8th Annual 100s in the Hills *July 12-17 Silverton, Colorado* (2 Viewers)

[bluecruiser]

Stan or myself couldn’t have said it better. Thx for the support.

Not sure how you could “unknowingly” register without owning a 100 Series. The event is called 100s in the Hills “A Gathering of 100 Series Land Cruisers” after all!

There is a level of trust in that this is a group of people with a common interest. Sure could someone register without actually owning a 100? But why would they want to??

 

[od4x4]

Last year was our first year and it turned into an amazing two week trip. Unfortunately this year lands on a bad weekend so I may not make it this year. Although if I can shuffle around my schedule.... maybe...

 

[od4x4]

sorry duplicate

 

[sammybones]

What would happen if someone showed up in a Jeep

 

[marcfj60]

What would happen if someone showed up in a Jeep

Probably still have a beer with them.

 

[Vistataco]

Spent the last 10 years over on the 80 board and now that I have a 100 i see this event! Too late to for this year as most plans are already set for this summer but I will looking for registration for HIH9! Gives me some time to build the 100!

 

[bluecruiser]

What info is needed for registration? (VIN #, etc.)? How do you verify someone doesn't unknowingly register a non-100 series truck?

Also, what is the payment method?

Basic info. Name of driver and passengers. Nothing about vehicle actually. May need to add a check box now that you got us nervous about non-100s joining in. Haha.

PayPal is payment method. You can use it without an account.

Thanks

 

[LC neophyte]

HIH Family, here we go again!

We’re thrilled to invite you the 8th Annual 100s in the Hills held in beautiful Silverton, Colorado!

Event Dates: July 12 - 17, 2018.
Registration Opens: March 18th at 5PM (Mountain Standard Time)


As always, this will be a long post and we’ll add to it periodically before the event, so check back often.

We’ll once again be occupying the Kendall Mountain Ski and Rec Area. This area provides camping along the Animas River, on flat ground, with a 150-person dining hall, indoor bathrooms, couches, a large deck, a ski mountain, a pond, hiking trails, etc.

100s in the Hills was created for us to get together and put faces with forum names, learn proper wheeling techniques, meet some of the vendors, and generally hang out in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

As always, registration for this event is reserved exclusively for the 100 Series platform. Each year we receive calls and emails about why we don't allow other vehicles to register for this great event. It's a valid question with a simple answer. This event was created to celebrate the 100 Series platform and its owners. We prefer HIH to remain small and intimate rather than large and chaotic. We also want to encourage folks who interact daily on IH8MUD to have an opportunity to meet one another. We‘re also concerned that adding additional vehicles would create a larger environmental impact on the local area. We will have a few non-100s sprinkled in, but all available registration spots will go to 100 Series owners first. Many of our sponsors/vendors have moved on from the 100, so you will see a few 200s, 4Runners, Tacomas and Chris' big white 80 mixed in. The Hooligans in the Hills will be back to help with camp and trail logistics as well.


For reasons unknown, the 100 doesn't get the respect it deserves from the Land Cruiser and offroad community. 100s in the Hills is happy to cherish the underdog of the Land Cruiser world.

About the Event: Everything in this area is scenic and beautiful. If you've never been here before, prepare to be amazed by the views. We will have trail options that are completely stock-friendly, all the way to challenging trails that will test your sliders and armor. We strongly suggest every vehicle have an AT tire or better, and a matching spare. Stock road tires are easily punctured from the sharp rocks found in the San Juan Mountains. If you plan on joining the Poughkeepsie Gulch (non-bypass run), we recommend at least sliders and 33s. Multiple trails will be run from Friday through Tuesday, so it's best to plan on arriving early and staying late to make the most of it. Thursday will be a lighter day with more camp activities than trail runs so everyone can become familiar with the area and adjust to the altitude. There are always impromptu trail runs on the first afternoon of the event, but we expect most folks will be setting up camp that day and generally taking it easy. Plus, the opening night party at Southern Pacific (Wyman Hotel) is not to be missed.


