Colossal 2017 Aftermovie

\ PART 1 \ As written from my brother Addison...


IMG_4928 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

Planning. Something that is a necessity in overland travel – vehicle planning, maintenance schedules, route specifics, and even emergency workarounds. It’s something I enjoy doing but not overdoing – there needs to be a window to let random chance and circumstance prevail at the least expected time to create truly unforgettable memories. How boring and unmemorable would life be if there was only certainty? Something I seem to grasp harder with each passing year. For 2017 it was the first year that we (Tamarack Media Co.) would open a small number of eligible open-seats to our yearly overland adventure trip. With each prior year filling my inbox with detailed questions about destinations and routes, I thought it was only a natural step to offer the trip as a guided tour into the backcountry. The best part, as hosts, is that we can ensure that our stunning backyard is respected as we embark on a mission to enjoy its beauty.


IMG_4915 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20161002-IMG_7869 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Reminiscing: Views and camp vibes from Colossal 2016
With things quickly getting more official and the registration seats selling out in only 2 days, we knew we had to follow through with a well executed trip. We even reached out to several awesome companies in the 4x4 community to help support our little event and make it more enjoyable for our guests. Colossal has always been about expansive views and the enjoyment of nature both on the trail and back at camp each night. It is not the trip to sign up for if you’re after bragging rights for the most technical trail, or sheer mental exhaustion after navigating a full days’ worth of California rock. As much as I love and respect those trips and trails, this simply isn’t one of them. It’s the wind-down event of the year to say goodbye to the summer season and take in the last of the fall views before the skis come out.

With that in mind, Colossal 2017 needed to hit the mark we have embodied the trip to entail. I began planning in the spring of 2017 about where in the Kootenays we would hold the event. My planned areas were mapped and researched with little left to the unknown, other than the “pre-run” trip my local 4x4 crew was planning to run with me 2 weeks before the official event. Then summer hit and the power of Mother Nature smacked us in the face; the worst forest fire season in BC in nearly 60 years. Homes and towns burned to the ground, the forest service roads closed, and later even a complete backcountry ban as temperatures stayed consistently in the 95-100F mark for nearly 3 months straight with zero precipitation – our families own house under evacuation alert for the majority of the summer. As the deadline approached with no sign of the fires subsiding, we planned a new route that would check off our boxes; a route into the gorgeous terrain in Montana. Under a slight panic the route came together quickly and we had enough information to be confident of an exciting adventure in the “Last Best Place”. A week later and a look at the fire updates in Montana proved an identical situation to that of BC, with fires burning out of control and only worsening. Now with only 4 weeks until our departure, I was on the hunt for “Plan C”.


DJI_0003.jpg by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
The fire threatening our family’s home, two weeks before departure.

We scratched the pre-run off the calendar altogether, knowing there was no way to pre-run any trails that were no longer local. The hunt was on again and after some good intel from a US forum-friend, we were mentally set on the new directive of running the Morrison Jeep Trail in WY. I knew the trail would not be overly difficult, but considering a few longer wheelbase trucks in our group, knew it would make things interesting when climbing the notorious switchbacks. Another 2 weeks rolled by as I finalized the plans for WY and the infamous trail. Low and behold, nature would put us in our place yet again. We were scheduled to meet the morning of Saturday September 23rd, and now September 17th, I check the weather around our proposed destination to find my worst nightmare – an extreme winter snowfall warning and sub-zero temperatures for the area. Trump’ed yet again (I could make a joke here… but I won’t I called my brother Chase and told him the news. While I was busy route planning, him and many other guests in our group, were slaving away under their rigs trying to prepare for the upcoming journey. Chase and I had a serious discussion about cancelling the trip altogether. Finally, Chase said to me “I’ve spent the last 5 days wrenching on my truck, busting my *** to get it ready for this trip. It’s the first trip I’ve actually had my own rig and the excitement for the trip just began to set in…. we aren’t cancelling Colossal!” Props to him for his always optimistic attitude and constant level of excitement. “Plan D” later began to take shape… we had 5 days off, the trucks would be ready, we were full out preparing to head to the 4x4 mecca of Moab UT as our last ditch effort to keep Colossal 2017 alive. We were ready do make it happen, regardless of the destination, circumstances, or lack of planning. With the summer fires keeping us on backcountry house arrest, nothing could get in our way and stop us from exploring.

