Jimmy
August 17th, 2008, 04:10 PM
We had four vehicles along for this trip: Pete and LaDawn, Stephanie and Hugh, Steve, and Jimmy and family.
The intended trails for this day were Red Cone and Radical Hill, but given the amounts of snow that had fallen at high altitude over the last couple of days, they were nixed and we headed to Slaughterhouse and Crow Creek.
It was steadily raining in Conifer, along with some lightening and thunder. So, we were in for a n uncommon day on the trail - wet, slippery conditions! We headed out from Conifer and made it to the trailhead in short order. After airing down, Stephanie was asked to lead Slaugherhouse since she was the only one in the group that had not run it. Now this may sound backwards and not for some, but Stephanie stepped up to the task!
We set off and wound our way along to the beginning of the loop, stopping a few times to pick up after the filthy pigs who frequent this popular trail. At one point, Pete spied a chewed up deer leg up in a tree - was it a mountain lion/cougar or a human who put it there... who knows? We continued along under the steady rain, past the cattle gate, and down into the gulch. Near the bottom, Jimmy spied a Jeep Wagoneer carcass off in the woods. We take a moment to stretch our legs and hike up to the Jeep. It had been well stripped of various parts, with only an engine block and leaf springs being worth anything. We hop back into the rigs and make our way to the clearing at the base of the uphill climb out of the gulch and have lunch. By this point the rain had stopped for the time being.
Once filling our bellies, we head up the hill. Being one of the more interesting spots of the trail, Steve and Pete take the opportunity to have a second run at the tougher section of the hill - Steve having at it in reverse no less! He made it most of the way too. After witnessing these shenanigans, Stephanie - who initially opted not to try this section - came back around and gave it a go! With only one line correction needed, she conquered it with grace.
On up the hill and further along, we run into that rock obstacle before the decent to the end of the loop. My reaction was that it had been extremely dug out since the last time I drove over it, but I didn't let that stop me. When the front end got on top and the back end dropped into the well dug out hole, a tippy we went! It was enough that I immediately stopped for fear of laying it over and backed out - the crying of a 2 year old will do that to a Dad. :o While backing out, apparently (will have to see the pics) I was well flexed out and paused for pics at the request of the audience. Pete and Steve of course made this obstacle look boring! :)
With the slick conditions, the section on the downhill that forces you close to the nearly dead tree became interesting. Stephanie managed to get by without breaking her mirror. I folded my mirror in, which didn't turn out to be my issue. I didn't get close enough to the tree and managed to lay up against it with my drip rail getting kissed. I back up and out of the way, take a different line and get by without anymore damage. Pete went by with just a little rub of the exo, and Steve... made it look boring. :)
Off the loop and onto Crow Creek. After a short stop at the mud pits and the camping spot up the hill (where more trash was picked up), we continued up Crow Creek. Since I had never been any further up Crow Creek, I jumped in front without permission (sorry if you wanted to continue leading Stephanie!) as I was excited to see new trail. In dry weather, this area of trail would most likely be uninspiring but add in the rain - which had started back up by now IIRC - and it began to make things interesting.
We reach a T in the trail, and go right. Further on, we run into another group of vehicles at a challenging point in the trail (the furthest point Pete had ever reached), and after they make their way past, we continue on. The trail continues to decent all the way to two dead ends - one was in a bottom at what appeared to be private property (fence and gate; don't remember if there was a sign), and one was up a hill on a side trail. As we make our way back out, instead of taking an obviously newer bypass, we head into a somewhat challenging section of trail which is fed by runoff and rutted. Jimmy went in first and found the end of the section before a short uphill was quite soft and muddy, requiring a line to the far right which was out of the ditch and mud. Take note - I tried to get onto this line with only the rear locker engaged and the back end would not get out of the ditch. It was only after shutting off all the lockers was I able to get onto the high line and hold onto it to the short hill. Stephanie opted out after witnessing my shenanigans. :) Steve came up and after I shared my hard-learned information with him, made it look boring. :) (Seeing a pattern here? Steve, your rig is too capable ;) ) Pete didn't make a go of it (not sure why. Pete?) and followed Stephanie around. As it was getting into the later afternoon, we headed out without exploring the left at the first T - I figured it left something for us to explore another day. We make our way on out to the trailhead to air up and say our good byes.
For a trail that I had not been overly excited to run, it turned out to be very interested and challenging given the conditions. We had a great and capable group which kept things moving very well, and allowed us to explore plenty of ground.
We forgot our digital camera, but once we get the pics processed from the disposable we bought at Safeway, I'll be sure to post them up. Fortunately, everyone else had cameras and I'm sure will share.
