New 2014 Xterra Owner- Icedragonmx's trip reports

icedragonmx

Adventurer
Maxtrax- Got Them! No Expo Group Buy for us Canadians, Guess we need our own dealer for that! ;)

Boxed

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Mounted

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icedragonmx

Adventurer
Just a short report and lots of pics from this weekend's adventures. After a long days fun making a substitute mount for the new maxtrax I was ready for a Sat/Sun adventure to find some trails.

First on the list was at Lower Stewart Lake trying to get to the old railway road crossing between Upper and Lower Stewart Lake. Got stuck in the deep stuff and had an excuse to try the MaxTrax's. I probably wouldn't have tried the trail if I didn't have all the new recovery gear and power puller. Lol Was crazy easy to get unstuck and the truck just drives up on the boards after being high centered on the snow. The wheels suck the board under and help lift the truck up before it starts going forward. Works way easier than I thought. Worth every penny!!!!

Turned around and looked for easier stuff as floating on 3' of snow was not too good an idea. Played on the powerlines headed towards Lacourse Lake but chickened out on a wet swampy part as I didn't know how deep it was. After breaking through 4" of ice that was a good hint things were melting at the next spot farther down.

ELA
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ELA HYDRO
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I headed north after this towards Gorden Lake... The road in was very deep and rutted for the last half. Was fun to just let the truck work for it! I had a nice dinner on the way and had a chance to watch a bit of the movie on the iPad. The iPad worked great as my GPS unit!! Made it to Gorden without too much drama and had to turn around at a side trail due to too much snow. Did get to play on some rocks and got some pictures of the truck posing.

BACK FROM GORDEN
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I then ran to Morgan Falls for a sleep before the next part of the adventure. Time to rest at my favorite set of falls for the night.

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icedragonmx

Adventurer
Starting at in the morning after a warm sleep (used my winter sleeping bag), I left Morgan Falls and took a bridge just south of that on 671 and then the first trail east of the road just under Drewry Lake. Took these hydro lines all the way past Split Rock lake and came out on the highway just before Twin Lake. Was crazy fun and had to detour north at Crane lake when part of the trail was a semi frozen lake. Trail bashing with untouched snow for a couple Km was fun to but got back on the main trail real quick! Back on the highway I started heading back west and checked out a cool little trail to Emerson Lake.
Will return with the canoe for a few of these spots!

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After gassing up at Clearwater took one last run out to a spot 49°46.001'N -94°51.323'W and drove through a rock ravine/channel covered in ice and had a great time there. The road in was all twisty too so that was fun!
Needless to say I had way too much fun and took way too many pictures!

Just had to share. Enjoy!

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I felt sorry for the poor truck with the makeshift tire chains! When in need it pays to have the gear.

Finish the day posing by the creek and then it was back to the highway for a drive back to home. Till the next adventure!
 
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snekvasil

Adventurer
AWESOME!!! I always loved seeing your trip reports. How are you liking the Baja Claws? Hopefully they're treating you well. I absolutely loved mine. I just sold my X...'twas a sad day. Had to trade in for a van for the family. Now it's just my K10 for adventures.

Do you do any brookie fishing up there? That water looks primo.

Your pics are just epic. Please keep them coming. It reminds me of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. Remote, beautiful country.
 

aukaiiki

New member
Hood Compass Decal?

Awesome trip report...Where did you get the Compass Hood Decal? I'm looking for something similar for my FJ Cruiser.


Aloha and Mahalo,
aukaiiki sends from the Hawai'ian PACNORWEST...
 

icedragonmx

Adventurer
AWESOME!!! I always loved seeing your trip reports. How are you liking the Baja Claws? Hopefully they're treating you well. I absolutely loved mine. I just sold my X...'twas a sad day. Had to trade in for a van for the family. Now it's just my K10 for adventures.

Do you do any brookie fishing up there? That water looks primo.

Your pics are just epic. Please keep them coming. It reminds me of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. Remote, beautiful country.

