In attendance: 9 or 8 vehicles
big cars
FJ Cruiser - mildly built with 33", I think
4Runner - IFS, built 33 or 35" looks like AT tires
Jeep Grand Cherokee - built 33 or 35
LX450 - mine 35" 4" lift
total 4 big cars
5 (or 4) Jeep Wrangler type, all built.
The view at the top of Beacon Mt. is spectacular.
Trail started on loose ground as as it got to the top changed to more
rocky/better traction type.
Level of difficulty is moderate. There are instances that a spotter is required
but mostly with 35" and 4" you drive thru. The top get steep but with good
traction so it is doable. Imagine rock-on at Dave's but on granite, not loose
stuff.
The gang of drivers were very nice and accommodating. All with built rigs. The
leader, James, broke a CV joint and we parked for 2 or more hours waiting for
him to get fixed. His spare front left had the wrong axle in it. So with the
help of the other Jeeps guys they swap the axle from a good right spare into the
left hub. Not sure the correct Jeep terminology for these parts. With the correct
spare it would have been 30 minutes job.
The FJ Cruiser did all the stuff that the Wranglers did, mostly by driving thru
things. Spotting was always available but you had to ask for it. Since I was the
tail, it took time for the spotter to come down from the front.
The trail is very narrow which let the Wranglers drive thru things that took me
more time. The 80 is a big car to snake thru the trees on this trail. Most of
the bottom part of the trail is already sunk so that the banks of the trail are
at door level many times. On number of spot you have a rock that is easy to
drive over, but it would pitch you at a tree such that you are driving literally
1" between your roof line and a big tree, and given the missing bark, the tree
is not going to move.
The last 200 or 300 yards of the trail when you actually get to the Firetower,
are pure rock, steep and a lot of fun. I decided to park at the base of the last
part and have lunch. I had with me my friend, his 19 month son and his pregnant
wife (5 weeks before delivery) and we decided to just hike the last part.
big cars
FJ Cruiser - mildly built with 33", I think
4Runner - IFS, built 33 or 35" looks like AT tires
Jeep Grand Cherokee - built 33 or 35
LX450 - mine 35" 4" lift
total 4 big cars
5 (or 4) Jeep Wrangler type, all built.
The view at the top of Beacon Mt. is spectacular.
Trail started on loose ground as as it got to the top changed to more
rocky/better traction type.
Level of difficulty is moderate. There are instances that a spotter is required
but mostly with 35" and 4" you drive thru. The top get steep but with good
traction so it is doable. Imagine rock-on at Dave's but on granite, not loose
stuff.
The gang of drivers were very nice and accommodating. All with built rigs. The
leader, James, broke a CV joint and we parked for 2 or more hours waiting for
him to get fixed. His spare front left had the wrong axle in it. So with the
help of the other Jeeps guys they swap the axle from a good right spare into the
left hub. Not sure the correct Jeep terminology for these parts. With the correct
spare it would have been 30 minutes job.
The FJ Cruiser did all the stuff that the Wranglers did, mostly by driving thru
things. Spotting was always available but you had to ask for it. Since I was the
tail, it took time for the spotter to come down from the front.
The trail is very narrow which let the Wranglers drive thru things that took me
more time. The 80 is a big car to snake thru the trees on this trail. Most of
the bottom part of the trail is already sunk so that the banks of the trail are
at door level many times. On number of spot you have a rock that is easy to
drive over, but it would pitch you at a tree such that you are driving literally
1" between your roof line and a big tree, and given the missing bark, the tree
is not going to move.
The last 200 or 300 yards of the trail when you actually get to the Firetower,
are pure rock, steep and a lot of fun. I decided to park at the base of the last
part and have lunch. I had with me my friend, his 19 month son and his pregnant
wife (5 weeks before delivery) and we decided to just hike the last part.
