Just wondering if the power at the NCCX headquaters had any plans in June for a club run................something that was stock X friendly? Just wondering as I see three great looking weekends here in June coming up (one near the 4th of July might be a little busy for some people).

Thanks!

After going out the last two weekends, I reluctantly decided not to go on the BRT run this weekend (coordinated by Olebiker) BUT I'm already itching to go out again. It may still be too early to hit Corral Hollow or Poker Flats again (both snowed in still).... but I would love to go somewhere else. I know Olebiker was planning on a stock unfriendly run into the back side of BRT next weekend.

Who else is interested in something SOOOOON?

Hi all,
First, glad to see you're all out wheelin'. Next, there are lot's of options coming up this summer break. Look here for a lead! Come, join in!

Thanks for the cross-reference Gary I was very tempted to come out this weekend with you guys but need to take care of some neglected stuff at home.

From my understanding, Deer Valley and Slick Rock are beyond stock Xs, although Pardoe sounds doable.

I'm really looking forward to heading back to BRT too.

Any of them can be done with stock X, but...

Deer Valley
3" susp. lift & 31" min. tires are very recommended

Slick Rock
31" min. tires are recommended

Pardoe
Tires w/ good tread is a good idea.



Of course, you have to be carefull on all of the trails... Otherwise, rocker damage, etc. can very easily happen...

Awesome info Akio.... ty As I look back at the thread, it might seem weird that I mentioned those trails (for no apparent reason)... but it was because the thread Olebiker linked to was specifically a Deer Valley/Slick Rock/Pardeo run.

I agree with XSAL. Deer Valley requires suspension mods and meaty tires, Slick Rock is easier, and Pardoes is stock-friendly (with a willingly adventurous driver).

As always, mudflaps and step rails are never good for off-roading in the Sierras, and if you have some kind of rocker-panel protection, even Deer Valley can be marginally doable with a stock truck (with at least AT tires).

Yeah I agree Pardoes road would be fun to run again....havin a stock X I would only feel comfortable going to the rock garden but I have no shame in turning around there and heading back.

I usually just scour the Backcountry Adventures book for SUV owners....SO many trails to run in there it is crazt

I'm planning a 1/2 Deer Valley run that will be stock friendly. This would involve entering on the HWY88 side and running the trial to the valley/creek croissing and setting up camp. The next day the stockers would turn around and go back out to 88 while the midified X's could continue on to HWY4.

I'm also planning a tirp to Barker Pass. Day 1 would include a trip to the through the pass and then day 2 would allow stockers to explore a few other trials while the modified group could do the Barker Pass OHV.

*Modified=sliders,31(+)" tires (AT/MT), and atleast a 1" lift.

I think the Slick Rock/Deer Valley and Pardoe trips would be best be for modified rigs. Although Slick Rock can be done in a stock Xterra with carful consideration to rocker panels, it's more of a day trip as the trail is quite short.

BTW, I'm up for suggestions if someone wants to plan a stock fiendly trip. I try my best to make it, but will deffinatly email the group info and directions if it is well planned and there is a trip leader. So please keep that in mind guys.

awesome huey!

We should try to get back to Poker Flats and also Corral Hollow (with sourgrass or something else) sometime too. At some point this summer I might even be inching into the modified category...woo hoo.

BTW, Huey have you noticed that the last Xterra symbol you get for ranking purposes in here is silver? Only the top-notch peeps get silver, that must mean its the best color. :p

Umm.... Huey...As I recall, the part from Hwy88 to the creek wasn't exactly "newbie friendly." I think it was do-able with stock X with a experienced driver, though. In fact, anything similar to that part of Deer Valley would be milder version of Bonanza Gultch @ Hollister...

.... I'm not sure, but I may have just been diss'ed. I don't think stock = newbie, even if my own experience is limitted to Barney Riley and side runs, Sourgrass 4x plus fire trails, and our two easy days around Poker Flats. Of course you guys have seen me wheel... so I guess you would know better.

Patrick I'll take you anywhere but the Rubicon.

Stock Xterras have been on Slick Rock, Pardoe, and Deer Valley...how else would the club know what these trails are like. In the early days of the club (yeah, I know that was only a few years back) none of us had sliders, we were running make-shift lifts and had small AT tires (some of us were still running the crappy grabbers and completely stock), and we made it through.

I'm going to highly suggest that those new to the sport don't attempt these trails, but if you are stock and have removed your step rails and mudflaps and you have good wheeling exp, you can go on the trips. Just becareful of your rocker panels! Wheeling is about 90% driver and 10% truck. You could easily take a stock X through the Rubicon (it's been done in a Liberty) if you have the experience and don't give a care for body damage. That being said, I'd rather have confident drivers rather than modified rigs.

No, Patrick...I wasn't referring to you or anyone particular directly. What I meant was newbie = inexperienced driver = a person who cannot read a correct line in general. The part of Deer Valley before the creek from Hwy 88 can be challenging to those who cannot read the line...leading to off-camber situation very easily.

