Thoughts on future club alternatives to the Rubicon Trail

[Desert Dog]

I think in the future, we should do a big club summer run to Swamp Lake instead of the Rubicon.

Every year, we get dozens of folks who commit to going to the Con, but only a handful actually go. One year, we had almost 30 rigs commit, and only 4 went. I think this is mainly due to the distance involved (5-6 hours to the trailhead) and the resulting fuel costs. Some are also afraid to go because many nearly stock rigs (or poorly built rigs) sign up for this run and they don't want to spend there vacation time nursing a broken jeep through a trail it doesn't belong on. And, the last couple of years have been rough because of numerous date changes - which can kill a run when only a few people are really going to go.

On another note, the Con has become so crowded, that camping kind of sucks now. Add to this that the local LE is on the trail writing tickets for everything they see (even cracked windows).

Swamp lake Trail has scenery that is the equal to the con, and camping/fishing at Grouse Lake is 100 times better. There is even a clean bathroom for the ladies to use! Swamp Lake Trail will also give the milder builds in the club an opportunity to participate. The drive to the trailhead is only 3 hours, so we don't need to burn 2 extra vacation days like you do for the con.

What does everyone think?

[abendx]

Umm..... why not both?

The "new" con run will just switch over to the pre run. It is a much better time to run the trail anyways and there will not be a huge issue with swinging dates (sorry Larry, but it is pretty crazy to watch the dates wildly swing). We can solidify the run for the third or fourth weekend in June.

[AJ99]

I think that is a good idea Maybe do the Dusy instead? Or do swamp lake? I havent done either yet but for me the Rubi is pretty far.

[chrisrigby]

DD any chance my little zuki would have made it on the swamp trip?

[Desert Dog]

@ AJ: I did Dusy two years ago and did not like it very much. It is super long and relentless. It has tougher obstacles than the Rubicon, so will exclude many rigs in the club. It is almost TOO MUCH wheeling for my taste (if there is such a thing) because of how long it takes to run it. Rigs that are not in great condition will be up sh!+ creek on that trail. The scenery is just as good on Swamp Lake Trail, but its not as long and boring as Dusy.

@ Chris: Your sammy will need some lift and bigger tires on Swamp Lake, particularly the north half of the trail. 31s with a locker should get a sammy through it.

[robnoxious1]

I love that whole Shaver Lake area. Plan on spending alot of time there once I get my Jeep built a little better. There are a lot of good trails there and its not terribly far.

[AJ99]

ok chris. I havent been on dusy and looking at it seemed there were tough areas just didnt know how tough. Arent there quite a few trails around swamp lake? We could always do a mixture there for a weekend. Or just do Swamp? Im headed up there this weekend to help recover that xj that broke.

[abendx]

[quote="desert dog"]It is super long and relentless. It has tougher obstacles than the Rubicon, so will exclude many rigs in the club. It is almost TOO MUCH wheeling for my taste[/quote]

WHOA!!!

This sounds like a wet dream. Where do I sign up??

[Desert Dog]

@ B-Rad: After running for 8 straight hours each day through what looks like the same rock garden, you wouldn't be bored? And Dusy has nothing that will challenge your rig, say for some of the squeezes through trees. I'm more of a JV/calico guy; run a trail and back to camp, run another trail and back to camp. When I go camping, I like to spend more time relaxing in camp than on the trail. You would probably like Dusy.

@ AJ: The shaver area has many awesome trails, it is truly a camping wheeler's paradise. It doesn't offer the challenges that the desert trails have, but I like Swamp Lake Trail more for the Camping and scenery than the Wheeling. I think Grouse Lake is the best campsite in the Sierras. You can camp in the Shaver area and run various trails, but those campgrounds are normally crowded shitholes with every asshole from Fresno right next to you.

This thread wasn't meant to discourage folks from running the con or any other trail, I will still do that along with a few others. The point is to put a big summer run together that folks actually participate in. It is obvious that The Rubicon isn't that run. It is also obvious that anything too far away or too difficult will not be popular.

