WooHoo! I'm an off-road 4x4 driver!! - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Montana_5036 · 04-01-2006, 10:09 AM

sreigle

Yes, folks meet at the City Market parking lot. I have not done the Chicken corners trail but it is considered difficult and has some narrow off-camber sections with drop-offs on one side. It might be a scary squeeze with a full size truck. Best to talk to folks there and get their opinion.

There is an organized off-road trip sponsered by the North Idaho Trail Blasers (the annual Cabin Fever Run)in Pinehurst Id April 8th for those that are into off-roading or want to give it a try. There will be easy and more difficult trails to choose from. Pinehurst is just off I-90 in Northern Id.

fulltimedreamer · 04-01-2006, 04:56 PM

Steve and Vicki,

You guys are an inspiration to us as we pursue achieving the fulltime RV lifestyle. Now you've gone and upped the anty. Debbie's gonna love it when I tell her we're also going to need to take up 4 wheelin'.

sreigle · 04-02-2006, 06:03 AM

I believe we will take a pass on the Chicken Corners Trail. Its name describes me pretty well.

My Ford is bone stock with original tires with 50k miles on them and definitely not set up for a 4x4 trail described by the experts as "difficult." Nor does my skill/experience level fit that trail. This is the only vehicle we have and we depend on it to get us from here to there. I don't want it rolling down the side of a mountain. And, this is the only body I have, sad as it is, and I would like to keep it in a single piece, all parts attached.

jrgwdenner · 04-02-2006, 06:36 AM

Words from a wise man. Wish you guys were here in Georgia to join us in our MT dominoes fiesta. Stay safe.

sreigle · 04-02-2006, 01:00 PM

Well, now I find in a book that Chicken Corners is not difficult if we stop at that point (Hurrah Pass), which is 14 miles into the trail. Before we tackle it I am going to stop at the Hummer Tours place and talk to them. Also about the Gemini Bridge Trail. I'd really like to see those dual arches that some people with real 4x4 off road vehicles have been known to climb and drive across. We won't do that but I'd like to see them. So I'll ask the local experts their opinion.

adelmoll · 04-02-2006, 03:38 PM

Awe come on Steve. Just rent one of those atv's and go for it. We would if we were there.

Helen

sreigle · 04-03-2006, 05:32 AM

Well, I'd not really thought about that, Helen. I'll have to give that some thought. That would require some ATV experience and skill, though! Somehow I just don't see you on an ATV going sideways up the side of a mountain, though! You do it and I'll come watch you!

Where are you and Bill now? Starting your journey to Alaska?

Montana_5036 · 04-03-2006, 05:44 AM

The trail out to Gemini bridges is not difficult and worth the drive.

sreigle · 04-03-2006, 03:45 PM

Thanks, badgoat. I think we'll do that one tomorrow. Today we went out Salt Valley Road, after doing some hikes (this is all in Arches NP). Salt Valley RD is all two-wheel-drive road until near the end where a 4wd road branches off to go to two destinations. One is to Tower Arch and the other is back down to Willow Flats Rd near Balanced Rock. We were heading to Tower Arch. We got to a spot about a mile in that I knew was beyond my capability and that of our truck so we turned around and went home. Drat.

I'm not sure if you can see how difficult this is but this is where we turned around. The "road" goes slightly to the right of center. To the left of center is just a deadend where others (including us) have turned around.

The rocks between the hood and the Y are not a problem. It's the rocks at the end of the right leg of the Y that we'd have to go up and there is a very large hole at the top that the left side of the truck would have to drop into while the right side rides high. Not with this truck.

jrgwdenner · 04-03-2006, 04:48 PM

Steve and Vicki are having a great adventure and, if you haven't already, be sure to check out their recent pictures in their travel log. They are AWESOME!

sreigle · 04-04-2006, 09:02 PM

Well, today we stopped by the Hummer Tours place and I pointed to our truck and asked the guy if he thinks we could do the Gemini Bridges and Chicken Corners trails with this stock truck. His reply was "Absolutely...No Problem." Well, maybe he could, but....

The Gemini Bridges trail goes from highway 191 to highway 313. About 14 miles of 4x4 road. The Gemini Bridges are about halfway. So we started out from 191. We went 1.6 miles before making a somewhat difficult turnaround. The road winds up along a ledge on the side of the mountain and is extremely rough and continually deteriorating. At the turnaround point I got out and walked the route a little ways to see over the hill and around the curve. No way. Sorry, folks, this is beyond my ability and guts level and probably would endanger the truck. This picture is from maybe half a mile before we turned around. We drove this part. It got worse from here.