Huey said,
This can be easily take by anyone who is reading this thread w/ no experience as a camping trip that he/she can drive on a dirt road to get to the campsite by the creek and turn around the next day. Well, it really isn't the case; it's little more than that... I do remember by taking a slightly wrong line, my sliderz were touching the ground a couple times...last year.

Just because the truck is lifted doesn't mean the owner/driver has the ability to read the correct line and move on. It would certainly help the bottom from getting scraped less.

I have no control over someone thinks he/she is a newbie or not. I don't know my own ability to read the line is what level, but I do know what kind of trail I can (or cannot or want to) run w/ my xterra... If someone wants to run more challenging trail, all I can do is to provide the proper expectation to set if I already knew what the trail is like.

I totally agree Akio, though the 1st 1/2 of Deer Valley as stock doable it's definately NOT a dirt road. Again experienced drivers are a must. When the time comes, I'll spell it out to everyone that would like to join the trip.

I think the club (NCCX) has reached the point where there are three experience groups.

Newbie (or new to the sport) and would like to get a better understanding of 4wheeling and use 4lo. Would also like to get a better feel of the Xterra before getting dings or scratches to the paint.

Experienced stock or slightly modified. Been on a few trails and would like to see more. Confident about following a good line as shown by a good driver ahead of them and knows when they need to be spotted though a tough spot. These are the folks I'd like to take on the slightly rougher trails (ie Pardoe and Slick Rock). For me this is wheeling in an Xetrra! Not too rough and all about scenery and just enough challenge to make a trip fun and worth the exploration.

And then there are the crazies that push their grocery getters to the limit. I need not have comment on them. :p

XSAL, Oooh. Gotcha. I see what you mean and the need to fully explain for the sake of everyone. Thanks for looking out for everyone and helping less experienced guys like me. I hope to see you soon.

Umm.. I'm gonna have to disagree with you there bub. It's probably possible to take a stock XTerra through the Rubicon, but it would take a VERY long time and the truck would suffer potentially dishabilitating damage. We had a hard enough time taking the modified trucks through. So, translate "easy" to "really darn difficult", and we're on the same page.

- Matt

btw. I'm down for Deer Valley and especially running Barker Meadows again, but with out the drunk idiots this time.

EDIT: Hey, just noticed I have one of them there silver XTerras!

What do you guys think about running the "Hogsback Rd" trail and the "Jeep-Peligrine" trail as a one day loop? These trails (I think) are numbered NS42 and NS44 out of the Backcountry adventures book.

Hogsback road looks fairly easy (rated 2 out of 10) but you can combine it with a 5 hour loop called the "Jeep-Peligrine" trail and that one is rated a 6 out of 10 in the book. Says there are a number of off camber situration presented with mogul type terrain and then numerous steep sections of fist size rocks making traction very scarse.

Looks like it might have a little for everyone? Some challenge and good scenery is always good...and sounds stock friendly as well. I think the trail starts out of the Red Bluff area up Highway 99

That sounds pretty good... I wish I could join...

that would be me
got my bfg a/t 31x10.5r15 on rockcrawler 15x8 with 3.75 BS... (you think i'm ready?)
pic later tonight

btw, i'm heading out to Carnegie (sp?) this saturday to test my bfg a/t. it's my and my X's first time ever in the trail. i believe (from what i read) this trail is super easy (what do you expect, i'm a newbie ). maybe from there i'll join everyone on the next hollister trip.

I'd like to suggest another category:

This category is a step above the middle one Huey described, and includes the attributes of that category:

Experienced and/or modified; capable of self-spotting through difficult obstacles as needed by exiting the vehicle to pick the optimum line, or through moderate obstacles without having to exit the truck; exercise caution to avoid body damage, but don't think the end of the world is coming if a tree branch scratches the paint; not afraid of scrapes and dings on the undercarriage. Only the most difficult obstacles should force a driver of this classification to require a spotter.

(I put myself somewhere along the spectrum between Huey's mid-category and the one above.)

Of course, the last category that Huey mentioned is one that I'd prefer not to go wheeling with. Drivers in this category often have little regard to personal property, will often use excessive throttle to overcome obstacles, may experience mechanical breakdown, and will ignore the advice of spotters. This type would consider taking a stock Xterra where only modified trucks can travel without properly preparing, will break down and block the trail, then expect someone else to bail them out. (There were a few like this at goneMOAB '03.)

Huey, I realize you might have meant that last category to refer to the more enthusiastic of us (names withheld... ) in the club, but even though we do push our "grocery getters" to the limit, we still try to do it without scratching the paint.

And I'd have to disagree with anyone who thinks a stock Xterra can make it through the Rubicon unaided (even if it's an insurance write-off by the end). One might make it through attached to the Class III receiver of a modified truck, but no way on its own.

Sounds fine to me. When?

We are fine tuning a trail rating system, feel free to give your opinion and or contribute pics.
(I don't have any good ones from the Rubicon to add yet).

Trail Rating System