Rubicon Trail Ride 2017 - Poll Thread
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- Location
- Plumas Lake, CA, USA
- Vehicle(s)
- 1974 CJ5 ~ Fresh built AMC 360 - SM420 - D20 - D30F with upgraded 30 spline shafts and knuckles & D44R - 4.27 Gears - ARB Lockers F/R - All chrome molly axles - on 33's - YJ 4" Lift Spring Conversion
I've been talking and talking about doing this - Here I am finally getting off my backside! (Haha Pete!)
First, I wheel better than I spell / type so
I like Capital leTTers WhEre thEy doN't bELong...
I'd like to host a trail ride through the Rubicon Trail in the late spring to late summer time next year 2017. Dates and exact routes / days TBD through this poll and the discussions below.
Here's the first Generic Idea(s) I have:
Day 1 - All meet around Loon Lake / Airport Flat areas for camping, unpacking and dinner / spirits See here for general idea of the location:
Day 2 - Leave Main camp set up and travel the "loop" of the trail heads. This is a good test of equipment and will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect along the trail for the most part. We'd start at the Main trail head at Loon Lake and traverse in to the "split" around Walker Hill. From here we could go a bit further in to Little Sluice if we're doing ok on time and no one needs to work on their jeep yet. Then we'd turn around and drive out through the old Wentworth springs entrance to end back on a paved or dirt road (whatever we chose) and back to main camp for the night.
Day 3 could be running around the area where we camp - there are many lakes, some trails still open, shooting areas if anyone is so inclined, hole in the wall "watering holes" for some spirits, etc. Day 3 could also just be we start the trail itself etc (see day 4 below) but it might be good to have a relaxing day after a bumpy day before and few more to come. Depending on schedules, people could also drive their trailers, Camping Rigs etc to the Opposite side of the trail by way of Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe, and drive back that same way with road legal rigs if they want. I prefer to leave my stuff if necessary on the mountains side where we'll start, but it may make sense for some people to do the opposite etc.
Day 4 We'd load up minimal camping supplies and food / water as Main camp would be deserted for a few days from this point forward after breakfast. We'd again enter the Rubicon Trail by way of either Loon Lake or Wentworth springs entrance. This time we would continue through to at least Buck Island, though depending on the day's "issues (if any)" we could progress further to the Rubicon Springs (much better camping in my opinion – Buck Island is a lot of granite to sleep on – I prefer dirt
). The springs is a private pay "campground" but it's reasonable and a great atmosphere to stay at. We'll all be tired and sore, so I assume we'll unpack, set up camp and sit around a fire eating and whatnot for the evening.
Day 5 We'd check out the Rubicon Springs area a bit more, swim and relax - or Run back to buck island in the jeeps to check it out more and swim / lunch picnic there etc.
Day 6 we'd load up and leave Rubicon springs are and go to the last obstacle of the trail - Cadillac Hill. Named from a old Cadillac at the bottom of the mountain that rolled, and rotted there. We'd stop for the famous photo of all our rigs at the observation point, and then finally exit to Tahoe over a long easy dirt road. We can either drive the highway back to main camp for the night or try to set up a campground thing around Lake Tahoe (absolutely beautiful area) hit north or south shore for entertainment etc - up to the group or groups if some want to and some don't etc.
Day 7 - travel home
This is all up to everyone and completely subject to change if you want. If you all want to just run the trail in 2 days we can. If you want to take more days we can. If you want to check out Hell Hole trail, Fordyce trail, etc around in CA too while you're here we can do that too - I'll say I have not personally ran hell hole or Fordyce myself, so I would be seeing it for the first time too - and they're pretty knarly...
In more posts below, I'll detail the expectations you should have, possible dangers, etc. I'll also show a few run photos and videos for teasers.
I'll put up a minimum “requirements” list, but honestly I've seen people run this with very minimal gear if they're the right driver and not worried about cosmetic damage. (Insert Joke about Posi’s "Barbie Jeep") I don't want to sway people from not coming by thinking their jeep won’t make it, but at the same time I don't want someone to spend a bunch of money to come and find out here their jeep "won't" do it.