 

\ PART 2 \

Wednesday the 20th I stroll into work at the usual time, pour a cup of coffee and proceed with my morning routine of checking emails and news clippings. It’s raining outside still and it started the previous day in the am and hasn’t let up. On a whim I log into the BC Gov. site to check the backcountry restrictions – even though we are basically set to roll to Utah come Friday evening. I almost fall out of my chair when I see the backcountry restrictions have been lifted. I grab my cell phone and text Chase – “Game on, Colossal in the Koots!”

It’s Saturday morning and Chase’s truck was bolted back together about 5 hours prior.
Still without an alignment we scramble around town to see if we can get him squeezed in before meeting with most of the attendees at Empire coffee in Nelson BC (best cappuccino in town). Chase’s truck can’t get in because all the shops in town are booked solid. He decides the eyeball alignment from the night before is close enough.

The meet and greet goes exactly as it should. All smiles as everyone meets new/old faces alike while taking in their morning dose of java. We discuss the route plans for the day and hand out some swag before hitting the road. Saturday is a long day on the road with some highway travel to get to our destination. Although instead of taking the most direct route, I opt for a slight detour that brings us on some of the most gorgeous twisted mountain roads that can be driven on. We head out of town with radio chatter on high. The fact we are in the Kootenays and not hard-***’ing it through the night to Utah is still an amazement to us all. Icing on the cake, the fire bans are even lifted that morning – we will be granted the ability to have a fire for the first time since spring. Things are looking up!

A quick stop in an old mining town for a pee break and we are off once again. Winding through the Selkirk mountains on a fall day is hard to beat, even if we were just sticking to the tarmac. The fall foliage glistening in conjunction with the bright green pines and snow-capped mountains. A couple last minute stops at the next town to refuel all petroleum and coffee provisions and we were headed north for the real backwoods.


20170923-_MG_2081 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Dave and Ian chatting while we catch some aerials with the drone

20170923-_MG_2075 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

This is where the fun truly begins and the excitement grabs hold. All the anticipation, attempts at route planning, vehicle maintenance, everything lines up to this moment where your tires hit the gravel and you realize you are free from the daily grind. The fresh air is crisp to my lungs as we officially leave the pavement. We have a short 20 km gravel run ahead of us before we hit the trail head. The gravel road is fun and allows the group to loosen up a little – the gaps between each vehicle widens as the speeds increase along with the associated dust cloud of a summer full of draught. The initial hooning session ended as one of our stranglers from Revelstoke caught up to us just before the group began our ascent on the initial trail.


20170923-_MG_2096 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Kevin's LT Tacoma looking proper at speed


20170923-_MG_2086 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Cody coming in hot

Now in 4-Lo with the tires dropped down to 20psi we begin cutting our way back and forth up the steep mountainside. This particular trail is not overly technical but it’s not the technical aspect that we are here for, it’s the views… and this trail never disappoints. The first 3rd of the trail climbs up the mountain with a series of switchbacks that allow a glorious view westward of the lake and surrounding mountains below. The mountain grades upward at an extremely steep angle making each switchback capable of a more glorious view than previously seen.


20170923-_MG_2113 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Trevor doing a good job representing the Nissan crowd in his exceptionally nice Frontier


20170923-_MG_2227 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

The next section turns more inward on the mountain and provides the odd technical washout and steep rocky climb. As the elevation gains, the foliage also changes, eventually even bringing us into some old growth forest. Bright green moss, the rich scent of cedar trees, and the cooler air remind us that we are getting quite high in elevation. Once near the top of the mountain, the trail pops out of the dense trees to reveal a view that must be acknowledged. Looking north-west you are able to see the lake below and the river valley we will be navigating on day two. Looking north and east, two glaciers display their year round snow and ice stockpile. We are lucky enough on this day to have a ceiling high enough to make these views visible.


20170923-_MG_2139 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Larch or Tamarack trees in full splendor


20170923-_MG_2136 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

This particular spot is where we became stuck in the snow at sundown for Colossal 2016, so for a few of us, it is a triumphant moment as we continue forward without the worry of an icy and sketchy decent back down later in the day. Today we are at this site earlier in the year and earlier in the day. The trail makes one final climb before we score the ridge of the mountain. Now views to the East open up with a spectacular sight – a giant rock face in the opposing valley and again glaciers in the distance. We wind along the ridge for the final section of the trail, stopping for a few moments to take in the neon larch trees and to capture some aerial footage with Goose, our drone.


