Reggie Newton
Member
- Joined
- February 25, 2003
- Messages
- 18
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Superior, MT
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '99 XLT, V8, AWD
Friday, March 5, 2004, My wife, Talley, and I went hiking up in the Angeles Crest National Forest (off the CA 2 fwy) north of La Canada/Flintridge in "Stormy", our 1999 AWD Ford Explorer. While we were up there I had a low blood sugar (diabetic) and had to go to Newcomb's Ranch (restaurant and bar) to get some lunch - excellent food, albeit a little pricey! Since I was pretty out of it from the low, Talley took over the reigns of the Expl and we headed home; on the way I told her to make a turn onto a side road and we did a little 4-wheeling - Talley started, but soon got scared of all the bumping and sliding and handed the driving over to me. There was some mud, and a lot of snow (but not too bad) and we bumped and slid along the service road to a spot that was secluded. When we got out of the rig to go for a hike, we stopped and listened: there wasn't a single human-made sound to be heard - beautiful! We hiked and pounded around in the Expl for a little while longer, then left the scene.
DIRECTIONS: Take the 2 Fwy north from the Glendale area to the 210 Fwy, go toward Pasadena. Then take the Angeles Crest Hwy (2 Fwy cont'd) all the way to Charleton Flats Camp grounds. Go about 50 ft, past the Charleton Flats entrance (on the left side of the road), to a service road on the right side of the Hwy (it has a dumping station there; I think there might be a sign saying so), follow the right fork of the road to the back side of the mountain.
After that little jaunt - on our way home - we decided to take the Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to see a new side of the forest. About three miles down the road I noticed another service road going up the side of the hill, so I decided - with Talley's permission, of course (the Expl is hers BTW) - to go up the road to see what it was like. It's mostly smooth, but there are a few spots that really tested the Expl's suspension and tires. It lasted about 2, maybe 3, miles then forks: if you go straight you'll eventually run into a gated section; the left fork takes you back down to the road (UBTCR): this is where your skills as a driver and a tactition will be tested (especially in a 2-ton Explorer that's made for getting groceries) 20 ft from the road is a washout that had me guessing at how to get out of my predicament. Fortunately the Expl has a posi rearend and it made the job a little easier, and doable.
The sight from the top of the service road is incredible - about 200-300 feet above the valley. When you get to the end, you can continue down the UBTCR to the Angeles Forest Road, make a left turn and follow it back to the Angeles Crest Hwy, then back to town. There is an incredible view of the valley and the river that made it from the AFR, about halfway back to the ACH. Some interesting sights to see there.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Angeles Crest Highway into the forest and past the Angeles Forest Road. About 2 or 3 miles from the AFR there is a right fork that is the Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Follow this for about another 3 miles - checking your right-hand side after about 2 miles for a semi-hidden service road. There are neither signs nor landmarks that will let you know the service road is there, but if you find it, you won't regret the search.
Not the greatest of tests for the offroader, but they're fun nonetheless. Stormy, Talley's Explorer, sits in the driveway right this moment with a lot of mud on it, a little rock-rash on the sidewalls, and a few scratches to honor her sightseeing trip. Our little diversion was enough to give Talley a true taste of 4x'ing and she now can't wait for me to get Buddy (our Jeep YJ) up and running so we can go to some of the jamborees! Stormy, though not a conditioned 4x4, is a fairly capable rig in her stock state, but I doubt she'd be able to do anything major; she has defended herself proudly in my opinion.
DIRECTIONS: Take the 2 Fwy north from the Glendale area to the 210 Fwy, go toward Pasadena. Then take the Angeles Crest Hwy (2 Fwy cont'd) all the way to Charleton Flats Camp grounds. Go about 50 ft, past the Charleton Flats entrance (on the left side of the road), to a service road on the right side of the Hwy (it has a dumping station there; I think there might be a sign saying so), follow the right fork of the road to the back side of the mountain.
After that little jaunt - on our way home - we decided to take the Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to see a new side of the forest. About three miles down the road I noticed another service road going up the side of the hill, so I decided - with Talley's permission, of course (the Expl is hers BTW) - to go up the road to see what it was like. It's mostly smooth, but there are a few spots that really tested the Expl's suspension and tires. It lasted about 2, maybe 3, miles then forks: if you go straight you'll eventually run into a gated section; the left fork takes you back down to the road (UBTCR): this is where your skills as a driver and a tactition will be tested (especially in a 2-ton Explorer that's made for getting groceries) 20 ft from the road is a washout that had me guessing at how to get out of my predicament. Fortunately the Expl has a posi rearend and it made the job a little easier, and doable.
The sight from the top of the service road is incredible - about 200-300 feet above the valley. When you get to the end, you can continue down the UBTCR to the Angeles Forest Road, make a left turn and follow it back to the Angeles Crest Hwy, then back to town. There is an incredible view of the valley and the river that made it from the AFR, about halfway back to the ACH. Some interesting sights to see there.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Angeles Crest Highway into the forest and past the Angeles Forest Road. About 2 or 3 miles from the AFR there is a right fork that is the Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Follow this for about another 3 miles - checking your right-hand side after about 2 miles for a semi-hidden service road. There are neither signs nor landmarks that will let you know the service road is there, but if you find it, you won't regret the search.
Not the greatest of tests for the offroader, but they're fun nonetheless. Stormy, Talley's Explorer, sits in the driveway right this moment with a lot of mud on it, a little rock-rash on the sidewalls, and a few scratches to honor her sightseeing trip. Our little diversion was enough to give Talley a true taste of 4x'ing and she now can't wait for me to get Buddy (our Jeep YJ) up and running so we can go to some of the jamborees! Stormy, though not a conditioned 4x4, is a fairly capable rig in her stock state, but I doubt she'd be able to do anything major; she has defended herself proudly in my opinion.
