First time in PNW trails and snow — have noob Qs (1 Viewer)

[gx2lc]

Hi all,

Took the fam and cruiser to spent the night out in the Cascade mountains on an ‘easy trail’ to Bitterlake. My first time on trails in the Pacific Northwest. My prior experiences have been desert for the most part and so I would appreciate some help before I go back out there!

I’ll see if I can upload pictures later. The terrain was mixed. Lots of corrugations (moguls), pot holes, and 1 foot of snow in certain parts although a trail was carved over it by other vehicles.

I am running a Dobinsons MRA suspension on 275 65 18 Toyo AT3s (going up to 275 70 18 this weeks).

In terms of recovery equipment: I took chains along with standard recovery gear except traction boards because I couldn’t find mine. Have a new set coming in. Didn’t have any issues getting stuck although I had a few moments of pucker

Onto my Qs:
- Is it a bad idea to fly down corrugations and potholes at 30-40 mph? This is what the suspension is made to handle yes? I noticed I was driving like a grandma 20mph and everyone around me (mostly in lifted Tacomas or 4Runners) were blowing past me. The pot holes were the thing that was worrying me the most as I took some shocks going through the roads. Mostly though I think it’s my own discomfort with the level of shock that the truck chassis is experiencing. TX dirt trails are comparatively tame.

I need to go faster than I’m going because the roads are private and going 20 mph makes it a 2 hour drive just to get to an area where it’s okay to camp.

Anyone running Dobinson’s MRA please let me know what settings you have compression and rebound on similar terrain.

- What is the essential requipment to get unstuck in the snow if traveling alone without a winch? I have traction boards and

- How do you all deal with pinstriping or preventing it? I think having some wires along the hood to A pillar might go a long way. I use this truck for work too and don’t want to shop up with the sides totally scratched up

Appreciate any and all feedback

 

[grinchy]

I gave up worrying about pinstriping
Drive the speed you’re comfortable with, you don’t have to be the fastest. The faster you’re going when you ditch it the harder it is to get back out.
I carry a pair of ‘bog out’ which would work good in snow if you get stuck with something to anchor near by.
Add a shovel to your kit.
Are you aired down? That will allow you to go faster and have a better comfort too.

 

[DRRichey]

Outside of vinyl wrap or constantly buffing...it's inevitable. I have considered a wrap myself

Sometimes the slow speed is part of the adventure IMO. Roads are designed for safety and convenience. Trails aren't designed, so we're at their mercy sometimes.

 

[Leelanau]

I gave up worrying about pinstriping
Drive the speed you’re comfortable with, you don’t have to be the fastest. The faster you’re going when you ditch it the harder it is to get back out.
I carry a pair of ‘bog out’ which would work good in snow if you get stuck with something to anchor near by.
Add a shovel to your kit.
Are you aired down? That will allow you to go faster and have a better comfort too.

Those bog out straps are a great idea. Have you used them and how long does it take? I watched their video and it looks like it might take a little time to get them set up then put away.

 

[grinchy]

Those bog out straps are a great idea. Have you used them and how long does it take? I watched their video and it looks like it might take a little time to get them set up then put away.

I've used them for practice, haven't needed them when stuck.
It takes about five minutes a wheel to tie them on, and then the rest of the time is spent fiddling with the anchor, at that point it is the same set up as a winch anchor.

So more time than unspooling a winch cable, less time than digging out by hand. Less effort than digging out by hand.
They can also be used to recover backward, not that I've needed that.

I go out alone a lot, and often we will see zero or maybe 1 or 2 other rigs, so emergency self recovery was important. They store up pretty small, and are light. No problem to leave in the rig 24/7.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Get rid of the chains. Incredibly dangerous and inefficient. Replace them with a high-quality snatch strap (not to be confused with a tow strap). Use soft shackles whenever possible.

For snow, you want to be aired down first and foremost. Same for most trails, really. That means you need a compressor or a filled air tank on board. Traction boards are a big help and worth having, but nothing beats a full-size shovel. A folding hand-saw can also be very helpful for cutting up branches to shove under your tires.