There are trails for everyone in your family or group. Our trail leaders will understand the dynamic of leading a diverse group of drivers and abilities. They also understand that not everyone is familiar with offroad driving or even how to operate some of the equipment on their 100. This is the place to learn. NEVER be afraid to ask. We’ve helped folks shift into 4lo every year since HIH3. We've discussed tire pressure, locker use, CDL, seat position, and anything you can think of. If your trail leader doesn’t have the answer, someone in the group will. If you leave HIH without increasing your 100 Series knowledge and your confidence in driving offroad, we've done something wrong.

None of the trails in this area are terribly difficult, but they're all dangerous. You and your passengers should be mentally prepared for exposure and drop-offs on many trails. Black Bear Pass always gets the most coverage (rightfully so) but there are many other trails in the area where a lack of concentration will have disastrous outcomes. We recommended that you discuss this with your passengers before choosing your trails. Fear of heights is very real and while we encourage everyone to run every trail, some trails are simply not good options for some people. The reason why I am solo at HIH every year is that my wife has a real fear of heights and open exposure. Even though she has climbed a handful of 14,000 foot mountains here in Colorado, she does not do well in a vehicle on an exposed ledge. When passengers are nervous, drivers get nervous. Everyone gets stressed. That's not fun. Chris and I have led an enormous amount of people over Black Bear. We are familiar with every rock and every line. We know where you'll slide towards the edge and where you'll feel exposed and off-camber.

Black Bear Pass is one of the highlights of the weekend and you (and your passengers) should be mentally prepared for that trail. Every year there are tears shed from either drivers or passengers. Being nervous is very normal and I still get a little amped each time we reach the Steps. Our 100's are large vehicles and you will be very close to the edge, but there is plenty of room and you’ll have a spotter for the tightest and sketchiest sections. The trail has actually gotten wider over the last two years. Our Black Bear trail leaders have been down that trail more times than they can count. Trust your spotter and enjoy the experience!

Poughkeepsie Gulch is the most difficult trail in the area and if you’re up for the non-bypass route, the Wall is a fun challenge. As of last year, we’ve added a Poughkeepsie Gulch run that bypasses the Wall entirely. Even with the bybass, this is still more difficult than most other trails in the area, but the scenery is absolutely amazing.

Camp: We will be based out of Silverton, Colorado at Kendall Mountain Ski and Rec Area. Google Maps

This area provides a large flat expanse of ground between Kendall Mountain and the Animas River. You can tent camp, pull a trailer or use a roof top tent. Large trailers need to remain on the gravel.


Trails: All the standard trail options will be available as well as a few new ones that include multiple trails in one day and overnight options on the way to the event.

Families: Families and kids are encouraged! Get them out to experience the great outdoors. We will once again have kid’s shirts available and there are always extra prizes and gifts for them. Feel free to bring bikes, games, outside toys, etc. The area around camp is flat and open. There were some pretty sweet jumps created in the rain at HIH7! Please remember that there will be a lot of vehicles entering/exiting HIH7 headquarters. There is a large area near the lodge that's used for ice skating in the winter. It's about the size of an ice rink with a gravel floor. There's room to run r/c trucks or play catch in there. It's blocked off and out of the way.

The ski hill can be climbed and ridden down as well. We're still working on getting the ski lift running, but it's not really made for summer use. They use snow to build an exit area from the chair lift. We're trying to get them to build a platform so kids can ride the small lift (with parents) and bike down the hill. That's still a bit of a long shot again this year.

