Back from the Rubicon

[Medsker]

Well I made it back. It was fun. It was very tiring, one big boulder after another. Beat the snot out of my undercarriage. Here is a list of what my wife wrote as we drove along:

-Leave South Lake Tahoe, Temperature 43°, Time 6:00 am, Trip Meter at 0
-Left Hwy 50 at 6:55
-Arrived Loon Lake, Time 7:45, Trip Meter 64, Aired down to 20 psi
-Started Rubicon, Time 7:53, Trip Meter at 0
-Arrived Little Sluice, Time 9:34, Trip Meter 4
-Bad section, First Body Damage, Time 11:40, Trip Meter 5, Had to use hand strap to keep from rolling
-Major high center point, Time 12:05
-Stopped for Lunch , 12:26-12:40
-Reached top of Cadillac Hill, Time 2:52, Trip Meter 12.7
-Reached Staging Area, Time 3:15, Trip Meter 16.3
-Reached Hwy 89, Time 3:24, Trip Meter 18
-Reached Hotel, Time 4:10, Trip Meter 41
- Total Time 10 Hours 10 Minutes
- Total Miles 105

Things to point out:
- It was much colder than expected, the ride to the trailhead with the top down was very cold and I didn't bring much "cold" gear.
- Now I know the time it takes I would leave an hour later and take longer for lunch.
- Make sure I had skid plates in place, I don't have aftermaket gas tank, tummy tucker or LCA skid plates. These took quite a beating. My LCA's are hammered. I plan on replacing all of these soon anyway but wish it had been done before, especially the belly up skid as it rubbed on everything.
- The trail was not marked well at all. I had very good maps, my laptop with TopoUSA and GPS and still could not find bypasses that were spoken of and several times there would be splits where the trail would go off in two or three directions and I wasn't sure which was the "proper" trail. At times I found myself backing up because I didn't want to take the bypasses.
- If Jeep claims to have taken a stock Jeep Liberty on that trail without taking any of the bypasses and did it without winching they are full of s***. The one picture I included is the only spot I had to bypass and I don't think anything with 40" tires or less could go through that. I looked at it for 30 minutes and figured out if everything went perfect I could make it through the first 30 feet but I couldn't figure out how to get through the last ten feet without winching so I drove around it.

Here is a couple of pics.

Medsker

 

[OCNORB]

COOL! Let's see more pics!

 

[James K]

looks like the entrance to little sluice.

 

[James K]

why did you do it in one day?

 

[Medsker]

I don't think it was the entrance to little sluice, at least not according to my GPS and map but they could be off. The map I have says: The True Big Sluice is now referred to as the Little Sluice. I think this was that "True Big Sluice" but I'm not sure. It probably is the one you are thinking of I just think they use "Sluice" way to often and should not rename one obsticle the same name as another was called. Way to confusing They have:

True Big Sluice now called Little Sluice
Little Sluice Box
Big Sluice Box

I did it in one day because Hotel rooms are way more comfortable than the ground . It only took 10 hours to do. Now granted I could have taken longer for lunch and I could have slowed down a little but even adding a couple of hours...heck even adding four hours, I would rather wheel 14 hours straight and sleep in a comfortable bed than 7 and 7 and sleep on the ground. I had been driving a lot before and after, Drove from Oceanside, CA the day before and home the day after, so those three days together were a lot of time in the drivers seat.

 

[Greg]

We're you & the wife all on your own? That's pretty ballsy! I like the idea of a marathon wheelin' trip, I'm sure we have all done those! I want to see more pics of the trip, if you have them! That sure is a way to break in a new rig, looks like fun!

 

[James K]

there is little sluice, old sluice and big sluice.

 

[PierCed_3]

breaking in the new Rubicon... on the Rubicon.... Priceless! I can't wait to see it in action!

Andrew

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Wow, quick trip! I stayed for 3 days, and could have easily stretched a couple more out of it exploring, hiking, and relaxing. I thought the drive from SLC was too long for just 3 days, let alone 1, you are a trooper!

