Anza Borrego newbie advice? (Escondido California) (1 Viewer)

[nonsequitur]

Hello All,
I just signed up and hopefully am posting this in a suitable place.

I intend to buy a TE or TEP 4Runner in the near future and am hoping for some thoughts specific to Anza Borrego and the following constraints:

I intend to not do any modifications anytime soon.
I've grown up in SD county and have spent plenty of time hiking in Anza Borrego (in front wheel drive sedan accessible areas..) so I'm not clueless about the weather/heat/sun/having plenty of water/etc.
Photography and hiking are more important than driving over obstacles for the sake of driving over them.

With that in mind, my question: What would you bring along when cautiously venturing off the pavement in Anza Borrego with a stock 4runner to make sure you don't get stuck (and why?)? How would you prioritize recovery gear in it's usefulness in AB? Looking forward to any thoughts/advice.

thanks!

 

[ferg]

The first thing would be take along another vehicle, as in the buddy system. Tow strap, no metal hooks. Air compressor and a tire plug kit. A Hi-Lift jack, practice with it before leaving town. Those would be the vehicle minimum.

Personal stuff. Cell phone and car charger. Water and food for three days, even if it's supposed to be just a day trip. First-Aid kit with snake bite stuff. Map. There are at least two ABDSP guide books available - get one and read it before starting your outing.

Maybe join a club in the area? There are quite a few and they know AB very well.

And tell someone where you intend to go. Makes it a lot easier if you 'need' to be found.

 

[Jacket]

Agree with ferg. Maybe check in with these SoCal guys and post a similar thread/questions specific to that area.

CA- SoCal 80's

But in general, your question applies to any vehicle-dependent back country travel. Having a new or nearly new truck for your trip gives you the advantage of not having to worry (as much) about maintenance issues or wear and tear failures. Because you have a vehicle, you can pack more"liberally" to give yourself more and better protection and risk mitigation. Other than personal stuff like food and water to last 2-3x the length of your trip and good clothes for all weather conditions, addressing some of the basic weak points of a stock vehicle would be suggested. Make sure you have solid recovery points front and rear, replace your P-rated tires (all 5) with an All-terrain tire that is more suited for back country travel. If you remain on relatively well-known tracks, then you have to worry less about skid plates and armor/sliders, but it's a consideration if you want to venture deeper onto the trails Have a decent set of metric tools, tow straps, ratchet straps, duct tape, bailing wire, JB weld, some spare electrical wire - things that could be generally useful should you have an equipment issue.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Even if you don't have a license, get a cheap HAM radio and program in the local repeaters. In an emergency, you are allowed to transmit without a license: East County Repeater Association - Monument Peak