7-14-12 Trail run Fordyce

[rusty_tlc]

7/11/12; Update!!!!!! New leave time location info!!!

I cut and pasted this from last years thread. Just though we should get it out there.
7-14-12 Trail run Fordyce
Trail: Fordyce


Fordyce trail is arguably tougher than Rubicon. This is my most expensive (trail damage) trail. The goal of this trip is to make it out the upper section through Meadow Lake.

Date:Saturday, 7-14-12


Leave Time: 8:00 am


Meeting Location: Chevron gas station at Cisco Grove exit on I 80.

Trail Difficulty:Mostly 4

Additional Equipment needed:Extra food, gas, and water. This is an overnight trip so be prepared with your camping gear.


Duration of Run: All day Saturday, most of Sunday.


Tread Lightly / 146.460


BBCNN

 

[chicago]

WAITING IMPATIENTLY!!!

 

[Krusty Krab]

Less than 11 days now yoohoo! Is anyone thinking of camping Friday night? I have the PM off on the 13th. Some good camping spots just past the new trail repair. I could be happy either way-Few years ago I would stay in truckee at the holiday inn express to cut down on the travel time for early meets. It seemed that we were always doing the trail when it was cold.

 

[chicago]

Less than 11 days now yoohoo! Is anyone thinking of camping Friday night? I have the PM off on the 13th. Some good camping spots just past the new trail repair. I could be happy either way-Few years ago I would stay in truckee at the holiday inn express to cut down on the travel time for early meets. It seemed that we were always doing the trail when it was cold.

I'll camp Friday.
I was planning that actually.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I'd be up for camping Friday, I'll have to see how that works for Joe though.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Joe is down with camping Friday. I'm not sure when he will get home. Do we need a meet place?

 

[chicago]

Yes, we do!

 

[rusty_tlc]

IMPORTANT!!!!!!​

Most of us that will likely do this run were at the meeting last night. We all plan to camp Friday along the trail, probably at the place just past the old pucker spot. We will leave Saturday morning from camp as soon as everybody is packed and ready unless we hear that you want to join us. So if you plan to go contact me or Chicago and we will work out a plan to meet up.​

 

[chicago]

Roger that!!!

Harry?!? You in?!

 

[Krusty Krab]

Yaaaa baby, 2 days til fordyce time

I think Harry is hangin in Tennessee.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I thought Harry was co-driving a desert race this weekend?

 

[Krusty Krab]

I thought Harry was co-driving a desert race this weekend?

You may be correct sir. Don't think we will see him.

 

[chicago]

I texted him and he said that he was working in TN. And if by some miracle he got home in time he'd try to make it.

 

[chicago]

BTW....
I'm SO friggin excited about this run I can hardly wait!!!!
Tomorrows gonna be a LOOOOOOONG DAY at work!!

 

[Krusty Krab]

Hey Dan if you get this could you send me your #. It is lost in my cell somewhere and I am not sure which one is yours. Still looks like I will be leaving CC about 2:00. YAAAA! I will call when I am leaving.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Oh baby what a run, totally wiped out after that.

 

[chicago]

That was the GREATEST wheeling I've ever done!! You go in one side of the trail thinking that you're a pretty seasoned wheeler and you come out the other side re made of iron.
The last half of the trail was HARD WHEELING!!
I LOVED IT!!!

 

[chicago]

I ended up getting SUPER SICK last night!
I almost thought I was gonna have to go into the ER for a bowel obstruction eval. Im home sick today with NO sick time, so Ill be having to stay late the rest of the week to make up the hours.
With that being the case I have some time to do a write up.

Rusty, Mark and I had agreed to meet up at the camp site just past pucker spot...
I got there around 6PM. Mark was there, but NO rusty and son??
I set up and was sitting w/ Mark BSing.
I finally decided to give Rusty a call since I had cell service to find out where they were...turns out that Joe (dans son) got home from work late and they got a late start...Anyway, they were at the staging area airing down.
We waited for them for quite a while and they never came. Joe called and it turns out they took a WRONG TURN off the staging area and ended up going up Signal peak trail (which he said was pretty awesome).
We had a GREAT evening watched an amazing sunset from the camp spot and retired to bed around 1030.
Next morning we were ALL up early and anxious to hit the trail. We started ON the trail at around 730.
Since this was my first trip through, I didnt quite know what to expect! I had heard about how beautiful the scenery was and how it was a harder trail than the Rubicon, but still you just cant imagine it till you see it. I was STUNNED at how simply MAGNIFICENT the landscape was. Majestic forests with lush green ferns, the pristine river as a looming back drop and looming granite cliffs...I found myself often distracted while driving which I soon found was not necessarily a GOOD thing.
We made it to winch hill 1 and hiked it...decided to hike down the bypass to see what the option was there. We unanimously opted to take the bypass route after watching a dude in an OPEN FRONT mini truck essentially HAMMER his way up to the point till he had to winch out. I was amazed at the abuse that lil truck took.
The first obstacle was pretty challenging, but we all found a good line to take up it. The next, seemingly benign, obstacle proved to be more of a challenge. It was a long ledge for the most part...numerous lines to take and we tried EACH ONE!!! Not a single one of us could find ANY traction on the POLISHED granite to make it up and ONE BY ONE, we all had to get winched over.
We progressed along the trail and had lunch at the 2nd water crossing where we evaluated the flows and the line across. After the FIRST water crossing, Matti wasnt TOO FOND of the water that got somewhere around her electronics and she bogged a bit till she dried out. I was a bit NERVOUS about this one as it was deeper. There was another group that went in BEFORE us that took two different lines across...Mark was the first to head in and took it STRAIGHT ACROSS. Not wanting to wait and prolong the anticipation I bolted through next. Everything was fine, but there was one spot where the front end seemed to dive in a hole and water started to flow into the cab. I just kept MOVING FORWARD with NO real concern for finesse over the boulders. ALL i wanted to do was get to DRY LAND. Rusty then went through, also without consequence. Matti bogged for a bit for some mysterious reason after the crossing, but was TOTALLY fine and running along like normal after a few minutes.
We went up winch hill 3 without excitement and landed at the "good" camp spot!! Truly a spectacular place to stay as there was a beautiful, rushing water fall that dropped into a lagoon. We were there at around 130 and had a nice relaxing afternoon/ evening.
My impression of the trail at THIS POINT was that it was a beautiful FUN trail with some exciting spots, but not ANY harder than Rubicon and actually quite a bit LESS challenging than Rubicon.

 

[chicago]

More pics of the first day

 

[chicago]

And more