20170923-_MG_2153 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
David of Untitled Offroad helping run tail-gunner all weekend in his wicked 80-Series LC. Thanks brotha!


20170923-_MG_2155 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
The view looking Northwest


20170923-_MG_2181 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_MG_2189 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
Chase of TMCo and Dallas of The Real Pool Service tagging in to help us film for the weekend


20170923-_MG_2171 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
The slab east of the ridge. So massive and ominous in person... photos don't do this mountain justice.


20170923-_MG_2195 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

The final challenge on the day are the extremely tight switchbacks that lead up to the old fire lookout. Some of the longer trucks avoid the tight turn and actually reverse up a couple of them, easing any chance of vehicle damage or excessive tire rub. We all sign the guestbook in the tower documenting our arrival date. Soon this summit will be un-reachable by anything other than a set of touring skis or a snowmobile. We take in the 360 panoramic views, snapping photos and capturing video as the sun begins to drop to the east.


20170923-_MG_2223 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_MG_2219 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_MG_2213 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_MG_2207 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_08I4448 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

With a keen intent on enjoying #camplife while on Colossal, we head for camp and to meet up with the last straggler of the event. He was at battle with some seized lower control arm alignment cams and was luckily able to acquire the necessary parts to get his truck road-worthy albeit a day late. I convinced John to make the trek regardless, and am glad he struggled through his adversity.

Views from the top.

20170923-_MG_2226 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_08I4446 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

Chase and I grab a couple photos of the Tamarack rigs amongst the Tamarack trees

20170923-_08I4390 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr


20170923-_MG_2191 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr

We set up camp with John rolling in an hour or so after us. Our spot a large group rec site on the waters of the very lake we were overlooking most of the day as we made our ascent up to the fire lookout. This late in the year we have the site almost all to ourselves and enjoy the clear evening on the waterfront. Most of us make a dinner feast before heading to the fire for some beverages and stories. Other than a scare from a random dog who finds some of our garbage too tasty to resist, we are left with a beautiful and peaceful night under the stars. Tomorrow will take us even deeper into the Canadian Wilderness so I head off to bed for a good nights sleep.

/ Stay tuned for Part 3 /

 

Great pics and scenery! Following for more

 

Thanks! Part 3 coming soon!

 

1. \ PART 3 \
   
   Day 2. Our camp begins to come to life around 8am, with everyone except Ian waking up and starting an easy breakfast. We leave Ian sleeping in the truck knowing he was up for nearly 48 hours to make it to the event…and a few too many drinks before bed. We converse and walk around camp enjoying the amenities of this amazing spot. As the clocks rolls around and Ian gets up, we bring the group together for our first official “drivers meeting”. Now with everyone present, we do all the formal introductions and discuss some of our basic rules of the trail – leave the guys behind you in your sight, stay on the trail and avoid disrupting any vegetation off the trail (especially when we get above the treeline), and never be afraid to ask for a spot or a helping hand. We outline the route for the day with about 100 kms of gravel travel before hitting the trailhead. Before the group breaks, we do our first morning raffle – for the Element fire pit.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2229 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   Element by RA Motorsports is a new fabrication company out of Edmonton who focuses on building stout equipment that can be utilized to help us enjoy the beautiful outdoors. They offer a variety of products from skid plates and sliders to some very cool camping equipment -like their puzzle fire pit we are giving away. I have used one before and they work exceptionally well, even coming with a grille insert for the top of the fire pit to cook on. We fire up the Chwazi app to select our winner. The random sounds and colours bounce around until one of the fingers laid on the screen is selected at random. Digital fortune favours Kevin as he walks away with the fire pit. We then head for the vehicles and prepare for departure – Chase and Dallas already setup with the RED camera for a couple camp departure shots.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4476 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   The RED in full glory.
   
