Alaska Cruiser Trek 2010

[Mark W]

Hi Todd,

Glad to hear from you. Good to hear you are come up again


I am only remembering 2 spots where we had multiple rigs mired at once... Once on Yacko Creek and once at the bottom of Monument? I think

We are not planning on hiting Eureka again this time. Heading out to the Alaska Range like we wanted to do in '08.

We have one route there where we have a choice of running in the river for miles, crossing and recrossing... or we can run the winter trail up on the flats above the river. Fighting through bogs and/or cross country travel around them. We will see which looks like the best option when we pre-run right before the Trek. We might have to forgo that route.

Either way it should be interesting.


Mark...

 

[matt.mcinnes]

This is what happens when it gets around the 4x4, not for those with weak stomachs.
































Please look away now.

But even more dangerous.

 

[Mark W]

Are those shots of the bear cub, ones from years ago of "Binky" here at the zoo in Anchorage?. Sure looks like it.
He grew up to be the typical Polar Bear. That is to say, top of the food chain and knew it. He managed to chew on two different people who foolishly went either into the cage or right up to the bars. One was an Aussie tourist as it happens. She wanted close up pictures. was not hurt too bad, but the incident resulted in a batch of T-shirts with a picture of him and a bloody sneaker in his mouth and the slogan "Send more tourists, they're delicious".

The other was a dumb kid who along with friends decided on a dare to go swimming in the polar bear pin in the middle of the night. The details were never really released, but conventional is that he probably won't have any kids!


Mark...

 

[PabloCruise]

Are those shots of the bear cub, ones from years ago of "Binky" here at the zoo in Anchorage?. Sure looks like it.
He grew up to be the typical Polar Bear. That is to say, top of the food chain and knew it. He managed to chew on two different people who foolishly went either into the cage or right up to the bars. One was an Aussie tourist as it happens. She wanted close up pictures. was not hurt too bad, but the incident resulted in a batch of T-shirts with a picture of him and a bloody sneaker in his mouth and the slogan "Send more tourists, they're delicious".

The other was a dumb kid who along with friends decided on a dare to go swimming in the polar bear pin in the middle of the night. The details were never really released, but conventional is that he probably won't have any kids!


Mark...

Now that sounds like a pure application of Darwinism!!!

"Send more tourists, they're delicious"

 

[matt.mcinnes]

Mark can you tell me the maps your using for the area my GPS a Magellan FX 324 can up load USGS topo and other forms of maps. Currently if I zoom in all I get is Anchorage.

30 Best Tips for your Magellan FX324 MAP Color. Map Like a GPS Expert!

Or does anyone have such maps for the areas Mark is looking at.

 

[Mark W]

I have a couple of programs that show the areas we will be in. But they both default to USGS maps for detail. There is really nothing else that shows much. Even the USGS maps are not as detailed as they are in other areas. I have Delorme Topo Alaska and another that I will have to check the name on. It is a streamlined surveyors program, rather than purely recreational system.

I will send out some map and Google Earth info in a day or two as soon as I get the chance to sit down and get it all organized. I will not be sending out actual GPS tracks created in the ground. Just"drawn" routes laid over the maps or sat photos to indicate approximately where the trails are. And I will pass along the USSGS map numbers that cover the area too.


Mark...

 

[pismojim]

C'mon Mark, tell the story about your avatar!!!

The Rescue

The rescue of Jack's '76 FJ40 from Alaska's Knik River.

... couple of rigs afloat, overturned and sunk, people in the (35 degree F) water, rescue by the pilots of overflying aircraft, Jack's very nice FJ40 left with only the top of the roll bar and tip of the snorkle showing above the rushing water...READ MORE

 

[D'Animal]

Thanks for posting it PismoJim!

 

[Mark W]

LOL... told ya it was out there

Hey Jim

Thanks


Mark...

 

[pismojim]

No problem. We all know the best stories have no pictures and can't be put down in writing. They are reserved for the campfire.

 

[Mark W]

After marshaling a bunch of non-SOA'd wagons either down the Chistochina River in a group that is approaching 20 rigs, or down the winter trail that parallels it... we may have a whole slough of new stories next year!


Mark...

 

[DSLTOY]

Mark, my 60 will be SOA and Todd's 80 has a 6'' lift. Don't know about the rest.

 

[Mark W]

We will have a mix. Including a couple of SUA '60 series and a 100 series w/2inches. At least the mud we have to deal with here will be in the flat lands. IF we run down this winter trail we will have bogs to cross. But at least we will not be climbing slick clay mud hills. We will see how the water crossings treat the shorter rigs.


Mark...

 

[Mace]

So how close are we going to be to the mines in that area???

 

[Mark W]

There are two active mines there. one was shut down for years and I was actually talking to the trustees about buying it. Dreaming, but looking at it. Someone else bought is and has reopened it to some extent. They are both in Chisna Pass, one at each end and extending into the pass. Normally we pass through both mine claims. But one is patented (private property). The one I wanted to buy. So we *may* have some complications if they are jerks about it. Arguing about rights of way with a mine owner in the middle of nowhere is non-productive. No reason to assume that they will be jerks. We will check that on the pre-run. If they are we will circle around the south side of the mountains that Chisna Pass traverses.


Mark...

 

[matt.mcinnes]

Mark, my 60 will be SOA and Todd's 80 has a 6'' lift. Don't know about the rest.

No SOA or Lift, I'm only little

 

[Mark W]

Mace, your mailbox is full.

Matt are you coming sans hardtop?

Archie managed (barely) to not swamp is topless '40 in '08.

We will see deeper water this time around though.


Mark...

 

[matt.mcinnes]

Matt are you coming sans hardtop?

Archie managed (barely) to not swamp is topless '40 in '08.

We will see deeper water this time around though.


Mark...

Hard top, what hard top. I have just as many holes for draining water as I do for filling up It's my way of adding weight so I don't float away

I will be prepared

 

[Mace]

Mace, your mailbox is full.

Matt are you coming sans hardtop?

Archie managed (barely) to not swamp is topless '40 in '08.

We will see deeper water this time around though.


Mark...

cleaned out

 

[matt.mcinnes]

My soft top is a pretty good fit so if the sides do flood then I have a good chance of making the other side with only wet feet.

We can and have run bonnet submerged, the above photo is from a 20-30 min Video clip of playing in the river all at over 36" deep.

Wet suit I might bring something sexy not that I surf well :whoops: but I am a POM.

Change of dry clothes a must.

Matt