.




Jason checking out one of the first amazing vistas



Onward










This was one massive tree!


The sun was setting and we were behind schedule so we decided to call it a day and set up camp. We were greeted by baby diapers, a shower curtain, broken glass, and piles of shells. I'll never understand folks that don't pack out their crap... (this was shot after some basic cleanup)

Frustrations aside we were provided a gorgeous sunset to kick off the trip. We were both rather exhausted at this point so we kept dinner simple and had chili and hot links.





To tops things off tonight was the first night of the Perseids meteor shower.






Day 2: Beehive Reservoir to Lake Chelan

I slept like a rock but Jason wasn't as lucky. Multiple diesel rigs drove past our camp early in the morning which stirred him and his pup up.



After some coffee and a simple breakfast we broke camp and hit the road.





...well this was unexpected, Mission Creek FS7100 is closed. Randomly a hiker came around the bend as we were parked scratching our heads and informed us that the road has been closed a long time due to washouts. He told us our best bet to get to Cashmere was to head down the mtn and go up through Wenatchee.



We had hoped to stay off the pavement for this section but couldn't find any other routes so we aired up and hit the road.



Sure feels weird to hit the freeway after being offroad for awhile.


Entering Cashmere we followed a few signs which led us to 'It's 5'. It was a great idea.




After our drink we were back on the trail





Chumstick Mtn, amazing views all around.










Found a geocache and left something just as random as what was inside.








Coopers general store, Ardenvoir.


Did a brief once over on the truck and noticed my bushings were getting a tad hairy. Is this normal? or do I have them too tight or too loose?


The sun was headed down so we jumped back on the trail to scout for a spot to call it a night.







Considered this spot but decided to press further in hopes for something even better.








We reached the summit of Baldy Mtn and found what would be the best camp spot of the trip. It offered us an amazing panoramic vista of Lake Chelan to the East and the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest to the West.








Ended the long day with a fine steak and a tame fire.



...more to come

 

Such a tease! Looks like a nice trip so far! Good info as next summer Ill probably end up taking the gf on at least part of it.

The stringing on the bushing probably isnt good. Not something i would overly worry about replacing right away but would add it to the list. I think i actually have a OEM replacement for the rear...least for one side

 

Nice updates on your build
And great trip report so far, pics are great

 

some really nice shots! that looks like a really fun trip for me to do in reverse from bc!

 

Awesome!

 

Yes sir! hah, it's been awhile just behind on the build thread.

Haha yeah, he sure knows a lot of odd ball facts. I've learned quite a bit watching him tear shit apart.

Thanks, so far it has worked out great. The only issue with my setup is the height of the tank, it's advised to mount it higher due to crash hazards. I'll have to dig up the law info again, I recall finding specifics somewhere.

Craigslist alerts are great, I have a ton of them setup for random crap. After you create the alert make sure you go to your account page then the searches tab and put a check in the box that says Alerts 'on'. It's weird and defaults to off after making a new alert.

Thanks Nick! We'll have to talk before you hit it. New bushings are on the list, just unsure what I did wrong... they barely have any miles on them.

Had them on for awhile now and never turn them off, they cut through our cruddy weather and dust and look cool too. I'm sure there are much cheaper alternatives these days, I got them in a bundle deal when ordering the bumper.

Right on! I've never been up there so that would be awesome. Whistler has always been a dream destination growing up and I'm finally the closest I've ever been to it. I hear the bike park during the summer is the place to be.

I admit it, I love the 35's... even thought they're not the most practical, they look and perform great. Sure had some indecision for a bit making the call but I'm glad I went for it.
I also have the floods, honestly they throw less light than I was expecting but I do notice them in bad weather which is helpful cutting through the muck. I'd say more than anything they help let people know I'm there, the amber is hard to miss on a dusty trail when following other people.

Hauling bikes is a pain... there's really no slick solution without a custom hitch mount. The extra tall canopy makes a huge difference but it's still cramped back there. I've been working on a rack design that'll work with the pelfrey hc rear/swingout but don't have it all figured out. Too many side projects and not enough time haha

Thanks man, it was a pretty sweet run, nothing too crazy but very scenic. Sadly the fires sure took their toll on the area, the trip felt like a tour of WA's forest fire history.

Thanks man, I had put going through these off for awhile but glad to finally dig through them and relive the trip.

 

Oh dude, you do not know what you're missing out on! You gotta get up here when the park opens! I know everybody loves to come for crankworx, but I would recommend coming earlier in the season. It just gets so packed and dusty and the trails get totally jacked up until they're so bumpy your fingers can't open any more haha. Come earlier and it is way better.

Bike park is fun, and you can get upwards of 12 laps a day in (easy more if you have insane stamina and speed) which is a mental amount of vertical, but the best trails for sure are the secret ones outside of Whistler. Basically a double black on Whistler is a tame warm up lap in the shore or in Squamish if you know where to look. That is no exaggeration!

I had read online that the ambers work better in fog etc, so I got them cuz it rains and fogs a lot here, but honestly they don't do much more than look really cool I've found. You can tell that they do throw a lot of light, it just seems really dim because of its colour. I do wish I had gone for white. I'd be interested in trying the amber spots though, they might work better with their consecrated beam. Everytime I have them on though everybody tells me they look sick, so that's a plus! They do work good in the snow though. You get lots of good depth perception from the amber rather than the white

Edit: consecrated should be concentrated lol

 

Day 3: Lake Chelan to Harts Pass

Another solid night sleeping in the back of the truck. It could still use some work to reach glamping status like all you RTT guys but it does the trick.



Sunrise


Wandering around I located the marker for Stormy Mtn, located just NW of camp.


