Yeah, more people seem to be interested in Saturday than Sunday on this one.
I'm flexible for time this weekend so it looks likely we'll (also) do a Saturday run.
Where we go beyond the initial trail will depend somewhat on the weather and on who/what is going and whether or not we can all make it through the gauntlet OK. It is a bit of a challenging trail if you're not used to driving off road but stock Jeeps with good tires will be fine, lightly lifted Suzukis with good tires will be fine, Yotas with good tires will be able to make it no problem, just don't bring your granny in the all wheel drive Forester or Escape on this one. It should be doable for just about anyone with a "real" 4WD and a bit of experience driving it on actual terrain. If you can get through the trail going in OK, you're good to go on just about anything beyond that. If someone has too much trouble or the entry trail or it turns out to be too sketchy due to ice or a new washout or something, then there is a contingency plan to take the "easier way" to the "fun part" of the mountain.
We will certainly hit the Tyee tailing pile, that is just too good to pass. I may try to get up that ugly washout that defeated me before I had my lift and new tires if it isn't icy. We can also stop by the clay pit if people are new to it, but I personally don't really like the place myself. Could roll by the famous waterfall trail and If it's too snowy/icy up higher, we can just cruise down to Hillcrest off the river park trail and have a quick lunch at the forestry pools and maybe finish off on some trails by the power lines, or even take the Hill 60 connector trail out. If there are new people to the area it's more to show them some ins and outs.
A year ago some time around Christmas Stacey and I went up at night on our way back from her Dad's place and it was all clear for a while, then I rounded a dark corner on the north side and suddenly there was 6" of snow on the road with multiple tracks going through it so we kept going for a bit but it quickly turned in to a foot of snow with one older set of tracks through it, and then it became a struggle just to make progress since the track was frozen ice and the snow was mostly refrozen styro-cobble that resisted all attempts at keeping momentum and control through. So, we turned around and got back out before we stranded ourselves at the worst imaginable time. That was after the new suspension went in but before the spacer lift and beefier all terrain tires so I wasn't about to push my luck.
The latest reports indicated it's mostly clear up there with patchy snow above 500m and in some shady open spots.
The trail should be OK as it's mostly covered and below 450m. Some things may just not be on the menu depending on what we see when get up there. A lot depends on how the weather goes the next couple days and how it looks when we get there since things can change rapidly either way.
If more people are interested in Saturday than Sunday, I may be able to persuade Stacey to go along with our "day together plan" being a wheeling trip up there instead since she will be busy Sunday and not able to ride with me. I can go back out with Ben on Sunday so long as nothing breaks. ;-)
Yeah, more people seem to be interested in Saturday than Sunday on this one.
I'm flexible for time this weekend so it looks likely we'll (also) do a Saturday run.
Where we go beyond the initial trail will depend somewhat on the weather and on who/what is going and whether or not we can all make it through the gauntlet OK. It is a bit of a challenging trail if you're not used to driving off road but stock Jeeps with good tires will be fine, lightly lifted Suzukis with good tires will be fine, Yotas with good tires will be able to make it no problem, just don't bring your granny in the all wheel drive Forester or Escape on this one. It should be doable for just about anyone with a "real" 4WD and a bit of experience driving it on actual terrain. If you can get through the trail going in OK, you're good to go on just about anything beyond that. If someone has too much trouble or the entry trail or it turns out to be too sketchy due to ice or a new washout or something, then there is a contingency plan to take the "easier way" to the "fun part" of the mountain.
We will certainly hit the Tyee tailing pile, that is just too good to pass. I may try to get up that ugly washout that defeated me before I had my lift and new tires if it isn't icy. We can also stop by the clay pit if people are new to it, but I personally don't really like the place myself. Could roll by the famous waterfall trail and If it's too snowy/icy up higher, we can just cruise down to Hillcrest off the river park trail and have a quick lunch at the forestry pools and maybe finish off on some trails by the power lines, or even take the Hill 60 connector trail out. If there are new people to the area it's more to show them some ins and outs.
A year ago some time around Christmas Stacey and I went up at night on our way back from her Dad's place and it was all clear for a while, then I rounded a dark corner on the north side and suddenly there was 6" of snow on the road with multiple tracks going through it so we kept going for a bit but it quickly turned in to a foot of snow with one older set of tracks through it, and then it became a struggle just to make progress since the track was frozen ice and the snow was mostly refrozen styro-cobble that resisted all attempts at keeping momentum and control through. So, we turned around and got back out before we stranded ourselves at the worst imaginable time. That was after the new suspension went in but before the spacer lift and beefier all terrain tires so I wasn't about to push my luck.
The latest reports indicated it's mostly clear up there with patchy snow above 500m and in some shady open spots.
The trail should be OK as it's mostly covered and below 450m. Some things may just not be on the menu depending on what we see when get up there. A lot depends on how the weather goes the next couple days and how it looks when we get there since things can change rapidly either way.
If more people are interested in Saturday than Sunday, I may be able to persuade Stacey to go along with our "day together plan" being a wheeling trip up there instead since she will be busy Sunday and not able to ride with me. I can go back out with Ben on Sunday so long as nothing breaks. ;-)
Well we may have to make it a two day affair then. ;-)