2021/07/05 - Monday - Vacation - Day 18 - Off Road Trail

 We left the campground at 9 and headed into town to get some stuff for the adventure. 

We stopped at Smoothy's Juice Bar and had breakfast.

We stopped at the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center again.

Before heading up the Medano Pass Primitive Road, we stopped at the base of the big sand dunes.  The sandy part was deep and the 4runner had no issues. We crossed the creek and it was not very deep.  There was a section that had deep nogales.  We stopped along the route to eat lunch, bugs were out also. There was one steep muddy climb and again the 4Runner did great.  Once at the top the down hill side was just a easy dirt road.

Back to the RV to check in on the animals

Went to dinner at St Ives A Pub & Eatery

2011/07/16 – Saturday – Adopt-A-Trail and Holcomb Creek Trail

Amanda and I got up early and we headed out for the mountains.  I planned for a two hour drive.

Before getting on the way, we stopped at the store to get lunch and snacks.

On the way up, I was starting to notice that we were very low on gas and when I took hard left hand turns the Jeep would hesitate (starving for gas)

We made it to the top of the mountain and of course filled the Jeep up with the necessary go go juice.  We made it in 1 ½ hours – so not bad.  I was the first person to be at the meeting location.

In the next hour we had 22 more vehicles (22 Jeeps and one Toyota).  We had the Dirt Devils group and a Big Bear club to join us.

We left a little after 9:00 once the driver meeting was complete.

We headed towards the west end of Deep Creek Trail via Kuffel Canyon Rd, Lake Arrowhead, and Hook Creek Rd

Before heading down to the bridge over Deep Creek some sheriffs where doing some training at the parking area, also the rocks necessary for a gate keeper is staged ready to be moved into place.

We proceed to the bridge to stage and prepared the vehicles for the trail (so we all aired down our tires.)  We also talked with a Ranger that was doing some trash cleanup.

We made it to the waterfall section of the trail and we had traffic.  Five vehicles took about an hour to make it through this section. 

We started and I was the first one to try the waterfall – I tried four times without making up it.  But Quinn was able to make it up (going further to the right), so I showed him which line not to take.  Several others was able to climb it.  All of us made it through the section in about an hour.

We pulled into Crab Flats for a late lunch, we parked on the main road (not in the campground – it was close to being full)

Amanda drove to the next trail which is Holcomb Creek Trail, but some of the group had enough for the day so they did join us for the next trail.

I was no longer the second or the third in line so now I am in the middle.  I helped a few people and extracted one person from the start of the trail (he did not have the front locker working correctly)

While traveling the trail, it has changed.  The fire took a lot of my landmarks away and opened up the views.

You can see the sections they had to work on to restore the trail.  And all the trees they had to cut down.

The east end (upstream) end of the trail no longer has a good gate keeper. There is no real obstacle at the creek crossing.  The last time I did it the hill would help to insure only the equipped vehicles would be able to start the trail.  There is a rock garden gate keeper further into the trail, but nothing like the west end (downstream) of the trail.

Once we finished the trail, Amanda drove to Fawnskin.  We aired up our tires and headed home.

We got home with the sun still in the sky.

I must be getting older, because I even went to bed early for me at 9:00 – I was falling to sleep on the couch, so Cheryl told be to go to bed.

-------------------------

I was very glad that I was able to enjoy both trails in one day!!!

2011/04/16 - Saturday - Dirt Devils Run - Rattlesnake Canyon

The day started out early - I was up at 5:30!

We (Eric and I) left at 6, but returned to get my bluetooth headset and we are back on the road (only lost about 5 min)

On our way to the trail-head, I realized that I do not have my camera nor my hat (bummers). 

We stopped at McDonald for breakfast (which was next door to the place we others were meeting for breakfast), but I went ahead and headed to Lucerne for my necessary gas stop.

We got to the trail-head for Rattlesnake Canyon about 8:30 and we were the first ones there.  about 20 min later we had one other family join us.  At 9:30, I made a call to find out where our trail leader was at and they were on there way.  The two of us went ahead and aired down our tires.  Finally the rest of the group made it and they proceeded to there air down.

The group finally got moving sometime after 10:00.  Since the last time I have done this run, they have put up signs near the start to keep you speed down to 15 mph through the ranch area.

The canyon seemed to have more sand and several more rocks to keep you slow going.  I did have to strap one of the potential Dirt Devils members.  We missed the little canyon (on the right) near the top of the canyon so no exploring of the mines - also I did not notice any post/signs to stopping you from going into that canyon.

Our leader missed the necessary right turn to head to 2N02 road and we drove about 15 minutes in the wrong direction (I understand that he has done that before).  When we finally started west on 2N02 he found the lunch spot - even though it was about 12:30.

The Droid battery died (even though it was on the charger) and it has corrupted My Tracks - so I have lost all of my recorded tracks!  I did start recording a track shortly after lunch on EveryTrail.

We turned off of 2N02 onto another route that takes you by Heart Break Ridge.  I did spot the two potential members through the hardest spot and it took a little effort for the second guy, but no straps were needed!

We stopped for bit at the end of the trail before heading to the main road (HWY 38).  Once we reached 38 we aired up.  One member head down towards Big Bear while the rest of us headed up on over towards Redlands.

The drive home was uneventful (good thing) and back home to relax.

Well, my left arm is sunburned as well as my face.  Hopefully it does not hurt in the morning.

2010/11/26 - Friday - Out With The Die Hards Dirt Devis

The day started out a little slow, we waited for the third family to arrive. W.S. And I did a little driving around waiting, I finally got the call and we guiding them into camp. After the C's got things ready we headed out. I let Amanda drive most of the day.

On the way, W.S. Starter bolt disappeared so we had to repair that. When we got close to our destination I took over the driving. We finally made it to the Calcite Mine. The group did some exploring around some of the mines (the mines are dug out troughs - no caves)

On the way back to camp we went pass it and headed to the gas station. Topped off the tanks and one the way back I let Eric drive back to camp.

While at camp a question was asked if we wanted to go out to eat, so the group went to Alamo (mexican restaurant) for dinner.

Back at camp relaxing.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5