Sunflower Mine - Rating?

A few folks from work are heading out to Sunflower Mine on Saturday and I'm thinking about heading out with them in the X, as the 4Runner doesn't have leaf springs right now.

How tough of a trail is that? The group consists of a H2, Jeep, Tacoma and possibly a Toureg. Bit of a mix of vehicles.

4Runner will be up and running next weekend and I'll hopefully be hitting Butcher Jones to test her out. Waiting on the UBolt Flip Kit to arrive before I install the leaf springs.

Not sure on the rating, but I wouldn't take a near stock Gen2 on that trail. Full skids would be necessary on an unlifted Gen2. Most of it is easy, but the rock garden and LONG hill climb could give you trouble and a lot of banging of drivetrain on rocks.

If you scraped the drivetrain on Broken Arrow, Sunflower Mine could beat it up.

Defibvt took his lifted, fully skidded, aggressive tired Gen2 on Sunflower and ended up being towed (by my Gen1 ) for 30 min out of the tough stuff. He could give you some insight as well.

It is a sweet trail and beautiful scenery though, hope you are able to make it as a rider if you don't drive it.

I'd say a 3 (think the book says 3.5)
But if that Toureg and H2 are stock they might come out hurting. Clearance will be an issue on the Creek rocks. I saw an Envoy of all vehicles almost lose all his trim out there before he even got to the real part. Luckily he passengered from there. We also had to drag a stock Xterra through most of it too.
Turns out street tires and step rails don't do so much in the creek or on the steep hill at the end of it either. And that hill somehow has a reputation for eating diff gears (2 Jeeps and an X to my knowledge)
The whole thing is quite doable and a great trail though. Should be nice with the trees changing colors.

x2

An H2 is a big vehicle for that trail IMO. The toureg is a capable vehicle form what I have seen on trails in CO, but also may have issues with the strong possibilty of minor damage to a Lux SUV...

The H2 will be fine. The Toureg...I have no idea what type of armor or clearance those have.

The creek bottom is about 3/8 of a mile and there's some good sized rocks that could give you a hard time (much more difficult when the creek is running, but I expect it's dry as a bone right now).

The long hill climb is a good test too - especially the first part from the creek bottom up to the first switchback.

Getting to the mine itself is easy because the turnoff for that (switchback up the hill at the goofy shrine cave) is before you get into the rough stuff.

I've long considered this an easier trail, but then I remember my rigs aren't exactly stock.

I just ran the trail last weekend.

I would NOT take a stocker past the mine. To the mine... Skids recomended, tin foil ones are better than nothing.

Expect pin stripping. And the trail is VERY tippy with a few very narrow spots (my truck was towed back on to the trail last week... scared the crap out of me).

As for a rating... Its pretty easy in general. With skids and sliders I would give it a moderate rating... Very similar to Martinize Cabins in Box Canyon... Just more bolder fields.

I personally didn't care much for the trail though. Nerve racking with my truck tipping so far and the pin stripping. I'm suppost to post pics on ClubFrontier... I'll try to tonight and update this post with the pics.

Oh almost forgot... We (over at ClubFrontier) are running a camping trip here on the 16th, 17th and 18th. I will be out about dusk on the 16th to block the trail to the campsite and mark it off for others to find. Everyone here is welcome to join.

-MadManX

Will probably give it a miss in the X then. Wife would kill me if the X got hurt after buying the Runner for wheeling! lol.

Will take some pics of the 4Runner this weekend after the Bikini Top & Leaf Springs are on. Had some issues with a stuck Tie Rod end - but the sucker came off in the end.

It's been a good learning experience working on that truck. Now I hope to actually get her outdoors.

Oh c'mon, those tippy spots aren't that bad. They do get your attention though.

Ahh... Having issues with my lift and being tippy... Probably putting on the front sway bar this weekend to try and lower my center of gravity... I did actually fall off the trail too. I got some video of Penski and a yota towing me back up... Just one tire fell off though. I was so tippy that i got as close to the edge as I could... Next thing I hear is Penski telling me to stop cause he can see the ground crumbling from under my tire. First attemp to get me backwards knocked me off the trail and I about crapped my pants waiting to see the ground rushing towards the window. Second attempt was from the yota pulling me still attached to penski and that got me back on the trail... Man... Talk about freaking out. I don;t think I would have rolled.. Just landed on my side.

The spots up on the cliff... Yeah they just scare ya a bit, but your tires are pretty firm over them... Its the last tippy spot before the end of the trail that got me (long past the mine).

-MadManX

Are you talking about the final part of the loop back up? I ran the trail in reverse with the X a while back and I could not keep all tires on the ground for the life of me.

We had trouble going up it on an old Jeep trip in the rain and some snow. I know what you mean about the crumbling ground.

I did it in my rig and that was befor the daystar .lots-O rocks!

hey everyone , read through the post and randy is right any lifted x is goin to have problems with tipping the road in certain spots are pretty well washed away to where u have ride high up on the road to get away from the cliff , i was even getting pretty tippy , a stock x with skids and sliders may do better as far as tippiness (if thats even a word )

but everyone is welcome to join us on the camping trip

I'd like to go, but I'll be running with SWANKy on the weekend of the 17th. We'll be up near Payson.

Have funfor me Ted

well I'm gunna be there the 16th-18th... Camp the nights and wheel with SWANKy in the day...

Don't think I'll wheel much if any on Sunday though. Should be starting to finally get cold too... Bond Fire Anyone?

-MadManX

How can we find out if there are there any burn restrictions up there?

I didn't have any issues with tippiness on the trail. Your truck will always get tippy easily. It does have high center of gravity even if it isn't lifted.

You could call the forest service or BLM. I am not sure if that is BLM land or not. The forest service site might even list the burn restrictions.

You're going up the afternoon of the 16th, I take it?

Where exactly are you camping? I might be up for a Friday afternoon departure and campout that night before meeting the group on Saturday morning.