Arnold, CA Area Trip - April 17-19

[AA Journey]

Hi, 

 

Great write up Don.  

 

Yes, this was a great trip.  Great weather, beautiful scenery and rough trail. :-)  The trail did get rougher over the years which made it more more difficult to traverse but nothing a well armor rover can't handle. 

 

Here are some of the pictures i took during the trip.  

 

http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock/i-MhtCLMk/0/M/IMG_3784-M.jpg

 

http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock/i-xhJxWkk/0/M/IMG_3790-M.jpg

 

Link to the pictures: http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock

 

 

AA

[LandRonB]

Thanks for the write-up Don!

 

I left early Saturday morning to get to the trail head; pleasant drive and scenic via Hwy 4. Caught a beautiful sunrise while driving up.

 

When I got at the start of the trail, a band of 5 Rovers and 2 Jeeps were ready to go; sounded like a movie.

 

The 2 Jeeps left early, and then there were 6 Rovers to finish the trail. This movie had a happy ending.

 

Nobody was left behind and everyone made it thru Slick Rock from North to South.

 

Jake and I had a great time on the trail, camp was picture perfect next to a stream, and the company, I couldn't have picked a great group to take the CT110 thru this difficult trail.

 

Been on the Rubicon twice, and I would compare Slick Rock Gate Keeper to Rubicon's Cadillac Hill in terms of technical difficulty.

 

Except the Rubicon is a lot longer trail. I'd like to see this trail on annual basis.

 

Here are random photos I took from this trip: sunrise, Slot Canyon, Slick Rock, water crossing, Gate Keeper, camped next to s stream and camp fire.

[DHappel]

Graeme, I agree that doing it in the summer might be a traffic jam.   We did have several groups of Jeeps come through and there was a big group of people at the stairs hanging out.  There are plenty of areas where getting to groups past each other is a challenge.  If we were going to do it, I'd want a small group of maybe 3-5 trucks and I'd want to start as early as possible.  We Rover types don't tend to be the fastest moving relative to the Jeep guys, at least on technical stuff.

 

I do like Ron's idea of making this an annual trip though.   I'll think about that, but the timing could be difficult.  In a normal rain year the trail would still be closed this time of year - you can see there are still a few patches of snow on the ground even now.  I do think getting there early in the year would be best, but I think May-June is more common.

 

There are also plenty of easier trails in the area if we wanted to have a big group at camp then break into two for the trail runs.  The area we camped in is about 1.5 miles in and should be passable for any Rovers, though it might have a challenge or two for some stock trucks.  But it's a beautiful spot and has plenty of room for a dozen or more rigs without crowding.

[RedRover]

Hi, 

 

Great write up Don.  

 

Yes, this was a great trip.  Great weather, beautiful scenery and rough trail. :-)  The trail did get rougher over the years which made it more more difficult to traverse but nothing a well armor rover can't handle. 

 

Here are some of the pictures i took during the trip.  

 

http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock/i-MhtCLMk/0/M/IMG_3784-M.jpg

 

http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock/i-xhJxWkk/0/M/IMG_3790-M.jpg

 

Link to the pictures: http://antonioanguiano.smugmug.com/Hobbies/2015-Slick-Rock

 

 

AA

 

I went through every one of those photos -- great work.  Looked pretty challenging/technical but glad to see body damage was kept to a minimum!

[erinw.rrc]

Graeme, I agree that doing it in the summer might be a traffic jam.   We did have several groups of Jeeps come through and there was a big group of people at the stairs hanging out.  There are plenty of areas where getting to groups past each other is a challenge.  If we were going to do it, I'd want a small group of maybe 3-5 trucks and I'd want to start as early as possible.  We Rover types don't tend to be the fastest moving relative to the Jeep guys, at least on technical stuff.

 

I do like Ron's idea of making this an annual trip though.   I'll think about that, but the timing could be difficult.  In a normal rain year the trail would still be closed this time of year - you can see there are still a few patches of snow on the ground even now.  I do think getting there early in the year would be best, but I think May-June is more common.