HIH is a family event. However, there will be alcohol in camp. There will be beer available on a large table and in large ice bins on potluck night. Some folks will stay up late and burn the midnight oil. We pride ourselves on being a smaller family-style event where everyone knows everyone and everyone looks out for one another. That’s the key to this event’s success. There are always camp shenanigans, but HIH’s shenanigans are relatively calm compared to many events. Enjoy, but be respectful. There will never be any alcohol consumed prior to, or during a trail run. This isn’t even an issue we’ve ever needed to address but we want families to feel comfortable and welcome. The great thing about HIH is that everyone is always on the same page. We all get it. Have a great time, help out those around you and make some new friends. The kids of HIH always have more fun than the adults.


Pets: Good dogs are always welcome. Please bring the necessary tools to clean up after them and remember USFS guidelines require them to be on a leash. It is a little more laid back around camp but we still need to keep them under control and on a lead. There will be a lot of kids running around, screaming, yelling, and generally having fun. Please make sure your pet is very kid friendly and can handle the noise and excitement of strangers and little hands.


Wildlife: Although we're right at the edge of town, this is still a primitive mountainous area. There is wildlife around that your dog could tangle with. It's best to keep them close. With that being said, let's talk about moose and bears and us. We did get a good look at a bear last year, but not in camp. We do not have grizzly bears in Colorado, only black bears. While any bear can be dangerous under the right conditions, the chances of a bear wandering into our camp are still pretty slim. Yes, they’re around and will sometimes wander into town, but it’s highly unlikely we’ll ever see one in camp. It's still important to be Bear Aware. Do not leave food out overnight (this includes pet food) and do not bring snacks and food into your tent. Again, the chances of a bear in camp are super slim, but seeing one on the trail is a real possibility. We did have a large moose in camp at HIH6. Although they look friendly and goofy, moose are dangerous animals. They're incredibly large and very fast. There is a good chance we'll see one during the event. They will not come looking for you and they will not stomp your tent at night. With that being said, they do not like dogs and do not like to be approached and they will absolutely defend themselves if they feel threatened. If you see a moose or a bear, enjoy them from a distance. Give them all the space they want and do not allow your dogs to go and investigate.


Weather and Altitude: Even though this will be summer on the calendar, it can get cold in Silverton. You should be prepared for the nights to dip into the 40s and even 30s. (It’s rare to see temps in the 30s that time of year, but it did happen at HIH4 and HIH6). We will be camping at 9,300 feet and driving above 13,000 feet every day. Almost everything that we do will occur above 9,000 feet. Mild Acute Altitude Sickness is a very real possibility while you are here. It's important to know the symptoms and understand the only cure is to descend to a lower altitude. Even going from 9,000 feet down to 7,000 feet will help. (6,000 and below is best). There is some good information about it here. Altitude Sickness

We have had folks pack up and leave for a day because they were not getting better. It's important to know the signs. Please let us know if you're feeling any of the symptoms of altitude sickness, especially if we're on a trail. A light headache is normal. Vomiting is not. Hydration is vitally important. Start upping your water intake a few days prior to arriving. Just going into Ridgway or Durango for a few hours is usually enough to make you start feeling better. If you're coming from sea level, you WILL feel the mild symptoms. Headaches, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath. I live at 6,000 feet and still feel the effects of high altitude when I’m above 12,000 feet.


Rain: Colorado is one of the sunniest states in the country. However, HIH seems to revolve around the rainy season in the San Juan's. HIH6 was amazing for weather and Silverton as a whole sees much less rain that Ouray just a few miles away. HIH7 started out great and ended with steady but light rain. Please bring rain gear and be prepared to use it.


Campfires: This is an area that we will improve upon from last year. We’ll have a dedicated community campfire spot. As long as there are no fire restrictions in place, we will have a campfire each night. This will be the central gathering place after the sun sets. Please bring at least 1 bundle of firewood with you. It's best to buy your firewood as close to camp as possible. This prevents accidentally bringing harmful invasive species into the area. There are plenty of places to buy wood in Ouray, Durango, Telluride, Ridgway and Silverton.