[Goatman]

You all need to run Swamp once to do this discussion justice. I've been saying for awhile now that Swamp is a better run than the Rubicon, and we had enough new folks on the run this year and they've said now we know what you were talking about. I've run Swamp every year for many, many years. I run the 'Con every now and then......for good reason.

Don't get me wrong, I love running the Rubicon, but it's crowded and much further to get to, and some of the really cool stuff we used to be able to do can't be done any more. It's not worth the time and effort to do every year, at least for me. The Rubicon and Dusy are those famous type of trails that you want to run now and then, or at least once. Swamp is just as good, closer, and not crowded. The Dusy is great, no question about it, but you better be ready for it. You could do Dusy once in your life, so you have the experience, or do it once in a great while. The problem with the Dusy is that it is so extremely remote, and long, if you have vehicle trouble on the trail it can be a bitch. The Trailblazers used to run Dusy every year, but people would come out just to run the Dusy when they didn't wheel much all year, and they'd have mechanical problems which caused the group to get into camp late almost every day. You need to stress that everyone really has their rigs in good condition and have the right equipment, or it can get ugly fast.

[abendx]

Whoa.... the more runs the better. I am a bit confused as to why we've been running less as of late... especially seeing the club's numbers are up.

Anyways.... distance is the issue with the Con? For who?? Likely I am the one driving the furthest to most ever trail we do.... and we are talking hours more, not minutes. So if I can do these long drives with my complaining ass not peeping.... everyone else should be able to do them with a smile! I guess I don't understand the dynamic, but never the less... same result, the Con gets low turn out.

The biggie is the noob run.... maybe you can draw a conclusion that the easy one gets the people out.... maybe vehicle requirements/servicability are the issue? Then again.... it is one of the closest to Bako runs we do and usually the Freeway runs get quite a few heads. Gas costs? IDK!!?!

Just thinking aloud on the subject. Let's keep brainstorming!

[AJ99]

Chris im with you. I like to set up a "base camp" and do day wheeling trips from there. Just makes it a lot more fun to me. I love the desert but dont really enjoy it during the summer months personally. I know theres not many "difficult" trails up above johnsondale but there are trails up there to be ran and that is why we are getting the cabin up there. So we have a "base camp" and easy to stay at with 3 kids under 6 lol.

I think swamp lake would be a good run rather than the rubi. I know personally i wont be able to take part of the rubi run for a very long time. Just not feasable for me.

[Desert Dog]

Our club really needs a good summer run with lots of participation.

Calico (AFD) gets a good turn out too, as well as some of the JV runs, in addition to the NB&C run. But those are not good summer places. Hell, its too damn hot to camp in Gorman during the summer. Just looking for that big group multi-day summer run that the Con could never be, so we can get something planned for next year. I will post a poll in December and have POSITIVE DATES set before January. Maybe raffle off some camping stuff to people who are going at the M&G before the run.

[AJ99]

I like that idea Chris. We need to get ideas from everyone also on areas to go to.

[Zak.Taylor]

DD, someplace within 2 hours or so would likely boost attendance, for those without tow rigs, it's hard to drive a built jeep that far. And in my case, a JKU that's more or less stock can't follow you hardcore guys. But that'll change by next summer ))

[AJ99]

Spanish OHV Route
Red, Mirror and Coyote Lakes
Bald Mountain
Swamp Lake

So far these are the trails i have found around shaver area.

[Goatman]

Facing facts, time and cost are factors for most. Everyone wants to run the Rubicon, so the "want to do" list of people is high, though far less can actually swing it. For those who have the time and money, no question the Rubicon is a great trip. I have been surprised, though, with this group. It seems like people really like to wheel, which is why I like to hang out here, but until recently no one has done the great system of trails that's around Shaver Lake area. Swamp Lake Trail, Red Lake/Coyote Lake Trail, Mirror Lake Trail, Bald Mtn Trail, those are all great runs and are a reasonable distance so time and cost aren't such a factor. I guess we just needed a few more people to get out and run them and talk about them. With this size group it seems like it would be easy, and a good idea, to have a couple runs in that area every summer.

