Old Chinaman Gulch Snow Run 11/23/07

[corsair23]

Kinda looks like Larry's brother Bill the Cable Guy.

How about the toll collector guy? Sort of does look like a money pouch in his right hand


Really wish I could have made the trip...We were up in Avon so I figured just a hop over the hill and I'd be there...Nah, instead we went to Beaver Creek Village where I decided to leave my fanny pack behind that lead to about 3 hours of hell trying to find/recover - Looks like you all had a blast!

 

[ArloGuthroJeep]

Nice trip guys We were up there a week ago and had a full day on the trail w/o snow, props for getting through with some slick stuff on top!

 

[JadeRunner]

Well I definitely got the challenge I was looking for. Since you couldn't crawl up the rocks you had to get good at carefully bumping them and maintain your momentum without sliding into something to fast. Slicing a sidewall sliding into a rock was my biggest fear all day. I did hit my front tires several times harder than I would have liked but my MTR's held together. My sliders and skids saw a lot of action. I bent one of my sliders in some but that was it. I somehow managed to keep my fender flares and body out of the rocks so that was good..

I was delighted with the group we had. All drivers demonstrated some serious driver skill and had very well equipped rigs to boot. In fact everyone had fronts lockers but me (as long as RockRunner's ARB's stayed engaged). Ige and myself had the small 285\75's everyone else had 35's or larger. The two 80's did really well with there front lockers. They could get their front end up on the rocks and pull on over. Ige complained that she was sliding around more than me with her added weight. But, she wheeled her 80 with a vengeance and only had a few cosmetic issues. Nay spanked the rock pile (Yoder's rock) with snow all over it. He drove it like a champ. I passed on it.

I had to winch twice. I tried and tried but couldn't get up Whale rock and had to winch the easy line to get up. RockRunners rig and big 37" MTR's ate up most things that got in his way. He was having a blast and driver very well. He was the only one able to get up the normal middle line on whale rock and the only one to attempt and conquer the double slab. He was the only one able to get up the normal middle line on whale rock. Red Chili led the trail for me and was able to take the larger lines in attempt to avoid tipping in to rocks on the tight stuff. He tried to crawl as much as possible and would usually end up have to bump and gas it to get around. He took a winch line a few times to keep it safe with his new body job. The ATV guys and us had the trail to ourselves and were in no hurry.

Sheps proved pretty difficult for Chili and Nay. Chilly got really tippy on the high ling and managed to loose his diff fluid. We cleaned it up, put his fill plug in the drain position. We saw the large boulder on the left move a little as Dave Nay hammered into it with his slider. After Nay finally got through, we stacked rocks and the rest of us got through pretty quickly. We tip towed down the rest of the trail, trying not to slide out on the steep spots. Definite pucker factor in a few areas going down to the gulch but then with gravity behind us we had no issues getting off the trail.

We aired up at the trailhead at dark. The snowy and icy drive back on 285 wasn't fun but couldn't dampen a very challenging and fun day on the trail.

 

[Red_Chili]

I was thinking that might be his... very nice!

Thanks for the kind words!
Since the Chili is an all-grown-up girl now, I need to fab some steel bras for those new protuberances...

Once I do, I will have fewer worries. Came REAL close on a couple rock bumps, but then again I tend to worry. After all, I cleared a rock and a tree with at LEAST 1/2" to spare.

Oh, Jim...?

And by the way, of course we cleaned up any spilt oil. Which pretty much stayed suspended in the snow. Feel like a moron, gotta fab a diff drag plate to keep that from EVER happening again.

I just happen to have a piece of 3/8" bar stock that should do it. Yessir.

 

[JadeRunner]

Feel like a moron, gotta fab a diff drag plate to keep that from EVER happening again.

I just happen to have a piece of 3/8" bar stock that should do it. Yessir.

Can you cut me a piece also while your at it please. I'll get someone to weld it on for me. I'm on my 3rd drain plug, but never had one completely fail on the trail like yours did.

 

[Red_Chili]

What, my welder ain't good enuff for ya?

My thought now is to go with a skid plate with a hole in the middle for the plug, recessed. Should hold up bunches better than Toyota's method of using a slice of tubing.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Thanks for the kind words!
Since the Chili is an all-grown-up girl now, I need to fab some steel bras for those new protuberances...