Opening Night Ceremony at Southern Pacific:

HIH8’s opening night ceremony will be hosted by Gamiviti under a canopy of outdoor lights and bright stars at Southern Pacific at the Wyman Hotel. At least the first round of drinks and many hors d'oeuvres will be covered by Gamiviti. The Wyman’s owner is a longtime Land Cruiser guy and will have his amazing chef and staff on hand to take care of our group. You’re free to order your own food from their menu as well. More info to follow, but plan to be at Southern Pacific from 6-9pm on Thursday July 12th for an amazing evening amongst friends. Southern Pacific is just a short walk from camp. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in the courtyard so they will need to remain in camp, in a vehicle or just outside of the courtyard on the sidewalk.


Pot Luck: Possibly the most anticipated part of this event is the pot luck and beers around the world night. Please bring a dish to share that represents where you're from or a favorite family recipe. This is truly a highlight of this event. We also have a Beer's Around the World table. Everyone is encouraged to bring at least one six pack (or more) from your local area to share. The Pot Luck food at HIH7 was absolutely incredible. There is no way you can go to sleep hungry on Friday night!

Event Meal and Raffle: Saturday night is equally as fun as Friday night. Dinner is catered by Thee Pits BBQ and will feature the tastiest meats and sides in all the lands.


As always, we will prepare for a fantastic (and totally free) raffle courtesy of some of the best vendors in the Land Cruiser and adventure community. There is no buying raffle tickets at HIH, there are no gimmicks or extra tickets. Every registered vehicle gets one raffle ticket at check-in. On Saturday night, you’ll get to place that raffle ticket in a container for a VERY good chance at winning one of many incredible items. HIH raffles are different than any other event raffle. We value our sponsors and see them as more than just someone to get something from for free. We want to make a vendor/consumer relationship that extends and continues beyond HIH. This concept has worked so well that we have participants that don’t even put their ticket into a large-item bucket. They’ve already won a bumper, or roof rack, or refrigerator. They’d rather try for a nice camp chair and leave the bumper for someone who really needs one. This concept allows vendors to continue to donate these larger items knowing that they’ll go to attendees that really appreciate them. Raffle prizes are not resold on MUD. That devalues the product and the vendor. This has become a successful model that helps everyone involved. When you make a purchasing decision for your 100 series or camping needs, please use HIH sponsors whenever possible. The sponsors at HIH are there as participants. They’ll be camped next to you and on the trail with us every day. You’ll see their products in use and are free to chat with them in a neutral setting instead of over the phone or over a counter. This creates long-lasting business/consumer relationships that benefit everyone involved.


Venue Info: Kendall Mountain Ski and Rec area provides a perfect basecamp and headquarters for our event. There are no hotel rooms or showers on site, but there is plenty of indoor and outdoor space for us to host dinner and event activities. If camping at Kendall is not for you, there are a handful of hotels and cabin rentals in town and throughout the area. Everything will sell out quickly, so if you’re interested in a hotel room in Silverton, booking early is essential. The next closest towns are Ouray (45 minutes) and Durango (60 minutes). Camping at Kendall is always the best bet though.

We have many things in the works that are not finalized yet. We're constantly working with local restaurants and businesses. We will update this post often but we knew it was important to get the basic info out there as soon as possible. As always, we promise to not disappoint. If you've never attended a HIH event before, it's unlike any other event. We're laid back, relaxed, family-friendly and easy going. We take great pride in knowing that you're traveling incredibly long distances, possibly with family, and making our event an important part of your summer vacation. We want you to enjoy your time in Colorado and we work hard at ensuring that this is one of the best trips you've ever taken.

Event Showers:
After renting what was dubbed as a “luxury shower trailer” last year, we have no plans of having on-site showers for HIH8. The enormous costs and inconvenience of renting a shower trailer turned out to be terribly disappointing. The idea was great, but the shower trailer was not. We’re currently working with the RV resorts in the area to have shower options available. More info to come. We are also in conversations with the Town of Silverton about a possible addition to the lodge building that would include locker rooms and showers in the future. There are places in Silverton and Ouray to rent showers.


