Big Bear Aug 3+4 (New Thread)

[RangerX]

I'm starting a new thread for this weekend, so we can have all the info together, figure out who's going, and what trails to do.

The current plan is to meet in the center of Fawnskin at 9AM Saturday morning. Fawnskin is on the north shore of Big Bear Lake. It's a very small town, so if there's even just one Explorer parked in the center when you get there, you will have no problem seeing it!

Some of the trails under consideration are Gold Mtn, Jacoby Canyon, Holcomb Creek. Which ones we end up running will depend on who shows up and what they are driving. Feel free to put in your $.02 if you have any in mind.

Who's going? Me and Ken Cooke are RSVP'ed. Off the top of my head some people that seemed strong possibilities in the other thread are Sirhk, Ron Shah, Zensius, Big Bear Bob, Pos Vibes. Please post here to say if you're coming or not, and if for one or both days.

 

[Ken Cooke]

I'll be there fer sure. I'll try my best to show up early - so look for the teal green Ford Ranger with the fiberglass camper shell on it. I'll be willing to 'wheel both Saturday and Sunday - I'll have to cut my 'wheeling on Sunday at 5 p.m. I'll be camping out at Heartbar Campground Saturday night - the campspace was paid for back in June, so I hope to get my $114 worth for the night.
I'll be monitoring Channel 33 all morning until we all rendezvous in Fawnskin. If you see me on the road, give me a shout out, and I'll say "Hi" in return.

 

[RangerX]

Anyone else???

 

[RockRanger]

not sure if i will make it or not. Might be going deep sea fishing or depending on what the pine fire does picking my house out of the ashes. only about 2 miles from our house. lets just hope the wind keeps blowing it to the desert.

Matt

 

[Ken Cooke]

Agenda now in the works!

I stopped by 4West yesterday, and I bought the 2001 editions of Rick Russells Big Bear Lake and Arrowhead Backcountry Trail Maps. I also purchased Massey and Wilson's BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURES - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA book. This along with my wife's U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service map will make figuring out our runs much easier/accurate.

I will photocopy information for those who state that they are coming along on this run. Please state if you can come for Saturday, Sunday, or both days. Thanks!

 

[Ken Cooke]

Accomodations

I was told yesterday that Andrew requested his refund for our campsites that we previously paid for. I am willing to reserve some campspaces for Bill, his wife and I - unless we hear from more people who will be camping in a campground.

Please email me privately at:
the_desert_outlaw@deserttrance.com

or call my voicemail at:
(909) 255-1589 and indicate that you'll need a campspace for the night of the 3rd (Saturday), and I'll do some reserving - I have to do this Friday afternoon so that I don't exclude anyone, so please reply by 5 p.m.

-Ken

 

[sirhk100]

Okay, now I"m REALLY BUMMED I didn't go. I skipped it to go out to Ocotillo Wells for the night, well the fire has all the roads closed so we can't even get out there!!! Talk about BS now I'm stuck here with no wheeling in the plans.

Khris

 

[DesertSpive]

I know what you mean, i was looking forward to it too. Maybe I'll just go run something local tonight for fun.

--Sean

 

[Big Bear Bob]

The Big Bear August 3-4 Explorer Run got underway this morning at Fawnskin at 9:00am. Five drivers and spotters in four off road rigs met to plan strategy. First stop: the Big Bear Discovery Center for wilderness camping permits and to verify the trails were open for use. The temperature maxed out in the low 80's, making it perfect weather for a little off road fun.

We left the blacktop for a run to Holcomb Valley to check out the unimproved campground there. Lucky for the campers, the developed sites were full. They had to settle for a fantastic boulder sheltered private space with a mountain and desert view off the Lucky Baldwin Mine (Jacoby Canyon) Trail. This was easy access, scenic, and not at all what the Big Dogs had in mind.

Gold Mountain is rated as "most difficult". These conditions proved perfect. This trail wound up the mountainside-overlooking Big Bear Valley and the spectacular terrain below. There were at least three spots where I, a novice to the "most difficult" trails said, "no way possible on Gods green earth are we going to make that ". But with the spotting of RangerX and Ken Cooke we some how made it through alive and well.

