Topic: Dry Run 2018: California

[SqWADoosh]

Alright here we go again. Last year obviously didn't go according to plan. This year I've got a realistic trip plan and a realistic time frame to finish my build. Myself, bestgen, Mark, and a few friends not on the board met for lunch and a meeting about this year's out of state trip. After some back and forth between going to Colorado, Moab, and California we settled on California. This thread will be the table for further discussion on the itinerary of the trip. We do have our dates locked in. We will leave Washington the morning of the 25th of August with the plan to be back home by Labor Day September 3rd.

I have allocated 4 days on each end of the schedule for travel to fro. On the front side this is the 25th and 26th on the back side it is the 2nd and 3rd. That leaves us with 6 days for trails.

Plan: Rubicon and Fordyce

Details:
Arrive at Loon Lake campground the evening of the 25th and camp. Begin Rubicon Trail the morning of Sunday the 26th. Run Rubicon until the morning of the 28th when we will exit and make our way to Fordyce trail head. Run Fordyce until the 31st where we exit and head home.





Roster:
SqWADoosh
bestgen
mudmaster
travis (non forum member)
Pounder (non forum member)

 Myself and the other Washington Wheelers look forward to meeting up with as many local board members as possible for this trip. 

[mudmaster]

Plan 2: Rubicon and Dusy Ershim:

#3 Con is this trailering time or trail rigs on pavement time?

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

Plan 2: Rubicon and Dusy Ershim:

#3 Con is this trailering time or trail rigs on pavement time?

Tow rigs to trail head time.

[joeyf]

My first time to the Con was last year, I have to trailer my rig. Spent four days on it with my little boy, two days to go one way and two to get back to the trailer. It’s worth taking the trail both ways if you have anyone on your trip going for the first time.

[Willard]

If you really want to do Dusy I would recommend it. Also Rubicon and Dusy in that short of a span is going to be very exhausting and hard on your rigs. I would be very careful to plan that sort of a deal. You are not really leaving much time for repairs if there is an unfortunate break. My dad broke a shaft on his FJ40 at the Rubicon last year and it put us a full day behind schedule and that included 2 trips into Placerville to get parts.  The trip from Rubicon to Dusy is guaranteed 7 hour drive with a trailer, just a rig maybe like 6 hours. I would do Dusy and the trails around Dusy, Swamp, Red lake, Coyote Lake.....etc. Get a taste of the high sierra trails. Or do Rubicon and Fordyce. You are stretching pretty far across the map for the allotted days you have. Just my opinion......but I'm excited to find out where you guys decide 

[:)bestgen4runner]

I would like a clear picture of the distance between Rubicon and Dusy. If It really is 6 to 7 hours additional driving that is nuts. how long is the drive from Dusy to Seattle?
also please don't forget to add the high lakes trails to the rubicon/4dice plan. unless its way out of the way.

[Willard]

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Courtright+Reservoir,+California+93664/Loon+Lake,+California/@37.9814686,-121.3687667,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x809596e61f5a4355:0xf1aa6387a6022d1e!2m2!1d-118.9732411!2d37.1019078!1m5!1m1!1s0x809a2d302e7d892b:0x5219fbfd0efa66f3!2m2!1d-120.3060706!2d38.9961405?hl=en

[:)bestgen4runner]

It says 16hrs to get home from Dusy.

[mudmaster]

It says 16hrs to get home from Dusy.

That's less than Moab.......

14h 10m on I5

[:)bestgen4runner]

 

That's less than Moab.......

14h 10m on I5

The map thing says Moab is also 16hrs.

[Snowtoy]

While Rubicon and Fordyce can be run in a day, more common on Fordyce, you don't have to, and given the time you will be running both, it is unlikely you will be able to run either in a day due the traffic, on past holiday weekends we have spent 3-4 hours sitting waiting for broken rigs to get fixed.
 
I would plan the Rubicon/Fordyce run this way,
Day 1) Loon-to-Buck, Day 2) Buck-to-Springs, Day 3) Springs-to-Tahoe-to-Eagle Lakes, Day 4) Eagle-to-Meadow, Day 5) Meadow-to-Fordyce, which would leave you with one extra day if everything goes smoothly and you make good time. 

You can run Fordyce w/o having to plan for dropping off rigs at the trail head and the tow rigs at Meadow, if you park them at the Cisco Grove Campground & RV, which is about 2 miles away, or if the trailered rigs are licensed just drive them the short distance down the highway.

