Update report: CO 4x4 Snow Run: Sat 28th Feb, NW Fort Collins/CO
Late report on last run: Seven-Mile/Bald Mountain (NW Fort Collins), Colorado
After some flacky instructions for meetup (guess who) meet with Mark*2 on I25/Longmont and headed up towards Fort Collins.
Had a good turnout and meetup at Teds Place on Rt 14 just north of Fort Collins. Seven trucks (5 * 80s, Tacoma, 40) and a 3-wheeler. Weather was ok, cool and a little overcast.
Chrissy Westlund - green Tacoma (and friend - sorry forgot his name!)
Brad Sticher - in borrowed white FJ40 ( I believe Chrissy's Dad's truck)
J (Shawns buddy) in his 3 wheeler
Mark Brodis - 98 LX450, sliders, MTRs
Shawn Jackson - 94 FJ80, 37" ssrs on 17", 3" body lift, sliders
Brad Steffens - 8" lift, 35 MTRs (not forgetting family and his 'little' Saint Bernard)
Mark Huxley - 93 FJ80 with 33" MTRs, sliders and winch and dog
Brendan Lally - 96 FZJ80 with 34" Simex
Was on the trail, bottom of Seven Mile above Rustic (where we aired down) at 10:30am and headed off in convoy with Shawn leading. All made it up 7-mile ok with some icy sections but little snow. No water pond at top so no-one got too dirty. Was several other 4x4ers at the top and chatted for awhile and after flexing stuff headed up towards Bald Mountain.
Started to snow and as we climbed in elevation we started hitting more (2-4") on ground.
Further up Chrissy tried several times to climb a section but kept sliding into side drifts and eventually Shawn (after putting on rear chains) pulled her up. Was a break for the rest as we chatted and temp wasn't too cold.
After that Shawn started hitting some deeper snow and after several back-n-forth go's decided to strap himself to a tree (50ft) and pull himself up. That was approx.2pm and we wouldn't leave to turn around from this spot until nearly 4pm. Shawn got himself up and then Mark Brodis tried. Got to same spot where Shawn got stuck. Shawn tried to pull him out but no movement so turned around and winched him up. Chrissy went as far as she could and got winched the rest. Heavy snow had started falling by now.
This was the same story for everyone else, no matter how fast they tried or how high the rev's. Each had to get winched up final 10ft (was some holes where wheels were and then icy section in centre). Brad ran his winch to let Shawns rest (thought it was overheating but believe it was a loose connection).
Brodis in meanwhile had done a 300yds venture further (to win the furthest award) and back again. That was a blast with all the snow he was chucking up.
Then it was my turn. I had put on chains on all four wheels and expected to get a little further. Nope. Those chains (blame the Simex) just dug down deeper (thats what u get for having narrow tires -10.5"). So Brad tried to winch me out - no go. I did some snow digging. Huxley then threw me his winch and tried with both. No go!
Did some more digging. Then double shacked each winch line and tried again. That worked! Phew! (as all tires were spinning). Not sure why mine got sooo stuck and required 30K+ of pull. My axles were stuck on the icy section in the center but so was everyone else's. Had tools n gear as usual and no kids (not that they weigh much
.
Looking back afterwards both my front towhooks (which are attached to flacky bullbar at bottom of frame via 4" extn) were well streched outwards (from double pull).
After that we turned back around and down the hill. Had to stop 2-3 times to agree/disagree of what was the right trail roads out (snow had covered tracks). Chrissy/Brad (40) went out of a faster road (back to trailhead) and Brad and myself followed a litle later. The others went back the way we came in as J couldn't take his 3 wheeler on forest roads.
Brad Steffens helped me air up at the trailhead (Co2 tank) and I headed home, picked up family and then a 3 hour drive to Vail (snowy/icy roads). Man, was I tired that night!
All in all a good trip even if we spent a lot of time winching and didn't get very far up Bald.
Awards:
(I'm the only judge and if u want to get your name in lights u need to give me a 'donation' next time
- Huxley won the cleanest rig award as usual (sparkly white) (however I have it on good authority that next time he'll be vying for the coolest mods awards (switchable Pin7 indeed!)
- Brodis won the noisest award with his custom exhaust (as in doesn't have any) and got the furthest
-J won the hardest worker award as the amount of times he had to drag his 3 wheeler outa drives and the body contourtions to try and jump it out
- Lal won the "my trucks not heavy - why can't ye guys pull me out" award.
- Brad Steffens won the carefullest driver award (Not) - as he drove into a small tree for no apartent reason, but no damage to either party
- Shawn won the bestest winch award as he had to winch himself 50ft and then 3-4 other rigs after that (which was a good tryout for his new 12K). (Don't forget to refix that loose connection!).
Drop me a line if u're interested in next 80s run. Normally post on 80scool_usa and ih8mud. U can always hop in with someone if u don't wanna run your rig on the trail.
Lal
brendan.lally@ mail.com
PS Enclose some pics for those on email list. Have more photo's/movies if anyone wants a copy
