Bill Moore Lake, OCT 27

[Pathrat]

More of the write-up is to follow INCLUDING pictures. Suffice to say for now that you would be hard-pressed to go farther than the mud bog. It took a while for me to get back up the hill from the bog and I was very happy to see three guys in built Nissan Frontiers with winches and chains, ready to haul my carcass up. They had heard from two guys on motorbikes that I was stuck and they came down to help. :cheers:to the Ronin Nisssan guys!

[SCRubicon]

How deep was the white stuff?

[Ric]

did ya get stuck ? if so, did some Nissan guys help out ? they said that they helped or there was an FJ stuck or someting like that, lol

[Chris]

I've heard it gets hard when wet, you verifying that?

[Pathrat]

So there we were, down by the mud bog because Miss Stupid here went down the hill because she didn't see a turn-around spot. We walked down to the bog and decided we needed to turn around and head back up; I had a feeling it as going to be diffiicult. I was right! First we tried some acceleration after shoveling the ruts down. I got up part way and hit the snow berm on the right. Left was a drop-off. I don't like snowy drop-offs. Under the snow was a layer of ice. We tried shoveling dirt over the icy spots for traction. I was kind of afraid of barreling on up when the back end started heading left a bit. I let some air out of the tires but not enough. I have seen a tire come off the bead when wedged into a wall of snow and changing a tire there would completely suck. We kept shoveling and I kept trying. Then I hear engines. Here come the Nissan guys. Two of them drove down and the one with chains headed back up to the top to get into position. I backed all the way down then just drove by feel and reaction, disengaging the worried brain. I made it all the way up the hill where the Frontier was waiting for me. I got the strap out just in case and turned out that I didn't need it. The Nissan guys came down because they had heard someone was stuck (thanks unknown motorcycle guys) and I did better, I think, knowing there was help availible. I told GateMonkey not to let me be a trail weenie next time. :o Chains are on my list and we decided no more runs after October without company.
OTHERWISE, the trail was a good test of the new suspension.



http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1264.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1262.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1261.jpg

[Pathrat]

Here is my problem spot:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1265.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1267.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1266.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1268.jpg

[Pathrat]

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1277.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1283.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT1269.jpg

[Pathrat]

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/BillMoore2008/

(link fixed)

Here are the rest of the pictures, including the convoy of three Nissans and seven Jeeps that had come up the trail and stopped at the top of the hill up from the bog.

[SCRubicon]

The trail looks a little slick. I'm glad there was no carnage.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/BillMoore2008/PICT1266.jpg

[Funrover]

Nice!!! You know for a gal that doesn't like the cold I have seen a lot of snow wheeling shots from you!

[Brody]

Nice shots and write up! What happened to the 'moved photo or video' stuff, anyway??

We oughta see if we can make those other chains that I have fit on the FJ. They should at any rate.

Glad that you got out ok. Wanted to see the pictures to see what kind of predicament you got yourself into. I got stuck in something similiar to what you were in years ago. Downhill, deadend, no place to turn around, by myself, shelf road, and couldn't back up as I kept sliding off the edge of the road. I had a locked up 69 Bronco with both a winch and a Hi Lift. I ended up essentially standing the Bronco on it's rear end, spinning it so that it faced up hill, using the Hi Lift, strapping it in place, then yarding the ass end out from under it with the Hi Lift. Took about 6-8 hours and I finished in the dark. I was about 10 miles from where I was camped, but I could see the way out of the problem, so I just stuck with it. Interesting , tough...

[Pathrat]

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/BillMoore2008/

Here is the link, I had moved a few pictures and broken the link. The last picture in my write up (and thank you :)) was the spot. Also, if you look at one of the snow road pics in the middle, you will see the Nissan at the top, waiting for me. I could not get up that section in the middle where there are no trees to catch you if you spin your rear off the trail. I am very happy that I did not have to spend hours getting off that road. It made me want chains and a winch. If we can get your other ones to fit, I'm all over that. Hugh is insisting on chains and I learned my lesson about not forgetting my duffel bag of snow bibs and such.

Any thoughts by anyone about what is the max tire deflation would be to get out of a snow spot? I heard ten psi for mine. I have seen a bead blown when the front tire hit a two foot wall of snow when trying to barrel up. That would be a sucky place to change a tire.

[Pathrat]

Nice!!! You know for a gal that doesn't like the cold I have seen a lot of snow wheeling shots from you!

:lol: LOL Guess that is the price I pay for indulging in my hobby while living in Colorado.

[Tye]

:thunb:

[Funrover]

:lol: LOL Guess that is the price I pay for indulging in my hobby while living in Colorado.

I'll see you on the slopes yet!

[Pathrat]

I'll see you on the slopes yet!

HA! Only if you are buying my lift ticket and lesson! ;)

[Funrover]

Umm I'l go with you to Berthoud Pass. It's free.. You just gotta hike!

[Pathrat]

Umm I'l go with you to Berthoud Pass. It's free.. You just gotta hike!

Yeah, lemme guess, in the snow while carrying stuff??? :p

[Funrover]

Yeah, lemme guess, in the snow while carrying stuff??? :p

Perhaps..... ;)

[Brody]

Same as Loveland Pass, but harder terrain. Quandry and Hoosier Pass the same thing, ditto Vail and around Leadville. Hike to get to some pristine powder, do a run, hope that you can get another ride , hike, do another..Some of the best skiing that I have ever done...especially if you go early. You really do not see anyone else...

The best thing-a couple of these you get out at 12,000' and then start hiking up...Hoosier and Loveland Pass. Bethouds pretty high, too. Cool body shock to the system..gotta just tell the ol bod to get with the damn program or flat out quit. It usually gets with it..

[Jimmy]

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/BillMoore2008/
Any thoughts by anyone about what is the max tire deflation would be to get out of a snow spot? I heard ten psi for mine. I have seen a bead blown when the front tire hit a two foot wall of snow when trying to barrel up. That would be a sucky place to change a tire.

Here's my general practice (because there are so many factors: tire construction (bias or radial), sidewall ply, weight of vehicle, width of tire, height of sidewall, etc.): let enough air out of the tire so that the whole of the tread is flat on the ground. What that number is will differ based on all those variables. Once that tread is clearly flat on the ground, that's a good starting point. You can take out a little bit more if you feel it's needed, like if the tires are bouncing you off rocks vice giving and conforming to the rocks.

In general, once you get a 3-ply or less sidewall radial into the single digit air pressures, you're really running a risk of popping the bead. If you're running bias-ply Interco tires with those really thick sidewalls, the tires don't come alive until you get into the single digit air pressures. :)

When it comes to chains, the instructions to my set stated that the chains should be run on fully inflated tires. In my mind, that's for at least two reasons: the chains are sized to fit a fully inflated tire (i.e. a nearly flat tire isn't as tall as a full tire and the chains would probably remain stationary when they have a bite and the tire will spin inside of the chains), and the chains may not be as effective when the tire is low on air (i.e. the chain will squish into the tire some/enough that the bite of the chain is less than optimum). Now, would this mean I wouldn't put a set of chains on low tires to save my butt from sliding off a shelf road? Heck no! Chains on a low tire is better than no chains at all.

[Tye]

Nicely done Jimmy :thunb:

[Pathrat]

Yes, thanks Jimmy! Excellent explanation.