   The gravel road leading to the trailhead is a beautifully kept section of road. Speeds of 100+ km/hr are easily and safely achievable so we allow the group distance to spread out for some safety margin and dust avoidance. I take point with my radio ready to communicate any obstructions in advance. We blast through the river valley, taking in the riverbank views as the forest gives way and the view becomes available. Maybe having a little too much fun, I wind down my speed and start looking for the location for our surprise challenge. I notify the group that we will be stopping once I am confident in the current piece of road. The winner of the challenge will receive a pair of Baja Design Squadron LED’s. I have been using Baja Design products on my personal rig for several years. The craftsmanship, customer service, and ability to dial in and/or service each light makes them ideal for vehicles that will see an array of conditions. I’ve had my lights set up for both amber snow-storm mode or wide open highway distance patterns – the ability to vary them so much is priceless.
   
   The challenge – a drag race! We choose this as our challenge knowing full well that every rig here has been logically & meticulously setup for a variety of circumstances, terrain, and uncertainty. Setting them up for a straight line pull however, was probably never in the cards! We set up spotters at either end of the straight and wide stretch of road. A line is drawn in the gravel to mark both ends of the “track”. We have an official timer, flag dude (me in a bikini… JK), and scouts. We learn the hard way to stay off the radio and get our communication dialled in. Each attendee tries a different strategy to propel their heavy beast to top speed. We have a variety of motors – inline 6, V6’s, and V8’s as well as some fully armoured expo rigs and some light weight simple builds. Some with gear reduction, some without. The group enjoys the unpredictable challenge and we laugh at how surprisingly close each time is. With everyone at the finish line, I even line up for a pull of my own. The 4.7 screams to life making way more sound than its output in velocity. I feel confident but some of the lighter rigs may still have the advantage. The results are in and Cody takes 1st place in his 98’ 4Runner on 285’s with the automatic and factory gears. He chirps us all about his awkwardly fast(?) setup as he takes the walk of victory to come over and grab the lights. Props Cody!
   
   No pics of the drag race because I was too busy waving the flag and chatting on the radio. Instead, a couple shots of some of the people who make these adventures so good:
   
   
   
   20170923-_08I4482 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Terry snapping some pics - this guys raises the bar in excitement. Never seen such a good trundler before.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2316 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Trevor, owner of Kootenay Mountain Works
   
   
   20170923-_08I4471 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Our good pal Dallas of The Real Pool Service out of Vancouver.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4469 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   My good bud Ian - he's been on every Colossal trip since before they were even called Colossal.
   
   Back in our rigs and hauling down the backroad once again, we take a quick break at an iconic bridge and trout spawning area that we camped near on Colossal 2016. We park in a pullout near the river and grab lunch. As most of us eat, Cody takes the 20 minutes of downtime to flex his electrical skills and install his new lights. I put him on a “departure timer” but was unexpectedly impressed when we rolled back out to the road and saw his amber LED’s burn to life. Within a couple minutes we were staging at the next trailhead.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2233 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Group shot - check Cody working on the BD light install!
   
   Gathered and assembled we started our ascent. The trail headed up in what looked to be an old logging cut road. We began to round the familiar switchbacks as we gained altitude. The trail was fairly wide and not terribly rough. A half dozen long switchbacks before the overgrowth on the trail started to show – the Alders fighting to re-claim what was once un-marked territory. We drive with caution and a little speed, dodging through the narrow points occasionally cringing at the sound of paint against branch.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4498 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   Everything is going smoothly when suddenly I hear a crackle on the radio “I think I have a flat”. John in the gorgeous Expo-AF Tundra is down a tire. A huge gash in the sidewall from what we would later find out to be a 14” log jammed inside the tire. Luckily John’s truck is in a spot where an easy tire change is plausible. The group rallies at our first setback and within minutes it’s like team Nascar is doing a pitstop. Cody is on the jack, Ian has the spare tire ready to swap on, and John works the impact gun. Literally a 5 minute trail swap – impressive gentlemen!
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2235 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2252 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   John running the impact on the quick tire swap.
   
   We proceed without much caution trying to get through the tight alder and into the old growth. This trail new to even myself, does not disappoint. As we climb, the alder disappears and we find ourselves exposed in a vast avalanche chute. The foliage is spectacular with the neon yellow of the moss and mature Tundra, against the deep green pines, and aqua lake in the backdrop. A couple tight switchbacks give us a few pucker moments but nothing the group can't handle with some good spotting. As we carry onward the colors continue to impress – now red foliage is mixed with the moss and its like the whole color spectrum lies around us. We continue to climb until we reach the summit. A flat, rocky area overlooking the region we came from to the West and some more remote valleys and peaks to our East. The view is spectacular in 360 degrees!
   