Dropping rigs off at trail head and tow rigs at Meadow Lake


Alternative



 

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

The plan if we go with Plan 1 would be to drop the tow rigs and trailers at Fordyce Trailhead. Drive the wheelers (all of them are street legal) to Loon, run the Rubicon, run Fordyce, and load up and head home. No one is keen on having to drive their wheelers around to loon to pickup their tow rigs. Makes the most sense to park the trailers at Fordyce first thing and make the drive we would already be making to Loon only in the rigs. See map below:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Renton,+WA/Indian+Springs,+Eagles+Lake+Rd,+Camptonville,+CA+95922/Loon+Lake+Campground,+Pollock+Pines,+CA/@39.1116596,-121.27671,9z/am=t/data=!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x549008cc03bb6f23:0xcd42b24716babb9f!2m2!1d-122.2170661!2d47.4828776!1m5!1m1!1s0x809b9374b68cd2b3:0xebc1f995d89cb7b0!2m2!1d-120.5694306!2d39.3293389!1m5!1m1!1s0x809a2d320c35cb15:0x3eaa7a7e8567e510!2m2!1d-120.3190898!2d38.9808264!3e0

[:)bestgen4runner]

Does this plan have us missing any of the key portions of the trails?

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

Does this plan have us missing any of the key portions of the trails?

Which plan is that? Second thought it doesn't matter. No, none of the 3 plans have us skipping anything.

[Snowtoy]

The plan if we go with Plan 1 would be to drop the tow rigs and trailers at Fordyce Trailhead. Drive the wheelers (all of them are street legal) to Loon, run the Rubicon, run Fordyce, and load up and head home.

Would not advise leaving the tow rigs at Fordyce trail head for 6 days, it is common for tow rigs to get broken into and stolen from there on holiday weekends, it would be better to pay the daily fee at the Cisco campground, or leave them at a member's place on the Tahoe side.  Given the planned route, if you can't find members with enough room on the Tahoe side and don't plan to restock at the tow rigs, I have room at my place for at least 3-4 rigs and trailers, it is south of Grass Valley and about 60 minutes from Indian Springs.

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

Would not advise leaving the tow rigs at Fordyce trail head for 6 days, it is common for tow rigs to get broken into and stolen from there on holiday weekends, it would be better to pay the daily fee at the Cisco campground, or leave them at a member's place on the Tahoe side.  Given the planned route, if you can't find members with enough room on the Tahoe side and don't plan to restock at the tow rigs, I have room at my place for at least 3-4 rigs and trailers, it is south of Grass Valley and about 60 minutes from Indian Springs.

Thats very kind of you to offer. Cisco might be a better choice as its right next to Fordyce. I should also clarify we aren't going to be there on a holiday weekend. We will be leaving when the holiday weekend is starting.

[Rockcrawlintoy]

Thats very kind of you to offer. Cisco might be a better choice as its right next to Fordyce.

I would second the plan to park at Cisco. It is a quick ride down the freeway to eagle lakes or you can take the 5 dollar trail from Cisco to the trail head

[:)bestgen4runner]

I would very much appreciate leaving My tow vehicle and trailer at a members house. I could not handle coming back
To trashed or missing stuff. I can drive My 4runner on pavement if needed.
Please make this part of the plan Andrew.

[blackdiamond]

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

I would very much appreciate leaving My tow vehicle and trailer at a members house. I could not handle coming back
To trashed or missing stuff. I can drive My 4runner on pavement if needed.
Please make this part of the plan Andrew.

If you feel that strongly about it then you need to coordinate with a member to do so. As stated above the logical option would be to have you guys pay the fee to park at Cisco for the week. From what I've found its $5-10 a day.

[mudmaster]

I'm good with paying the daily fee at Cisco.

[:)bestgen4runner]

I was hoping We could leave the trailers and trucks at Dave’s house?

[Rockcrawlintoy]

I was hoping We could leave the trailers and trucks at Dave’s house?

That’s fair amount of road driving

[:)bestgen4runner]

That’s fair amount of road driving

How far? Time and distance?

[:)bestgen4runner]

So lets start a list of items that We can use as a group.
I don't think We all need to bring everything.
Examples so far
Stove maybe 2
a highlift just 1
snatch blocks maybe 2
other ideas?
space is going to be an issue for Me

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

So lets start a list of items that We can use as a group.
I don't think We all need to bring everything.
Examples so far
Stove maybe 2
a highlift just 1
snatch blocks maybe 2
other ideas?
space is going to be an issue for Me

Before we do that we need to finalize our trip plan. Its time to vote.

[:)bestgen4runner]

I vote plan A

[mudmaster]

I vote for plan A. It seems to have the best plan for parking the tow rigs and trailers. Correct me if I'm wrong and I may change my vote.

[liveoak]

S

[SqWADoosh [OP]]

So does plan A have you camping at Cisco campground on Tuesday the 28th?

We will likely camp at meadow lake.