Mitsu centric Sierra Nevada's hardcore trip planning... 1st week of Sept 2013

[off-roader]

We're planning another Sierra Challenge trip.

Details are being worked out. Currently looking at the first week of September. If you're interested and have/will have a capable Mitsu 4x4, you may want to keep an eye on the planning thread on 4x4wire... http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1276031&an=0&page=0#Post1276031

Note.... This will not be an overlanding trip. It will include some of the most difficult Sierra Nevada rock crawling trails (dusy ersham trail, etc.) known. It will be doable for our rigs if built properly.

The trip will be challenging & very difficult, but most importantly... EPIC!!

I've gone on numerous trips with this group since since the late 1990's. I can almost certainly guarantee you'll come away from this trip with a new found level of respect for your skills, your rig, and incredible degree of camaraderie that makes it all worth it.

I should add that its very likely your rig will suffer some level of carnage, from simple scratches to body damage, to possible drivetrain failures. For drivetrain failures the most common failures are tie rod ends, bent steering drag link, & front axles but spares are easy to carry.

I'd recommend a minimum of 33" tires with a locker, armor, and winch for a 2 door and 35" tires with same for a 4 door if you're interested.

I know for some this will not be your style of wheeling and I can appreciate that. But, for those who want to really challenge their driving skills & vehicle capability then this is your African Safari, your Mongolian Challenge, your Dakar Rally!

I hope to see you on the trip!!
:smiley_drive:

 

[SoCalMonty]

This is going to be an awesome trip.

Don't let the possibility of carnage scare you - we will network with each other and try our best to carry a broad range of spare parts and tools across the group so we'll be totally self sufficient and able to handle just about any situation thrown at us. By a "broad range of tools," I meant the metal kind, not the drivers.

If you have a Non-tero (witty, yes?!) such as a Yota, Jeep, etc - I would recommend bringing 2-3 buddies along with similar vehicles to you so you can carry/share spares, as the core group will probably not be carrying Yota/Jeep parts! If you're solo in a unique vehicle, make sure you have adequate parts, special tools, and the know-how to repair anything that might break!

Adding to the recommended spare part list - *cooling system parts*. You will tax the crap out of your cooling system. Make sure it's clean, the hoses aren't on their last legs, and you can patch up most common failures.

This is a one-of-a-kind trip. Really hoping to make this one! Thanks for X-posting this Ray.

 

[eurosonic]

Count me in, this will go down in history!

 

[off-roader]

Count me in, this will go down in history!

Awesome!!
...but please post up on 4x4wire since I will post irregular updates here and def don't plan on updating this thread with all the comments on the wire's thread. Thanks!

 

[cap510]

Im in.

 

[Toasty]

Post up if you're in, our planner (Lloyd) would like to know how many trucks to expect. This will be a legendary event, read the ground rules and vehicle requirements before commiting. Az Crawler Crew Forum

 

[nwoods]

Hmmm.... I did the Rubicon in my Jeep a few years ago. Took about 7 hours to drive through without difficulty or even any new scratches. We circled back to Rubicon Springs and camped a few extra days due to all the spare time remaining. It was pretty anti-climatic, as I had been looking forward to that trip for years. I think doing it in a Montero would be quite a lot more fun, and I'll have a Montero by then.....I wonder if I'll have bumpers and sliders by then.... Hmmm.....

 

[off-roader]

It was pretty anti-climatic, as I had been looking forward to that trip for years.

Difficulty level depends on when you do the trail. If it's right after the Jeepers Jamboree it will be much easier. Pirates of the Rubicon put the trail back in proper order after that event though.

 

[nwoods]

Difficulty level depends on when you do the trail. If it's right after the Jeepers Jamboree it will be much easier. Pirates of the Rubicon put the trail back in proper order after that event though.

It was well before the Jamboree. It was considered "normal difficult" by those traversing with me, it's that it simply wasn't that hard in a well built Jeep. I always imagined it took 3 days to traverse due to difficulty and challenge, but my group just cruised through under a day with daylight to spare. What it really amounts to is not "knarly obstacles", but more a continuous flow of challenging terrain requiring precision driving throughout. There are no breaks in concentration or difficulty. This of course excludes Little Sluice, which more than lives up to its reputation, or it used too before they demo'd it last year. I don't have any pictures of my rig on the trail. My camera battery flashed empty almost the moment I started the trail. Quite annoying. THis is my Jeep at the start point near Loon Lake.

 

[SoCalMonty]

You had a Ruby? What brought you to the dark side of Mitsus?

 

[nwoods]

You had a Ruby? What brought you to the dark side of Mitsus?

The economy. Had an LR3 and a Jeep (his and hers), but then Hope & Change happened, and I lost both. I've been without for a few years now, and itching to get back into something more than you can imagine!

 

[SoCalMonty]

Well, I promise you it's much more enjoyable being on this side of the fence. I've had the pleasure of rescuing a few CJ's, TJ's, YJ's...the looks you get are classic. I had an XJ, but I think that's closer to a station wagon than a truck so I'm not sure if that counts.

 

[cap510]

It was well before the Jamboree. It was considered "normal difficult" by those traversing with me, it's that it simply wasn't that hard in a well built Jeep. I always imagined it took 3 days to traverse due to difficulty and challenge, but my group just cruised through under a day with daylight to spare. What it really amounts to is not "knarly obstacles", but more a continuous flow of challenging terrain requiring precision driving throughout. There are no breaks in concentration or difficulty. This of course excludes Little Sluice, which more than lives up to its reputation, or it used too before they demo'd it last year. I don't have any pictures of my rig on the trail. My camera battery flashed empty almost the moment I started the trail. Quite annoying. THis is my Jeep at the start point near Loon Lake.

So, you went up cadillac hill and back down to the springs in 7 hours?
The Rubicon can be done in a day I guess... it depends on wether you want to make it difficult or easy, meaning there is a by-pass (easier way) for most major obstacles. :ylsmoke:

I done it multiple times and it's almost impossible to come out without a scrath... especially for a newbie!

I gone with experience drivers and well built jeeps on 35s, 37s, gears, lockers, lift, etc... and they all had atleast a scrath in the belly! just sayin! :beer:

 

[nwoods]

Fair enough, I wasn't counting anything below the rockers... or my rear bumper .

Yes, from Loon Lake to the top of Cadilac Hill (which did put a nice scratch on the jeep ahead of me), and then back down to the Springs for the rest of a relaxing weekend playing on the swing, and burning leeches off our legs. The only obstacle we did not do that I'm aware if was little sluice. We stopped and watched a awhile, but a Jeep on its side can only crawl so far forward before it becomes painful to watch

 

[nwoods]

Here is a pretty good video of a group of 4-door JK buses doing the Rubicon recently. Great video, but the driving.... I wouldn't' call it gentle or smooth, but based on how they are built, no major critiques: http://youtu.be/nVBL_o7zmsM

So watching this and remembering these parts, I'm thinking, Hmm...just what is the wheel base of a full monty anyway?

Edit: Well, at 107.3 inches, it's only 5 inches or so longer than my LJ, but the body is a full 20 inches longer. That's gonna hurt.