AdventureTaco - turbodb's build and adventures

hahahaha, I'm not building my own; would be fun, but truck already weighs too much as it is. Just checking to see if we'd have enough room to sleep if I buy one!

As far as contingency plans for truck break down or injury... I consider those to be different. I tried to cover all of them in the section "Confidence to Go Into the Unknown." I feel like truck break down is reasonably well accounted for, but injury is not.

I've never really thought about bikes for a couple reasons:

1. Weight - that'd be heavy to carry around all the time, never using them.
2. Actual use - I think they'd be hard to ride on a lot of trails - much harder than hiking out.

And for first aid - I've got what I consider the necessities for kits - essentially two classes of things are really "necessary" IMO: little stuff (band-aid level) and major stuff (tourniquet/splint level); "middle" stuff is less important - and I have a reasonable amount of First Aid knowledge. But again, with the wrong injury, I'm in trouble. That's why I talk about PLBs. Injuries to others with me is similar to my own injuries, though hopefully if they were only minorly injured or stabilized, then my ability to hike out could be enough. Still, it's another argument for a PLB.

Was a fun trip, up into the heights of Idaho!

Absolutely, glad you enjoyed it!

 

Into the Sierra Wilderness
September 11-13, 2019.

Well, it's not every day that I get to go camping with my dad, and it's not that often that I camp in the same spot for more than one night. I mean, I guess we camped in the same spot two nights in a row on the Idaho BDR when a brake caliper seized up, but that was clearly an exceptional situation! Plus, after last year's adventure - my first time experiencing one of Pops favorite spots in the Sierras - I knew this was a place that I wanted to return. Likely, for years to come. It really is a special place.

So, early in the summer, we arranged a week where we could get together and just go enjoy the outdoors. I forget exactly when that was going to be, but as seems to happen in life, life got in the way and we had to cancel. It was a bummer to say the least, so it was awesome that a few months later we were each able to squeak several days into our schedule to pop down to ************* for a few days.

Anticipation high, I headed south - a 14+ hour drive to the Bay Area - on the 11th of September, flags along the route at half-mast, and the skies above blue as could be as I entered California near Mt. Shasta.

​

It was nearly 11:00pm when I arrived in the Bay Area, ready for a good night sleep before setting out for the Sierra Wilderness the next morning. Due to some mechanical issues with Pop's Limo Jeep (randomly not starting when it was warm), we didn't actually leave until 10:30am or so, everything packed up into our two trucks as we cruised across the San Rafael bridge on our way east.

​

​

From the Bay Area, we had a good five hours or so of driving. A little chatter on the ham radio and a stop for lunch at my favorite restaurant - - kept us in good spirits as we made our way east. By late afternoon, after travelling some 30 miles down ******* Rd we'd arrived at our final turn. Unsure what we'd find since the snow had been do deep and winter so long, we pulled over to capture the moment.

​

​

With that, we set out toward the camp site, and it was immediately clear that winter had taken its toll on the road. Luckily for us, most of the trees had been cleared, and those that weren't had been bypassed by explorers before us, allowing us to make it all the way to camp without the need to cut anything out of the way.

​

​

Despite the fact that folks had been down the road before us, it was reasonably obvious that no one had made it as far as our final destination - the road to the semi-hidden camp site, very faint indeed. This was reinforced by our discovery of a 24" tree that had fallen directly into camp - a tree that Pops had been worried about for years, and was glad to see on the ground despite the work that would be entailed cleaning it up over the next couple days!

​

​

And with that, we set about our relaxation. I moved my truck into position overlooking the gorge of the creek, and Pops setup camp in the back of his Jeep. And then we enjoyed the late summer breeze as it blew through camp.

​

​

One of the great things about heading to a beautiful spot to camp for a few days is that there's no rush to see everything and then move on to the next viewpoint - it's quite different than my normal mode of exploration, and allows for a deeper, more relaxed, soaking in of the surroundings. Over the next 48 hours, we each did our thing - lots of lazing around camp and chatting, of course - but also exploring the hillsides around us.

An avid birder, it was not uncommon to see binoculars or a scope raised to eye level at any time during the day. Were there any "never before seen birds" on this trip? I have no idea, because they're all just Chirpus Aroundus to me!