Cost: This year's registration fee has decreased to $200 due to the fact that we will not have on-site showers. We've always tried to keep the cost as low as possible in order to accommodate everyone. We cover as many cost items as possible to ensure that attendees can not only afford to attend the event, but have a cushion to be able to eat a nice meal in town or purchase products from local business owners. Registration includes camping at Kendall, opening night party, one driver shirt, two catered meal tickets for Saturday night, raffle ticket, insurance, permitting, trails, and facility use.


Registration will open on SUNDAY March 18th at 5pm MST.

WWW.100SINTHEHILLS.ORG

REGISTRATION COST: $200 PER VEHICLE


Be sure to subscribe to this thread for updates on registration and further details. We will be updating the HIH website over the next week with new info. Please follow us on Instagram @100sinthehills and Facebook. If you have any questions, please post up or email Chris or Stan at:
chris@100sinthehills.com (@bluecruiser)
stan@100sinthehills.com (@paflytyer)
info@100sinthehills.com

See you in Silverton!

Hello,

I am a newbie to this community and have never really gone off road with my 2004 100 series despite owning it since new.
Full Disclosure: I am 61 year old podiatric surgeon living here in the flatlands of the Midwest. I have always been fascinated with the prodigious capability, reliability, and the utility of the Land Cruiser, but have never had an outlet to learn the skills of this magnificent vehicle. This 100sinthehills sounds extraordinary, but I would like the opinions of this community. Is my completely stock vehicle up for the trip? I read the suggestion of different tires, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Is my Costco tire center a real source?? What are other things need to be addressed? Are there some type of shops out there that outfit vehicles? Are there specialty shops in Colorado that have experience in fitting these vehicles with the appropriate gear? I thought that I might leave early and get the vehicle prepped before the rendezvous. On the other hand, perhaps I could learn a lot from you folks at the event and be better prepared next year.

Essentially, I'm just interested in a safe and enjoyable experience with the vehicle, and to make new friends in this incredibly awesome country of ours!

I would be grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Larry

 

[elk]

Your stock, but well maintained vehicle should be fine on most trails. You would certainly benefit from a more durable set of all terrain tires.

 

[bgolf247]

Hello,

I am a newbie to this community and have never really gone off road with my 2004 100 series despite owning it since new.
Full Disclosure: I am 61 year old podiatric surgeon living here in the flatlands of the Midwest. I have always been fascinated with the prodigious capability, reliability, and the utility of the Land Cruiser, but have never had an outlet to learn the skills of this magnificent vehicle. This 100sinthehills sounds extraordinary, but I would like the opinions of this community. Is my completely stock vehicle up for the trip? I read the suggestion of different tires, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Is my Costco tire center a real source?? What are other things need to be addressed? Are there some type of shops out there that outfit vehicles? Are there specialty shops in Colorado that have experience in fitting these vehicles with the appropriate gear? I thought that I might leave early and get the vehicle prepped before the rendezvous. On the other hand, perhaps I could learn a lot from you folks at the event and be better prepared next year.

Essentially, I'm just interested in a safe and enjoyable experience with the vehicle, and to make new friends in this incredibly awesome country of ours!

I would be grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Larry

I don't have to tell you that "shoes" are important. ha. You can get BFG KO2s at Costco, which are a little pricey but have a pretty strong reputation. You could go up to 33" tires to get a bit more clearance and there is no problem putting them on a stock rig (285/75/R16, 2004 may have 18 inch wheels so then something different).

Yes there specifically are specialty shops in CO that have their entire business built on outfitting these rigs. Certainly not the cheapest, but the most reputable place in the whole community is Slee offroad in Golden, CO. They typically have a bit of a lead time to get in, so if you want to have them do some more mods I would contact them ASAP. There are other places that can help too and MUD is a helpful place.

