Newbies in the snow
Posted: January 13, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: rescue, snow, weather Leave a commentLet me start by thanking my friends who are getting out on the Rubicon Trail much more than I am. They keep me informed of trail conditions and occasionally pass along a good story. Here is the latest story.
So, last week my good friend got with one of his friends and they headed out for a day of snow wheeling on the Rubicon. My friend is on 38’s with lockers front and rear. I’m sure his friend was running something similar. I do need to teach them to take pictures.
They came across another guy at the Rubicon trailhead they didn’t know who was thinking about heading out on the trail. This guy was less equipped but they dragged him along anyway.
I guess it got interesting when they got to the intersection of the Rubicon and Forest Road 03-04. That’s the road to Barker Pass. As my friend and his buddy turned left down the Rubicon, they turned the lesser rig around and sent him back to the staging area.
Their thought was not to let this guy wheel downhill as it would be too difficult to get him back up that hill later in the day as the snow melts and gets really slick.
My friend, and his buddy, wheeled past the narrow section that looks down on Miller Creek and then another maybe ¼ mile. It was getting late, no reason to take chances, so they both turned around.
They reached the intersection where they turned around the lesser rig and headed to the staging area. Just a few hundred yards from the intersection, there was the lesser equipped rig they had turned around. While my friend and his buddy had wheeled about a mile out and another mile back, this guy had only gone a few hundred yards.
With one rig in front, again breaking trail and occasionally using his tow strap, of the lesser rig and the other behind (not easily done in the snow), they headed out to pavement.
Near the turn for Richardson Lake, they came across a few rigs also out to play in the snow. They had no shovels, no winches, no tow straps, no gear to spend the night. And they were stuck.
What should have been a quick drive out, turned into quite the exodus. Again, there is no room to maneuver one rig around the other to be able to pull rigs through tough spots but these guys made it happen. Five hours after my friend thought he’d be home in his warm house, he finally got there.
The question is, how do we educate these people about the seriousness of the conditions when you go snow wheeling? The unequipped rigs did well to get in as far as they did but it’s a four mile hike out from the Richardson Lake Trail. In deep snow, with out snowshoes, if they had tried to walk out, someone might have died or lost toes or feet to frost bite.
So I have a thought. What about yet another sign…
I don’t know what it will take to get this sign out there but I’m going to try. Even if I turn one rig around who isn’t equipped, it would be worth it.
Rubicon Ronin
Snow comes to the Rubicon
Posted: December 10, 2018 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: snow, winter Leave a commentAlthough winter does not officially start until December 21st, snow has fallen on the west shore and put a white blanket on the trail.
The report I got was a fine sugary type of snow. The group made it to the turn for the Buck Lake Trail. That first climb out of the staging area can be a tough one.
Placer County has agreed to NOT pile snow at the entrance to the trail. If you see snow piled there, not just pushed to the side of the road like the rest of the residential area, please send me a picture and the date you found it.
As always, if you go, please be safe. Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Never go alone. Bring proper supplies to spend the night, just in case.
The last few years have seen rigs abandoned on the trail in the middle of winter. One guy was prepared but had a string of bad luck. The other rig should never have been on the trail. Don’t be that guy this winter.
Rubicon Ronin
Tire chain deal!
Posted: October 24, 2018 Filed under: Maintenance, Travel | Tags: education, snow, weather Leave a commentFor those of you who also own a 2wd vehicle along with you 4wd rig, or for those looking to play in the snow with your trail rig, have I got a deal for you.
I just picked up a pair of tire chains for my daily driver, yes, it’s 4wd, but just in case. The beauty of this pair of chains is that they will also fit the tires on the project Jeep, which oddly enough is 2wd right now. A story for another time. The truck has 265/75R18 and the project jeep is 33×10.5R15. One set fits both sizes.
The guys name is Dave and lives near the south east corner of McCarran in Reno. He owns a Jeep (stock) but he’s in to old Harleys. Retired big rig driver who drove Donner Pass most of his career. Cool dude. He has an ad on Craigslist:
https://reno.craigslist.org/pts/d/truck-semi-or-4×4-chains/6724364811.html
He finds big rig chains on the highway (free material) and resizes them to what you need. Since he doesn’t really have material costs, he only charges for his time. He claims it doesn’t take any more time to build chains for a set of 35″ tires than it does for 31″ tires, so the cost is the same. About $60.
He leaves the cam tighteners in place and for me included a homemade tool to work them. You can see from the pictures the cross links are not worn but there is surface rust. I guess if you wanted to you could clean them up and paint them.