​

​

Our active sitting around in camp also allowed us to enjoy the changing light of day. Looking out towards the valley, ************, and Little Bear Hill, we enjoyed sunrise, mid-day, evening, and sunset each day we were there. Oh, and it didn't hurt - at least in my opinion - to have a 1st gen Tacoma in the foreground.

​

​

​

​

​

​

Newer to and less familiar with the area than Pops, I also took the time to explore the hill directly behind camp one morning - or afternoon - while he was out searching for the ever elusive Flyus Quietlybyus. It was a pleasant couple-mile hike up and over the crest towards Little Bear Hill, a few interesting tidbits worth capturing along the way...

​

A towering, beetle-killed sugar pine, still magnificent against the bright blue sky.​

​

Green lichen, everywhere.​

​

This old beast, it's flat-bottomed root system hampered by the granite it encountered, and not strong enough to keep it standing.​

​

Who wouldn't want to climb this amazing specimen?​

​

Nearly there - Little Bear Hill much closer than it is from camp.​

​

More lichen on the quartz, the area a generally dry one when it's not covered in snow.​

​

Golden sap, dripping from a compromised root, gleaming in the afternoon sun.​

Well - needless to say - the whole thing was just torturous for the both of us. After a late lunch, it was all we could do to plop ourselves down in our camp chairs and occasionally move them into a new shady location as we chatted away the afternoon and early evening. Eventually of course - as the sun set to our west - we realized that it was once again time to eat - Americanized tacos on tap for the evening.

​

These are assembled with flour tortillas (so yes, more of a burrito), cheddar cheese, ground beef with taco seasoning, plenty of guacamole, and fresh lettuce. Optionally, some Tapatio - or your favorite - hot sauce make them even more delicious! They're great camping, since - with the exception of guacamole - everything can be prepped beforehand, and there's a single pan to clean at the end of the whole shebang.

After dinner of course, it was time for the requisite camp fire and more conversation. We'd spent 36 hours or so in camp by this point, and we had a similar 36 hours to go. Perhaps tomorrow we'd venture out and away from camp - a hike up to Lost Knife Knoll, or along the ******* Trail to an overlook of the *********** Valley.

Whatever it was, we knew it'd be both relaxing and beautiful - and that was enough for us!

​

Not technically from this trip, where we missed John's presence from last year's outing.​

 

I have taken a few Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses when I was coaching a high school mountain bike team. It is WELL worth it to take one of these for most of us that go out adventuring. It covers most things you'll come across and give you the tools to learn more about the topics that are likely to come up for you (high alpine - lightning; venomous snakes in those areas; et al). Multiple places/schools teach these courses, so just go for one that you like the price and scheduling of. NOLS is a common one.

If you want to go deep and have a surplus of money and time, I'd recommend the Wilderness First Responder (WFR - pronounced woof-er). This is what most guides have training with (if not more depending on the guiding they are doing).

Essentially the summary of WFA/WFR is if you are within a 30 minute escape (hike/flight/ambulance response), you're not in wilderness. So for most of your trips, you are in the wilderness and it will provide you the knowledge to assess and respond to the most common situations.

 

Question for you about your CVT! I finally experienced a real "rain" in our /other brand/ RTT and we got SOAKED. It wasn't even that bad a rain... Sort of typical PNW coming straight down... not to hard, but more than a drizzle. Anyway, all four corners of the tent soaked through and we were pretty soggy. How's the CVT in the rain? We're going to upgrade to the next size bigger anyway, and are trying to find something that is a little more weather proof. Thanks!!!

 

I've had no trouble at all in the rain, even on the F.U.Rain trip, hahahaha. Here are the links. Rained many of the days/nights. Day 6 and Day 9 were two of the worst.

F.U.Rain (North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears, and Capitol Reef NP)
[day 1&2] [day 3] [day 4] [day 5] [day 6] [day 7] [day 8] [day 9] [day 10] [day 11] [day 12] [day 13] [day 14 & 15] [rig review]​

Anyway, there are two types of "getting wet" from my experience.

