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Rubicon/Fordyce Trip aka "Not Rubicon Trip"


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Rubicon Section

 

The "Not Rubicon Trip" would ideally cover two trails, starting in Georgetown on Monday, and ending in the Ukiah area for the start of the Mendocino rally. On Monday we would start the Rubicon, and drive the Rubicon backwards. Along the Rubicon trail "dispersed camping" is allowed in most areas, meaning you can camp pretty much wherever you want, as long as you do not drive off the trail. Camping Monday night would most likely be at Buck Island Lake, but there are a few other camping spots in case something happens and we don't make it that far. We would be off the Trail by Tuesday night, camping at the West Side Trailhead by Loon Lake, to wake up in the morning for the Jeepers Jamboree Vendor Fair! If people want to they can meet us at the vendor fair for the...

 

Fordyce Section

 

Camping Wednesday night would be near the Fordyce trailhead. The next morning we would set out on the trail. This would be a very difficult trail similar to the Rubicon. The real difficult obstacle we would face would be the three water crossings, which are extremely deep, and may or may not be impassable. We are in a drought right now, so I am hoping for the best as far as the water crossings go. The contingency plan would be to proceed early to the Cow Mountain/ Mendocino forest area, and explore around there Thursday and then drive home Friday morning.

 

 

Things to bring:

 

Recovery Gear

Tow straps

D-Shackles

Tree Savers

Recovery Point

Winch Control/Winch Stuff(If you have a winch)

 

Cooking

You are responsible for your own cooking plan. I will have a grill that you can borrow, but I would plan on bringing your own food for whatever you want to eat.

 

Vehicle

Know your vehicles weak points, and bring parts accordingly. I personally will be bringing driveshafts front and rear for the Discovery II, and two spare axles. I would also bring a full toolkit.

 

Camping

Tents, sleeping bags, pads- fairly self explanatory. Bring whatever you need to be comfortable while sleeping.

 

 

For this trip you would need at least 32" tires and a 3in lift. A winch and lockers are highly recommended. Front and rear recovery mounts are a must. Things like diff guards and rock sliders will be necessary to avoid severe damage to your vehicle. Body damage and mechanical damage are possible, so plan accordingly.

 

 

 

Attending:

Me(Of course)- '04 DII- 3in lift, 32in tires.

Desertcrawler- "04 DII- 3in lift, 33in tires, lockers front and rear

Barry- '85 Jeep CJ7 7in lift, 37in tires, lockers front and rear

 

 

Communications

Me- Ham and CB (KI6WSS)

Desertcrawler- Ham and CB (KI6WSR)

Barry- CB only

 

If you want to go reply to this thread with your name and vehicle information, as well as your communications information.

 

Thanks!

Tyler

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Wish i could make it. Like to check out Fordyce trail one day. Have a good time take lots of pictures.BTW you can cal pg&E about water flow rate. Anything below 250 you should be fine.

 

http://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/yir.063.png

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All,

 

I spoke with Barry. He and Stan are in - he's going to be in Georgetown no later than 10am on Monday, so we can then drop off the trailer there - and circle back around to the Cadillac hill side of the Rubicon. We are cooking group style, splitting cost of dinner meals - for lunch and breakfast we are all on our own. I saw the closure dates for the trail on the website (see below) -- so we should be legal as long as we make it out on Wednesday. Since Wednesday is his birthday - I promised him we'd stop off at Uncle Toms on the way into Georgetown for a birthday drink...I'm assuming we will refuel (both Gas and with new food) in Georgetown before heading to Fordyce trailhead on Wednesday night. I think the vendor show is scheduled there all day long..should be fun too...

 

 

 

 

 

WHEREAS said sponsor has applied for a parade permit pursuant to Vehicle Code 211 02( e), Ordinance Code §12.37.010 et seq., and County Resolution 110-79, in order to restrict usage of the Rubicon Trail during these two parade events to participants only; and WHEREAS the number of vehicles and users anticipated in each parade event, and the unusual circumstances of the Rubicon Trail, require that the Jamboree participants be allowed to pass through on the Rubicon Trail in an organized, continuous and uninterrupted group, for the safety and protection of Jamboree participants and other users;

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the usage of the Rubicon Trail from Wentworth Springs and Loon Lake Dam and thence generally east to the Placer County line shall be restricted to

participants in the "Jeepers Jamboree" or the "Jeep Jamboree" only, from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.

 

Thursday (July 24), Friday (July 25), Saturday (July 26), Sunday (July 27), Friday (August 1), Saturday (August 2) and Sunday (August 3

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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/2y7ere7u.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/ahyga8uq.jpg[ATTACH]5300[/ATTACH]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/2aqe6u7y.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/a8esu6uv.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/aheqavu9.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/ru8a2ery.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/amapage3.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/29/yvy9e9ug.jpg

 

 

Good times on Rubicon

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Wow - the last three pics are all the same ledge? That's about 4' tall it looks like....I think I'd have been stacking rocks unless there was a bypass.