   
   
2. 
   20170923-_08I4501 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   The foliage finally turning from scratch alder, to wide open old growth.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4515 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   What we've been waiting for... the views starting to open up.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4526 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   The chute.
   
   
   20170923-_08I4528 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170923-_08I4540 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170923-_08I4549 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Photos do not do this place justice.
   
   We break out Goose for some aerial shots before heading back down to explore another route that seems to follow the ridgeline. We have enough daylight to play for approximately another hour. The new directive is a shaley trail that traverses the mountain just below the ridge. It’s exceptionally beautiful as we have such a mix of rock, old growth trees, and the stunning tundra. The scent of the fresh mountain air is almost too much to handle – truly imprinting the raw and untouched terrain in our minds as we slowly crawl through the backcountry. As far as the eye can see for the entire day, there is not another soul to be seen or any hint of civilization other than the trail itself. In my happy place I am nearly startled when I hear Kevin’s voice on the radio “I think I have a flat”. Low and behold, we are lucky ( to a degree) once again… this trail is tight, barely allowing enough width for our vehicles to belong, especially when driving a wide LT Tacoma on 35’s. One wrong move and your rolling down the mountain to the valley bottom below. Kevin happens to get a gash in his sidewall (presumably from one of the sharp shale rocks on the uphill side of the trail) in one of the few places safe to pull off a tire change. Bummed about his brand new tire being destroyed but thankful for a useable spare and a safe tire change, we continue on. We are greeting with several tricky manoeuvres where we must navigate awkward brush in order to pass, yet still remain on the trail. Soon we reach the trails plateau and are turned around by a washout and a very sketchy traverse – maybe good for a dirtbike but not our Toyotas (I mean - Toyota’s and 1 Nissan)
   
   
   20170923-_08I4564 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   On the summit.
   
   
   20170924-_08I4613 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170924-_08I4632 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Up in the clouds.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2306 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Kevins minty Tacoma post flat tire repair.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2283 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2266 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2272 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Chase having a giggle while Kevin get's his tire swapped.
   
   Satisfied with the day we make the uneventful trip back down to the valley bottom. With little light left, the group makes the unspoken decision to make it down rather quickly… and we all get a chance to heat up and test our fancy suspension systems. I can only speak for myself here, but the Icon absorbers shine as a cruise down the rough, steep, and rocky terrain with ease. Hitting the od 2 foot drainage ditch at 40-60 km/hr, the truck soaks everything up with only minor grunts when the front end is fully compressed and the Toyo tires just knick the bottom of my flares. With breakneck speed we are back on the road and heading towards camp only a couple minutes away. Low and behold, one of my favourite campsites in the area remains unoccupied, giving the whole group a perfectly flat and grassy area to setup camp right on the edge of the deep blue lake.
   
   
   20170924-_MG_2330 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Dallas getting his first taste of offroad driving in the Tamarack Media Co. Tacoma, Bruce.
   
   
   20170924-_08I4641 by Tamarack Media Co., on Flickr
   Check those BD lights in action!
   
   Camp life at Colossal is critical. It’s as important as the trails themselves. Challenging yourself mentally during the day and also taking in spectacular scenery is only made better when you get to reflect on the experience with others at the end of the day. This day is no exception and another big camp feast is prepared by each party. We bounce around vehicle to vehicle chatting with everyone and sharing any supplies overlooked. It’s dark but there is more than enough camp light to go around and we are all winding down by the fire in no time. A few evening laughs and antics have us in bed before it’s too early in the morning… tomorrow brings a different pace to the trip but one I am looking foreword to.
   
   / Stay Tuned for Part 4 /

 

Cool thread and cool photos. Will be coming back when I've got the time to read through it all.

 

Awesome thread, love the pics! Nice to see the motherland

 

Awesome thread! Can't wait for part 4

-Bailey, Baja Designs
www.bajadesigns.com

 

just re-read this trip report on expedition portal today, awesome job! great photos!

 

Where's part 4?

 

Hey everyone! Here's the official aftermovie for the event! Just got released today. Give it a share if you like it!

https://player.vimeo.com/video/251912126