Thanks again! I didn't bring anything for the fishing, just a camera and a few ideas on the maps for this trip! The tires are working great and have impressed me at every chance. Just need a proper air compressor so I can let the air down on the harder trails! Enjoy the K10 for your adventures!!

Awesome trip report...Where did you get the Compass Hood Decal? I'm looking for something similar for my FJ Cruiser.


Aloha and Mahalo,
aukaiiki sends from the Hawai'ian PACNORWEST...

Cheers! The hood decal was done at a local shop with just a google image of the compass as a guide for them to work off. Was easy for them to size it to the hood.

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icedragonmx

Adventurer
Another small trip report, this time a scouting trip to try get access to West English River Provincial Park from the Redditt Ontario side of things. Starting with 2.5 hours of highway driving then another couple hours on Gravel roads. Then a turn onto the official trail head and another hour of slower driving on solid trails with a few minor beaver dams washouts and grown in conditions. Lots of pin striping on this trail… Just a few pics of the start…

Beaver sighting on the main road at a slight washout

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Swampy and lots of rocks, good times

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My GPS set up using a IPad and Garmin Glo. I am loving this for all my travels! I do have a Back roads book and topo maps for a backup.

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Starting on the trail section with one of many beaver dams that are pushing up on the trail

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Pin striping, lots and lots of this too.

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Also had several km of wide open spaces

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Then the fun starts with this challenge as the beaver pond had wiped out the trail and the gravel underneath leaving some wicked mud and quicksand type terrain.

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Pre gaming, I had a feeling I would need some gear on this section, lol.

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Got stuck in the mud when the high side broke through the logs and tires were not reaching anything solid to provide traction. This resulted in having a fun workout with the new PowerPuller. Worth every penny as I am normally use to cheap come-a-longs etc.. Had all the MaxTrax out looking for traction too and needed the chains and straps to make the reach to the truck. I like having a dynamic 20,000lb strap in as a stretch device so I can pre-load the pull and try drive out on something too tough for just a straight pull. Anchor point for the truck is straight to the frame rail and rated for use. A few pics from the mud fun and the short cliff at the end that I needed to get over. Ran out of light with all the fun at this spot!

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After the recovery it was time for a night snack, a short view of Survivor on the IPad and then sleep. I was hoping all the fun with the PowerPuller would not set off my back injuries. In the morning I would be hurting bad if it did! I pre-planned all the gear and had emptied the fuel cans before I might lock up for the heavy lifting, Lol

Done for the day, this was camp for the night..

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Next day was great and the temps stayed above freezing! Time to find my access point into the lake system I was trying for! A spot on the map had my complete attention for the mornings goal. The wash out pictured was right at the point where I need to be and I could drop a canoe into the creek pictured to get farther into the park from here. Success!!!

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Point on the map- Success never looks so boring!

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Heading back was fun knowing that the beaver dam washout was still to be done, again. One way in one way out…

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Maxtrax to the rescue…This time I pre-placed MaxTrax at each of the bigger sink holes prior to making the attempt and could start the fun by driving down the ridge face instead of trying to pull a truck over it. The mud was so loose on the attempt to climb it that the edge would not even support my body weight. Had a nice 5' drop into the water the night before. This time that worked in my favor as I was going with gravity. A bit of gas and I was up and out without getting stuck! That just saved me a lot of effort!

The mats work good at keeping the bumper from dragging in on a little ravine washout at the start of the beaver dam. I do need to move my spare from under the truck as it is taking a beating on all the trips so far.


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Looking back on beaver dam
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A few more obstacles and I would be back on the main road!! Too bad my bumper sits so low. Me and my fat ***…

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Just got to get over a few more bumps

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Dragging my ***, really need a proper bumper

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Finally back out on the main road and a few areas yet to see. Room with a view

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Last bit of swamp across the main road, this is where the beaver was at the start.

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Highway time and a new area found, going to be worth another trip to explore this some more!
 
