Alaska Cruiser Trek 2010
- Thread starter Mark W
- Start date
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Just got back yesterday from the Trek. An awesome trip too spectacular for words. Kudos to the Alaskan Cruiser Crew for pulling it off!
Wagons Ho on the first river crossing of the Tok river.
Chad wiht 12ht powered 60. Paul with 100 that has front 80 axle. John L. with very nice 80.
Wagons Ho on the first river crossing of the Tok river.
Chad wiht 12ht powered 60. Paul with 100 that has front 80 axle. John L. with very nice 80.
John B from Colo with his 1hz powered 62 framed 79 (?) bodied hilux.
The "Trail Leader El Supremo" Mark W with his huge 40. Size really does matter in these river crossings. If the body is above the current then you don't get pushed downstream and start to scream like a little boy. Ask me how I know! (I would have said little girl, but Charla out drove most of the guys!)
The "Trail Leader El Supremo" Mark W with his huge 40. Size really does matter in these river crossings. If the body is above the current then you don't get pushed downstream and start to scream like a little boy. Ask me how I know! (I would have said little girl, but Charla out drove most of the guys!)
1. Marks' son in law Brandon after their trailer flopped on the steep bank entering the Tok.
2. Mark to the rescue! The 60 took on a lot of water as it sat in the river. This was only about 1 mile into the Trek. And yes it did rain every day. Some days all day, other days for short periods. Luis and his very nice 40 in the background.
3. Marks' daughter Erin (sp?) getting wet feet while Brandon and Mark right the trailer.
2. Mark to the rescue! The 60 took on a lot of water as it sat in the river. This was only about 1 mile into the Trek. And yes it did rain every day. Some days all day, other days for short periods. Luis and his very nice 40 in the background.
3. Marks' daughter Erin (sp?) getting wet feet while Brandon and Mark right the trailer.
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1. Yours truly screaming like a little boy while following the supremely calm and collected Charla across the Tok in her 13bt powered 42 "agent orange".
2. Charla in "agent orange"
3. Chads' 60 at the same spot.
We had waited on the other side of the river for trail repairs and lunch for about 2 hours. During that time the river changed color from semen color (inside joke) to brown and rose about 4-5 inches. The current increased as well. It didn't rain that hard at that location but it must have rained hard somewhere upstream.
2. Charla in "agent orange"
3. Chads' 60 at the same spot.
We had waited on the other side of the river for trail repairs and lunch for about 2 hours. During that time the river changed color from semen color (inside joke) to brown and rose about 4-5 inches. The current increased as well. It didn't rain that hard at that location but it must have rained hard somewhere upstream.
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These crossings were all on the first day and it was very daunting to us newbs. You can't see through the water to get any idea of depth or obstacles. Thankfully, the beds were pretty consistently gravel with few large rocks. Mark explained the line to take, and pointed out the different ripples and what they meant about the bed below them. There were some large rocks but usually could be identified by a certain type of ripple.
We crossed rivers every day and became more at ease with them.
We crossed rivers every day and became more at ease with them.
1. While Mark was exploring the Tok for the easiest line he stalled and couldn't restart. Daryl (sp?) to the rescue in his extremely capable 80. Daryl is part of the Alaskan Cruiser Crew and was the lead scout most of the time, ranging well ahead of the pack to find a way through.
2. Both these rigs are on 39 or 38" boggers iirc.
3. Johns' hilux.
2. Both these rigs are on 39 or 38" boggers iirc.
3. Johns' hilux.
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1. J.P. aka "Fearless" taking the plunge. J.P. is part of the Alaskan Crew.
2. J.P. calmly signalling the rest of us not to follow his line.
3. J.P. and the 62 with trailer floating downstream, literally!
2. J.P. calmly signalling the rest of us not to follow his line.
3. J.P. and the 62 with trailer floating downstream, literally!
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1. JP doing his "Man and the Sea" impression while awaiting the tug from John L and his 80.
2. No dice, the 80 just started burying all four tires trying to pull the water laden wagon and trailer out.
3. 70s' to the rescue. Colorado John B winching and Tahoe jonb as anchor.
2. No dice, the 80 just started burying all four tires trying to pull the water laden wagon and trailer out.
3. 70s' to the rescue. Colorado John B winching and Tahoe jonb as anchor.
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Hey Jonb, glad to see you made it back. Great photos and write up also.
Camped at Alpine pass. We arrived late at night (well, around 22:00 but still light out) in a cloud covered drizzle wondering why Mark chose this spot.
The next day it was clear for a while and was just spectacular. These images do not do it any justice. In every direction were different snow coverd peaks. Some were new and jagged, others much older and rounded off more. It was apparent why Mark had chosen the spot.
