May 10th -- Trails of Big Bear/Arrowhead

[Ken Cooke]

For those thinking of attending, the itinerary will look somewhat like this:

7:00 - 7:30:Meetup at parking lot of 4 Wheel Parts
9:00 - 10:00: Jump on 3N61 - Jacoby Canyon from Hwy 18 (Moderate)
10:00 - 11:00: Continue on 3N63 to 3N02 - John Bull (Moderate section)
11:00 - 12:00: Reach intersection of 3N10/3N32 - break for lunch.
12:00 - 2:00: Continue 3N10 through John Bull Flat to Holcomb Creek water crossing and bath tub (Most Difficult)
2:00 - 3:00: Reach Poligue Canyon Road - Fawnskin.
3:30 - 4:30: Gold Mountain Trail - 3N69 (Most Difficult)
5:00 - 6:00: Dinner (Crab Flats Staging Area) - 3N34
6:00 - 7:30: Dishpan Springs Trail (incl. Devil's Slide & Deep Creek or "T-6" Crossing) - 3N34
//END OF BIG BEAR TRAIL RUN//RETURN TO SAN BERNARDINO FOR DINNER/DISCUSSION

Here is what TTORA's So-Cal site looked like when they ran John Bull...

Any takers????

-Ken

 

[FAKRWEE]

Hey Ken looks like a great run. I haven't been up there since last year. Wish I could join you guy's.

I saw the pics of the club. Do they unstack rocks after they get thru as a courtesy to the next group? Sometimes it's frustrating going up there and finding the trail almost paved. If not just mention it to them.

Have a great and safe time

 

[Ken Cooke]

I saw the pics of the club. Do they unstack rocks after they get thru as a courtesy to the next group? Sometimes it's frustrating going up there and finding the trail almost paved. If not just mention it to them.

FAKRWEE, I heard back from Geoff from TTORA and here is what he told me about the John Bull trail...

"FYI, John Bull's got some funky rough spots on it. To keep run times
reasonable (and trail modifications to a minimum), we usually make 32s,
sliders, and a locker a bare minimum for that particular trail. It's
possible to get lesser trucks through, but in the past it's taken too
much rock stacking and carnage for the unequipped."

-Ken

 

[FAKRWEE]

Sounds like a together group. Great. Have a good old time. Take a lot of pics.

 

[Ken Cooke]

Itinerary modification

We'll probably either cut the Gold Moutain run or do that run first if we make good time to the Big Bear Discovery Center. Andrew notified me that he wants us to definitely have time to do a Dishpan Springs run. Should be a blast.

Our meetup places and times are as follows:

7:00 - 7:30 a.m. - 4 Wheel Parts (Riverside) parking lot
9:00 - 9:30 a.m. - Big Bear Discovery Center parking lot - look for the White Chevy Silverado pulling the gray Jeep atop a flatbed-type trailer and the rest of the Fords, Fords, Fords!

-Ken

 

[Josh S.]

Ken, be expecting 2 Rebel T-shirts and 1 sticker. Me and Jon F. are going to chop his front bumper tonite, his new 33's are rubbin the heck outta it at any articulation. Looks like we're whippin out the old grinder!

 

[Ken Cooke]

Me and Jon F. are going to chop his front bumper tonite, his new 33's are rubbin the heck outta it at any articulation. Looks like we're whippin out the old grinder!

That sounds like good stuff for the Rebel 4x4 site! It'll be your tech. article of the month? How does Jon feel about crawlin' rocks this weekend?

-Ken

 

[Josh S.]

Oh he'll crawl the rocks man...and if he doesn't, I'm gonna make him. I will be the photographer for the run mainly, so there will be plenty of egging on flowing in all directions.

 

[Ken Cooke]

Elite Explorers

Josh,

One of us needs to become an "Elite Explorer" so that we can post our photos to this board. I think you should, since you own an Explorer!