Took the throne up the mtn a bit further, dug a pit, and enjoyed the view. Luxury!


Sitting there I heard something off in the bushes...


Then silence...

....


I wrote it off and finished my business.


Walking back down to camp I spot movement in my peripherals.

A pack of 4-5 gray wolves sprint out of the brush across the clearing about 30yards out from where I was just at!

They're gorgeous creatures but terrifying at the same time, especially in a pack.

I get back to camp and we get Jasons pup back on a leash and keep her close.





After some coffee we decided to scout up the grade for a better view of Chelan and surrounding areas.


It appears the wolves left something behind... this was found exactly in their path. My hunch was that they were trying to bait Jason's pup with it but who knows... it was alarming none the less.


The moss was so neon that it looked fake...


Looking East

Looking West (Baldy Mtn on the left and Stormy Mtn on the Right)


Further up the range we got a better view of Lake Chelan


Met a few critters that took interest to the camera shutter click.


With food on the mind we headed back down to camp for breakfast


Broke camp and headed down the grade towards Lake Chelan.

Another fire... this one looked rather recent. What puzzled us was the lack of bark around the same height on every tree. The only idea we had was that's where the trees bend in the wind which caused the burnt bark to fall off. Interesting none the less




Another mile down the trail we took an interesting looking side road which led to a burnt out communications station.


Off the mtn and on pavement once again

POOOOOOOW!!!!!!!
@Nate87 you couldn't have been more right.


Heat + Plastic = Weakness
Luckily Nate had warned me about this very situation when I installed the compressor so I was prepared for it to go. But that's not to say the explosion didn't cause me to jump. The compressor had been doing great without issue all trip but this was a rather hot day so underhood temps were higher than average. Thankfully it blew close to the end of the hose so I just cut it back a bit and I was back in business....


well... for one more tire.

Used Jason's Viair unit and we were back on the road.

Fresh fuel and a filthy truck

The landscape took another huge change, this isn't the Washington I'm used to.


To Winthrop!?
We were off course of the traditional WABDR but this was a necessary detour. A few years ago I picked up a bunch of different brews from TotalWine (it's like a bevmo but larger) to sample with my Uncle over the holidays. Our favorite from this selection was a special reserve imperial stout brewed by Old Schoolhouse Brewery. I went back to the TotalWine for more and was told this specific beer was made in limited batches and they were all out. The guy behind the counter suggested that my best bet would be to get it directly from the source.

With this image in my head, we were on our way to Winthrop!!!






We made it! I held my breath in hopes they would have the stout....



They did!!! and on tap at that! With my favorite brew on tap and one damn fine burger I was in heaven. After chatting the waiter up about our journey and love of their beer he mentioned that they haven't bottled it for awhile now and said to hang tight. A few minutes later he returned from their storage room with a bag in hand. Their last two bottles of the special reserve were wrapped up and ready to take home.

Humbled at the kindness we left a great tip, posed for their photo wall, and explored the rest of the town.


Back on our way to Harts Pass we stopped at the Mazama Store which is a very cool general store that carries a bit of everything. It's one of the only places around to pick up whatever you may need in the middle of nowhere.

Of course you need a mini cast iron skillet.


The Pass... one of the sketchiest sections of road I've ever been on.


Sorry...this is the best shot I was able to take of the grade going up... what you don't see is that I'm inches from a soft shoulder that goes quite literally straight down. There's only enough room for one vehicle at a time and there are far and few turnouts available. I held my breath that nobody was on their way down while we were headed up.

After a successful assent my knuckles returned to their proper color and we were presented a nice treat. Finally a green forest!

There's a story here somewhere.



We were losing light as we traveled down the the backside of Slate Peak. The upper areas of the park were crowded with folks which is the last place we wanted to spend our last night.


We traveled further and further into the valley until reaching what was left of an old mining town just south of Barron.


Further down the road we approached a rather serious camp along the side of Slate Creek and received some unwelcoming looks as we slowly passed them by.


We were in mining country, and these areas are still being worked. It made sense why we received the looks we did, we were in their claim.

We hit a dead end shortly down the road, there was nowhere left to venture, and our options were limited. The only available spot was just up the road near the abandoned cabins, it wasn't ideal, we were tired, but it would have to do.

We quickly got setup, made a rough dinner, and crashed out not long after.

...more to come

 

WABDR 2016

Day 1-2:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacostig-pnw-mt-build.359720/page-46#post-14043473

Day 3:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacostig-pnw-mt-build.359720/page-46#post-14050198

Day 4: Harts Pass to Home


The reality that this was our last day was setting in but we didn't let that bring us down. We still had a packed day ahead of us: Slate Peak, Diablo Lake, and my first time traveling the North Cascades Highway.


Camping next to a ghost town, check.



The last of the bacon, eggs, and snoqualmie falls instant pancakes topped with apple butter.



Packed and ready to head off on our last major destination of the trip, Slate Peak.






















Jer's World?!


Pretty sweet re-purpose job












7488ft the highest peak of our trip.




Photos do this view no justice

































I went through the most washer fluid I've ever used in my life.


Essentials #1 Stanley FrenchPress Thermos, Water.


Essentials #2, Sunblock, ARB deflator, Gloves.


Harts Pass... white knuckles!






Rest stop at Diablo Lake, amazing views, surreal colors.


Last stop before a 3hr section home, was in dire need of caffeine but the line here was out of control.


After 496.9 total miles I was back home with a perfectly filthy truck.

 

Looks like an amazing trip. Really makes me want to look into orders up to the PNW. Never been to that part of the country, but it looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!