I bet if you wanted a custom set with double the number of cross links and wider to drape down the sidewalls, he could build them.
Anyway, I just thought someone out there might need a deal on chains. I think CA law states you need to carry chains during conditions that might require chains. It doesn’t say they have to fit. But why not be prepared with a set that will fit your oversized tires?
Be safe and don’t be ‘that’ guy.
Rubicon Ronin
Losing ‘over the snow’ riding areas
Posted: July 29, 2018 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: education, snow, winter Leave a commentBelow is an email I received regarding the latest efforts by Anti-OHV activists to close our public lands to OHV use. It’s from the local Tahoe snowmobile group. They recently held a meeting in SLT but more importantly, they need public comments.
Please take the time to write the Forest Service and let them know you are against closing 73% of the current snowmobile riding areas!
The scarier line in this email and FS proposal is the 1000′ corridor of non-motorized use along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The Tahoe National Forest first put this ‘idea’ on a map several years ago. If they get their foot in the door with over the snow use, the next step is every other OHV use and all year long.
The Rubicon an many, many other trails cross the Pacific Crest Trail.
After the get their corridor along the PCT, thy will want it along every other trail in the country. Let’s stop this now.
Here is an easy way to send in your comments:
http://highmarkdesigns.com/tahoebackyardsledders/send-in-your-comments/
WE ARE AT RISK TO LOSE MORE OF OUR RIDING AREAS IN TAHOE/HOPE VALLEY/BLUE LAKES!!!
Enough is enough!
The Winter Wildlands have proposed closures of 73% of our existing riding areas in the ElDorado National Forest. And the Forest Service really, REALLY need to hear from all us so that the Winter Wildlands aren’t the only ones being heard.
And… as if that’s not bad enough — the Forest Service is pushing their “preferred alternative” which also closes and limits our riding areas as it imposes a 1000 feet “corridor” around the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Yes, the PCT goes through the Blue Lakes’ area and we would lose some of our most fun areas if the Forest Service got their way!!!
WE NEED TO PUSH BACK!!! WE’RE DONE LOSING RIDING AREAS!
Please go to our website for more info. And please SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS — deadline is August 6! Be respectful, be personal and be passionate in a constructive way!
http://tahoebackyardsledders.com/ | http://highmarkdesigns.com/tahoebackyardsledders/send-in-your-comments/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TahoeBackyardSledders/ and https://www.facebook.com/sierrasnowmobilefoundation/
Hanna Bernard
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS AND PHONE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job,
wait until you hire an amateur.” — Red Adair (1915-2004)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Highmark Designs
Hanna Bernard
1221 Sleighbell Lane
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Cell (530) 318-3936
hanna@highmarkdesigns.com
http://www.highmarkdesigns.com
Major snow dump in the Sierras
Posted: March 5, 2018 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: education, snow, STORM, weather Leave a commentWe just got through a series of major storms. Honestly, the biggest of the season. The summits got more than six feet of snow. The Homewood Mountain Resort claims about five feet over the last the last week. That means the Rubicon is buried.
So, I drove past Monday (March 5th) and took a few pictures of the entrance. I was up there just before the storms and took some to compare:
Last Monday the 26th: really no berm to speak of…
Again, this was before the storm just 100 yards up the trail:
After the latest storms: now the neighborhood probably got two feet of snow but notice the snow is piled higher than my six foot tall truck.
Compare that to berms around the neighborhood, maybe three feet tall. I have already sent an email to Placer County letting them know this is unacceptable (dumping snow on a county right of way) and that although the County probably didn’t do it, they need to remove it as they would a load of rock dropped on any county road. Don’t hold your breath.
Looking over the berm, where no motor vehicle has driven, yet; it looks like a good place for a fun day of snow play.
The berm will need to be taken down. Right now you could get a quad or snowmobile through the slot but not much else.
Let me get on my safety soap box…
I can’t say it enough but travel prepared. Figure something will go wrong and you have to spend the night, or two. Have food, water, clothing and shelter for multiple people and many nights.
Believe it or not, some people still don’t get it.
(Photo stolen from a post on Pirate4x4 by “The Fixxer”.)
This rig has been stuck on the trail for a few weeks now. It’s just east of Miller Lake at the water hole. There was room to go around but not much. Now think about this with 4-5 feet of snow burying it.
You might be wheeling along just fine and not realize the rig is underneath you. Honestly, it’s probably still visible but there is a greater chance of sliding in to it if you try and go around.
Some fellow Hi-Lo’s are reaching out to the authorities and the owner to see if we can help get the rig out or at least off to the side for the safe passage of others.
I’ll keep you posted.
Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 