-Ken

 

[DB_1]

Hey Ken,
Looks like the last trip to Big bear that got
cancelled is now on for this weekend as
well. We are heading up Fri and Staying
overnight at Crab Flats campground, so with
all these people going, how could I not go...lol
We'll be staying Sat night as well so hopefully
we can hook up for a run or two with you guys.
I dont know what their game plan is as far as
the trails they want to run but i'll let you know
tomorrow.

 

[Ken Cooke]

Dave,

That'll be great if we bump into one-another! Our itinerary is posted, and you might want to shoot it on over to them. As I say, "The More, The More Interesting!"

-Ken

 

[Josh S.]

Re: Elite Explorers

Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Josh,

One of us needs to become an "Elite Explorer" so that we can post our photos to this board. I think you should, since you own an Explorer!

-Ken

Yah, I might have to do that one of these days. I just lost $35 last night in a few games of poker. I guess that would have paid for it right there! Oh well

 

[Ken Cooke]

We are heading up Fri and Staying at the Crab Flats Campground

That would be perfect if you guys joined us. At the end of our trek on Saturday, you could either double back up Dishpan Springs or drive the streets back to your campground. Just a reminder...Those rocks past Deep Creek are a mess!

-Ken

 

[DB_1]

Well, plans have changed...we are going for just a day trip now since the overnight temps are around 30 degrees. I've also been informed that we'll have about 6 rigs with us so we may bump into you on one of the trails. We might run John Bull and/or Deep Creek too but i'm just going with the flow. I think with all the rigs we have going plus your group may be too many to run together, for my taste anyways, it makes for a long day
trying to get everyone through the trails.
If we don't see you on the trails, you guys have fun and be safe.

 

[DB_1]

I know it's a late post but just to let you know we're starting on the Arrowhead side at Deep Creek around
9-ish then head over to Big Bear area and run some trails there...not sure which ones yet. Looks like its gonna be myself in the Ranger, a TJ and an early Bronco.

 

[Ken Cooke]

Dave,

Thanks for the update! See U There!

-Ken

 

[Ken Cooke]

Back from Big Bear

We had a great time up in the wooded forest, with two Fords and two Jeeps on the trail. Jon and Josh from Rebel4x4.net made a good showing until frontend problems halted their run up Gold Mountain.

We continued up Gold Mountain, giving newbie Mike Hendricks in his Jeep YJ a chance to see exactly what 4 wheeling is really all about. He stalled a few times due to his not engaging his YJ in 4 Low. Gold Mountain has a few challenging spots, but nothing too difficult for the novice. With Mike's YJ being unlocked in the rear, he banged and bounced his jeep to the top of the tricky stairstep that claimed another Jeep's transfer case earlier that morning.

After a nice lunch break at the peak of Gold Mountain, we traveled 3n16 to John Bull. The intro to John Bull was tricky. For starters, my Firestick antenna fell off, making my communications come and go. Standing water from the thunderstorms 1 week earlier also made things muddy in places. The first section of John Bull proved to be another challenge for Mike who nearly rolled his Jeep on a more challenging section. Once at the bottom of this grade, approaching the entrance to the real John Bull, we came upon the WayWeGo's Jeep club members. John Bull is their Adopt-A-Trail that they were maintaining.

It appeared that someone had winched large rock obstacles out of their way to help lesser-equipped rigs get through the entrance. Andrew in his rockcrawler took it upon himself to examine the upper reaches of this trail before returning to a partially blocked trail with boulders lined up to form a barricade for stockers. As he came over the line of boulders, his Jeep pitched itself nearly on its side - with wheels spinning in the air, making for a spectacular show. His wife (a Cal-4 Wheel certified instructor) looked on in horror reminding us about the Cj-5 Andrew destroyed before purchasing his latest rocky rig. After playing around in this section, we decided to head on down 3n16 to Dishpan Springs. After driving for 1 1/2 hours we decided it was getting too late, and headed back to Fawnskin where we loaded up the Jeep and went to town for dinner. We had too much fun, but the day went by too fast...

