Toughest Trail You've Done With a Stock Tacoma?

Great story, Gregero!

 

When she and I look back on it today, we feel it was a great experience. We've been stuck in places since then, but we never get that extreme feeling of worry now and we learned quite a bit about what the truck can do and how.

Thanks, Tacomadude I can't wait to read some that others have to post. I'm sure there's some good ones out there.

 

My toughest trails are as follows:

• Mengel's pass in Death Valley. I did it solo, (no spotter) and rebuilt the trail in a couple sections. Factory skid plates and sliders got a work out.
• Crankshaft junction Arroyo Seco del Diablo, in Anza-Borrego desert state park, CA. (solo)
• Elliot Mine, Valley of the Moon, BLM, CA (with spotter) <-Very dangerous trail

Scary shelf roads I have been on are as follows:

• Lippincott pass, Death Valley (driving solo, but partnered with a another Tacoma to take the pass)
• Silver Canyon, in the White Mountains, Inyo Nat'l forest. (solo)

Epic story Greg! I was there in March 2010, happened to rescue a pair of mountain bikers, one who broke his collar bone on a fall.

 

Last Chance Canyon, CA.

Went through that with 3'' lift and 31's for the first time. No sliders. It took 3-4 hours to cover just two miles. My spotter walked nearly the entire way. So many close calls with rocker panel damage.

Last time I went through with 33's, sliders, bumpers front and rear, AP LT, and a couple thousand more miles of offroad experience it took about 15-20 min, no spotter, and no getting out of the truck.

 

The Blazer made it through I couldnt let him show me up so I tried somehow I also made it in 4LO. I'm so proud.

 

The toughest trail I was on was Berdoo Canyon Rd. And it was also on my first day really needing 4x4. I also brought along my wife and my 2.5 year old! Located between the end of the geology trail rd in Joshua Tree National Park and Dillon Rd/Rt 10 to the south. We started just doing the geology trail, not realizing the book describing it said it was a loop and to turn back at the top. So we went down Berdoo Canyon Rd.


It was pretty fun for the most part. Mostly needing good tire placement to avoid the biggest ruts and avoid severe tire flex that would have tested my "limited slip" dif. I did the whole thing in 2WD or 4High. All the rough spots I did in L or 2. Just slow and steady. It got to a place where it came around a corner to a squeeze with to steep walls and a bunch of rocks the size of my head filling the canyon. I stopped and looked and it was narly looking. There were two custom 4x4's with no beds and solid front axles playing around in there. They were picking the hardest routes but I could see where it wasn't "too bad". They cleared out, a Jeep pulled up behind me, and I started down into it. About 1/3 of the way in I realized I would never make it back up. I just kept it steady and picked my path. Bottomed out once on the drivers front but it quickly pulled up and over the rock. Made it through just fine. Passed the two trucks at the bottom and my heart was still pumping pretty good. I Love My Tacoma! I continued to a place where the Jeep could pass me and then waited to ask him if there was more like that. Luckily, that was the worst. There was no going back up, but the trail was good to Dillon Rd. Very Fun!

Damage: Stick-Striping on both sides and chunks torn out of my tire treads

 

Congrats on Berdoo canyon. I ran it with my wife in 2009 going into the park. We visited the Berdoo camp ruins before entering. It is a very neat place.

I saw me a nice Borrego Big Horn sheep in the canyon.

 

I've heard of Elliot Mine and did hear it was a hell of a dangerous trail. I've been wanting to check out Valley of the Moon but only the parts I'm capable of.
When it comes to rebuilding the trail, what is allowed? I'm guessing only natural objects are used? I've been wanting to rebuild certain trails with sand bags, but am afraid that I'll be doing the wrong thing. I did notice many sandbags on the biker trails at Anderson Trail, but don't know if that's "ok." Speaking of those bikers you helped, I can kinda see it happening- that hidden biking road by the large boulders is intense looking!!