1. Soaks through while it's actually raining. This is bad, b/c a tent should be waterproof IMO. I mean, the rain fly should help some (to keep direct water off of zipper areas, etc., but you should mostly be able to even leave windows/doors open and not get wet...with a good tent design and waterproof fly. Even when the fly doesn't get everything (strong wind, etc.) the rest of the tent fabric shouldn't allow water through - it too should be waterproof.
2. Soaks through when the tent is folded up and packed away...because it was put away wet. This isn't a sign of a bad tent, IMO. Once you've got sitting water on the fabric and you fold it all up, then you're asking for water to move in through zippers, through screens, etc. Just because it's all in an enclosed space.

I have had #2 happen to me. Not frequently, and I try to dry the tent out as much as possible when I put it away, but it has happened on occasion when it's raining heavily in the morning, etc. In those cases, I dry it out as soon as I can, and it continues to work just fine from then on.

Sounds to me like you don't have #2 going on, but I just wanted to mention it because I'd hate to say your tent wasn't working right, only to find out that you run into the same issue with another tent .


Here's some of the type of weather I've camped in. It's not a photo of the tent, but you get the sense of what the weather was like from this photo.

​

 

Into the Sierra Wilderness - We Set Out On Foot
September 14-15, 2019.

When you relax all day and know that the next will be more of the same, there's really nothing to do but sleep well at night , so that's just what we did - the only sounds around us, the rustling of a light breeze through the trees, and the tumbling of ******* Creek as it spilled through its channel a hundred-and-fifty feet below.

Only the warm morning sun woke me from a restful night, my tent - a gleaming advertisement for @Cascadia Tents, the view - to rival any other. It was - as far as I'm concerned - one of the best mornings I've experienced from the tent.

​

​

After a bit more bird searching, breakfast, and relaxing around camp, it was eventually time for us to prep ourselves for a hike along the ******* Trail and into the *********** Wilderness. As usual, we planned to eat lunch at our final destination, and that meant we needed to make our deli-style sandwiches and get some water ready to go.

That's when we ran into a bit of a pickle - neither one of us had brought a pack. This being a shorter trip for Pops, his packing list assumed that he'd really just hang out around camp. And, for the first time in a while, I'd decided not to bring my old-man-fanny-pack even though I was headed out on a longer trip immediately after this one - because I figured that trip would be all driving and no hiking.

One might say luckily - but anyone who knows me knows that it's just due to a lack of fashion - I was wearing my camo cargo shorts, and I was able to stash my water bottle in one pocket, my sandwich in another, and still have a couple open for camera stuff. Pops, much more fashionably dressed - in some khaki cargo pants - did something similar. And we set off!

​

One of our first courses of action was to cross ******* Creek on a bridge built reasonably recently and still in great shape. It's always a great place to take in the creek below and marvel in it's ability to carve a channel through the thick granite slabs.

​

​

Across the creek and into the *********** Wilderness, we made our way along a trial that was familiar to us both for the first mile or two - this, the same trail that led to Lost Knife Knoll. Soon though, it was new territory for me, our trek from last year having forked from the main trail, and this year's excursion continuing along it.

As we went, we enjoyed each of the creek crossings - only trickles of water at this point in the summer - each one headed towards ******* Creek, the main drainage for the surrounding slopes. Along the way, Pops pointed out landmarks to me and related stories from his 30-some years of visiting this place.

​

Another huge Sugar Pine decimated by beetles. "It was such a beautiful tree." -Pops​

Working our way around the bends of the creek, we eventually found ourselves with a peek-a-boo view of camp, three-quarters of a mile to our north, an interesting perspective that I'd not previously experienced - the granite mountains behind camp, invisible when we were relaxing there.

​

On we hiked, our lunch spot now much closer than it'd been some 90 minutes before - just down a final descent to a nice flat area overlooking ************, the *********** Valley, and Little Bear Hill.

​

​

It wasn't long before we found a nice shady spot with a view worth a million bucks, and sat down to enjoy our sandwiches. Sourdough bread with deli turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and of course the requisite condiments - mayo, mustard, and pickles - it was the perfect way to enjoy the expanse we found before us, as a Red Tailed hawk soared overhead.

​

​

​

Eventually it was time to head back. It was a bit of an uphill climb from here, so before we headed back, we took a few final minutes to snap a photo in front of a backdrop that I'm sure we both hope to visit many more times.

​

Like any good automotive project where the instructions are as simple as "installation is the reverse of removal," it was a straight forward process to get back to camp. I'd hoped to make a slight side trip to get a better view of camp from the granite wall just across the creek, but I was distracted by the sights - like this sugar pine cone - and missed my chance.