Andrew's Rockcrawler

-Ken

 

[jobunn]

Good write up Ken, any more pics?

 

[DB_1]

I made pretty good time going to Big Bear so we started earlier than planned. We met up at the Blue Jay ranger station. We then headed to Deep Creek trail which I hadn't been on in a few yrs. It's way different since I saw it last. There's a paved road with speed bumps from the highway to the trail...someone in our group said this must be the H2 Hummer trail...lol.
Then we get to the actual creek and that has some weird paver things in the water, i was told it keeps the creek bottom from eroding away. Then there was the gnarly set of boulders as you exit the creek we all made it through (even a mildly lifted jeep with 31's made it in our group). I bashed my diffs a bit but no leaks or serious damage. Then we made our way to the next onslought deep creek had to offer, another rock outcropping at the top of the trail. The TJ in our group
went first and got stuck first. Took us an hour to get him
unstuck with a hi-lift(don't leave home without it!) and a couple tow straps hooked to a tree root. No one could give hum a tug from up top since he was the first one to try it. Next was the early Bronco in our group. he want for the hard line and nearly rolled so he took an easier line and made it through. I was last and took the easier line as well...had trouble in a spot, bashed a diff(again) and made my way through. Oh during this whole ordeal a brand spankin' new Rubicon Wrangler with a 6" Teraflex lift and 35" MTR's not only went through the hard section, but made it look easy. The guy was cool enough though, he was there alone with his son and rode with us the rest of the trail.
So from Deep Creek, we made our way to Holcomb Creek trail which looked nastier then the last time I saw it. I think the rocks there have been drinking their milk...haha. This time it was the early Bronco taking the lead and on the first obstacle, he blew a rear axle seal and fluid was spewing everywhere. He said he had some friends nearby in Hesperia who had an axle for him and he said he could limp down there and I said we should at least follow you until the Highway where you could get some help easier if you needed it, so we did.
The Rubicon Wrangler went on his way on Holcomb Creek trail and that was that. Once we got the Bronco
to the Highway we had our lunch and then headed up
to White Mtn trail. My truck was acting funny going up the steep grades on that trail, kind of sputtering so I told my buddy in the TJ what was going on and told him
lets stick to an easy route out of here and call it a day because I didnt want to push it. We ended up finishing our day at the end of Holcomb Creek trail going throught the creek crossing and playing in some off camber ruts. It was time to head home and I was airing up and decided to poke around the engine compartment
to see what the deal was with the sputtering, turns out it was just a cracked spark plug wire arc-ing on metal. I zip-tied it away from the metal...no worries.
I have a few pics and i'll get them on here as soon as I upload them.

 

[Josh S.]

Cool story DB_1. Sounds like you dudes had a blast

Ken-Sounds like you had fun too you little *******

Yah our time was not so fun. Me and Jon hit the trail in the back of the pack. I being the awesome copilot that I am took the liberty of shifting the **** into 4 High. No biggie. So we head up the trail a tiny bit to a flat spot for airing down tires, and Jon's X with a 5.5 superlift(currently tearing apart to install camburg bent beams) and 33" Firestone MT's truck starts making an awful banging noise underneath the engine. We park it to air down, and scope out the front driveaxles. They seem fine so we head on up the trail. After heading up and still hearing the noise, we tried to shift it in and out of 4wheel. This didnt help so we turned around, gave the rest of the guys the finger, then headed back down to the gas station. We tore open the hubs thinking they may have blown, but they were fine. We ate lunch and wetn home. We tore apart the front suspension when we got back home, but didnt see ****. As of now, the beams are off the truck, and the pumpkin is ready to be cracked, to examine the gears. After that, we gotta trace it up to the f'n transfer case. Thats gonna suck! We'll prolly just end up swapping in a MANual transfer case if this one's jacked. We'll see. Late