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Dmski

Adventurer
Those are some sweet pics and a really cool exploration trip! Reminded me of a place down here in washington actually, although the road was in a little better condition.
 

snekvasil

Adventurer
Awesome pics, man. Love seeing that X going through the thick of it. Looks like dynamite country for grouse hunting =)
 

jhberria

Adventurer
I always look forward to glimpsing your trip updates and photos. Stellar stuff, man.

Question: That cross bar setup you're using to mount your MaxTrax that suits lower than the roof rack, itself; care to elaborate? It looks like I might be able to use something similar to squeeze mine in under my tent.
 

icedragonmx

Adventurer
Those are some sweet pics and a really cool exploration trip! Reminded me of a place down here in Washington actually, although the road was in a little better condition.

Thanks, the worst was where the branches were rubbing non stop for a few minutes on the tight part of the trail.

Awesome pics, man. Love seeing that X going through the thick of it. Looks like dynamite country for grouse hunting =)

Birds were everywhere. Every 10 min I could stop on the trail and tag dinner if I tried (no hunting on this trip)

I always look forward to glimpsing your trip updates and photos. Stellar stuff, man.

Question: That cross bar setup you're using to mount your MaxTrax that suits lower than the roof rack, itself; care to elaborate? It looks like I might be able to use something similar to squeeze mine in under my tent.

I used a 2.25 stainless u-bolt and an old section of shelf framing to create two crossbars that sit below the original roof rack side bars. This allows the 4 maxtrax to sit below the height of the Thule cross bars that I use for the canoe. I did post a link earlier in the thread and the u-bolts used were this- http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Stainless-Steel-Exhaust-Muffler-Tube-Clamps,1699.html ---- they are too short if you wanted to use a Thule flat bar under the factory side tubes (that was my original plan so I could side mount bike racks below the height of the garage) I might order longer U-bolts so I can have a lower thule bar for a bike mount/maxtrax/3 gal Rotopax x2/bike mount going left to right on the lower bar and the canoe on the upper bar.(and still be able to drive into the garage)

Damn man, you don't mess around. Looks like you're having a blast and using the Xterra the way you should. I love it.

Thanks! I did have a previous history of hardcore 4x4 exploring and had made trails sponsored by Warn Industries/ Canadian 4 Wheel Drive Magazine etc. Used to run dual lockers/80-1 first gear/high travel suspensions/tires/winches/snorkels and waterproofed electronics and a complete spare parts bin including driveshafts and 3rd members with lockers etc.. I am trying very hard to behave now ;) The X is amazing at what it can do with a set of tires and a factory setup. :)
 

Mo4130

Adventurer
Me and wife might make a run up there This summer. Looks awesome!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

icedragonmx

Adventurer
May 7th Trip report. Part 1

Another trip report exploring north of Redditt Ontario this time up to and just past the south end of Sumach Lake. This time I have the canoe with pending a success at getting to some interesting paddling spots… The new position for the rack is allowing a more forward mounting spot for the canoe so that helps when backing up in the tight trees etc.. The MaxTrax x4 fit under as planned.

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A new rock trail on the way that needs more exploring later. The funny color in the shy is due to two ongoing forest fires that were smoking up select areas. The Caddy Lake fire was West and South of me and the Nipigon Fire was NorthWest of me. I was getting ash raining down on me at the start and end of this trip so that made for some fun guesswork on how bad the fires were getting. I had no info on these prior to leaving for the trip.

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The skies cleared after getting far enough north and it was time to explore, more pinstripping included as well as some cool rock formations etc..

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A little reminder to check for flames! Lol

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I have a habit of finding trails that have nice washouts or ravines cut across them to limit access. Made for a few frustrating turnarounds and even found a no motorized vehicles sign in the back 40. Did still get to a few nice spots where canoe travel could start too so not all bad.

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Lots of bear sightings as well on the trips with three different encounters during the trail rides. All ran as soon as they had seen the truck so I was not fast enough to get pictures before they hit cover in the trees.

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