 |
The Participants (left to right): Dave and Robin, Shayne and Lane, Dave and Laura |
Blue Mountain (McNut)
December 12, 1999
|
The Participants (left to right): Dave and Robin, Shayne and Lane, Dave and Laura |
It was one of those trips that involved vehicle damage. Fortunately the damage seemed worse than it actually was and the trip turned out to be a very good one. All three trucks met at Dewdney and the Lougheed Highway at 9:30 where the vehicles and participants fueled up. Here we were also met by Wil, aka Phat Dogg, in his black YJ. The entrance to the trail was heavily barricaded so we discussed the merits of bypassing or returning another day. We bypassed the barricades. Wil decided not to join us at this point.
In the usual light rain we aired down and locked up then headed through the gravel pit up the main trail towards The Waterfall. Due to heavy rainfall the previous night the entire trail was a constant waterfall itself and the trail was deteriorating quite nicely! Robin and Dave took the deep water and more difficult side trails where possible. At The Waterfall we simply took the bypass without even discussion because it was very wet and eroded with the deluge descending the trail. At the top of this bypass Shayne and Lane took the first damage to the left rear tire and wheel. The rim we simply bashed in with a hammer and Robin supplied a tire plug for the pierced sidewall. A small compressor was used to air it back up and we were on our way.
 |
The trip up involved crossing some serious streams that were minor trickles last summer. A large boulder supplied a photo opportunity when Dave and Laura put their right front tire up on it to show off the gobs of articulation. Robin and Dave maneuvered in from the other side and Shayne climbed the back of the boulder after a couple several attempts. We proceed past the Suzuki Trail toward the Corduroy Road and took the right branch, posing the three trucks in the snow before proceeding. Of course snowballs flew rampantly! David and Laura continued to lead and were soon backing and ramming their way through the wet, heavy snow. The two Samurais had very little difficulty following his tracks. Quite a long trail was punched out of the snow in this manner until the inevitable happened… the Cherokee stopped forward progress. Robin and Dave pulled him back and it was decided that the lighter Sam might have an easier time punching through the trail. David and Laura pulled to the side and let them pass. The tough little Samurai made it about 200 meters before getting stopped in the sticky white stuff.
 |
 |
 |
David noticed his Cherokee was bleeding, and after clearing out all the snow that was jammed up in front of his motor, discovered his cooler line had been severed. A quick splice and 500ml of tranny fluid was luckily all that was needed to continue on normally. Shayne and Lane tugged out Dave and Robin and we decided that back was probably best. The short Samurais simply turned around but the big Cherokee backed up at least 500 meters where David pushed it into a bank and a cool slow motion "Rockford". At a lookout we stopped and had some lunch in the snow.
On the way down we hit the Suzuki Trail and again were surprised at the amount of water in the swollen streams. At the pit at the bottom entrance to the trail we stopped because David and Laura no longer had four wheel drive. Quite an accomplishment to do the Suzuki Trail in a Cherokee in two wheel drive! A quick repair to the vacuum line and again we were off. A short while later Dave and Robin jumped behind the wheel of the Cherokee while David and Laura commandeered the Suzuki. Comments reflected the considerable difference in the two vehicles, one a powerful long automatic with stereo and power steering, the other a short, rock crawling convertible with no amenities. So Robin tried to get the Cherokee stuck but maneuvered out of the sticky situation and put it off camber where no sensible Suzuki should go. Of course Shayne and Lane went there! A couple of guys as ballast saved the Suzuki from a certain rollover. But it was fun trying. Now Shayne and Lane traded Samurais with Robin and Dave. Again, the difference between two Samurais was quite noticeable. One seemed an unstoppable tank, the other… clean.
 |
The descent from one hill was another test of the short Samurais. The crushed saplings at the bottom with paint chips did nothing to instill confidence. Creaks and groans were heard as the Cherokee complained about the descent. The first Samurai made a slow nervous drop but it was quite uneventful. The second Samurai, driven by Dave, did (slid J) the descent quite quickly and with no spotting, partly due to the fact that the brakes required double-pumping to have any affect. Other than the quickness of the maneuver it was again pretty uneventful. The next obstacle is a steep incline to a large rock hill David and Laura got over a meter of air off the top. Very good show! Shayne and Lane attempted the same line but the short wheelbase showed it's limitations here so he hopped to the top on a different route. Robin and Dave attempted this same line and were also thwarted. They made a prettier crawl up the more difficult of the two easier lines than did the first Samurai.
Oooo! Puddle! We took the right line and when the Cherokee piloted by David and Laura plunged through it looked little deeper than the hubs. Robin and Dave's Samurai seemed to plunge a little deeper. Well, Shayne's Samurai nearly sank! With mud to the windshield and pedal to the floor out he comes! Dirty but still breathing… and that wasn't mud on his seat.
 |
 |
On to the Two Step: The Cherokee is first and makes a nice work of the obstacle. Shayne is next and other than pushing a boulder drops off with some spotting. Everyone clears their vehicle from the trail because here comes Dave. After his speedy descent off the last rock no one knows what to expect but this obstacle proves to be quite mellow.
 |
The V Rock: Nice articulation by David and Laura. Dave and Robin warn Shayne about using that line. Memories of the last time he tried to follow the Cherokee off camber! So Shayne takes the 'cupcake' line. The Samurai taking up the rear shows some nice articulation here.
 |
 |
A vast puddle blocks the trail and the Cherokee wades in. Right away the nose drops to headlamp level but that's the worst of it. Robin and Dave wade in a little faster but it's not to bad. Well, Shayne makes some serious speed into this with memories of the last 'puddle' fresh in his mind, and man, what a splash! Robin and Dave go back for another attempt but nothing as ludicrous as Shayne's dive. Moving out Shayne's Samurai won't start. Out everyone bails and up goes the hood; everything is wet. Condensation in the disty is suspected. We spray in some 'Dry' and she fires right up.
 |
A nice stream crossing and a drop into it off of a log across the trail and the day is pretty much over. Shayne gets a bootful here, but what's wheelin' without wet feet? Unlock, over the Toyota and off for some air in mushy tired rigs. Fine, fine day with some fine, fine people...
(special thanks to Shayne for the excellent write-up)