KIRK!
Amateur Philosopher
I finally got to put my Gen 2.5 to a real test. I have gone to the last couple of meeting of a local 4x4 club (Diablo Four Wheelers) and attended a mini run with a few of them this past weekend to Gold Lake in the Northern California Sierras. It's a 4x4-only campground that serves as a great base camp for a bunch of connecting trails, including one rated "difficult" named Snake Lake. Being my first really challenging trail I was both intimidated and stoked at the same time.
We arrived on Friday afternoon and were set to meet the members of the club. I had sent them a photo of my rig, so they were really finding me more than I was finding them. As luck would have it, the run leader, Jurgen, pulled in right behind us as we finished the trail into camp. We found a spot and set up. Originally there were supposed to be about 12 or so rigs showing up, but it ended up being four. All of the members were extremely nice, knowledgable and helpful.
The sites are all right on the lake and just what you'd want from a forest campsite. The lake is brimming with life; the Canadian geese constantly make the rounds from site to site, we saw a mother duck with 25 ducklings in tow and the edge of the water is teaming with small fish and large crawdads.
There are tons of easy trails branching out in every direction, but it was Snake Lake Trail that was the challenge. I didn't really know what to expect and just followed the group. Jurgen didn't tell me until until after we had completed Snake Lake in both directions that it was a "difficult" rated trail. I still would have tried it, but I may have been a little more freaked out. There was one extremely difficult part that challenged all of the rigs that I got stuck on both ways. One other spot (there are shots of me coming down it) was almost doable, but I ended up being winched up it. After I upgrade with a suspension lift and 33s, I should make it. It was great to watch the amazement of the other wheelers as the Montero performed. They were all very surprised at how well it did. So was I.
Thankfully I completed and installed my rock sliders before the trip or my rockers would have been toast. They did their job beautifully, as did my homebuilt bumpers, each catching a tree and numerous rocks. I dented the transfer case skid plate pretty good, the muffler, and also the gas tank. All to be expected. Now I know where I need to build or beef up protection. The one obstacle that I got stuck on twice took it's toll on the reverse route when the Montero tipped hard crushing the passenger rear quarter and taillight. Looks like I'll be cutting the rear quarters even shorter and building some thick steel shielding for them as well.
All in all it was one of the best outings of my life and I was extremely pleased with how my Monty performed. Time for more protection, a suspension lift and 33s!
LOTS of photos, hope you enjoy them.
The very start of the two-mile trail in to camp.
Stopped to air down.
Heading out of camp on Saturday morning and right to Snake Lake Trail.
Stopping along one of the easy parts of Snake Lake Trail.
My wife and daughter overlooking Snake Lake.
Coming down the first real obstacle of Snake Lake Trail.
Tom in his monster K5 Blazer. Where we tried to barely snake through obstacles he often had to go over them.
The first overheating of the weekend. After the third one I ended up hardwiring the electric fan to the battery. It wasn't coming on. I've never had to pay attention to it before, so I don't know if it has ever worked. Wiring it constant on did the trick.
We arrived on Friday afternoon and were set to meet the members of the club. I had sent them a photo of my rig, so they were really finding me more than I was finding them. As luck would have it, the run leader, Jurgen, pulled in right behind us as we finished the trail into camp. We found a spot and set up. Originally there were supposed to be about 12 or so rigs showing up, but it ended up being four. All of the members were extremely nice, knowledgable and helpful.
The sites are all right on the lake and just what you'd want from a forest campsite. The lake is brimming with life; the Canadian geese constantly make the rounds from site to site, we saw a mother duck with 25 ducklings in tow and the edge of the water is teaming with small fish and large crawdads.
There are tons of easy trails branching out in every direction, but it was Snake Lake Trail that was the challenge. I didn't really know what to expect and just followed the group. Jurgen didn't tell me until until after we had completed Snake Lake in both directions that it was a "difficult" rated trail. I still would have tried it, but I may have been a little more freaked out. There was one extremely difficult part that challenged all of the rigs that I got stuck on both ways. One other spot (there are shots of me coming down it) was almost doable, but I ended up being winched up it. After I upgrade with a suspension lift and 33s, I should make it. It was great to watch the amazement of the other wheelers as the Montero performed. They were all very surprised at how well it did. So was I.
Thankfully I completed and installed my rock sliders before the trip or my rockers would have been toast. They did their job beautifully, as did my homebuilt bumpers, each catching a tree and numerous rocks. I dented the transfer case skid plate pretty good, the muffler, and also the gas tank. All to be expected. Now I know where I need to build or beef up protection. The one obstacle that I got stuck on twice took it's toll on the reverse route when the Montero tipped hard crushing the passenger rear quarter and taillight. Looks like I'll be cutting the rear quarters even shorter and building some thick steel shielding for them as well.
All in all it was one of the best outings of my life and I was extremely pleased with how my Monty performed. Time for more protection, a suspension lift and 33s!
LOTS of photos, hope you enjoy them.
The very start of the two-mile trail in to camp.
Stopped to air down.
Heading out of camp on Saturday morning and right to Snake Lake Trail.
Stopping along one of the easy parts of Snake Lake Trail.
My wife and daughter overlooking Snake Lake.
Coming down the first real obstacle of Snake Lake Trail.
Tom in his monster K5 Blazer. Where we tried to barely snake through obstacles he often had to go over them.
The first overheating of the weekend. After the third one I ended up hardwiring the electric fan to the battery. It wasn't coming on. I've never had to pay attention to it before, so I don't know if it has ever worked. Wiring it constant on did the trick.
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