Thanks for an awesome day! Be sure to add any stories I forgot to cover.
The intended trails for this day were Red Cone and Radical Hill, but given the amounts of snow that had fallen at high altitude over the last couple of days, they were nixed and we headed to Slaughterhouse and Crow Creek.
It was steadily raining in Conifer, along with some lightening and thunder. So, we were in for a n uncommon day on the trail - wet, slippery conditions! We headed out from Conifer and made it to the trailhead in short order. After airing down, Stephanie was asked to lead Slaugherhouse since she was the only one in the group that had not run it. Now this may sound backwards and not for some, but Stephanie stepped up to the task!
We set off and wound our way along to the beginning of the loop, stopping a few times to pick up after the filthy pigs who frequent this popular trail. At one point, Pete spied a chewed up deer leg up in a tree - was it a mountain lion/cougar or a human who put it there... who knows? We continued along under the steady rain, past the cattle gate, and down into the gulch. Near the bottom, Jimmy spied a Jeep Wagoneer carcass off in the woods. We take a moment to stretch our legs and hike up to the Jeep. It had been well stripped of various parts, with only an engine block and leaf springs being worth anything. We hop back into the rigs and make our way to the clearing at the base of the uphill climb out of the gulch and have lunch. By this point the rain had stopped for the time being.
Once filling our bellies, we head up the hill. Being one of the more interesting spots of the trail, Steve and Pete take the opportunity to have a second run at the tougher section of the hill - Steve having at it in reverse no less! He made it most of the way too. After witnessing these shenanigans, Stephanie - who initially opted not to try this section - came back around and gave it a go! With only one line correction needed, she conquered it with grace.
On up the hill and further along, we run into that rock obstacle before the decent to the end of the loop. My reaction was that it had been extremely dug out since the last time I drove over it, but I didn't let that stop me. When the front end got on top and the back end dropped into the well dug out hole, a tippy we went! It was enough that I immediately stopped for fear of laying it over and backed out - the crying of a 2 year old will do that to a Dad. :o While backing out, apparently (will have to see the pics) I was well flexed out and paused for pics at the request of the audience. Pete and Steve of course made this obstacle look boring! :)
With the slick conditions, the section on the downhill that forces you close to the nearly dead tree became interesting. Stephanie managed to get by without breaking her mirror. I folded my mirror in, which didn't turn out to be my issue. I didn't get close enough to the tree and managed to lay up against it with my drip rail getting kissed. I back up and out of the way, take a different line and get by without anymore damage. Pete went by with just a little rub of the exo, and Steve... made it look boring. :)
Off the loop and onto Crow Creek. After a short stop at the mud pits and the camping spot up the hill (where more trash was picked up), we continued up Crow Creek. Since I had never been any further up Crow Creek, I jumped in front without permission (sorry if you wanted to continue leading Stephanie!) as I was excited to see new trail. In dry weather, this area of trail would most likely be uninspiring but add in the rain - which had started back up by now IIRC - and it began to make things interesting.
We reach a T in the trail, and go right. Further on, we run into another group of vehicles at a challenging point in the trail (the furthest point Pete had ever reached), and after they make their way past, we continue on. The trail continues to decent all the way to two dead ends - one was in a bottom at what appeared to be private property (fence and gate; don't remember if there was a sign), and one was up a hill on a side trail. As we make our way back out, instead of taking an obviously newer bypass, we head into a somewhat challenging section of trail which is fed by runoff and rutted. Jimmy went in first and found the end of the section before a short uphill was quite soft and muddy, requiring a line to the far right which was out of the ditch and mud. Take note - I tried to get onto this line with only the rear locker engaged and the back end would not get out of the ditch. It was only after shutting off all the lockers was I able to get onto the high line and hold onto it to the short hill. Stephanie opted out after witnessing my shenanigans. :) Steve came up and after I shared my hard-learned information with him, made it look boring. :) (Seeing a pattern here? Steve, your rig is too capable ;) ) Pete didn't make a go of it (not sure why. Pete?) and followed Stephanie around. As it was getting into the later afternoon, we headed out without exploring the left at the first T - I figured it left something for us to explore another day. We make our way on out to the trailhead to air up and say our good byes.
For a trail that I had not been overly excited to run, it turned out to be very interested and challenging given the conditions. We had a great and capable group which kept things moving very well, and allowed us to explore plenty of ground.
We forgot our digital camera, but once we get the pics processed from the disposable we bought at Safeway, I'll be sure to post them up. Fortunately, everyone else had cameras and I'm sure will share.
Thanks for an awesome day! Be sure to add any stories I forgot to cover.