NM4W ride 7/14/2018, Mt Taylor area (1 Viewer)

[krazykat69]

NM4Wheelers are hosting a 4x4 ride this next sat, 7/14/18. The group is meeting in Grants, NM at 9:00 am at the Phillips 66 gas station , 1600 E Santa Fe AVE. EXIT 85 off I-40.
This ride will take the harder way up Mt Taylor. This is an all day ride. FR 400/16 will climb a steep rugged Forest road that goes up the south side of Mt Taylor, an easy to moderate route, and will come back down to Grants via Lobo canyon, later that day.
Information is on the NM4W .org website. About 10 vehicles are signed up already, all makes and models of 4x4's are invited. If interested, you may fill out an application for membership. There is an email link that you can let the ride leader know that you are planning on attending. A "Release of Liability " waiver will need to be signed at the meet up point. You do not have to join NM4W , you can just enjoy this ride.

Don Roy is trail leader. I plan on going, too. Allow about an hour and a half drive time to get to Grants, NM by 9:00 am. Bring food, water, and dress for mountain weather. CB channel 4, if you have one.
I can answer any other questions you may have.

 

[Dumpolina]

Thanks for posting!

 

[krazykat69]

This ride is growing, as people are ready to get back into the mountains. 16 rigs so far. Usually, a few more folks will show up the day of a ride. We are planning on relaying radio messages through the group. I compare it to "herding cats"

Honey, have you seen the Cat.....Meow. It is all fun.
I have never been on this route, so this is the main reason we are doing this ride. I have heard the climb at the start is really steep and rugged switchbacks .

 

[krazykat69]

This Mt Taylor ride was a lot of fun and the first several miles were fairly challenging. We left the I 40 at exit 96, McCarty's exit, and drove on a hwy that parallels I40 for a short time. Turned north onto dirt Fr 400. aired down and drove up into a canyon. This is within a few miles of the Sky City Casino. This climb began after we crossed a muddy arroyo,and it is all volcanic. Bowling ball size rocks and narrow areas made this road an attention getter. Very steep in places and one area needed some spotting if the vehicle had open diffs. Nice scenery and some other spur roads on to that need exploring. Once we connected to the other forest roads on top, the ride became easy , but very scenic. We finished about 5:30 pm, and all drove back to town. 2 mechanicals, a Cherokee, transfer case linkage broke, so we placed it into low range from underneath. And another new Jeep owner locked his keys inside and we had to break a passenger side window to get in. Bummer!! Hint, carry extra keys.
17 vehicles. I will post a few pics soon.