​

At the halfway point back to camp, our path once again joined up with the trial that led up (and up) to Lost Knife Knoll. Knowing it'd be my only chance for the trip, I decided a detour up the mountain was in store - solo, since we'd already done quite a bit of up-and-down for the ancient one.

It was of course no problem - we'd each brought our HT Ham radios, and a quick radio check showed them to be in working order as I set off up the hill, and Pops continued on towards camp.

As I knew was going to be the case - having been to this viewpoint last year - the view from Lost Knife Knoll was spectacular! Offering an entirely different view of the *********** watershed than we'd seen just a mere 30 minutes before, underscoring the enormity of this amazing place, three sides ringed by mountains over 10,000 ft tall.

​

​

​

​

Of course, no trip to the knoll would be complete without a check for the knife from which it earned it's name. This, obviously, isn't the "Lost Knife" - that one was of course lost - but rather a replacement that's remained hidden for years, a treasure for anyone lucky enough to find it...and hopefully leave it for the next inquisitive explorer!

​

My mission accomplished, I spent a bit more time on the top of the knoll - this the only place in the area where there was a bit of cell service - before alerting Pops that I was headed back to camp and ready for a dinner that I'd been looking forward to - these special hot dogs he gets at some local shop.

Yes, hot dogs. I'm weird.

Naturally, I was back in camp well before dinner and we did a bit more sitting around and lazing about before I decided that it'd be a good idea to head down to the creek for a quick bath. See, my plan was to leave this week of camping for another 17 days of travel through Wyoming and Colorado, and three weeks without a shower is...a bit much. So, a trip to the still-freezing-even-though-it-was-September creek was in order, and despite the chilly temps, it was actually quite nice to clean up and swim with the fishes. Another thing to look forward to again next year!

​

And then, we enjoyed sunset and ate hot dogs.

​

Dinner naturally led to a camp fire - likely at the same time - and before I new it, it was time for our last night at ******* Creek. Once again, the peacefulness of our surroundings made for an easy night sleep.

The next morning we moved a little quicker around camp - the hours of birding for Pops and lounging around for me cut short - our goal to depart by 11:00am or so - me for Wyoming and Pops for a few more days of birding his brains out, likely near some sewer pond somewhere in California. It was 10:00am by the time we got everything put away and were ready to leave camp in much better condition than we'd found it. A final, tradition-based photo, and we pulled out of camp.

​

​

On our way back, it struck me as only slightly ironic that the Tacoma - with aired down tires - was quite clearly a better ride over the bumpy road that the Jeep Limo, but hey - what do you expect from a Jeep, right?

​

​

We made one last pit stop on our way back to ******* Road when Pops noticed an invasive weed growing in a small patch along the side of the road. If we could get these pulled, and he could keep an eye on them the next couple years, we might still stand a chance of stemming the invasion, so we spent 15 minutes or so pulling every one we could find - most of the roots coming up and out of the soft soil, a good sign for sure.

​

And then, we were off. We'd caravan together for a couple hours, stopping for lunch at one of Pops favorite spots before parting ways. It was 2:00pm by that point, and I had an 18-hour drive to complete in the next 24 hours...

But that is the start of another adventure!
...one that would end much differently than this one - for nearly everyone involved...



.​

 

Thanks, that’s exactly what I needed to hear. Yes, our getting wet experience was scenario number 1. I don’t get why you would make a tent that is so un-waterproof, but they claim it’s a feature.

 

Assuming number 1 as Dan mentioned above, have you considered/tried some aerosol waterproofing agent?

https://www.cabelas.com/product/KIW...PZ-BWOtDQgrbu81HeB4aAvgzEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

or

$9 Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield, Repels Water, 10.5 Ounces

https://www.amazon.com/Scotchgard-W...ocphy=9010810&hvtargid=pla-351208736848&psc=1

I remember coating one of my old tents in some scotchguard that we bought at Walmart and it seemed to work pretty well.

 

What's the relation to Silva Brothers Construction? I'm guessing family business?

Also, that pick of you and @Sr.turbodb standing on the rock is one you should probably get framed for either one (or both) of you.

