Westbound and Down: The LGAA planning thread

Yeah let's avoid driving all the way out there just to have our hopes and dreams crushed when the passes are closed haha

 

Mt Rushmore, devils tower, Yellowstone, craters of the moon, crater lake, Yosemite, redwood forest. To name a few.

 

sounds like a big expedition, how long are you gonna be out?

 

Little over two weeks

 

Man I dream about doing things like that... Sounds like a bad ass trip.


As far as this trip goes 2019 would be ideal. What's the furthest west y'all would plan on going?

 

Any time. I'll be in the area when you guys do this too. Keep me in the loop!

 

I have not, but I'll add it on my list and let you know when i tackle it....it's snowmobile season now tho

 

I think end of July thru middle September would be best so as to avoid snow and the crushing of hopes and dreams.

 

5 out of ten.

If you do morrison in the same trip you'll laugh at black bear.

It isn't sketch at all. Only reason it has a rep is due to people in rental jeeps who don't know how to drive. Just need good throttle control, if your a manual you better be good at holding the truck on a hill with just the clutch and be able to reverse.

Otherwise, super easy. Especially compared to morrison. Also, ultra pretty.

 

Awesome

July - August sounds perfect

 

August is your prime time to be here. Can still be snow in July, hell some trails out here don't even open until July 15th..Morrison included. Snow can fly as early as September so Id plan on August if you guys can.

 

So does that put us at an August 2019 date?

That might be tough for me, fucking figures haha

 

well thats...ironic?

 

Incredible amounts of irony

(Smashes head into keyboard repeatedly)

 

Yea I'm confident in my ability to do that but I can't help but think what if I mess up and she rolls forward, black bear is the only pass I'm paranoid about lol. Maybe I'll just pull the parking brake and let it out as I reverse.. i think it's just the last switchback that's on a very steep decline.

Also, I tried looking for information on Morrison and can't find much, where is that?

 

Morrison is in the Clarks Fork canyon in Wyoming. ITs has 27-29 much tighter and steeper switch backs up the canyon wall compared to 2 tight corners on Blackbear. Blackbear is also only 1 way, you can only go down it so there is no chance of meeting on coming traffic. Not that case on Morrison.

I have a trip report of it that you may have read. Posted in here a few pages back.

You shouldn't be too worried about Black bear. I mean if you fuck up, your gonna die. haha but morrison is much more dangerous IMO. 2 people did die on it this last august in a UTV. Neither trail is really THAT hard. In fact, they aren't hard at all honestly. The only thing you have to do it just pay attention and keep your whits about you. And you'll be fine.

In my experience, your adrenaline is flowing so good on Morrison its easy to stay focused. The view of Black bear is insanely cool and makes it a bit more easy to get distracted. But, you're also on a cliff so you likely won't not be paying attention haha

Your in a 1st gen so you'll have no issues really with the turns. Just stay alert and trust your spotter if you decide to use one.

the one big advice i can give you on the tight switchbacks is how to turn on them. When you get to one turn as late as you can, when you do turn do fuck around and cut it as hard and fast as possible. On Morrison, if you are going up, use your front bumper. Paid for it after all, put it to good use and drive straight into the cliff face(slowly obviously). When you go do back up to do your 3/4/5/6 point turn. DO NOT cut it hard the opposite way. Instead, just straighten your wheels up and back up as far as you can or are comfortable...again..cliff This is very important on Morrison. Especially for longer wheel base rigs. Why? It keeps you from swinging the front end of the truck towards the apex. If you just did a 3 point turn like you do in the street you'll end up sucked up on the apex of the switch back, which can be anywhere form 2-6 feet different in height(not joking). And then your stuck, flexed out and teetering away....on a cliff! haha

So just back straight up. then cut in hard again into the turn as before. It takes a bit longer but works much better and you won't get stuck.

And dont be scared to use the front bumper, its only rock and dirt, drag it along if you have too. Battle wounds!


No matter what, both aren't that bad but super exhilarating to do. You'll never forget it and you'll only regret not doing it if its right there. Super cool trails.

 

2018 or bust! I'm not patient enough for 2019.

 

As in, don't drink a lot the night before...got it haha

And awesome awesome advice on the switchbacks. We don't have any out east (not in my wheeling experience, at least...or at least nothing of similar consequence), so that's certainly valuable info

 

yeah hang over wouldn't be good if bet haha

You bet. It works quite well. Makes easy work for shorter rigs.