A look at the directions I had printed off the internet disclosed that once you leave the Bridges you can continue the route to 313 on a graded road. Sounds more my speed. So we made the drive to the other end of the trail and found it is, indeed, a passable road for my skill level and equipment. In fact, it could probably be done by a 4x2.

The Gemini Bridges were worth the trip. However, I was somewhat disappointed not to be able to take the trail from the 191 end. So we decided to repeat the Willow Flats trail we did last week. That one is more within my ability and equipment. Except we decided to do it in reverse this time. I'll tell you what, it looks a whole lot different coming from the other end. More difficult. Not difficult to you true offroaders, but more difficult for me. It still is a relatively easy trail but 4x4 is required as is relatively high clearance. Here's why the high clearance... this is a relatively tame road but this stretch is not quite as easy as this picture appears. Vicki got out to take some pictures while I took the truck through here. There were some sections worse than this by quite a bit but we didn't get pictures of the truck going through them.

Montana Sky · 04-04-2006, 11:00 PM

That is one sharp looking truck Steve. I am starting to think you are really starting to like this "off roading thing". =)

sreigle · 04-05-2006, 10:20 AM

Thank you, Dave. Wanting to keep it that way is why I don't do anything tougher than I do. That plus my lack of experience. I mentioned to Vicki yesterday after watching a Jeep Rubicon navigate the last few hundred yards to Gemini Bridges (we parked and walked) that when we retire from fulltiming I want to think seriously about getting one of those and learning how to navigate the fun roads.

By the way, at Gemini Bridges there is a plaque embedded in a large boulder. It is dedicated to a young man by name of Beau James Daley (19 years old) who tried to drive his Jeep across one of the "bridges." He lost control and went over the side, was ejected from the Jeep (not wearing his seat belt). Others have successfully driven across but it is illegal and not something I would attempt after having seen it. I am not sure whether he drove the left or right bridge. Here are the bridges as seen from the top. You have to descend into Bull Canyon to see the view from below.

The bridges are on either side of that small gap in the center. The larger gap to the left is the start of the canyon. We were able to walk across the bridges but no way would I try to drive it. I may not be very bright but I aint stoopid.

Vicki tells me I am wrong and from that angle the canyon in the above picture is to the right and to the left is a big hole under a ledge we also unknowingly walked across.

jrgwdenner · 04-05-2006, 01:38 PM

Great pictures, Steve (and Vicki)! Thanks for sharing your adventures.

Parrothead · 04-05-2006, 02:48 PM

Great pictures!! You are seeing stuff we didn't get to see so I appreciate the bird's eye view.
Happy trails.....................on or off the road

Sweetfire · 04-05-2006, 03:36 PM

Steve, I've Mountain Biked the Gemini Bridges trail many times and I don't recognize that picture you took about a mile before you turned around. But I've always done it from Rt. 313 down to Rt.191. As I remember it the worst part of the road was just below the Gemini Bridges. Did you take "Little Canyon Road" off Rt. 191? Maybe the road just seemed wider on a bicycle.

The first time I walked out on top of Gemini Bridges I turned to my friend, behind me, as I continued to walk, and said Gemini means two, where's the other one? I turned my head to see where I was walking just in time to see the gap, the little brown stain on the rock is mine.

By the way great pictures, you stirred a lot of memories.

Montana Sky · 04-05-2006, 07:10 PM

Steve,
How could you even be thinking of retirement from "fulltiming"??? Between Helen(adelmoll) and your website, I have seen more of this country than I could ever imagine. Thanks to both of you for sharing your pictures with the rest of us who only dream of being on the road full time.

Broome101 · 04-06-2006, 01:47 AM

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, nice looking country.

Sunshine · 04-06-2006, 04:27 AM

Like I said, Steve, you are a brave man. Have you decided to attempt the ascent up to Hurrah? (Don't know why I was calling it Hallelujeh unless I was thinking Hallelujeh, we're at the top!) The country is awesome and your pictures/stories are great!

adelmoll · 04-06-2006, 04:43 AM

Keep it up Steve and Vicki. Steve those atm's are really easy and fun to drive. I have done so many times although not in the canyons. You say you can't imagine seeing me on one but even way back in the 70's I used to own a motorcycle shop, worked on everyone Else's and even raced in some motor-cross races. Problem is now that the bones break easier and take a lot longer to heal so I tend to be a little more cautious.

We've got a long way to go to get to Alaska but we have until mid June to get there so we have been having fun meeting up with a lot of the MOC family on the way. We are in Central California right now (Pismo Beach) but headed for San Francisco soon.

Your Post Cards are just great. Vicki is doing a good job of keeping them up and I know how much time that takes.

Helen

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