Purches Creek Loop July 2010

[TonyM]

Purches Creek Loop (AK) July 2010

Greg and I decided to take a quick run out to Purches Creek before he leaves for the slope on Wednesday. I went up Friday, camped at the parking lot at the lower entrance, and Greg, his kid, and Jake on the wheeler, met up around 10AM Sat morning.

Our goal was to go in upper Purches, camp at Peters Creek, and head out around out the lower side. Gregs kid and Jake had to head out that night because they had to work Sunday. They made it back out with no problems.

We were able to navigate the lower swamps pretty good, and besides Greg breaking an axle, which we were able to replace in about an hour or so, it went pretty flawlessly. Greg had to pull cable a few times, and I had to once as well to get over a shelf, but other than that, pretty smooth sailing. We left camp at around noon or so, and we were back at the parkinglot around 5, we made pretty good time.

The weather was not so great. It rained more than it didn't. There would be a couple hour breaks here and there... but it pretty much constantly pissed on us...

 

[TonyM]

 

[TonyM]

 

[TonyM]

well here`s a few more pics from the weekend:8:

fixing tonys frayed belt

veiw on the way up

jake doing some surfing

 

[TonyM]

the way out:smilewinkgrin:
first stuck where i broke the sort side saft of my f end

bad line

tony in tight turn on a good line

tony cleaning up after the last bad spot

 

[Grim]

Awesome Alaska Pics!

 

[Cherokeester]

That Ford certainly has the "get the eff out of the way look"! Is there anything dry in Alaska?

 

[TonyM]

Its been a pretty rainy summer for us this year. The trail in at Purches is typically bone dry, and only the lower area where the swamps are can get you dirty.

Most of the trails up here have some element of swamp or mud. Some definatly more than others, but for the most part you can count on getting a little muddy no matter where you go.

 

[Ogre Palowakski]

I love these Alaska reports. Do you ever see bears on your trips?

 

[TonyM]

I love these Alaska reports. Do you ever see bears on your trips?

Sometimes... but not often. They seem to know that if they show up within shooting distance, they are coming home with us...

We're usually loud enough it keeps them moving well before we see them...

 

[Rot Box]

Do you guys do any wheeling that isn't hardcore?! I cant get enough of your reports

I love the F350 badges on the Bronco :greg:

 

[TonyM]

Do you guys do any wheeling that isn't hardcore?! I cant get enough of your reports

I love the F350 badges on the Bronco :greg:

We try to keep it that way... The only way you can really "Get out there", is to battle some of the nasty. The rule of thumb is, the harder it is to get there, the less people you'll encounter... and with all of the tourists and nike nazi's roaming around, these are places you have to go to get away.

As for the F350 badges... is does have a EFI 460/C6 and one tons... so its technically more accurate....

 

[Coreshot]

looks like one helluva lot of work....

 

[TonyM]

looks like one helluva lot of work....

For Greg... it was (The guy in the Jeep). He pulled cable 6-7 times... I only had to pull cable once, and it was only for about 10 feet.

You know what they say, nothing good comes easy... right?...

 

[LT.]

I was noticing on the Jeep that the Boggers look like they are on backwards on the front axle. What is the reasoning behind this? I also can't get enough of the Alaska adventures. Keep them coming.

LT.

 

[TonyM]

I was noticing on the Jeep that the Boggers look like they are on backwards on the front axle. What is the reasoning behind this? I also can't get enough of the Alaska adventures. Keep them coming.

LT.

The Backwards Bogger is a fairly popular strategy for navigating areas like this. The idea being, that boggers (A directional tire) have a tendency to dig down, rather than float/pull in swampy muck like this, and in snow. What guys will do, is put the front boggers on backwards, so they don't dig down as much in the front if they start to get stuck, and have better traction in reverse.

Does it work? Some swear by it. I've never run them that way, and I have no plan to. If I'm stuck, a backwards bogger was not going to help anyway... it would have only hindered my progress IMO.

In the snow however... I may try it... cause anyone who has run a bogger in the snow can tell you how horrible they do, especially on a heavy rig. I may try it this winter just for run to see... but I am skeptical at best... :-\