Wheeling partner Jan. 3 or 4?

[PencilPusher]

Hi folks,
I'm a Chicagoan who's never been to New Mexico before, but we and our 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 expect to be there on Sunday, January 3, and maybe also the 4th. I'd love to do some off-roading if anyone has the time and inclination to accompany us on any of your trails. I'm very hesitant to be out alone, especially in the winter.
Is anybody interested? Thank you!

 

[Beowulf]

Move your schedule up a couple of days and you can join the club on our annual New Year's Day snow run. I will be out of town but several others have said they were planning on making that run.

Follow this thread: New Years Day Snow Run

-Mike-

 

[BionicCruiser]

I can't make the New Years run, but am dying to get out in the snow. I could make it on the 3rd. (by the way, I'm the one that directed you here).

anyone else that wants to go out again or can't make New Years?

Shawn

 

[OGBeno]

Wish I could make it...my truck is officially down for the next two-three months with modifications and PM work.

Have fun.

 

[pappy]

I'm in for New Years, working the 3rd.

 

[alia176]

I may be able to make it on the 3rd but unsure at the moment. Also, contact Chitown40 who is also from Chicago and has been to NM before for any other trip ideas.

Ali

 

[PencilPusher]

Thanks, everybody, for your responses so far and, Shawn, for directing me to this web forum.
We promised friends that we'd be with them in Arizona for New Year's so we can't make your January 1 run, but I'll be thinking of you. I hope you enjoy it.
As for Jan. 3, if we could be a catalyst for a few folks getting out then or on the 4th, that would be wonderful. I'm watching this conversation develop with great interest and hope. As you can tell from the number below my name, I'm new to this whole process of arranging a run in an on-line discussion. I look forward to a successful conclusion and meeting some of you in person.

 

[sl33p3]

I may be able to make it on the 3rd but unsure at the moment. Also, contact Chitown40 who is also from Chicago and has been to NM before for any other trip ideas.

Ali

well i'd love another excuse to get the new 80 out again (i'm in for Jan 1 too, so this would be my second trip)... i could do 3, not 4 (stupid work)... and i am new to all this as well Pusher. I vote you pull off the 3rd too Ali

 

[MEMCruiser]

Coming through ABQ a few days later.

I am going to be coming through ABQ sometime in Jan. Where is a good place to wheel. I am from memphis tn and am taking 2 weeks off and heading west. I have a 100 with AT tires a 2 inch lift and triple locked and sliders. Thanks for the input and help.

 

[Beowulf]

98 Cruiser with 170,000 miles. 2 inch OME lift kit with OME torsion bars with Slee Diff drop. Slee sliders. Rear locker. Rear wheel drive only.

Rear wheel drive only? Is this a joke?

Are you looking to do just wheeling or some hiking, camping, and sight-seeing with some wheeling?

-Mike-

 

[Rudical]

Rear wheel drive only? Is this a joke?

Are you looking to do just wheeling or some hiking, camping, and sight-seeing with some wheeling?

-Mike-

Geez!

Mike, he is not even asking about joing HDC, and you are already trying to scare him away? You could at least make sure he was not asking to ride along or something. Who knows, maybe he knows how to drive with rear wheel drive and knows his limits? You could at least show some hospitality, let him get out and and make his own decision. So are you wheeling, hiking, camping, sight seeing, etc. to help a visitor out?

 

[MEMCruiser]

bad sig line

Rear wheel drive only? Is this a joke?

Are you looking to do just wheeling or some hiking, camping, and sight-seeing with some wheeling?

-Mike-

Mike,

I am looking to do all of the above. I am not self sustaining for camping. So I would like campground info. I could maybe stay one or two nights away from a campground but I am single battery and no fancy engel fridge or onboard water or anything like that. Would love to get some hiking in and some wheeling. Just trying to get in my truck and go west.

I fixed my sig line. I was two wheeling it awhile while front diff was getting fixed. I hot almost 15 miles to the gallon while two wheeling it. Now I am back to about 13.

Any advice on routes or trails and maps that I should get would really help me out.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Source3]

Are you prepared to wheel and hike in snow? If not, we will help you with lower elevations routes. Or perhaps wheel in the lower elevations and hike in higher elevations. Options are endless...except an ocean fix.

 

[Beowulf]

I am looking to do all of the above. I am not self sustaining for camping.

That helps.
(Ignore Rudy... he likes to yank my chain at every opportunity)

I'll throw out the first suggestion based on a few assumptions like you're probably headed West on I-40. There isn't much wheeling East of Albuquerque that I am familiar with so cruise on past Tucumcari and Santa Rosa unless you plan to do some fishing and want to camp at a lake.

