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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
 Posted - 07/17/2007 : 10:07:28 AM
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Since the Coyote Lake ride fell through We are going up to the Sierras this weekend, July 20-22
Kind of short notice but let me know if your interested.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/publications/pdfs/rogs/swamp.pdf
Shaver Lake, above Fresno is about 269 miles from downtown L.A. I've never done this trail but it looks to be quite a challenge. We'll go up Friday afternoon and scout for campgrounds. Last time I was up there, there was quite a few dispersed camp areas along the road. Goal will be to camp Friday night near the trailhead which is at 37° 4'24.17"N 119° 6'7.03"W or somewhere else we can ride from. Failing that I know of a wide open area where plenty of toyhaulers can fit at 36°59'52.56"N 119° 1'39.81"W and we can truck em to the trailhead. The route is 9 miles which they say takes 4 hours by Jeep but we should be able to beat that. We can decide whether to stay at Swamp Lake Saturday night or ride back to the trailhead same day. |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
Edited by - Kevlar on 07/17/2007 11:43:05 AM |
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explorer
Starting Member
USA
70 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 4:38:46 PM
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Count me in, Hopefully the temp will be cooler also. Looks like a fun ride.
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2007 Rhino 660 |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 5:22:00 PM
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| Alright, Since Curtis is going, that makes 2 Rhino's and an RZR. Want to make it 2 Cisco? |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
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cisco kid
Full Member
429 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 5:40:24 PM
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We are going to Flagstaff - Willams area thanks ;-)
Hope soon we can get other ride together ;-)
If plan B was closer or in this derection we may hook up ;-)
Up from Fresno will take me 8hr or more. |
Frank
Thousand Palms, CA
07 Ranger XP
08 RZR
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Edited by - cisco kid on 07/17/2007 5:45:06 PM |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
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cisco kid
Full Member
429 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 6:02:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kevlar
Where is here?
Lower Desert Area
Thousand Plams CA
115 deg hot here
Hey have you ever been here anyplace to camp?
HUNGRY VALLEY ST VEHICULAR PK |
Frank
Thousand Palms, CA
07 Ranger XP
08 RZR
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 8:48:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by cisco kid
quote:
Originally posted by Kevlar
Where is here?
Lower Desert Area
Thousand Plams CA
115 deg hot here
Hey have you ever been here anyplace to camp?
HUNGRY VALLEY ST VEHICULAR PK
Yes, been to HV (we call it Gorman) quite a few times. It gets pretty hot up there in the summer. Good place to ride. |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
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striperman
Full Member
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 11:48:21 PM
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| While there try the Brewer Lake trail also, great ride. |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2007 : 10:08:19 AM
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| Hey Striperman, Brewer is a shorter ride that I definetly plan on doing. Have you done them all? |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
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striperman
Full Member
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2007 : 8:09:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kevlar
Hey Striperman, Brewer is a shorter ride that I definetly plan on doing. Have you done them all?
I ride up there a couple times a year when it gets so hot in the valley. It can be 105 in the valley and 74 up there. I have ridden most of the trails up there that you can do in a day. Have not done any of the over nighters yet, but is a future plan of mine. |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 11:41:32 AM
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| I'll keep you in mind for our Dusy-Ershim trail ride that we will be doing in the future |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
Edited by - Kevlar on 07/19/2007 11:55:07 AM |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 7:57:16 PM
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WOW! What a ride. This trail kicked our collective A**es. In Moab we found out just how far we could push these machines, or so we thought... At Swamp Lake we pushed, pulled and grinded 3 Rhinos and an RZR to new limits. A full trip report with pics will be submitted soon.
Heres Widder on one of the obstacles;
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www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
Edited by - Kevlar on 07/22/2007 7:58:19 PM |
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Pat Widder
UORC Benefactor
USA
1633 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 10:56:15 PM
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Ahhh... It's so fitting that McKenzie Hill is the first photo posted. I don't know if it was harder going down or up it (it's about a 20 foot drop off just to the right). I second Kevin's sentiments about the posterior beating. I've owned my Rhino since June of '03 and I have never come back from a ride feeling worn out and we only made it up 6 of the 9 miles of this trail. Those 6 miles took us over 4 hours. We all gobbled down some Motrin when we got back to camp and I am serious. There were 3 Rhino's and a RZR on it's second trip. I will say this right now and get it over with. The RZR did what the Rhino's did if not easier IMHO. It was obvious though that a skilled rider was behind the wheel. I'll let Kevlar post the details, but I want to make sure to thank Rob for feeding all of us fantastic meals the two nights. And BTW bud, I'll be replacing the brakes on my truck before it leaves here again (they be making some strange noises now). Hope you don't have to. Here's a few shots:
It was a tad dusty this day.
And challenging.
Seems like I always pick up the rear.
Kevlar on a steep downhill.
Kevlar making a tight turn
Taking a break. Close to 9,000 feet there.
The 18" high roots and sawed-off trees felt just like rock if you happened to hit them.
Rocks, rocks and more rocks.
