Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) 9-9-17 trip report

IMG_1236 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

This past Saturday, a small group of us gathered to run the trails at Pennsylvania's Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) in the hills of Shamokin. With an evenly split group of 2 Tacomas (Dan in the tan silver truck and Kevin (and his wife Ally) in the tan truck) and 2 4Runners (Wes in the silver one, myself in the white one), we had a solid crew for navigating the rocky and, in places, muddy and log-filled trails. We did some greens by default but stuck mostly to blues, a factor of both time it took to crawl over the rock-strewn woods and also of time spent getting trucks un-stuck.

I know I had a great time, and it seems like the others did as well. Despite having been there on my quad a bunch of times, it was only my 2nd time there in the 4Runner...and it was a freakin blast. I absolutely cannot wait to get back out there and explore some of the other trails AOAA has that prove totally different and challenging in ways I didn't expect. And, of course, I took a shitton of pictures, more so than a few hours would ever need. Here we go...

My day started off by crossing the new Tappan-Zee Bridge. It's not exactly pretty, but definitely look more sturdy than the old one, which is in relative shambles.

IMG_1131 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Once out of the area, it was a pleasure to see the hills and valleys of the NJ/PA areas

[/url]IMG_1138 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

The issue getting out there was highway construction. When a sign in PA says "Road work, 6 miles"...it really means "Road work, 26 miles." As a result, it was a one-lane highway for what felt like forever. Cars ahead doing 25 MPH didn't help.

The scenery on the way out did make me feel better about things though
IMG_1141 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1143 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

If there's one thing I'm bad at, it's being on time. I had originally said I'd be there 9-930, which of course I completely blew away by arriving at 9:50. Sorry guys! I ran inside and registered while Dan and Kevin aired my tires down so as to streamline the process of hitting the trails. Thanks guys! It really was (and is) much appreciated.
IMG_1144 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

From the parking lot, we hooked left into the Eastern Preserve. Unfortunately the West area was closed to ATVs only due to a charity event, but there's always next time.
IMG_1145 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

At the end of the coal road, we took a sharp left and then took the second left onto a trail called The BA. It starts off by bringing you down into an old storm drain, an eerie but incredibly cool place to start from, and goes into the woods (and rocks) from there.
IMG_1146 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1147 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1150 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1151 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1162 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

The storm drain ends and immediately turns into dirt and boulders. It's a very Jurassic Park-esque scene as you climb up out of the drain, and the second you crest the top it's immediately evident why it's a blue trail.
IMG_1152 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

IMG_1157 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
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IMG_1167 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

There's a few points on The BA where the trail seemingly disappears. Well, not entirely, as you know the general direction you're going, but you basically have multiple lines you can take to reach the same point...it all depends on how hard you want to make it for yourself
IMG_1174 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1175 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Trying to make it over a section with some sizable rocks, Wes got his 4Runner a bit crossed up and couldn't get out of this spot. With the right rear stuffed, the left rear was spinning freely...and with the left front stuffed, the right front was spinning freely. The hitch was hung up too, meaning he couldn't drag the truck further under its own power.
IMG_1177 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

After numerous attempts to get the truck out, we finally gave in and broke out the tow strap, Dan easily freeing Wes from his little predicament
IMG_1180 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1181 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

On the move again, I crawled through and Kevin followed up without issue
IMG_1193 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Upon completing The BA, we exited onto one of the main trails and hit some mud quickly before turning onto Muddy Shackle
IMG_1198 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147721380@N04/36777938530/in/album-72157688924476045/

Dan immediately found a spot to check out how well his truck flexes. Gotta say, it's a good looking Taco
IMG_1209 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

We then got to the fun part of the trail...more rocks. Big ones, strewn as far as the eye could see. Perfect opportunity to test the capability of one's ability to place the tires, and to serve as a reminder of how crucial good spotting is.
IMG_1211 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1214 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

As we got further along, there was a pretty quick drop from what was likely once a stream, a spot that so quickly dipped down that it could easily put a truck on three wheels
IMG_1221 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Crazy how insignificant it looks on camera
IMG_1225 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1231 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

As Dan made his way through the dip, and Kevin followed suit, Wes and I took turns catching each other up from where we were parked a little ways back. Wes also found the near-tipping point of his 4Runner, which proved great for photos but also a little stress inducing as he dipped down into the rut and his back right popped off the ground.
IMG_3829 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_3834 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_3836 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

It doesn't look like much in photos, but there was a good elevation change in this little rut
IMG_1234 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr


In the meantime, though, Dan was up ahead fighting his way through a rutted-out mud pit climb that had a log blocking the top of the path. Dan made it, and then Kevin gave it a shot...and here he ran into trouble. Specifically, that trouble was getting over the log that sat atop the mud pits. He could get the front tires over the log but then a vertical piece of metal beneath the truck (skid for transfer case? exhaust shield?) would get hung up on the log and block his forward motion. Kevin tried everything...different speeds, different wheel angles, etc...but couldn't get over it. And the real trouble was that he couldn't back up either, as the muddy ruts kept pushing him towards a tree that thought it would be better to keep him in the mud than let us go on our way. Tow straps were broken out but to no avail, even after trying to pull the truck both forward and backward; the log was simply too large for Kevin to climb over. As a last resort, Dan broke out his axe, and eventually Kevin's Tacoma was free.
IMG_3830 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_3831 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1240 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1241 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1245 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1236 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Once off Muddy Shackle, Dan pointed us towards the higher elevation of the southern section of the Eastern Preserve. After a few good upward climbs we were rewarded with a great view.
IMG_1252 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr[/IMG] IMG_1245[/URL] by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1254 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