 

[Austin Hot Shoe]

Last year was our first year and it turned into an amazing two week trip. Unfortunately this year lands on a bad weekend so I may not make it this year. Although if I can shuffle around my schedule.... maybe...

Thats too bad, I was hoping to see you again....your truck has been my inspiration for my build, hope you can make it.

Hello,

I am a newbie to this community and have never really gone off road with my 2004 100 series despite owning it since new.
Full Disclosure: I am 61 year old podiatric surgeon living here in the flatlands of the Midwest. I have always been fascinated with the prodigious capability, reliability, and the utility of the Land Cruiser, but have never had an outlet to learn the skills of this magnificent vehicle. This 100sinthehills sounds extraordinary, but I would like the opinions of this community. Is my completely stock vehicle up for the trip? I read the suggestion of different tires, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Is my Costco tire center a real source?? What are other things need to be addressed? Are there some type of shops out there that outfit vehicles? Are there specialty shops in Colorado that have experience in fitting these vehicles with the appropriate gear? I thought that I might leave early and get the vehicle prepped before the rendezvous. On the other hand, perhaps I could learn a lot from you folks at the event and be better prepared next year.

Essentially, I'm just interested in a safe and enjoyable experience with the vehicle, and to make new friends in this incredibly awesome country of ours!

I would be grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Larry

There is a very simple answer to your question, Yes with slight upgrade of AT tires and sliders, these were my upgrades. Last year was my first year to attend this event, had never really been off road with my LC before this and did not know what to expect. I signed up for the trails planning to do simple trails working my way to do Black Bear Pass on my 55th bday but that day was full. The guys at the event talked me into doing Black Bear on the first day with Stan, one of the organizers. I agreed with the provision that I would be right behind him to follow his tracks. Long story short, this was one of the best vacations I have ever had and will make it every year as long as I can. Great group of people and made many friends. Set your alarm to sign up, get a spot, get new tires and sliders(or at least get rid of your running boards) and you will have a trip of a lifetime. Stan, Chris and the rest of the volunteers put on a great, safe event.

PS, please sponsor this forum and sign up to be a member of TLCA.

 

[bluecruiser]

Thanks @Austin Hot Shoe for the kind words. Great to have first timers out to our event. It’s a great place for experienced and inexperienced to have a blast. @paflytyer and I have talked many folks into different runs over the years. Never had any bad feedback, once they get out on the trail it’s just common sense and being aware. Nothing better than someone sharing what an awesome time they had.

 

[marcfj60]

Hello,

I am a newbie to this community and have never really gone off road with my 2004 100 series despite owning it since new.
Full Disclosure: I am 61 year old podiatric surgeon living here in the flatlands of the Midwest. I have always been fascinated with the prodigious capability, reliability, and the utility of the Land Cruiser, but have never had an outlet to learn the skills of this magnificent vehicle. This 100sinthehills sounds extraordinary, but I would like the opinions of this community. Is my completely stock vehicle up for the trip? I read the suggestion of different tires, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Is my Costco tire center a real source?? What are other things need to be addressed? Are there some type of shops out there that outfit vehicles? Are there specialty shops in Colorado that have experience in fitting these vehicles with the appropriate gear? I thought that I might leave early and get the vehicle prepped before the rendezvous. On the other hand, perhaps I could learn a lot from you folks at the event and be better prepared next year.

Essentially, I'm just interested in a safe and enjoyable experience with the vehicle, and to make new friends in this incredibly awesome country of ours!