More to come - Please let me know how much intrest there is in this run. Dates, suggestions on schedule edits above etc are all welcomed too!
First, I wheel better than I spell / type so
I like Capital leTTers WhEre thEy doN't bELong... I'd like to host a trail ride through the Rubicon Trail in the late spring to late summer time next year 2017. Dates and exact routes / days TBD through this poll and the discussions below.
Here's the first Generic Idea(s) I have:
Day 1 - All meet around Loon Lake / Airport Flat areas for camping, unpacking and dinner / spirits
See here for general idea of the location:Day 2 - Leave Main camp set up and travel the "loop" of the trail heads. This is a good test of equipment and will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect along the trail for the most part. We'd start at the Main trail head at Loon Lake and traverse in to the "split" around Walker Hill. From here we could go a bit further in to Little Sluice if we're doing ok on time and no one needs to work on their jeep yet. Then we'd turn around and drive out through the old Wentworth springs entrance to end back on a paved or dirt road (whatever we chose) and back to main camp for the night.
Day 3 could be running around the area where we camp - there are many lakes, some trails still open, shooting areas if anyone is so inclined, hole in the wall "watering holes" for some spirits, etc. Day 3 could also just be we start the trail itself etc (see day 4 below) but it might be good to have a relaxing day after a bumpy day before and few more to come. Depending on schedules, people could also drive their trailers, Camping Rigs etc to the Opposite side of the trail by way of Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe, and drive back that same way with road legal rigs if they want. I prefer to leave my stuff if necessary on the mountains side where we'll start, but it may make sense for some people to do the opposite etc.
Day 4 We'd load up minimal camping supplies and food / water as Main camp would be deserted for a few days from this point forward after breakfast. We'd again enter the Rubicon Trail by way of either Loon Lake or Wentworth springs entrance. This time we would continue through to at least Buck Island, though depending on the day's "issues (if any)" we could progress further to the Rubicon Springs (much better camping in my opinion – Buck Island is a lot of granite to sleep on – I prefer dirt
). The springs is a private pay "campground" but it's reasonable and a great atmosphere to stay at. We'll all be tired and sore, so I assume we'll unpack, set up camp and sit around a fire eating and whatnot for the evening.Day 5 We'd check out the Rubicon Springs area a bit more, swim and relax - or Run back to buck island in the jeeps to check it out more and swim / lunch picnic there etc.
Day 6 we'd load up and leave Rubicon springs are and go to the last obstacle of the trail - Cadillac Hill. Named from a old Cadillac at the bottom of the mountain that rolled, and rotted there. We'd stop for the famous photo of all our rigs at the observation point, and then finally exit to Tahoe over a long easy dirt road. We can either drive the highway back to main camp for the night or try to set up a campground thing around Lake Tahoe (absolutely beautiful area) hit north or south shore for entertainment etc - up to the group or groups if some want to and some don't etc.
Day 7 - travel home
This is all up to everyone and completely subject to change if you want. If you all want to just run the trail in 2 days we can. If you want to take more days we can. If you want to check out Hell Hole trail, Fordyce trail, etc around in CA too while you're here we can do that too - I'll say I have not personally ran hell hole or Fordyce myself, so I would be seeing it for the first time too - and they're pretty knarly...
In more posts below, I'll detail the expectations you should have, possible dangers, etc. I'll also show a few run photos and videos for teasers.
I'll put up a minimum “requirements” list, but honestly I've seen people run this with very minimal gear if they're the right driver and not worried about cosmetic damage. (Insert Joke about Posi’s "Barbie Jeep") I don't want to sway people from not coming by thinking their jeep won’t make it, but at the same time I don't want someone to spend a bunch of money to come and find out here their jeep "won't" do it.
More to come - Please let me know how much intrest there is in this run. Dates, suggestions on schedule edits above etc are all welcomed too!
