suggestions on a intermediate big bear run

[ronin-0707]

hello
I would like to wheel locally in Big Bear in Southern CA. My 94 lcruiser is stock with no lockers. Any suggestions with links or pics. I'll have my kids and probably going solo so nothing extreme, but picturesque would be nice-small river crossing, fields of grass or flowers etc.
thanks

 

[calstyl2]

Here are a couple of fun trails
1N09 from hwy 330 to Barton Flats/hwy 38, no major hazards and a great view
Clarks Grade from Seven Oaks to Big Bear, neat climb to big bear
Holcomb Valley rd through Holcomb Valley
Pilot Rock peak, from Silverwood to Arrowhead

Get a National forest map and find a trail
If your bone stock stay off, John Bull, Holcomb Creek, maybe Gold Mountain
Have fun
and let me know if you want a trail buddy

 

[Brentbba]

Ronin - bunch of are camping at Crab Flats the 16th and 17th of June and doing some runs. We will not be doing John Bull or similar. See thread in the SoCal 80's section of the clubs.

 

[ronin-0707]

hey thanks for the replies
I was thinking nobody would respond
I was hoping to do willow creek road off of hooks creek road in arrowhead
I tried to do this run about a month back but the entrance was closed
anyone know if it is open
thanks

 

[calstyl2]

All the trails on that side of Arrowhead are now open

 

[snailwagon]

Willow Creek Jeep trail, 3N34, is a nice mellow trail. You can follow it down to devil's hole, really nice down there.

A very cool introductory trail is White Mountain. It is not very far from Big Bear. It is best to do from the Lucerne Valley/ Apple Valley and come out at Holcolmb Valley. 4wd is required because it is very steep for the first climb, but lockers are not even close to necessary. It has a triple black diamond rating but stock vehicles do well on it, no big rocks or opportunities for dents, unless you want to try some of the offshoot trails. The views up there are incredible, it follows the ridge of the mountains above Lucerne Valley.

Gold Mountain is also a cool, easy trail. It is rated difficult because of one obstacle that isn't a big deal for a stock vehicle.

The forest service has been surveying routes that have been closed for a while and may open some new (actually very old) trails soon. I'd love to see the old logging trail near Coxey Meadow open, the FS is labeling it as an open route right now on their new topos.

 

[Mister Entropy]

Thanks for posting these trails. I live in Running Springs and would like to explore the world of wheeling with my new FJ Cruiser. Your suggestions have been very helpful.

 

[calstyl2]

Do you have the silver FJ that was driving up and down 18 on sunday, saw it go by three times while I had lunch in RS, ran Dishpan on Sunday morning, nice trail

 

[snailwagon]

Hey Castyl2,

I guess I just missed you, I also ran Dishpan Sunday morning. It was nice, a little different than a year ago. My pig still hits rocks without any lift, but it does it.

 

[calstyl2]

Well sounds like we will have to hit some trails sometime, try to run something every week so post up, and I will try to do the same. Yeah a full size red Chevy was trying to go down the trail at the top, kind of had to give him a reality check at too what could happen, he was following his family down on quads, for some reason people love to run quads on that trail.

 

[calstyl2]

Dishpan

For the record, I think that trail is gonna get real dusty and nasty as the summer runs work it over, The IE4WD club is having the forest fest up there this weekend and should make that trail real interesting with moving rocks, ruts and dust. Same for John Bull, the west to east route is getting real nasty above the east enterance and more and more roll overs are coming.
Well see what 350 rigs do to it over one weekend

 

[Mister Entropy]

Do you have the silver FJ that was driving up and down 18 on sunday

Not me, mine's yellow...

 

[nuclearlemon]

damn...i thought it was big beer run...

 

[calstyl2]

Ige
I know what your cruiser says about California and Texas, now you want to get our beer involved.