I would be grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Larry

I am going to repeat what others have said. Replace your stock tires with something like a BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2, or similar. They provide for better traction off-road and are more durable against sharp rocks on the trail. That's what I have had on both of my Land Cruisers since 2003 and I have been very pleased with their performance. I live in NM and go off-road regularly. Installing a set of sliders/rock rails from someone like Metal Tech, Bump It Offroad, Slee, or others is a good idea for 'insurance' to protect your rocker panels and lower door areas but not a necessity. I don't recall if I have ever dragged mine on trails at HIH. But I have run those trails with my running boards removed and not had any issues. If you leave the running boards installed, they probably will get a little scraped and bent because they hang down so much. For the first run you sign up for, try to get the Clear Lake / Super Secret trail. It's pretty mild but very scenic. It will give you an opportunity to get familiar with the features and capabilities of your Cruiser in a low stress, low key environment. There's a chance I might even be leading that run. The final suggestions I have are to never be afraid to ask questions and ask for help.

 

[krice118]

@LC neophyte
HIH5 was my first time offroading period. Listen to your spotters and you will have a great time. I added 285 General AT2s and ran with the modified rigs just fine. I did the trails for the 33s and no amror guys.
That year there was a FULLY stock 100 running boards and all that did all the trails just fine. You will be pleasently surprised what these rigs can do stock.

Chris and Stan are great guys and I fully trust them! They have amazing support as well. All the trail leaders and gunners were awesome people! Cant say enough good things about this group.

 

[paflytyer]

Hello,

I am a newbie to this community and have never really gone off road with my 2004 100 series despite owning it since new.
Full Disclosure: I am 61 year old podiatric surgeon living here in the flatlands of the Midwest. I have always been fascinated with the prodigious capability, reliability, and the utility of the Land Cruiser, but have never had an outlet to learn the skills of this magnificent vehicle. This 100sinthehills sounds extraordinary, but I would like the opinions of this community. Is my completely stock vehicle up for the trip? I read the suggestion of different tires, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Is my Costco tire center a real source?? What are other things need to be addressed? Are there some type of shops out there that outfit vehicles? Are there specialty shops in Colorado that have experience in fitting these vehicles with the appropriate gear? I thought that I might leave early and get the vehicle prepped before the rendezvous. On the other hand, perhaps I could learn a lot from you folks at the event and be better prepared next year.

Essentially, I'm just interested in a safe and enjoyable experience with the vehicle, and to make new friends in this incredibly awesome country of ours!

I would be grateful for your comments and suggestions.

Larry

Hi Larry,

We strive to make 100s in the Hills the absolute perfect event for those that are new to their 100 series as well as those that have logged thousands of offroad miles in 4lo. We have had completely stock 100s on the trails with us each year since HIH3.

Costco would be fine for tires. Your stock size tire is 275/60/18. You can easily fit a 275/65/18 (the sidewall would be a little taller than your current tire and provide a little more cushion once aired down). You can fit a 285/65/18 BFG KO2 or a 275/70/18 as well. The road ride will actually suffer a little bit from a larger/heavier tire with a harder compound. It's not life changing, but your truck will feel a little different and your gas mileage mile suffer slightly as well. Your speedometer will be just slightly off after installing a larger tire too. It's important to purchase 5 tires and not 4. You absolutely need a matching spare.

HIH is a great event for you to see just about everything that's made for a 100 series Land Cruiser or LX470. If you're not sure how deep you'd like to get in terms of modifying your Land Cruiser, this is the perfect place to decide. You'll get to see what works and what doesn't, what you like/dislike and best of all, you can meet and talk to the vendors that sell the products and the manufacturers that create the products. They'll be camped amongst the group as participants and on the trails each day.

The HIH family is diverse and from all walks of life. We have business owners, pilots, engineers, doctors, surgeons, mechanics, military, school teachers, government employees, film makers, photographers..... but none of that really matters once you step out of your truck at 13,000 feet and marvel at the scenery around you or sit down at a table with a beer or glass of wine and reflect on the day with new friends. We have infants all the way to grandparents and everything in between.

Hope to see you there. @LC neophyte


Some stock 100 photos from previous HIH events.


Ko was completely stock and had 4 passengers in his 100 on Black Bear. He has logged many offrod miles in other vehicles, but his 100 was truly stock. He took every line that the built 100s were taking and only suffered a little rash and dent on one running board.
DSC_




Dan has larger tires, but was stock everywhere else. He's a multi-time HIH attendee and trail leader.