 

There are also plenty of easier trails in the area if we wanted to have a big group at camp then break into two for the trail runs.  The area we camped in is about 1.5 miles in and should be passable for any Rovers, though it might have a challenge or two for some stock trucks.  But it's a beautiful spot and has plenty of room for a dozen or more rigs without crowding.

 

I will put this on the list of possible official marquee trips and we can discuss at a meeting for 2016 trips.

[GraemeWare]

Seeing how busy it was in this time of year is just the beginning. I think July would be the worst time to do these trails with the traffic we saw. And more trucks in the group only leads to more delays.

 

Pedram,

 

Thanks for the comment; did wonder about that.  Generally, I think 5-6 trucks is enough for any trail (even at Hollister) otherwise it is park-and-wait all the time.  How about the early June date?  Still too busy you think?

 

Graeme

[ndamico]

Thanks to everyone for the great time.  Brooklyn and I both enjoyed ourselves.  The trail was hard in some spots although most of my worry was of body damage at not much else.  Had I not been driving the LR4 i probably wouldn't have been as concerned  This may be the first and last trip down Slickrock for the LR4.  Hopefully next time i'll have something with a little bigger tire to get me down the trail.

 

Thanks to everyone for the help with spotting- Don, Antonio, Ron, Pedram and everyone else.  Also thank you for the help getting the tire changed...  As for the tire i'll blame that on Don's spotting ....  if not that then it must have been the extra 75 HP the LR4 has that makes it hard to go slow over obstacles..

 

Next time we'll camp and we can share trail stories by the campfire.  Brooklyn slept like a rock that night.  We got dinner, went back to the cabin, I gave her a bath and she was out in short order.  All that rock scouring she did must have worn her out!

 

I hope we can do so more trails.  I loved it and so did Brooklyn.  

 

I finally got all the photos I took uploaded.  Some with our camera, some with either the front or rear GoPro's.  Here's the link to them:

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/117252975641477081276/albums/6139483234758057377

 

I have tons of video but only uploaded the ones from my camera so far.  Gopro stuff will take longer.

 

Camera vids:

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/nickdamico916/videos

[DHappel]

Got my pics up finally.  I am reminded that I am no photographer. 

 

The campsite:

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150417_190020_zpsfopsaqyo.jpg

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150417_185846_zpsbsjmbvpj.jpg

(it doesn't get much better than that)

[DHappel]

Well crap...I just wrote a long post with a bunch of my short videos in it only to find the new forum software won't support that extension.  So you'll just have to make due with still shots I guess.

 

 

Pedram's new-fangled 'airless' tire

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_165947_zpspzzlhh6w.jpg

 

 

 

My new-fangled 'rock hard' suspension  (seriously, how did I pick up something that big?)

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_154946_zps2fj1lhfk.jpg

 

 

[DHappel]

The whole group

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_105938_zps37qu9gft.jpg

 

 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_094606_zpssrimb39v.jpg

 

[DHappel]

Nick and the LR4

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_150611_zps39foocou.jpg

 

 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_150408_zpsepkouomh.jpg

 

 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_111754_zpsztgyejfx.jpg

 

 

 

[DHappel]

Pedram's truck making sweet, sweet love to a log 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_125759_zpsrwzinkiv.jpg

 

 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_125902_zpsbzb24gvx.jpg

 

 

 

[DHappel]

Ron and the CT110

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_114746_zpslkx9vlub.jpg

 

 

 

Antonio and the P38 Range Rover

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_101345_zpsmxv1zora.jpg

 

 

 

[DHappel]

Jarrell's D1 - I didn't get many pics of him unfortunately.

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_104116_zpskglunogf.jpg

 

 

 

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz85/zelatore/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15/20150418_101054_zpsep5lehfp.jpg

 

[DHappel]

Here's the link to the whole album with the videos and other photos.

 

http://s816.photobucket.com/user/zelatore/library/07%20Land%20Rover%20LR3/slick%20rock%20trail%204-15?sort=3&page=1

[ndamico]

what does anyone think about a mid-week trip to some of the more busy places?  i know it doesn't work for everyone but I could do it.  running some of them during the week might avoid most of the congestion.   if mid-week were the only option i would go again.  i hope to have something different by then anyway

 

 

also there is a trail near board's crossing that is supposed to be good. not quite as far up the hill. i've bene to the trailhead but no further.  interest?