My wife, when she was not hyperventilating had almost as much fun as I did. The only lady driver took her first solo in stride and reached the top like a pro in her slightly modified X. We encountered other off-roaders and RangerX and Ken Cooke did some spotting and encouragement for them as well.

Over all I would give this outing triple A rating, the only thing that could have made it better would have been if more people had been there.

If there was a drawback it would have to be the enthusiastic assurance of Ranger X who convinced us that Gold Mountain was only "slightly" more difficult than Jacoby Canyon. Somebody please…ask him to define "slightly"!!! lol. Seriously, this was my first "most difficult "rated trail and I thank him for the motivation to take the chance and the fine job he and Ken Cooke did in spotting us. We'll be posting a few pictures of the day's events. More later from Day Two.

 

[Rick]

Sounds like a blast! Wish I could have joined you.

 

[Big Bear Bob]

It was a blast, it was the most fun off road I've had in quite awhile. We'll have to do it again soon, and I'm sure we can get more than four trucks up here for a weekend, or even on a weekend afternoon.

Ken Cooke and RangerX both seem to have a good handle on which trails are most fun, and the two together would make a great crew to have on any run.

Anyway I hope we can get together and do something like this again soon.

I will leave the rest of the story to the others to tell since we couldn't make it for day two.

 

[sirhk100]

Well we salvaged our night and made it out there anyways. Sounds like you guys had a great trip and the weather was perfect.... I'm racing this following weekend but will try to make the next one. I used to wheel up in big Bear with our CJ7 but it's sold so the Explorer will do the deeds now.

 

[Big Bear Bob]

Gold Mountain was the first real test we put to our unlifted Explorer and with good spotters I swear to God I am impressed with what Explorers can do.

My wife and I are also looking very much forward to the next run somewhere here in Southern Ca.

We do have some pic's as I've said above, but they don't do the trail justice, but I can't wait until I get the pic's up anyway. It should be in the next day or so.

One of many shoots we missed was Ken Cookes Ranger with first the right then the left front tires 2-3 feet clear from terra firma. His Ranger looked like a wild horse rearing back before a charge. He was just flying over some of the most rugged terrain imaginable. I wish I had seen RangerX go over some of the rough stuff too, but for safety reasons they kept me in the second to last position in the caravan with Ken following up.

 

[RangerX]

Here's a pic of you, Bob!

 

[RangerX]

Here's one of my truck on Dishpan Springs trail today.

 

[Rick]

Did you repaint your truck Bill? I

 

[RangerX]

Yes! Thanks for noticing! I did a $50 makeover the other week. I bought a 6-can case of Aervoe Field Drab and a roll of masking tape, and went to town! The original field drab was mixed by a local paint place by scanning the swatch on the Aervoe color chart. This is the way it was supposed to be! It's a little brighter and greener. I also bought a few cans of flat black and freshened up the whole undercarriage.

 

[RangerX]

Here's me and my truck.

 

[DesertSpive]

Wow! Hope you guys took more pictures. I will have to see which trails you guys did in my guide book. Looks like the Explorer on 31s was having a good time. Now I really I wish I had a chance to get out there, I have been meaning to get up to Big Bear for some time now. I will definately have to catch you guys on the next round.

Also Bill, I have some questions about your sliders. There is a post in Modified Explorations if you could check it out.

Thanks a bunch,

--Sean

 

[Ken Cooke]

Sway bars disconnected -- Dishpan Springs, No Problem!

Today's run on Dishpan Springs was amazing. Before today, I had never run Dishpan Springs, but I always wanted to with all of the coverage that 4 Wheel and Off Road have given this trail.
Ranger X assisted me in checking my brakeline length with my swaybars disconnected (for the 1st time offroad), and everything looked about right. The rocks were literally the size of televisions, and "the hill" was as awesome as I had imagined - I really want to return to "the hill" and test my Ranger's ability to scale the rough stuff.
We'll have to plan a "Fall Run" on Dishpan Springs and "Gold Mountain" again - it was a blast, and I certainly want to do it again.

BTW, Ranger X? Do you have any pictures of me next to my rig all flexed out???