Georgia Traverse / SCAR Trip This Weekend 12/27 - 12/29 (or maybe 12/30) (1 Viewer)

[roadstr6]

Nathan and I are planning to go ride sections of the South Carolina Adventure Route and Georgia Traverse Trail Systems this weekend. We plan to leave Friday Morning and spend two nights (maybe three) out in those two trail systems. We have not ironed out our route just yet, but the plan is to just get out and scout a few sections and camp in the woods. My understanding is that the trails are not very difficult or technical. Maybe some water crossings and some optional ledges and such. Nothing that can't be done in a stock cruiser. Leaving Friday morning. If anybody is interested in coming along, shoot me a PM. We'd love to have you!

 

[LDowney]

A group of friends (most will be driving Rovers) are planning a similar trip on Saturday. However, we normally complete the majority of the Traverse in one day. (i.e., since it is FS roads, we keep a prompt pace all day and don't bother with camping)

FYI We depart from Ellijay (McDonalds parking lot) at 0845.

Stop by if you are interested in joining. Your company would be welcome.

 

[roadstr6]

So this trip was a lot of fun. We ended up skipping the SCAR altogether and only ran a few miles of the Traverse, choosing to spend most of our time exploring offshoot trails. We ran Earl’s Ford, Sarah’s Creek, Popcorn Creek Rd and finished on Steel Knob. Two nights of camping in the rain, but temps were mild. We had four trucks. Two 80’s and two 100’s. Good group.

 

[roadstr6]

 

[jfz80]

Looks like a fantastic trip.

 

[roadstr6]

I took more video than pics. Here are some more vid still shots and another pic of Steel Knob:

 

[LDowney]

Glad that you had a good trip.
On Saturday, our outing got lucky in that we didn't see any rain until late in the afternoon when some light rains passed through. Saturday night, the rain was very heavy at the house. If you encountered similar rain, you must have been well prepared because your summary was very up beat.

 

[JohnVee]

Is this 450 supercharged or turbo'd or just has a badly misaligned hood?

And I guess now I know where my neighbor went over the weekend!

 

[roadstr6]

Is this 450 supercharged or turbo'd or just has a badly misaligned hood?
View attachment 3804461
And I guess now I know where my neighbor went over the weekend!

Solvefunction hood riser mod. We did kidnap your neighbor!

 

[roadstr6]

Glad that you had a good trip.
On Saturday, our outing got lucky in that we didn't see any rain until late in the afternoon when some light rains passed through. Saturday night, the rain was very heavy at the house. If you encountered similar rain, you must have been well prepared because your summary was very up beat.

Spitting rain Friday and Saturday. We got big storms Saturday night. Tons of rain. Sunday started off wet, but the sun popped out in the afternoon. We were a little soggy most of the trip, but we didn’t let that get in the way of our fun.

 

[izzyandsue]

That looks like a dangerous trail! I would never do that one.... Love the Warwoman crossings, doesnt look like the water was moving much with all the rain.

 

[roadstr6]

That looks like a dangerous trail! I would never do that one.... Love the Warwoman crossings, doesnt look like the water was moving much with all the rain.

I sense a bit of sarcasm, but you're right. These trails were run by professional drivers with highly specialized equipment and were insanely dangerous. I would suggest that nobody else attempt to do them...ever. Never ever. Never ever ever. This goes especially for SXS and duck people.

 

[izzyandsue]

I sense a bit of sarcasm, but you're right. These trails were run by professional drivers with highly specialized equipment and were insanely dangerous. I would suggest that nobody else attempt to do them...ever. Never ever. Never ever ever. This goes especially for SXS and duck people.

I know a guy that knows a guy that knows a guy who wrote about it in some book, but he is crazy.

 

[roadstr6]

I know a guy that knows a guy that knows a guy who wrote about it in some book, but he is crazy.

My pics look strikingly familiar to the pics in said book. See pages 104 and 147.

 

[SHIfTHEAD]

Is this 450 supercharged or turbo'd or just has a badly misaligned hood?
View attachment 3804461
And I guess now I know where my neighbor went over the weekend!

Turbo AND Supercharged. Well it should be by now according to my credit card statement! This mod really helps the air get out of the engine compartment. I was used to popping the hood to lower the temps when climbing passes out west watching the temps climb to as high as 230F, which makes me very nervous. Also uncomfortable when I need to run my heat on full blast in the middle of summer to get the temps down. With this mod I've never seen over 220F on a long hard climb on a hot day, without employing the additional cooling of engaging full blast heat inside the cabin. 10 degrees might not sound like a lot, but most of the time I'm staying below 205 on a climb where it would be normal to see 215-220 after a climb. And this was after I've already replaced the radiator, hoses, thermostat and fan clutch. All helped a little, but this helped the most.

 

[thecapedcapper]

I took more video than pics. Here are some more vid still shots and another pic of Steel Knob:



View attachment 3804410View attachment 3804412View attachment 3804415

So much for "Nothing that can't be done in a stock cruiser".

I mean I think you could for but a bit more gnarly than that would imply . Looks like a ton of fun though.

For the uninitiated those offshoot roads are right off of forest service roads that make up the Traverse? And y'all were able to find spots to camp just off the trail?

 

[roadstr6]

So much for "Nothing that can't be done in a stock cruiser".

I mean I think you could for but a bit more gnarly than that would imply . Looks like a ton of fun though.

For the uninitiated those offshoot roads are right off of forest service roads that make up the Traverse? And y'all were able to find spots to camp just off the trail?

We originally intended to stay mostly on the Traverse (gravel and paved). The trucks that showed up for this run were not stock, and ranged from mild to wild, so we did slightly harder stuff and purposefully chose harder lines just to keep it from getting boring. Nobody even came close to hitting a slider. We did have a couple of bumper taps. Couple of slick spots, but it was raining most of the time. The most difficult section we did was ONX-rated as a 6 (roughly the same as Dutch John at URE as a familiar comparison). If a stock truck had shown up, driver could have chosen not to do these offshoot trails as they were mostly up-and-back trails. Regardless, I have seen what stock trucks can do, and they could do these trails. There are a couple of spots that would have been more challenging for a stocker, but doable. You are correct, these trails were offshoots from the Traverse. Camp spots all over the place. We passed by at least two actual pay campgrounds and there were several dispersed camping spots along every offshoot trail. We camped trailside both nights.

 

[thecapedcapper]

We originally intended to stay mostly on the Traverse (gravel and paved). The trucks that showed up for this run were not stock, and ranged from mild to wild, so we did slightly harder stuff and purposefully chose harder lines just to keep it from getting boring. Nobody even came close to hitting a slider. We did have a couple of bumper taps. Couple of slick spots, but it was raining most of the time. The most difficult section we did was ONX-rated as a 6 (roughly the same as Dutch John at URE as a familiar comparison). If a stock truck had shown up, driver could have chosen not to do these offshoot trails as they were mostly up-and-back trails. Regardless, I have seen what stock trucks can do, and they could do these trails. There are a couple of spots that would have been more challenging for a stocker, but doable. You are correct, these trails were offshoots from the Traverse. Camp spots all over the place. We passed by at least two actual pay campgrounds and there were several dispersed camping spots along every offshoot trail. We camped trailside both nights.

Good to know most aren't bad and there's off shoot options and that there's plenty of camping spots, I've only done a small section of the Traverse so I'd love to do the whole thing at some point.

 

[SFROMAN]

I have done the traverse several times and never ran into anything extreme that I can think of.
For reference I ran the traverse in my stock f250 on stock tires, that was 15 years ago though, but not much has changed since then.