Montana Meets - Summer 2012

Grills, mesh, snacks, firearms, you know... All the essentials.

 

Did you have a request?
I do have some local goodies to share but that's a surprise...

 

Any word on me crashing in your living room?

 

Okay..lets try this again..


Notes for Lisa:

-The trail has a big Y about half way through it. You will want to go left to go up to the Peak and the Lake. This is the way i went as did the Xoverland guys. However i would not plan on camping up there as there is no fires and no really good place to do it. My advice is to stop in the big camp ground that'll be the last one on the right and reserve spots for everyone. Its 5 bucks a spot and you can easily fit 2-3 trucks in some of them. The trail is short so you can go up and then down and hike with time to spare.

-Air down at Natural Bridge falls but don't spend a ton of time there, id try and just air down in the parking lot and hit the road ASAP. If you don't take too much time you should have time to run the trail and hike and come back to set up camp in the one day. Id let everyone wander around the falls when you come back to air up at the parking lot. Id also air down here as the road gets filled with pot holes the closer you get to the trail head and when i was at 15psi i could maintain a speed of 20-25 easily for the most of the road.

-CB will be VERY important i think as its a very narrow trail and twisity so sight lines will be hard to keep. Make sure the leader and tail gunner have GOOD CBs and that there are plenty in the middle.


Everyone else!

If your running a stock truck or 31s..have no fear. You will be fine. HOWEVER you will have to pick some good lines in some spots..nothing though is undoable and there won't be any clearence issues. 32s and bigger will float over everything easy. The trail is a great little run! Both myself and my passenger(same gal that was with me in Moab and rolled with me) both though it was one of the funnest roads we had been on. The sights are fabulous and the trail it self is quite fun to drive. There are lots of cool old buildings and mines left. The whole trail is pretty narrow in general with only a couple spots for oncoming traffic to pull over. Luckily hardly anyone brings full sized rigs up there. Everyone we talked to was shocked we were up there haha but we did run into a Ford F150 as we were going up and he had to back up about 300 yards before he found a spot we could squeeze past. But everything else was ATVs. It is a pretty popular ATV trail tho so don't plan on being alone. There was also actually quite a lot of water a mud up there too but nothing serious or problematic in the slightest (Sorry Lisa..the truck is gonna get dirty haha )


All in All its a great trail and area and i don't think anyone will be disappointed. Stock trucks and newby drivers are gonna push themselves i think but nothing thats going to break stuff so don't worry. There are only about 4 small rocky sections that will look bad..but really aren't and one hill that will be the hardest decent and ascent that is at the top. but trust me..it just looks bad and is steep. Id say thats the hardest part is that there are some steep sections. Just keep your foot on the gas and you won't get stuck just don't go crazy haha There are no bypasses save for a couple spots..and really they are just alternative routes that usually aren't any eaisier..i can only think of one part where the right was much harder and the left was eaisier. That at the section after you come out of the trees and over all rocks. Then the bushes come in tight. Stock rigs will want to go left for sure and bigger rigs go right as its more fun

It'll be fun for everyone tho im sure! Ill post the pics up when they are done uploading





Also Lisa..i think i might be able to come to this now too..its looking that way anyways..So if i can id be happy to lead the trail itself if i come. And if i do ill just meet you all at Big timber. Ill keep you posted on that though.


on a side note, the Saloon right outside Mcleod is very good! loved it.

 

you bringing me a grill?!

Your too kind

 

I. AM. SO. EXCITED!!!

 

Its cool man! I think you will love it..i hope the weather is a nice as it was for me! was SOOOO freaking gorgeous.

 

lol... Sorry bud - you early 1st gens had your chance.

 

I know!

Just didn't have the funds then.. Stupid money tree..haha

 

Rub it in why dont ya

 

Here are some of my shots. Sorry i don't have a great camera..

Shot of part of the trail..easy part anyways..



Stopped for a break right before the Y and the left turn


Almost to the end..


The Lake



where we parked before a hike..







Just a river shot..



and the mud this is were we aired up and plenty dirty..just the way i like it

 

I definitely have to make it out there sometime!

 

Ya you woulda liked it Jon! Was a lot like the Shoshone trail in terms of sights..no where NEAR as hard of a trail tho lol You would walk through it easy. Great area though.

 

Is airing down necessary? I only ask because I don't have a compressor.

 

Airing down helps a lot. You'll be fine aired down on the road going to a gas station or something. I drove 90 miles from Centennial to Cheyenne aired down to 10psi the other day.

 

It'll help a lot. There are some pretty rocky sections..Someone i would think would have one you could borrow. if i come ill let anyone use it. But it'll over heat easy after doing mine. Only made it through 2 and a half of my dads tires before it shut down after doing mine

I would think you could do it though..be a rough ride but if your okay with it then i don't see a problem.

 

lol jesus Jon haha

and ya its only like 18 miles to Big Timber so if ya kept the speed at like 50 back to town you would be MORE then fine. Ive done i think like 30 miles on 15psi but kept it at 45 the whole way haha.

 

Yeah I've drove maybe about 45 miles on the highway once with tires at 15 PSI. It wasn't too pleasant.

Sweet. If somebody let's me borrow theirs I have no problems going down a bit.