That's just bad ass- those times when you feel you'll never make it and you still do. That nervous feeling in your stomach, that shakyness, the feeling of, "WTF did I just do?" after it all... And the then the victory cheer after you truly realize what ya just did. Nothing can beat that feeling... except sex.

Now, that's VERY rare!!! Congrats and what a beautiful shot! I bet you were fumbling that camera like nuts trying to get it ready!

 

I've tried to play around twice with my stock 5 lugger. Both have ended with failure, at least I tried though. I am very green to off-road situations, so I'm sure a good amount comes from inexperience.

I first got stuck in the mud on a downslope. No way I was going to clear the embankment at the bottom without issues. Riding buddy (lifted 1st gen, locker, 4x4) took the embankment, came back around, hooked my truck and pulled me backwards up the hill. Good times though.

Second was at MAXTacoma's (Neil) farm. I tried to take the main hill. It didn't work out so well, mostly b/c of inexperience. I failed the hill, parked my truck, rode the rest of the afternoon with Neil, watched how he controlled his truck and learned a lot about what I need to do next time to make it up the hill.





Bigger version of my sig pic.

 

Hells revenge and fins n things in moab utah, 100% stock trd sport

 

I did it in October 2007. The rain turned into snow that night apparently, because this video was from the next day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xd6TWkbVVU

 

We didn't stop, I was too spooked.

Yes, It was very beautiful. Nice picture of that Ram!

We have already said we will do it again slower and stop the next time we are there.

 

If a trail is in serious disrepair just about anything you can do to better it is going to be okay. I use a shovel and roll boulders into crevices to build the trail up. You shouldn't fill voids with living trees or brush though as they are usually a protected resource.

Some 4WD clubs sponsor trails and do organized maintenance on trails. They have formal agreements with the land officials. I have never done that mostly because I don't have the time... I have lots of respect for those that are able to.

I'd contact the public land office to find out of using sand bags is okay. Probably okay for NFS and BLM roads but probably not okay for NPS or State Park lands.

Yes indeed!

Thanks! If you do visit Berdoo camp, I recommend you go armed. We encountered no problems, but there was evidence of illicit activity and people clearly shoot there.







Loved the art we saw

 

well, it's not a trail, but nonetheless

 

LOL, I did a lot of learning in my first year.

This is the first trail I ever took, Brown's Road, a trail marked easy at Brown's Camp. Thought I was really accomplishing something at the time, now I take it as a shortcut. The trail has some dips to it, and you need to go a bit slow going down, but if you put it in 4LO 1st you can let the truck drive itself as you grab a nap



I joined a 4WD club after that and thought I was going to leave permanent marks in the steering wheel after going through Cedar Tree and University Firepower Both have tress that make things very narrow with multi-point turns. Also some stumps to ride over.
No pics of me, but here's some shots I took on more recent trips of the wider spots.

 

'97 reg cab - Took it on an old logging road. By the time I got finished going through all the ruts, my front license plate was standing straight out.

 

I did a trail up here called Rattle snake gutter. Required aiming the frame rail at little rocks hoping they would hit before the sliders. Only got a tiny dent in the quarter pannel, which i cut off anyways

 

Definitely my driveway. Those pot holes are tough.

 

Copied from here:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/151644-amazing-what-stocker-can-do-moab-pics-inside.html

I headed up this past weekend to do some mountain biking in Moab, UT. After a couple days, we decided we needed a rest (half) day. So I thought I would finally see what my Tacoma would do. Yep, have had it 4 years and have only taken it wheelin' 1 time before to Bill Moore lake up by Empire, CO.

We set out for "Top of the World". Described as a "3" on the map we had, saying its suitable for stock trucks. It took us a long time ( lots of spotting, and carefully chosen lines ) to make the trip out and back. Also required the use of the locker a couple times. I can honestly say that I was shocked by the ledges it climbed, and the terrain it handled. There was some unavoidable dragging of the frame rails and cross members though. I am still amazed that is considered a trail that most stock vehicles could do.

pics... for some reason they dont look as bad as it did in person!

 

RUBICON.

The WHOLE damn thing.















(and then i woke up...)