DSC_02

 

[geanes]

Looking SOOOOO forward to this. My wife and father are planning on coming with me for a true family event. My dad was my co-pilot last September when I did my own personal HIH. I purposely left Black Bear and Engineer off so that I could tackle them as "firsts" at HIH8. Did all the others though. For those wondering about mods required....there really is only 1 that I'd highly recommend.....get quality AT tires. I upgraded to 33" KO2 (275/70-18) before heading up last year and found them to be perfect. I never bottomed out or dented anything on my 98LX with stock AHC suspension (including 20 year old springs). None of the passes were truly terrifying. They are all surprisingly wide. Imogene was "interesting" though....especially the Palisades section on the Telluride side where you are against a sheer cliff with a sheer dropoff on the other side. The Ouray side of Imogene had 1-2 sections that were seriously off-camber, but nothing a stock rig couldn't handle.

Again, quality AT Tires are a must in my opinion. On Imogene, we had to "save" a Tacoma on stock tires that had slid off the trail. He was very lucky that there were 3 winches available to get him out of his predicament.

Below is a pic of my white LX with 33" tires at the top of Mosquito Pass (highest continuous off-road pass in Colorado) meeting up with an LC on 35" tires.

Also, Clear Lake is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been (2nd and 3rd pics). A MUST for any trip to the San Juans.

 

[collk22]

For people who have attended with children; how do you approach the risk management of taking your kids on something like Black Bear, where the likelihood of a bad event occurring are low, but the consequences of the event can be very high?

As I'm hoping to attend HIH this year with my family, I've been having a lot of thoughts about what it means to wheel with little ones along for the ride and would value any input from people who've had similar thoughts. Haven't wheeled much since we started a family, and when we've gone out it's been pretty low-stakes / non-technical driving on the front range.

 

[Ouray19]

For people who have attended with children; how do you approach the risk management of taking your kids on something like Black Bear, where the likelihood of a bad event occurring are low, but the consequences of the event can be very high?

As I'm hoping to attend HIH this year with my family, I've been having a lot of thoughts about what it means to wheel with little ones along for the ride and would value any input from people who've had similar thoughts. Haven't wheeled much since we started a family, and when we've gone out it's been pretty low-stakes / non-technical driving on the front range.

So, I think this is a good question, and thinking about it is responsible. I will provide you with my anecdote, but this is definitely a personal decision.

I bought my vehicle for the sole purpose of taking my kids on these adventures. My family had a cabin at Pearl Lakes Trout Club in-between Creede and Lake City growing up. And getting there was, let's just say, interesting (sheer cliffs, going in reverse when meeting cars coming your direction, etc). But those were some of the fondest memories I have as a kid. The danger, and more importantly the healthy respect of dangerous things in our lives. It's a question each parent has to answer themselves. Full note: I haven't been to HIH, however, from what I have gathered, is that there is something for everyone. There are trails that will be just fine to take your kids on as long as you can keep your car in a straight line. But there may also be a day where my wife and kids hang out at camp for the day, or go in to town to the park while I am out wheeling.

 

[Battleship]

For people who have attended with children; how do you approach the risk management of taking your kids on something like Black Bear, where the likelihood of a bad event occurring are low, but the consequences of the event can be very high?

I feel like the risk on the trails is about the same, or less than, the risk you take doing anything else. It’s just more apparent.

 

[LCReunion]

I feel like the risk on the trails is about the same, or less than, the risk you take doing anything else. It’s just more apparent.

Despite apparently being a buckeye fan, you have definitely had a moment of clarity...just driving through an intersection is probably more dangerous statistically than running the trails! It isn't the dangers that we see/expect that hurt us, its the ones we don't. Now take this moment of clarity and great insight, and turn your back on the Evil buckeyes forever...haha