 

[Coreshot]

I believe that's the first pic I've ever seen of the Rubicon that didn't have 7 vehicles in it. Sounds fun.

 

[Kris K]

Sounds like an awsome trip.

 

[Medsker]

Yea it was just me and the wife. We had plenty of gear to stay a couple of nights if needed. I spent most of my life wheeling alone. I'm not saying it is the safest, but I'm used to it. Back when I started there wasn't anyone to go with and I just had me and my 2wd Ford. We spent hours and days in the back country. I learned you can't be to prepared and always assume you're going to spend the night. I remember I was so excited when I got my first 4wd at 17 years old. A 1979 subaru BRAT, bi-directional recreational all-terrain transporter. Then I could go anywhere, or so I thought. I still go alone a lot, but I still always plan on staying the night and hiking out. It doesn't happen often but I've hiked a few miles before, had tow truck drivers laugh at me and tell me there isn't a way in hell there going up there and had to call my Dad out at 3 in the morning but I usually get home.

Here is a couple more pics, I didn't take to many unfortanately.

Medsker

 

[Houndoc]

A 1979 subaru BRAT, bi-directional recreational all-terrain transporter. QUOTE]

I thought it was bi-range all-terrain transporter? Fun little rigs- at times (but not too often) I miss my old 78 BRAT. I can't imagine now days a vehicle being sold with jump seats in an open bed, can you?

looks like you had a fun trip!

 

[Medsker]

A 1979 subaru BRAT, bi-directional recreational all-terrain transporter. QUOTE]

I thought it was bi-range all-terrain transporter? Fun little rigs- at times (but not too often) I miss my old 78 BRAT. I can't imagine now days a vehicle being sold with jump seats in an open bed, can you?

looks like you had a fun trip!

You could be right about the bi-range, it was a long time ago . My dad bought the first one in Ogden. Subaru of Ogden brought one in and put it in the showroom and he went in to buy it and they told him he couldn't have it yet because it was just for show, but to come back in a month and he could buy it. He came back the next day with cash in hand and said its now or never and drove it home. I spent many days riding in the back of that BRAT pretending I was Luke Skywalker in my X-Wing shooting all of the cars. Ahh the memories.

 

[MOODY]

Wow, looks like a sweet trail, rough and ugly at times. What have you done to your Rubicon, so I can get an idea if my rig is at all worthy? (tire size/lift?)

 

[waynehartwig]

breaking in the new Rubicon... on the Rubicon.... Priceless! I can't wait to see it in action!

Andrew

It's the best way! I bought mine on Wednesday and ran Rubicon that weekend (labor day weekend '04). I had less than 900 miles on it and dealer plates! Basically enough mileage to get there... I almost rolled it, too. I was trying to go up a small (18") rock ledge and my lower control arm mounts were hung up. So I bumped it. When I did, a big chunk chipped off and it literally threw my Jeep sideways about 4'. When it finally grabbed, it tipped to about 40* or so. EVERYONE around started yelling and waving their arms. I still don't understand what that was all about...I was in control...geesh. I came home from the trip with under 2,000 miles and completely removed the suspension and went long arm. That'l teach them damn control arm mounts!

I also took a lot of punches because of having a Rubicon.... But at the same time, they were shocked that I had a brand new Rubicon on the trail. See...More people than you guys think I'm nutz! :

 

[Medsker]

Wow, looks like a sweet trail, rough and ugly at times. What have you done to your Rubicon, so I can get an idea if my rig is at all worthy? (tire size/lift?)

All I have done to it is 2 inch pucks and 33X10.50R15 BFG Muds. If I had to name three things to prepare for it I would say 1. Skidplates, 2. Skidplates and 3. Skidplates. The trail is about beating up the bottom so you either need 40 inch tires to keep the bottom from touching or good skidplates so it doesn't matter if it touches. I didn't even disconnect my swaybar on the trip until about 20 miles the other side of Wendover when a bolt fell out on the freeway, but then again I hardly ever disconnect, something about unspringing all that frontend weight...I don't disconnect until I'm stuck because my tire needs to drop more on one side than the other which I don't recall happening to often.

Medsker