Sierra Nevada Challenge 2018 *NOW with 20% more pictures!*

[Toasty]

_Keep wheeling with us and you'll get there Hooots!

_Here's what you guys interested can expect, 8-10 days of non stop wheeling and it's all challenging. We typically do one or two main trails alternating between the Northern and Southern Sierras different years, sometimes like this year we did one main trail and a short one. You don't need 35" tires but you do need gears, lockers, armor and i recommend at least a 33" tire, you really need to know your rig and it needs to be a very reliable machine. Expect something to break and be prepared, this is in your hands as we can only spot you so much so wheel often and attempt more challenging spots to test your skills, learn your limits. Another thing is that nobody gets out of this without some bumps and scrapes.
_Here's my little damage report, so far it's mostly cosmetic and IFS consumables. This is why you armor up, lots of slider use and i got into every bumper corner pretty good. My friends painted my bumpers and sliders for me a couple trips ago before i left, thanks guys! Still gleaming and so far so good on the Level 8 wheels these cheapies are taking the beating.

 

[PA_JERO]

Like a boss

 

[Toasty]

Means a lot coming from a LEGEND!


I'm going to post up a bunch of pics from Fullmonty's stash

 

[1.9TDIZook]

I can't believe what has happened to little sluice,you can drive right through it now,bummer.

 

[Toasty]

_Yeah, there was a time 40" of tire and serious skill was needed to drive the little sluice but there was also a time you could drive it in a 2WD Buick. Now you can do the Little Sluice on 31's with rock sliders in a mid wheelbase rig. RTF maintains the trail to keep it open and that part is really nice, they've added more outhouses so you hardly see any trail daisys anymore. Jeep is out to pave the thing so they can drive a Compass through it.

_The whole trail has gotten easier even in just the years I've been going, Old Big Sluice and Wentworth Springs don't get the Jeep treatment. While we were there Jeep had staff building a road to make the trail doable in the new Jeep pickup to earn it's "Trail Rated" badge they were still beat to crap at the end.

_The trail as a whole is still really fun, reqires a good machine and has some crazy options for those adventurous enough to try them. I'm sure the day will come where you have to be put on a list and pay for a permit to run the trail, go enjoy it while you can. Let the Rubicon take all the fame and traffic, it has big money backing it's existence. There are way more challenging trails in the Sierras that don't get nearly the traffic or attention the Rubicon gets and it should stay that way.

 

[Toasty]

Some from Fullmonty, these are at the start of the trail. It was smokey but still beautiful.

 

[1.9TDIZook]

I haven't been there in a couple of years but have seen a lot of changes since first going there in `84.
The other trails are seeing more use now.They are all still enjoyable though.

 

[Toasty]

1.9TDIZook, you should do Fordyce with us in 2020 so Rascott won't be the only Suzuki guy! The 'Con has changed a ton just since i've been going (my first trip was in '13), In Az our trails go through cycles too but for more natural reasons. We get flash floods that move massive boulders and clear out all evidence of rock stacking, sometimes they will fill a trail with sand and make it super easy and other times impossible.

 

[Toasty]

Also from FullMonty's collection, these are from around Buck Island.

 

[Toasty]

More from Fullmonty, these are leaving the lake and toward Rubicon Springs. Right near Rubicon Springs the prototype Jeep Pickups caught up to us in their tattered car covers looking like they had just had a really fun day.

 

[PA_JERO]

Love the pictures, this trip is always such a blast and the company we are with is always legit! Can't wait for the next one. Can't believe Fullmontys driving level and how much better he has improved. Everybody on this trip owned the Rubicon, now we need to own Fordyce. 2 years, prepare yourselves.

 

[vintageracer]

Great report and love the pictures.

You discussed your "issues" you had on the trail.

Overall how did the little Suzuki in your group perform on the trail?

 

[Toasty]

_The Sidekick kicks ass, it does the most with the least. A lot of that is driver skill but it is a very capable machine, if you can be a minimalist as far as what you pack a Suzuki will take you more places than most 4x4's.

_ The only down side to the Suzuki isn't a down side at all but it would force you to be a strategic packer and having a passenger on long trips would be tough.

 

[Doing_Dirt]

Great photos, thanks for sharing. One of those is going to be my screen saver.

 

[Toasty]

I'll get some more up and pressure the other guys to post more too.