Tacomas in Minnesota?

I 100% agree on using everything else possible before having to winch. I do have traction boards and still have only used them once. My only other 2 cents would be that I do a lot of my wheeling by myself. Traction boards will get me out of about 95% of what I have been threw (I don't take big risks when alone) There was one time I was up north and drove into a bog that wasn't suppose to be there and got my diff high centered on a log someone else probably tried to use to get threw. The ONE time I needed a winch! Traction boards didn't do anything and I needed the local tow company to come out with their mug bogger to pull me backward off the log and then I drove out over the huge ruts he made.

 

A winch would not have helped me in this case unless it was on the rear of the truck or my buddy with the Wrangler had one on the front. I'm holding off on getting a winch until I find a good reason to have one. I've done a fair amount of wheeling this year (4 trips to Gilbert, 3 to Spider Lake, 2 to Frontenac Farms) and until this incident I have been able to free myself with traction boards and a shovel. I also carry a hi-lift jack with the winching accessories when I go on planned off roading trips, but I have yet to use it in anger. I did practice with it in a parking lot. That effort made me hope I never haver to winch with it.

 

In my defense, the construction site wasn't unknown to me, but it was the first time it was covered in snow. The first good snow always makes me a bit crazy. Either way, part of the joy of off-roading is exploring the unknown and taking risks. I've taken much larger risks in places like Gilbert where you can smash into boulders or roll down steep slopes

I need to plan a trip out west where they have much areas to explore. Going around circles in the OHV park or construction site is super fun, but some times I want to travel a trail with a destination and perhaps one that requires camping.

 

Can confirm.

 

I'll help next time I have 2 winches and enjoy pulling out third gens.

 

I’ll follow you around and make your 2nd gen (oops how old?) look sexy any time.

 

Labor Day at Frontenac Farms I ran into a Toyota guy. It’s mostly Jeeps and buggies At the event. He had an old school Toyota with a SAS conversion and a cage. He wasn’t so impressed with my 3rd gen I could tell, but it was good to see another Toyota.

 

How much was the recovery bill using the winch box ?

 

Just got my first Tacoma - 2021 TRD Pro. Would be interested to hear about some of the better trails people have ridden around the state.

 

Residential Minneapolis in the spring is going to be your best rock crawling.


(For those that dont get the joke, the streets in the city are trash, and are 90% pot holes in the spring)

 

Heard theres a good construction site in Washington county

 

I think there was a dirt bump on 7 this morning. Pretty sick.

 

Check out the State Forests. I wouldn't define any of it as rock crawling but there are plenty of min maintenance roads that can be fun to get a bit dirty on.

 

The Iron Range OHV Park near Gilbert is my favorite place to wheel in Minnesota. I'm thinking of heading up there this weekend since everything is going on lockdown. There looks to be 0-4" of snow up there. Wouldn't mind to have another rig with me.

Other than Gilbert (which has two places), there is Spider Lake near Pine River and the OHV park near Appleton as far as public land. There are also some private places like Frontenac Farms that have occasional events. The public land is managed by the DNR and requires a registration that is like $40 for 3 years.

Minnesota is not the best state to wheel in. Alternatives include snowmobiles, ATVs, side-by-sides, and dirt bikes. There are many more locations that accept those.

 

Most of the forest maintenance roads I have explored near the Twin Cities are highly maintained. There are quite a few low maintenance forest roads in the Foot Hills State Forest where the Spider Lake OHV trails are located. It's a good place to test out a King/Fox/Icon/BP51 suspension driving fast over rough twisty roads with occasional mud holes. When you get tired off that, you can crawl through the tight, sandy, hilly OHV trails.

 

I was at Spider Lake in August and it seems like they have been grooming the trails out there more for side by sides and 4 wheelers. Some of them had some gnarly break overs that I was hitting with my skip plates but I also had a stock gmc with that made it threw alright. Minimum damage.

 

I think those bumps are for preventing erosion. I don’t touch them with my 2” lift and 33’s. In fact the whole area is a bit too easy after my mods. It’s still fun and close to the cabin, though.

 

Im on 32s and about 2.75 I think I only hit like 1 or 2 of them. but my mid skid hangs down pretty low thanks to the exhaust. I agree fun place to get explore. I did all the trails a few years ago in my lifted Subaru Crosstrek. I don't think it would make it threw most of it now though.

 

It required a truck to carry the winch box, 2 other trucks, and 3 people including the boss. They charged me $500 just to show up and then another $150 for the hour or so to set up, pick me up, extract it, and clean up.

EDIT: I have ordered an ARB snatch strap. Now all I need is a friend willing to get their truck dirty. I have a friend with a Jeep with 35" mud terrains, but he doesn't venture outside the mall with it. I was pleasantly surprised he showed up that night to give it a try.