Run the Rubicon

[Ranger Dick]

Doug Hatfield and myself are planning a trip thru the Rubicon off road trail. He is coming out west from some corn shucker state in the midwest. We were wondering if there were any others who might want to join us. We're planning on running the rubicon August 11-13th. I cannot stay on past the 13th but Doug wants to do some other trails like Barret Lake or the Dusy. Can somebody help out here? Email me or Doug Direct. Matt

 

[willyslover]

I'd love to but the CJ7 project is not ready... AND my son's wedding is the 19 so I'm up to my rump in HONEY DO'S then... maybe another time

Gary

 

[Joe G.]

You had better check to make sure it's going to be open. There was some talk a while back about putting a locked gate across the road. I don't know if that happened or not.

 

[willyslover]

Joe. . yes it did. . with daily checks on the melt/road conditions... they were not going to let anyone on it till it dried up a bunch. . THE TREE HUGGERS ARE OUT IN FORCE !! up there

 

[Joe G.]

Gary,



I heard that the problem was excessive dust getting into the creeks and muddying up the lake. I suspect that if the gate is closed it will stay closed.

 

[Ranger Dick]

Gary, yeah, I heard the rumor that the CJ wasn't done. Sorry about that. As far as the closure is going, certain times during the week days, the road from where the rubicon hits the millerlake/blackwood canyon jct is closed down the miller lake side. This is to allow the work to be done on the road to minimize siltation in to the creeks. While this appears to be the work of tree huggers, in fact this is the solution proposed by the offroad community and placer county, in fact the county has been an advocate for this type of maintanance over closing the road permanently. And apparently they have fought off some of the greenies. The support of the off road community is also big on this solution. So the work is to beat back the tree huggers, since their solution is to close the trail. But anyway, it appears that we are going and anyone that can make it is sure welcome. By the way, the Sierra trek is scheduled this weekend and the trail might be a bit quieter then usual

 

[Hale on wheels]

Hey Ranger Dick, I see you have a 68 CJ5. I have a 67 CJ5. It also had the 225, but I put a later model 231 in it after my sister and her friend took a joy ride in my jeep to go show off while it was locked in 4-low, and she just kept the pedal on the floor and wondered why it would only go about 18 mph--needless to say the 225 didn't last long. Was the 68 model still made by Kaiser? I didn't realize the 68s still had the 225 in them. Do you know when they lengthened the wheelbase? Have fun on the Rubicon, I can't make it--my jeep wouldn't either right now.



Cody

 

[Papa Joe]

In 1985 I did the Rubicon Trail from east to west on a 200cc Honda XR. The jeeps were running from west to east. I was in a group of 45 bikes accompanied by a USFS Ranger (on duty) also on a bike. Quite a trip. The 'slucebox' was fun (about killed me!)



Enjoy, Joe



PS I'll bet not many know what a ROUGH trail that really is, eh?

 

[willyslover]

SO a question in a thread... . when was the first time you did the Con. . my first time was 1960 then 61,63,64 [in a factory perkins diesel cj5] and have not been back in a 4x4... several times on a dirt bike in the 70's and early 80's ... need to go back and see what's up

 

[apkole]

Rubicon dreams

After reading great quantities of articles about the Con, I'm really berating mysef!! July 1999 we had a family rebellion on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Sez I to the missus, "wanna take a drive around da lake? an she sez "ya, sure" so off we go. We gets to the south end and we see all of these trail creatures (kinda look like jeeps, only bigger hmmm, mebbie they wuz jeeps) and the're all comin out of this camp ground. Lots of em, an they jes keep rollin out.

So I get back to Michigan and find out I wuz there!!! The Holy Grail of Four Wheelers, THE CON, and I missed it. Bummer man. As Arnold says, "I'll be back. " And this time I'm packin' the Wrangler with the LT1 and all the other goodies (lockers, Ford 9" diffs, big tires, da whole kit'n'kaboodle). Oh yeah, I shall return!!!

 

[Ranger Dick]

Well, right now, I'm typing this reply from about 8 miles from the tahoe side of the rubicon. Haven't seen too many jeeps, but there there. Gary, I went thru the rubicon first in 89 and have done it 4 times since. Yeah, it's hard, but I been lucky so far, and only tore a spring hanger out frame one time. The weather up here about 65 degrees and very windy. I've done quite a few hard trails around here, but truthfully, I would think that the Hammers, and some other "extreme" trails are tougher. But none has the length of the rubicon, cept the Dusy. So this has to be a factor. I think one of the reasons that the reputation of the Rubicon is so though is that Mark Smith bills it that way for the Jeepers Jamboree, and when first timers go thru, it is an impressive trail. But for total extreme hardness, there are many tougher trails. Looking foward to doing it with Doug though, and His jeep certainly looks built. Matt

 

[Papa Joe]

Gary, that was the only time for me. However, I've cow-trailed on motorcylces all over northern California and western Nevada.

Matt, I agree there are rougher trails through nastier terrain... ..... but there's something special about the Rubicon.



Shiny side up, Joe

 

[DHatfield]

Oh no nobody else can get some good wheeling in? Anyway I can't wait to get out there as I really need to get away from work. I hope some other TDR member may be able to go if not I may do some poking around on my own and see what mischeif I can get into. And yes Ranger Dick my Jeep is fairly built up and the Hammers are definately harder, but I did manage to make it out alive except I did crush my rear corner panel by backing into a rock wall when I got caught between a rock and a hard spot.



If no body is going to be wheeling out there other than Ranger Dick does anybody have any books and/or maps of trails to take in the great Serria Mountains?

 

[HDH]

Ranger Dick,
This past weekend some friends and i were at Courtwright Reservior doing some fishing and not doing well, So we decided to see if the Ram would fit in the Dusy-Ershim Trail.
It does! up until about Chicken Rock. Thats were I turned around.
The First and only time I went on the Rubicon was In 1981 in my 69 toyota Landcruiser. Havent been there since.
I like the Dusy Ershim Trail. I think its Harder and Longer. Three years ago i took my 78 jimmy with a set of Custom 6" National springs and a Built 383 stroker on the Dusy Ershim. I finished the in 36hrs minus 8 hrs for sleeping in the tent.
BTW. The Dusy Ershim Trail is Maintain by the Fresno Fourwheel drive Club and was named in part in honor of Frank Dusy, A local Pioneer in the early 1800's. were the Ershim comes from I havent found out yet.

Doug.
Have fun!.