Daniel spotting for Kevlar at the top of McKenzie Hill on the way up.
Our chef for this weekend Explorer looking for the right line.
Curtis and Walker having a bumpy blast.
Kevlar negotiating a tough corner.
Just another tight, technical turn.
McKenzie Hill from the bottom side on the north. Curtis on the RZR and Rob made it up by themselves, but must have torn out all the smaller rocks placed to ease the ascent (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!).
Curtis adding more HP.
Go this way for good grub tonight.
Stop here. Don't move.
Rob and his winch to the rescue.
Afterwards, we took a leisurely ride and ended up here at one point.
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Kern Valley, CA USA
www.Rallyontherocks.com
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Edited by - Pat Widder on 07/22/2007 11:40:30 PM |
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camorhino
UORC Benefactor
USA
1561 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 11:21:49 PM
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 And here I sit, in beautiful downtown Happy Camp
But at least the town's still here!! |
www.rallyontherocks.com
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Pat Widder
UORC Benefactor
USA
1633 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 12:11:56 AM
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You would have liked Don. It was a 2 vs. 2 decision to turn around when we did. You would have been the swing vote for the U I think. If Kyle was there, we would probably still be up there broken down somewhere.   |
Kern Valley, CA USA
www.Rallyontherocks.com
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 12:22:52 AM
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Pat, very good report. I can only add my .02 on the RZR and a few of my own pics. Not sure if experience played too much of a role in the RZR's success. This was only Curtis' second ride piloting a side X side. (on edit, Curtis let me know that he's been riding Utility Quads for quite a few years and is pretty skilled at this type of riding so I stand corrected! )I would have to say that the shorter wheelbase helped him IMHO because he seemed to bounce right over the tougher parts where we got hung up on the belly plates. That, lots more power, and his lack of caring about damage kept him in front.
As Pat said we made it as far as Rooster Rock shown here, me climbing,
and me descending
We stopped 3 miles short of our objective because we realized that we were not making good enough time to make it there and back to camp. That and the fact that we did not carry the necessary spare parts that we were sure to break had we carried on. Yes, the bones and forearms were getting a little sore too!
Theres just something about a there and back ride vs. a loop. On a there and back ride, you realize you have to do that impossible downhill in reverse once you're twice as tired. On a loop, you just keep pushing on cuz you have to.
This trail was a non stop rock garden with not many places to rest in between obstacles.
Plenty of views like this encountered.
One of the few rest stops.
Widder in Rock Hell!
More in the rock garden.
Make sure your tags are up to date. This one gave us all the 3rd degree
This hill as Pat called McKenzie Hill acutally has a name(which escapes me) which the Jeepers gave it. Yes, I had to get winched up it. Thanks Rob.I know, I know, I should've had those new tires.
Top of Rooster Rock
Thanks to Pat, Rob, and Curtis for joining me on this impromptu ride.
Now whats next?
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www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
Edited by - Kevlar on 07/24/2007 4:51:10 PM |
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BattleBornOutfitters
Starting Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 05:18:31 AM
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Great trip,
Do you have the gps route you followed? I would be interested in riding this trail. Thanks.
BBO |
"Once begun, halfway done"
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striperman
Full Member
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 07:03:56 AM
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| I'll be up for the next one. |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 2:13:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BattleBornOutfitters
Great trip,
Do you have the gps route you followed? I would be interested in riding this trail. Thanks.
BBO
Here is the track we took, including the Bear Creek section, overlaid onto Google Earth
Let me know if you use a Garmin, I could email you the mapsource file. |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
Edited by - Kevlar on 07/23/2007 2:14:38 PM |
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explorer
Starting Member
USA
70 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 2:34:50 PM
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This was an excellent ride, just a little hard on the under side. You want to make sure there are others traveling with you incase of problems, preferably someone with a winch, as things can change quickly, just ask Kevlar.
I look forward to exploring this area again, lots of great trails.
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2007 Rhino 660 |
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 3:03:27 PM
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| I am really glad you bought that winch cuz now you feel better you didnt waste your money!!!!! |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
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GusinCA
Dedicated Member
USA
690 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 4:05:29 PM
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| Ahhh, I'm bummed I missed it, looks like my kind of trail... |
"If the knobbies aren't flyin' then you ain't tryin'!"
"If you haven't gone as far as you can, you haven't gone far enough..."
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 5:05:15 PM
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| Hey Gus, your signature comments really applied on this ride! |
www.DuneChasers.com
06 Rhino SE
05 DS650 |
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BattleBornOutfitters
Starting Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 03:25:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kevlar
quote:
Originally posted by BattleBornOutfitters
Great trip,
Do you have the gps route you followed? I would be interested in riding this trail. Thanks.
BBO
Here is the track we took, including the Bear Creek section, overlaid onto Google Earth
Let me know if you use a Garmin, I could email you the mapsource file.
I just got a 60csx can you please send me the mapsource file. I have family down in that part of California and that may make a good place to ride on a visit.
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"Once begun, halfway done"
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Kevlar
Dedicated Member
USA
762 Posts |
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