Where Have You Off-Roaded Today? 3rd Gen

Engineer Pass to Lake City to Cinnamon Pass.

Part #3

 

Well today was whacked. First I end up on an ATV road with no pullouts or turnarounds and almost roll my truck sideways into a gully trying to turn around.

Then I find a trail to a mountain lookout point, but it is too narrow and hairy and I have to reverse back down for over a mile.

Not fun. A 500 foot cliff on my left, and on my right a 500 foot drop down. I will go back again, but park at the one pullout that is about a half mile up. Then hike the rest of the way to the viewpoint.

On the reverse back down, I had my seatbelt off in case I had to bail out. It is that risky as the gravel and shale is very loose and you only have one foot to spare on your passenger side as you back down. 4-lo reverse and brake on for a mile.

Plan was to go explore a small fishing lake! Then I see this mountain viewpoint on my maps and decided to to take a look. At some spots you can do a full stop, and the truck will start to slide on the loose gravel and shale. Too much risk, takes the fun out of it. Not a good spot to get a breakdown or a flat when alone.

 

That's crazy! Especially on your own. Glad you made it back out safely. I do understand the desire to keep exploring tho. Stay safe out there!

 

Yeah it was crazy. Gets your nerves hopping.

Once it got nuts, I was hoping for a pullout so I got out and walked a mile to see of there were any. Did not want to drive another mile and have an even longer reverse. There were not, so good thing I did not keep pushing forward. I get out and walk most times when in those narrow spots to check ahead.

Lost a good amount of paint backing down through the narrow treed spots. Some cut polish today.

I will go back some time and park lower, then hike up to enjoy those viewpoints. Make like a mountain goat like these guys. Pic from yesterday. They don’t mind heights one bit.

 

Which way did you run Niagara Rim? If you had another rig for safety and a spotter for a few locations your truck is more than capable of making it through all the non optional lines.

 

That’s good to know, thanks. I just happened to be in the area, and started on the west end. I was solo and had to turn around for lack of time, not terrain. I’m definitely coming back to run the whole thing with a buddy.

 

Stay belted in the cab and try to survive the roll or try jumping in how the truck doesn't roll over you. The choice of how to die is yours.

Years ago the mayor of Revelstoke was crushed by his skidder when he tried to jump clear as it rolled down the mountain.

Having rolled a Unimog when working in Central America, where I was belted in but my passenger wasn't, I'll choose to be belted in rather than tossed around the interior like a rag doll

 

No surviving this particular drop belted or not, too steep and long. I would take a chance jumping out in this case.

Better to just not go there. Next time I walk it…

 

Main Divide Truck Trail, off Ortega pass

 

East side Sierra Nevada -Alabama Hills and some other trails on BLM lands behind the mountains and to our camp where I am now…

 

Alabama Hills is a great spot

 

This is Knob Hill in Virginia. Completely stock Tacoma so had some strange looks. But was with a group so if I got in trouble help was close by. I was pretty set on sliders but I ordered full skids last night after some rubbing.




edit flagpole knob

 

First one I ran in mine was Union Springs to Flag Pole. Only had some minor scraping on the factory bash plate. I don't think you were to far from there. Inferno is mine (Bull bar long gone, two more stock Taco's to the left, also on their first trips.)

 

union springs is what we took up

 

9500ish feet!

 

Has anyone done any Tillamook Forest trails? Got a new truck and want to take it out on some easy trails. I'm a baby newbie. It would be my first trip.

 

Headed out early today to the Skyline trail up in Washington. Fun, mildly challenging terrain.

We came across a couple of bad ass Jeeps - they pretty much showed me the limit of what a Tacoma is capable of.

 

I did a couple of weeks ago - I didn’t really find what I was looking for - I tried to find Cedar Tree but for some reason I couldn’t locate the trail turn-off.

 

Central Florida, CWM Citrus Wildlife Management Area. I drove around in here for about 1.5 hours, alone, so I was being careful. No action shots since I was the driver and cameraman, but I may have some FitCamX vids to post later this week which reminds me I need to download my vids

 

Would you say it is a good place for a beginner?