 

Oh, how I wish I was part of the Silva Brothers Construction. More like a fan-boi. My pops was a general contractor, and so ever since I can remember, I've grown up watching This Old House (and of course, New Yankee Workshop, when it was on). Tommy is the general contractor for the show, and his company is Silva Brothers. Anyway, a few years ago, I was watching an episode and they of course advertised the "companion" magazine at the end of the show. Of course, it was the "normal" 93% off or whatever, but they were also doing a thing where you'd get a Silva Brothers shirt...so I bit. hahahahaha. Love that shirt.

Did turn out to be a pretty great photo, I agree!

 

Amazing photos and writeup! Some friends and I stayed at the semi-hidden camp site a couple months ago before the tree had fallen. My buddy had setup his tent right where the tree had come down!

 

I have not had great luck with those, but could be worth a try if we end up in the same tent again! Thx!

 

Nikwax is good stuff. https://www.nikwax.com/en-us/products/productdetail.php?productid=695&itemid=-1&fabricid=-1

 

Exploring Colorado Becomes Redhead Down - Part 1
September 15, 2019.

It was 2:00pm when I parted ways with Pops in eastern California - our relaxing trip into the Sierras just the start of a 3 week journey for me. The next two weeks would be adventuring to - and then through - Wyoming and Colorado with some of the normal folks - Mike @Digiratus and Monte @Blackdawg (and his dad Steve), and also a new face to me - Brett @Squeaky Penguin.

I've been wanting to meet Brett for quite some time now, so I was definitely looking forward to the opportunity. But here I am getting ahead of myself already - first, I needed to make my way east. I'd save myself 18 hours or so by leaving from California vs. going home before heading east - but it was still an 18-hour drive to our rendezvous in Rawlins, WY.

With 24 hours to get there, I figured I would be just fine. Plus, the first leg of the journey would be amazing - I was driving through Yosemite National Park!

My route through Yosemite took me up and over Tioga Pass - one of the most scenic drives in the park if you ask me - and shortly after starting the climb, I was rewarded with a spectacular view. There, in the distance - El Capitan and Half Dome. Wow.

​

​

I continued my climb, the speeds slow due to both traffic and park speed limits - but I didn't care. This was the first time I've been through Yosemite in 25-30 years or so, and I was happy to soak it all in!

​

​

Eventually I found myself at Olmsted Point and figured that I this must be the pinnacle of the experience - the distant and foreground views of granite so stunning as they unfolded before my eyes.

​

Little did I know that I was only just starting to see the wonders of Tioga Pass. Here, on the upper plateau, many gems awaited me along the next several dozen miles of road, starting with a rather distant view of Tenaya Lake and the surrounding mountains.

Glad I'm headed that way!

​

​

​

Not knowing that I'd be lucky enough to get to the lake's edge, I was like a kid in a candy store when I discovered that not only did the road skirt much of the lake, but there was almost no one out and about at the lake itself. Well, no one but me that is.

​

​

​

The color of the water - and clarity - was spectacular. Blues and greens. Oh, I could have spent many more hours enjoying this spot - but as it was, I knew that I had a limited time to make my journey...and Google Maps hadn't allocated me much time for sight seeing!

I continued on - noting the vehicles parked on the side of the road as granite faces rose around me. These were climbers, and having recently watched the movie Free Solo, I was doubly mesmerized by their daring heights.

​

​

From Tenaya Lake, a turn here and a hill crest there spit me out at something I thought I'd missed entirely: Tuolumne Meadows. A stark contrast to the granite and trees I'd experienced so far, the bright yellow of the fall grass was like a magnet, pulling me across the highway for a closer look. A hike here would have been special, and is something I will return for in the future.

​

​

By this time, it was already 5:00pm and while my GPS assured me that I'd only lost about 17 minutes on my overall journey, I was starting to feel the pressure - after all, I still had to make it through the rest of Yosemite, Nevada, part of Utah, and a bit of Wyoming before rendezvousing with Monte and his dad.

So as I came upon Disappearing Meadows, I did the only thing I could - I stopped to soak it in again. Who knows - if this place really is disappearing, and it takes me another 25 years to return...I may never see it again. At least, that was my justification.

​

​

From here though, the park boundary wasn't far - Tioga Pass itself marking the beginning of my descent towards the Nevada border. If I've ever seen this place before, I have zero recollection of it - a fact I was thankful for as I got to experience it for the first time (perhaps again).