[AJ99]

ya richard. I personally would be able to swing a trip up to that area a few times each summer. In order to swing the rubi i would have to do a lot of financial work to make that one. I think a lot more people would be willing to go closer a few times rather than a lot farther for one trip (me included).

[abendx]

You are talking summer Chris..... How about be bending the idea a little.... Instead of looking g inland, try closer to the coast. I hate Pismo, but that would be the idea if the summer heat is an issue. I understand time and cost issues; therefore, we should have a bunch of these big runs..

Quarterly? No way.... Let's do monthly or every other month. Suggestions :

Winter: noob run + jv
Spring: afd + jv
Summer: con + Fordyce + shaver
Fall: Moab + calico + jv

JV can be done some easy (cougar buttes) and some hard (hammers).

[AJ99]

Only issue with so many is i dont see a good turn out for each run... Those are all amazing trails but even so there are a lot of those trails that i know some of the rigs we have here in bakersfield wont be able to do. Another one that i wouldnt mind adding to the list of trails for the winter times would be paniment valley...

But we need to include some stuff that newer, less built jeeps, can do also. Miller, Last chance, I know theres some more trails in red rock area but cant think of the names, sherman pass (if its open again).

Ya some of these trails may be boring to most but for the newer people that arent familiar with them they provide a mixture of things to do and different terrain. I know personally when i first joined about 3 yrs ago i was too nervious to try a lot of rock stuff. Im thinking an annual trail run that isnt really hard or technical might get attention from newer people to start getting active.


Then again tell me to STFU if im wrong.

[RyanSBCA]

I'll come out of the woods and vote for Moab in the fall!!!! It's close to me (well, closer to me than you guys!).

[abendx]

[quote="AJ99"]Then again tell me to STFU if im wrong.[/quote]

Only because you asked..... damn, you aren't wrong.

My list was meant to start some discussion. Of course, I am picking stuff I like to do and most of it is far too... but we can fill this in. Lots of runs! Also.... these are just the standard runs so people can do some long term planning for vacation days, etc..

From my list, the following trails should work with nearly stock rigs: (parts of) Calico, JV (Cougar Buttes area), Shaver, (parts of) Moab, Gorman, and the Con (depending on when you go).

We can add your suggestions to the mix... they are perfect!

You know... what might be really cool, would be to have monthly runs in quarters. One month mild, one month medium, one month wild... then start over. Mix in whatever else in there as popup runs. IDK.... example might be:

JAN.Gorman
FEB.Calico
MAR.JV
APR.Freeway
MAY: Calico
JUNE.Con
July.Sherman
AUG.Shaver
SEPT.Ridgecrest
OCT.BC109
NOV.JV
DEC.JV

Then... what might be really cool if we are doing these monthly, is to have the run either the weekend before the meetings so we can talk about them or the week after the meetings, hopefully pulling more interest with something that will happen that weekend (i.e. the second weekend of every month).

[abendx]

[quote="RyanSBCA"]I'll come out of the woods and vote for Moab in the fall!!!! It's close to me (well, closer to me than you guys!).[/quote]

Ryan.... find some locals with trail knowledge.... and I'll come out there in late October or early November to wheel with you.

[chrisrigby]

i know alot of the turnout issues lies with the fact that there are only a hand full of guys in town able to run some of the trails you all hit. there needs to be more runs that dont require as much of a rig for alot of people to get their feet we so to speak. look at freeway for instance i only ran it the one time in the dark on a stock sidekick. but its been talked up so much that people who are unsure of their rig dont think they can do it. so when there is doubt they just avoid it. it took me weeks to get a friend of mine to take his rig down cow flat because he had no idea. hes never done any off roading. now his feet are kinda wet and he is willing to explore a bit more.


over all i think there should be more close runs for people with stock or nearly stock rigs to get their feet wet on and realize that wheeling isnt point the rig and mash the gas untill you get where you are going whatever you breaks is ok.

crocker springs in taft would be a good one. it has a couple off camber and side hills and some rutty climbs nothing bad but enough that your wheeling a little and not just on a dirt road going for a drive

[TheBigDogg]

I will be at the meet & greet this month!!!

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