Great....there goes his hat band again! Good thing he's not wearing his helmet or we would have a mess!

 

[RockRunner]

Thanks for the kind words too Scott, you were right I had a BLAST. No amount of snow could have dampened my spirits. It had been a while since I had been on a real trail and this one was great. I can't wait to go back and run when dry and take the lines you guys were talking about.

I do have to correct you on one thing, I have E-lockers ;-) No worries on the locker, I just had to move the gear the moves the fork over one tooth and voila I was locked for the rest of the trail. I still think your 4Runner would great with a solid axle in the front, they even make a 3-4 link set up for those now.

Next time you plan a trip let me know, I will try to make it out again. As I said before I had a BLAST.

Bill, if you are planning on doing the bras yourself let me know. I am planning on an EXO too and would like to get a bender but just can't justify the cost for one job. Maybe we can invest in one together.

 

[Red_Chili]

I think I'm gonna have Jim bend me the tubing, he is affordable, I talked to him about it at the car wash a month or two ago. Then I can weld/bolt it on. For that matter I could have him tack it and I can finish it to save a couple bucks. Sumthin like that anywho.

It needs to be removable and I need to keep my bumper air tank function, so no holes there. Should be fun.

 

[JadeRunner]

Here are few pictures from my phone (low quality).

 

[JadeRunner]

Here are some more pictures from my phone. Nay has my new hand saw. This log was jammed up against Ige's rig preventing her from backing up. She was in a bit of a jam.

 

[Nay]

I "handed" your handsaw back to you...did it not get home with you? I'll double check on my end.

 

[JadeRunner]

I "handed" your handsaw back to you...did it not get home with you? I'll double check on my end.

No i meant you were using my new handsaw. I have it.

 

[Nay]

No i meant you were using my new handsaw. I have it.

Of course

I'm looking at that last pic of me diff hung on Shep's and wondering why on earth I didn't just go up the right side all the way like I've been doing for years. Sometimes trying to be conservative is the best way to get in trouble...

 

[AxleIke]

I wish I could of made this, if only to ride and see what i guess is being called "sheps". I'm in disbelief that a truck can drive the right side without rolling. I couldn't when I was up there, and I'm still not sure I'd do it.

 

[Nay]

I wish I could of made this, if only to ride and see what i guess is being called "sheps". I'm in disbelief that a truck can drive the right side without rolling. I couldn't when I was up there, and I'm still not sure I'd do it.

I used to do it in a 7" lifted Cherokee on a 101" wheelbase - the whole center of that obstacle is rock, so it's not like it should be getting worse, even though I'm the first to admit it "feels" worse because at the top when you start coming back down is not rock and is getting dug out, so you have to hold it longer or drop out with some momentum.

But...you get that right tire hooked up on the high line and you can pretty much drive through if you can stomach the lean (I did it last year with my wife and four kids in the truck, and you'll notice I was alone on this run ).

I watched Chili taking all the lean and decided I'd had enough and my reward is a candy caned driveshaft that is vibrating just a bit more than it was on Thanksgiving. But at that stage...with the snow...I was pretty much in "avoid the roll at all costs" mode.

In 10 years I've never said this: It is time for me to get a winch. Or 37's

 

[RockRunner]

All I can say is....................WHEN do we go back?????????

 

[Red_Chili]

But...you get that right tire hooked up on the high line and you can pretty much drive through if you can stomach the lean (I did it last year with my wife and four kids in the truck, and you'll notice I was alone on this run ).

I watched Chili taking all the lean and decided I'd had enough and my reward is a candy caned driveshaft that is vibrating just a bit more than it was on Thanksgiving. But at that stage...with the snow...I was pretty much in "avoid the roll at all costs" mode.

In 10 years I've never said this: It is time for me to get a winch. Or 37's

I didn't notice the lean as much (this is candybutt ME talking!) as the rear end sliding left and sending the left side waaaaay close to that rock. That's when I said, "WINCH!".

It's also when I winched over the diff rock and poinked my drain plug!

Being conservative isn't as bad as being conservative and locking up inside. THAT'S when you make mistakes. True on SO many levels and so many areas of life.

 

[Nay]

All I can say is....................WHEN do we go back?????????

I'm thinking a January snow run reunion

 

[Red_Chili]

Should be dry by then...