 

I keep thinking I want to run the LR3 up there, but I know I'd never make it through 'clean' and I'm not ready to take on the body damage just yet. Aside from whatever else I would manage to break.

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Yeah....that's different than the part of Wentworth Springs rd. I'm used to. To me 'Wentworth Springs' was a for using knee sliders, not rock sliders! (Triumph Speed Triple)
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Guest Pedram
It's okay Don. I built your bumper. It will take some hits. Honestly I have no idea what you could do to bend my stuff but your welcome to try. I'll build mine soon. Got it back home Friday. Don I'll be hitting you up for a new battery soon.
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Well maybe we'll try that bumper out a bit this weekend or at least next. No hits on it in AZ, though I did manage to catch the trailer connector flap on something and take a piece of it off. Not sure how I managed that as it's tucked up there pretty tight.
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It's okay Don. I built your bumper. It will take some hits. Honestly I have no idea what you could do to bend my stuff but your welcome to try. I'll build mine soon. Got it back home Friday. Don I'll be hitting you up for a new battery soon.

 

Yep. Pedram's stuff is pretty stiff..

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Just read this. Good luck on Fordyce. The river crossings are only part of your battle and it really only the first one that gets creepy deep. Although I have heard the county has been improving the bypasses to winch hill one and three. I have only walked this trail. Haven't taken the rover yet. It's doable in a long day if you dot get stuck behind somebody or break anything. Good luck.
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Next part of trip was Georgetown. Did I mention that our first attempt at welding diff guards on Tyler's truck failed? Anyway we went to the vendor fair and scored big time. WARN stepped up and replaced a winch controller that failed and also gave us synthetic line to replace the one we broke on the trail.

 

And we found a cool portable welder vendor ..more write up to come with a guy who welded our diff guard back on the right way.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/30/vyrazyhy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/30/apydejat.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/30/y5anamaj.jpg

 

welder was so good it burned a whole in the diff. Fixed by using a screw and welding it in. New diff oil and we are back on trail.

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Didn't buy one it's 3200. But it laid down a good weld.

 

fordyce was no joke. After fun in Georgetown we hit Indian Hills campground. Slept in, wound up winch cable and hit trail at 10. Decided to just take the white disco in and try out the trails. 32s and no lockers. Got about 1/3 of the way in..past first water crossing and up a winch hill. doable .. But lots of rock stacking due to loose rocks and diff killers. think we can make it all the way .. But it would be long day. Best to camp middle of trail I think. Beautiful country. think we need to return again and complete...NCLR weekend?http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/umajyjyr.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/ahe7ehud.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/byrybaje.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/uredyte7.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/ypu7y3ym.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/jusaqeja.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/jymuru7u.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/yhehavuh.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/a2ydumyt.jpg

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Final part of the trifecta was supporting the Mendo Rally. Started out at Parducci winery where we got t shirts and registered. Camped at the next days staging area ..awoke at 3am to see a line of convicts enroute to Folsom stopping for a pee break in their orange jumpsuits with guards and all.

 

Then the races begin. As heavy sweep we do vehicle recovery. Push em off the road and at end of day haul em home. 5 major incidents Saturday and one on Sunday.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/ubutazyb.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/yse6e3en.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/ymedehyt.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/duzymegu.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/emuhu2an.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/31/vy2u4ydy.jpg

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Post trip Carnage:

 

Blue D2: Front ABS sensor

Snapped synthetic winch line (replaced by new WARN one)

Bad winch controller (replaced by new WARN one)

Small scratch on passenger door incurred at Cadillac hill

Rear bumper flopping loose after too many hits on Rubicon

Rear air lockers not working

Rear backup lights not working

Constantly overheating dual battery setup (needs relocating)

 

White D2: Bent Steering Arm needs replacing

Busted tail lights in rear bumper

Rear door not opening due to dust

A few more miscellaneous scratches and scrapes

Front wheel sensor ABS needs fixing

 

Oh well. Guess that's the price you pay for wheeling hard....

 

 

 

 

Overall, not too bad a

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So you made it to winch hill one or past it? Did you take the newly remodeled bypass or do the winch hill? From what I remember it only gets harder from there. I recall talking about how the rubicon will give you a break but Fordyce never stops. I would be down for an Nclr trip. My buddies cabin is just down the road from the trail head on highway 20. Plan on Camp on the trail at the commitee crossing and then camp at meadow lake on the way out. If all goes well just head straight to meadow lake. No good camping spots with water past commitee though so it meadow or bust. Next summer?
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Not sure. We drove in for 3 hours..no map but kept right instead of left. Climbed up a switchback that did bypass one steep up hill..was that winch hill? Made it into the first water crossing and then climbed up another steep hill. No winching but rock stacking and hi lift came in handy. Turned around at top. Headed back out. Only had 32s and no lockers
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow. Very cool trip. You guys were really pushing those discos. I really want to do the Rubicon in my p38.

 

Up near White Rock Lake this weekend we saw that they were having the Sierra Treks Fordyce trip this weekend. Serious rock crawling rigs on 37s and up. Most were trailer ed in.

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