We spent all the next day there. DanH (D'animal) repaired Pauls alternator and John B's arb compressor, I just chilled and about 5 rigs went on a "3 hour tour" to a lake and didn't return until 03:00 after some trail carnage.
We broke camp and headed for our next camp spot near the Chistochina river and glacier, passing Glacier 13 along the way. The following day we would attempt the infamously carnage prone glacier 13.
The next day it was clear for a while and was just spectacular. These images do not do it any justice. In every direction were different snow coverd peaks. Some were new and jagged, others much older and rounded off more. It was apparent why Mark had chosen the spot.
We spent all the next day there. DanH (D'animal) repaired Pauls alternator and John B's arb compressor, I just chilled and about 5 rigs went on a "3 hour tour" to a lake and didn't return until 03:00 after some trail carnage.
We broke camp and headed for our next camp spot near the Chistochina river and glacier, passing Glacier 13 along the way. The following day we would attempt the infamously carnage prone glacier 13.
1. Tibetan Prayer Flags deployed the morning of the attempt on Glacier 13 for good luck by whackjob Californian. (hint, it was not D'Animal)
2. All rigs made it onto the glacier due to Tibetan prayer flag influence. (Really, it was Mark and Darrels' route finding).
3. Traction was surprisingly good due to the consistent covering of small bits of rock on the ice surface. There were crevasses that had to be avoided though. And the streams of water leading to the crevasses had removed the bits of rock and were very slick.
2. All rigs made it onto the glacier due to Tibetan prayer flag influence. (Really, it was Mark and Darrels' route finding).
3. Traction was surprisingly good due to the consistent covering of small bits of rock on the ice surface. There were crevasses that had to be avoided though. And the streams of water leading to the crevasses had removed the bits of rock and were very slick.
1. Five bull Caribou and a landlocked fugawe seal. The bulls were part of a herd that were crossing the glacier uphill from us. The bulls broke away from the herd and started charging toward us like a cavalry attack for a couple hundred yards and then stopped to think it over. Apparently one of them must have said "honorable genril sir, are you out of your f***ing mind?" and they retreated back to the herd and disappeard over the ridge. The fugawe seal is a rock poking up through the ice.
2. The better half fixing lunch.
3. The view further up the glacier. Too many crevasses for us to continue.
2. The better half fixing lunch.
3. The view further up the glacier. Too many crevasses for us to continue.
1. Heading back off the glacier. There were a couple tricky spots on the glacier approch, which was actually glacial ice covered with large and small rocks scoured from the mountainsides. In places the rocks would be absent, exposing ice stairsteps that had to be climbed. The rocks were very sharp but luckily nobody ruined a tire.
2. The infamous photo-sniper "Ratpuke" bagging another head.
3. Bwa haa ha ha haa, take that Ratpuke.
Okay, that is way more posting than I should have done. I will defer to the other Trekkers as they trickle back to their computers.
2. The infamous photo-sniper "Ratpuke" bagging another head.
3. Bwa haa ha ha haa, take that Ratpuke.
Okay, that is way more posting than I should have done. I will defer to the other Trekkers as they trickle back to their computers.
- Thread starter
- #640
Leave us alone. We're busy wrenching and wheeling.
The Rat and RockDoc just left my place a few minutes ago. Since we came off the trail the three of us have been dealing with blown trailer tires, a dead water pump and other minor mech concerns, as well as maintenance and repairs for a number of the other Trekkers.
The Rat has been wanting to get to Knik Glacier for years, and we finally got her there. She should have some great pictures to show off from that run yesterday, as well as the trek.
I have seen some of the thousands of shots that other have taken over the last 2-3 weeks. I took very few since I left my charger for my camera at home, and was generally too busy "doing" to take pics. But there are some amazing shots that will come out of this Trek. I have seen that already. Good equipment and great photographers.
Anyway, there are a lot of stories to be told, and a lot of pictures to be shared. Once all of the trekkers are home and settled in, I am sure some will begin to come out.
For now... tidbits...
Least distance traveled by a Trekker from trailhead to trailhead was 260 miles. The most was 399. Charla and Kevin and I probably only did 50 or so on the pre-run, but there was some tough and boggy mileage included there.
Running a river that is rising fast due to upstream rain can be very attention getting, even when you know every bend in the river...
Fog that drops visibility to less then 100 feet can make for a very spooky feel in camp when there is more than that distance between even the closest tents.
Short rigs definitely have to work harder than taller ones in rivers and mud. But capable drivers still can make it look easy.
There is very little that a crew of experienced, determined and knowlegable Cruiserheads can not fix in the field.
Watch this thread over the next few days and I am sure you will see some cool stuff start to surface.
Mark...