 

 

 

Don,

 

Sounds great, and I'm sorry I missed it this time.

 

Anyone interested in putting it back on the calendar for July (10)/11/12 or June (5)/6/7?

 

Graeme

[DHappel]

With a little planning I can often get away mid-week, though for the immediate future I'm tied up.  I also have to do a post-mortem on the truck and find out what that unpleasant metal-on-metal sound was.....that will have to wait until this weekend I'm afraid.  Hope it's nothing too bad as the following weekend is Pismo and I know Michele has been wanting to do that trip since we missed it a year ago.

[ndamico]

great. lets keep that in mind for sure.  maybe we can round up some others too.  on the way home my Lr4 started telling me my hood was open...also i saw a new light on the dash i haven't seen before. looks like a "bulb out" light but i can't find a burned out bulb..  maybe she's pissed off at me...lol

[GraemeWare]

great. lets keep that in mind for sure.  maybe we can round up some others too.  on the way home my Lr4 started telling me my hood was open...also i saw a new light on the dash i haven't seen before. looks like a "bulb out" light but i can't find a burned out bulb..  maybe she's pissed off at me...lol

 

Nick,

 

Oh, that would be the "get your wallet out" light ....

 

Graeme

[GraemeWare]

what does anyone think about a mid-week trip to some of the more busy places?  i know it doesn't work for everyone but I could do it.  running some of them during the week might avoid most of the congestion.   if mid-week were the only option i would go again.  i hope to have something different by then anyway

 

 

also there is a trail near board's crossing that is supposed to be good. not quite as far up the hill. i've bene to the trailhead but no further.  interest?

 

Nick,

 

Planned ahead I can do most things .... sometimes.

 

June 5th to 10th is free for Lucas and I and I'm trying to find a good place to go rather than stay at home, even if it was, say, 7th-10th June.

 

Graeme

[erinw.rrc]

great. lets keep that in mind for sure. maybe we can round up some others too. on the way home my Lr4 started telling me my hood was open...also i saw a new light on the dash i haven't seen before. looks like a "bulb out" light but i can't find a burned out bulb.. maybe she's pissed off at me...lol

Jared just had the hood sensor replaced on his 2012 Range Rover. It was giving the same code, and then the car wouldn't lock if the sensor was tripped. He also said he read online that someone had their alarm go off when the car was locked because the sensor would trip.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlysonH]

...also i saw a new light on the dash i haven't seen before. looks like a "bulb out" light but i can't find a burned out bulb.. maybe she's pissed off at me...lol

Was it yellow and flashing? If so that's letting you know your adaptive headlights have a fault in them. For some reason that warning light is not in the book.

[DHappel]

Oddly, I started intermittently getting a 'hood open' light while on the trail as well.  I assume the sensor is just a plunger and maybe it wasn't seating correctly.  I know when I stopped for lunch on the way home I got the horn beep when I locked the truck which means a door/hood/hatch is open so I did a quick walk-around and didn't see anything.  Opened and shut the driver's door and hit the button again and it acted fine.  Not high on my worry list.

 

I think mine actually locks if the hood is open and I hit the button, it just honks the horn to warn that something isn't shut fully.  I've done it on purpose a few times when working on the truck and leaving mid-job for whatever reason.

[Guest Pedram]

I've used up my trip cards for now. Nothing until I get my day pass back from the boss. But she did mention a Pismo trip. Which might suck because it will involve renting a hotel which at Pismo means nothing fun will happen at night.

 

But this trip definitely needs to be done again. The disco will eventually make the harder climb up the gate keeper. And I know what to expect this time around.

[RedRover]

Not certain if the LR3 uses the same hood sensor, but I was getting a 'Hood Open' message while driving.  As disconcerting as seeing a message about an open hood doing 80 down the freeway can be, I was eventually able to tell that it was a bad sensor.

 

The really unfortunate part is that, if the sensor reads Open, you cannot lock the Range Rover.  It gives two warning beeps to say the vehicle isn't able to be locked due to a door, tailgate or hood being ajar.

 

LRSJ installed a new hood sensor and I should be good for another year or two...