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- #41
Apparently not, because I can’t imagine thinking they’re amazing vehicles after having wheeled an LC
Last Minute Death Valley trip, Dec 27-31
- Thread starter linuxgod
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I’ve wheeled a few very built YJs and TJs and I don’t get it either… the amount of $$$ those folks have to put into their vehicles to get them as capable as an LC is nutso
Agreed. I find Jeeps to be a focused tool. Modifying it makes that focus even narrower. Whereas a cruiser is a broadly satisfying multi tool, and modifying it well can make it even more expansively capable.
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- #44
It’s not just capability of things like ATRAC/MTS. The LC is also far more comfortable and quiet, and handles better on road. That’s the part I don’t get.
Exactly
I think Toyotas biggest design failure ever was not making the FJC with removable top and doors to compete with Jeep and get the best of both worlds
Was there still a huge silt bed between teakettle junction and hunter mountain?
Glad you made it to racetrack and hunter mountain. The mountain was a neat place.
Now I am itching to go back.
Glad you made it to racetrack and hunter mountain. The mountain was a neat place.
Now I am itching to go back.
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- #48
Most of the drive out from teakettle was semi-rocky and washboard, and then went to silt/dirty probably 3/4 if the way through.
I have wheeled my 2015 LC pretty hard and had my Gladiator on some of the same trails. It's on 37s with an AEV lift. Different tools for different purposes, although there is plenty of crossover between the two. My Gladiator has an All-Cab camper on the back. It's more capable on the rocks and more comfortable in camp, which is why I have it. I just bought a 2017 LX and plan on keeping it relatively stock for use on road and in the snow.
As for Death Valley, I'm glad you made it to Racetrack. It's not what it once was but it's still a magical place. It sounds like you've made it to most of the good options, at least given what is open. I love Cottonwood/Marble canyons and although the last stretch of Cottonwood Canyon is closed, I'd still recommend a trip as far as you can go and then up Marble Canyon. Once you get to the end of Marble Canyon, it's a short hike to a giant rock you can take fun photos with.
As for Death Valley, I'm glad you made it to Racetrack. It's not what it once was but it's still a magical place. It sounds like you've made it to most of the good options, at least given what is open. I love Cottonwood/Marble canyons and although the last stretch of Cottonwood Canyon is closed, I'd still recommend a trip as far as you can go and then up Marble Canyon. Once you get to the end of Marble Canyon, it's a short hike to a giant rock you can take fun photos with.
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- #50
Thanks we may do Cottonwood today.
I know I’m ragging on Jeep, but I think it’s just how much I miss the cruiser. Also I’m sure the rental is the base model Jeep. It’s handled everything fine we’ve throw at it, but a stock Jeep on 30” street tires just doesn’t ride the same through all the washboards and bumps as a built cruiser on 35s
Jeeps are easy to rag on, I do it all the time, mostly because of Jeep people. If I didn't have hockey tickets this past weekend I would have met you out there in mine.
We used to do the same trip annually around Christmas/New Year, entering from Ballarat, Goler Wash, Mendel Pass, staying at the Geologist's cabin near Striped Butte. Then coming out along the West Side Road going north and ending up at Racetrack with a stop at the Ubehebe lead mine. From there we'd either head out either Hunter Mountain or head back to Cottonwood and Marble Canyons. We even got snowed on on Christmas morning driving through Butte Valley, which was kind of special. Your rental should get you back to Striped Butte, at least which is worth the trip, with a couple of mine sites to visit along the way. I don't recall from your thread if you've been up that way. Even without going over Mengel Pass it's worth the drive out and back.
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- #52
Thanks. Yeah we made it a bit past stripped butte before turning around on warm springs.
Your route sounds awesome and was most of what we hit, save for the ballarat/goler wash/mengel pass part. We didn’t stay in the park, or at the cabin, but we saw it.
It was a fun trip. Next time though I’m going to just ship the LC out and back… or just bite the bullet and drive the round trip. I suspect I could ship it one way for the cost of a rental, and I would have definitely hit a number of other parts of the park if I’d had it.
Stripped Butte Valley is one of my favorite places with Stripped Butte itself being a geologic oddball.
Overland Bound group does Mojave clean up and DV. Last one I was apart of was fencing the Playa to prevent ppl that are not educated to not drive on the track.
If you don’t mind the miles on the truck, I’m always down to make myself available for long haul positioning miles in a 200. I love me some Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, etc mileage.
That would be so unsatisfying to go back to a 30" tired anything.
It sounds like you could use some more time off. Once you get off the plains, the journey becomes much more rewarding, if you can take the time to enjoy it.
One of these days, outside of work, kids, and obligations, would love to explore without constraints.
I’ll send you some links for divorce attorneys and adoption agencies