After you pass Albuquerque you'll continue West on I-40 to an area called El Malpais. There is a BLM office on main road that goes South from I-40 and the East side of the area. You can check there for more information and places to visit. It is an interesting area. There used to be a campground on the East side but I heard it was closed. If they reopened it then you can camp there and do some hiking in that area, then head to the "Backcountry Byway" that goes through El Malpais to the paved road that is on the West side of the area.

That dirt road can be challenging this time of the year and there are several places where you can take relatively short hikes.. When you get to the West side of El Malpais you can head to El Morro national monument where they have the other camp ground.

As you are heading out and back to I-40, there are a couple of things to do; Ice caves (though that makes more sense in the summer), a volcano cone hike, and a hike through several caves in the area. You could easily do 3 days in the area or 1 very long day if you rushed. Read the El Malpais materials so you are informed of the hazards in this area. It can get brutally cold so be prepared for single-digits overnight.

==============

There are many other places depending on your interests.

* Technology: The VLA with some wheeling in the area of Kelly in the Magdalenas

* Waterfowl and wildlife: Socorro area with wheeling at Gordy Hill.

* Archaeology: (Everywhere) with places like Chaco Canyon where there is a campground and a lot of hikes but not much in the way of wheeling since they have almost paved the road out there. The "back way" to Chaco can get interesting (long story.)

* Ghost towns: Kelly as mentioned above but there are many more.

* Skiing and snow sports: Head north to Santa Fe, Taos, Durango with opportunities for snow wheeling down just about any forest road.


That's a start.
-Mike-

 

[alia176]

This is gonna sound cliche, but the Carlsbad caverns is a cool thing to check out and you can camp near by, in the NM state park campgrounds. Our campgrounds are very nice, with hookups and hot showers and the locations are usually pretty nice too. A quick search on NM State parks on the 'net should yield lots of info. Also, they're cheap to stay overnight, usually $10 or less.

 

[PencilPusher]

It looks like we have two threads going here: MEMCruiser for "sometime in January" and me for Jan. 3 to the 4th or 5th. Some of the ideas may overlap, but here's more background on our truck and hopes for Jan. 3-5.
There will be three of us in a 1987 FJ60 with a winch on the front, a 2- or 3-inch suspension lift, and an ARB air locker in the rear with onboard air compressor. We also replaced the original 4-speed with a Toyota 5-speed manual transmission, which is great on the highway and gives us a little bit lower first for crawling.
I guess I would classify my skills as moderate. I've driven TLCA events in the Smoky Mountains and Black Hills, plus other runs with friends, but very little experience on snow and ice. I like to test my skills and push the truck as far as I can, but not beat it up. (We bought it new in '87 and hope to die before it does!)
As for camping, that would be a spectacular and unexpected bonus. We'll have equipment with us good down to about 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If we could wheel in to a remote spot on Sunday, Jan. 3, and come out on the 4th or maybe even stay to the 5th, I would be thrilled.
But we're not greedy. If someone just wants to accompany us for a day-trip wheeling and sight-seeing on the 3rd or 4th, we will be more than happy. I love exploring but certainly don't want to be off-road without company, especially not in the winter in a totally unfamiliar place. So anyone who's willing to accompany us, we'll try adjusting our schedule to yours.
So far, it looks like we might have three for the 3rd: sl33p3 (for sure?), maybe Shawn, and maybe Ali. Is that right? Anyone else?
Thank you.
-- Art

 

[MEMCruiser]

Pencil, sorry to hijack your thread. Thought I would tag along since you already had one going in the general direction of mine. I would love to do some snow stuff, but no winch and do not want to do any damage or have to hire help to get off mountain. I have blown my "oh s*** budget" this year.

I guess mostly easy trails since I will more than likely be solo. Its also my first time out there so I am sure I will be awed enough just by the scenery. So mostly lower elevations but would love to do one snow run. I have TOYO open country AT tires stock size for a hundy. Should I get chains?

Thanks for all the input so far. Any of you guys driving a hundy?

 

[BionicCruiser]

for snow, chains are a huge advantage. we have discovered this over the last several years.
I hope this works out with both of you to have some fun here. scheduling can be tough.

 

[Source3]

I have TOYO open country AT tires stock size for a hundy. Should I get chains?

I ran the same tires on my toyota p/u for many years. They are ok to about 1.5ft of snow on a moderate slope (relative term, I know). But for what you want to do, these will be fine.

 

[jericho]

I might be in for the 3rd... have to see how the 1st goes!