After descending down a bit from the high elevation, we were once again on a coal-style road on which you can pick and choose which way you want to shoot off deeper into the woods.
IMG_1255 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1259 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1258 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

And eventually...we got stuck behind a group of Jeeps that was blocking the trail entirely.
IMG_1261 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Frustrated by their unwillingness to move, and knowing that up ahead were only black and red trails, we backed up, turned around, and pointed uphill in a different direction, away from the Jeeps and towards a different section from that which we had come from
IMG_1262 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1269 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1270 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

At the top of this climb there was an obstacle that pitched the side of the truck towards a tree on the driver's side, which we didn't pay much mind to going uphill but would soon have to deal with going downhill
IMG_1272 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

After making it up the bigger, longer hill moments before and dropping down a quick chute into an open pit, we took a breather for a moment and made a call on if we should continue uphill (to the right) or downhill (to the left). It was decided to go uphill, and soon we found ourselves on a section of trail that was almost impassibly tight. We decided to do an about face, backed most of the way downhill, and re-convened in the same open pit.
IMG_1278 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1279 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Here there was an obstacle we chose to bypass on our way down but that Kevin and Dan would both now try going up, back towards where we came from. The pictures are deceiving; this was easily a 6 foot climb that was very steep; steeper than the photos can show. You can somewhat tell the angle by how skyward the noses of the trucks were pointed though. Kevin, having parked closest, was up first:
IMG_1282 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1283 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1287 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1292 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Both trucks would get hung up on their bellies, but Kevin, having less clearance, would have to back down and throw up the white flag; Dan, however, made it with some coaxing from his right foot.
IMG_1295 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1305 by
Ross Ballot, on Flickr

From here it was back towards the downhill with the tree obstacle I mentioned above. The trail was narrow enough that you had to make a very sharp right-hand turn around the tree while the left side of the truck pitched upward as it crawled over a rock that was atop a berm. It made for a very off-camber situation, and here was saw the only real carnage of the day as Kevin snapped off one of his roof rack's cross-bars on the tree. I needed some help as well, having leaned the 4Runner all the way over near the point of tipping the truck onto the tree via the rear passenger window, but with a little push from Kevin and Wes I was free and clear and we worked our way back downhill.
IMG_1314 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1315 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1316 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

Once out of the thick woods we were back on the main green trails headed for the parking lot. It was now approaching 4:45 and seeing as the park closes at 5pm, we had to (very unfortunately) head back
IMG_1323 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1325 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1326 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1330 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1332 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

The final descent towards the lot is a treat, with a great mountain view and rocks large enough to prove attention-forcing
IMG_1335 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1339 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1341 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1345 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_3856 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr


All in all it was an amazing day on the trails. The Stormtrooper 4Runner performed admirably and, much more importantly, everyone made it off the trails safely and happily, and I got to meet some great people in the process. I'm already looking forward to my next chance to go off-roading, as it truly is my favorite thing to do.

Bonus pictures!

The ride home, while not the happiest in that I was driving away from the trails (as drives like this always are...), was indeed a nice way to end the day:
IMG_1347 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1351 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr

And then I came across a nice scenic overlook, a great way to end the day
IMG_1353 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1367 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr
IMG_1361 by Ross Ballot, on Flickr


Cheers!
-Ross

 

Now that's 1 hell of a story. I hope to wheel with u in the future.

 

AWESOME trip report @Roody. Just makes me even more excited to go there for the mobtown event! Can you ask Dan what company makes his rear bumper? I love those jerry can holders.

 

Nevermind I found him. @evoviii1220 who makes your rear bumper?

 

Thanks, not too bad for a Saturday day-trip! And definitely! There's always the next trip

Thank you! Hoping to make it but not 100% sure I can commit yet. Dan's bumper was bad-ass. Then again so was his whole truck

 

I did some stalking and found that his bumper is a pelfreybilt. Too rich for my blood!

 

Looks like you had fun. BA (Culvert trail) is a fun one.

 

Awesome! Exactly what I was looking for! Now I can't wait until the mobtown event. Im sure the storm trooper and the great white will get along great

 

Great write up Ross! Nice meeting you and look forward to wheeling with you in the future.

Haha yes its a pelfrey but the Jerry can holders i actually had him do special for me. I believe they usually come as one solid unit, not two separate like mine are. If you got a pelfrey rear then we would be matching front and back. Wouldn't that be cute

 

#Twinning. I actually posted that before I checked price, and it's not as bad as I expected! I was thinking it'd be north of $2k, but it's only around $1.6k

 

Sadly i assure you all said and done with shipping you'll be north of 2k. Mine was north of 2k with a black friday sale and all the options i have. You sure your priced that right?

 

Yeah, for a bare steel with a double NATO carrier, it's $1,624. That's no table, no hi-lift mount, and no camera relocate.

 

He's going to twin me

 

Sure is. Don't know how I never ran it on the quad, must have always missed the turn-off. Would really like to run it again

I bet they would! Pending I can make it, that

Good to meet you too, Dan. Had a hell of a good time, let's get back on the trail soon!

 

Amazing write up! Looks like you had a blast.

 

Thanks and oh yes we did