​

Out of the park and onto more traditional freeways, my speed increased dramatically. Or at least comparatively. Cruising along at my standard 62mph, I pressed east. My goal for the evening was to make it across Nevada to near the border with Utah, somewhere around the town of West Wendover. From there, I figured it to be around six more hours to Rawlins, WY - something I could accomplish after a few hours sleep.

As the sun set behind me, I pushed on. Stopping only for food and fuel it was between 1:00am and 2:00am when I pulled of I-80 onto a gravel road and wound my way up into the hills.

​

A few miles from the highway I found what I considered to be a reasonably good spot to stop. A bit of wind break from some junipers, and a barely-there road were enough for me to feel confident that I wasn't going to see any other folks in the few hours that I'd be resting, and I turned the wheel in order to maneuver the truck into a more level position.

Except that I'd missed a rock that was below my line of sight. Within seconds, the front skid plate bounced up the rock and came to a stop on top of it, all four wheels still on the ground, but traction such that I was essentially high centered.

Yeah, go ahead an laugh. I know I wasn't.

I tried a few different things - forward and reverse obviously, but also various combinations of lockers. Nothing was getting me off that rock. Ultimately, I busted out the Hi-Lift and used it to lift the passenger side of the truck via the slider, so I could then roll backwards on three wheels, away from the rock - hoping that the Hi-Lift would fall away from the truck as I came down.

It worked a charm, and with only my ego bruised, I set up the tent and promptly fell asleep.

- - - - -​

September 16, 2019.

I was up just before sunrise, knowing that since I was about an hour shy of West Wendover. With a 2:00pm meet time in Rawlins, I knew that I'd be cutting it close. Luckily, it was a meet time with Monte - so I figured I probably had a couple hour buffer as well!

The miles ticked by as I crossed vast fields of high desert. Windmills, churning around and around broke up the skyline as they generated clean power for thousands of homes.

​

I think it was around lunch time - at least for me - when I crossed into Wyoming. This was a sign that's become familiar for me the last few years - many of my trips seemingly making their way through this underappreciated state.

​

As I pulled into Rawlins, it was a little before 3:00pm. The truck needed fuel, I needed a restroom, and soon we'd be on our way to new sights and experiences. I found a nice spot in the shade and set myself up to relax while I waited for Monte and Steve to arrive from the north.

Little did I know that what was shaping up to be a splendiferous trip would turn into something that none of us could have ever expected!

as always, notifications of new chapters are available here:
​

 

@turbodb, I'm sure its been mentioned in here before... but what do you think so far about your Cooper ST Maxx's?

 

There are several parts to that question for me, even though it seems simple.

• Traction wise - they seem great for the kind of adventures I do. Haven't ever really let me down.
  • I have noticed in wet mud that @Digiratus mud terrain STT Pro's do better, but I'm not in that situation enough to want to trade (because there are other tradeoffs - size, wear, etc.).
  • I also liked my Duratrac's better from a tread pattern perspective, but sadly there are none in 255/85 R16.
• Size (255/85 R16) - love the size. Honestly a big reason I went with this tire - there aren't a lot of tires out there in this size.
• Highway road noise - they are great; reasonably low noise. Not a nuisance at all.
• Wear - they wear great. Rather, they don't wear quickly. I'm going to get 50-60K easily out of a set. That's amazing IMO.
• Weight and ride - total crap. They are Load E tires and weigh a ton and ride like crap. If there was a good AT/MT hybrid in Load C, I'd much prefer that.

So, all that said, I envision my next set of tires being another set of Maxx's. Unless a Load C hybrid 255/85R16 comes out from a reputable mfr.

Oh, you mean "Redhead Down #5: The Race" Yeah, that's going to 404 for the next several days...

​

 

62 MPH cruising speed?

 

I saw you mentioned getting random invites to other trail runs. Not sure if you’d be interested but we are getting a group together to run the AZBDR end of Feb 2020. You guys are more than welcome to join us.

 

OK, let's be really clear. At 62mph, I'd never be in 3rd place. It's always last place.

Thanks for the offer! Now, I'm no AZ expert, but isn't there going to be a lot of snow on the north end of the route in Feb? As in, impassable snow?

 

definitely not unlikely.