Snowfari Daytrip

[T.Low]

Got out Sunday for a little Snowfari with a Forerunner sportin' 31.75 MTs. We stayed low on the mountain on an FS road that I knew wasn't too steep for my chainless ATs (Mr. Conservative ).




After we passed a Jeep that was taking pictures by a creek, I was making fresh tracks for miles all the way to the end of the FS road.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Great pics...thanks for sharing. We haven't been out playing in fresh snow in a couple years. Maybe it is time to go...

[T.Low]

[T.Low]

Yeah, Dean, I have been so busy mountain bike riding and finishing up my bed/bath remodel, I haven't gone vanning since Sept. I was getting cabin fever so I just put a call out to NWOS and Grant is always game. I'm glad he was available. He's very experienced and is building a Forerunner he recently acquired. (Is it a sin to covet thy neighbor's tires?) He seemed to be experimenting with his new MTs, so he didn't use his E-Locker all day until...

[T.Low]

After miles of making fresh tracks we made it to the end of the FS road. We hiked a little, then jumped back in to explore some of the side spurs off the main FS road. Scouted the little creek crossing here (can't really see the dropoff in the right of the photo) to make sure it wouldn't collapse and leave no return route. It was good to go, so we did.





The trail got steeper and off camber and Mr Conservative decided it had been a successful day at this point. All i needed to do was turn around on the semi steep switch back and park, so Grant could conitinue on until he found his happy place.




Careful not to back off the edge.



Got her parked with no wheel spin, no slideing. Enough room for Grant to make it thru on the inside.

[T.Low]

VIDEO: http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee25 ... ant029.flv

VIDEO: http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee25 ... ant030.flv

VIDEO: http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee25 ... ant031.flv


Grant parked about 100 yds up from my rig and we scouted from there on foot. This is where the Jeep Guy caught up to us. The two rigs forged on past the next switch back until Jeep Guy started getting squirrely and slid into the ditch. Like most of us usually do, he dug himself in a little deeper before conceding to his winch. Hooked it to Grant, and for the first time all day, Grant engaged his E-Locker as he was getting pulled backward a bit.



VIDEO: http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee25 ... t032-1.flv

We headed back down for a great little day.





Observations:

I didn't really push it, nothing was really challenging. The Eaton posi wasn't challenged but definitely helped in areas like turning around on the switch back, and just starting in the snow from a dead stop after foot scouting the trail ahead. Of course I was always light on the gas to not spin (except when it was time for "drift" exhibition ) It did make for nice little broadies.

Can't complain about the tires, no (unwelcomed) tire spinning. Kelly Pathfinder ATs. No lose of steering traction. So far so good. The kayak rack really helped as always.
Thanks for reading (unless you just looked at the pictures! ) Jeep Guy joined us on NWOS and he is local and game, so hope to do some outings with him. Jeep Guy=Good Dude

[mdmead]

Looks like a fun trip Tom!

[WVKayaker]

Great pics and video Tom...Love seeing those Astro's playing in the snow.
You always post great stuff here.

I got a couple to share from my recent trip here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28905668@N ... 24/detail/

[T.Low]

Wow, those are some great shots. Winter tent camping...I just don't know about that!

Love the fall colors too, with the rock and the wqater, very nice.

[sandfly]

great pics, i like the one pullin a jeep.
Check out my vid. taken while driving snowmobile trail..

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c388/ ... -08015.flv

[snapple]

Great Pics Tlow & WVKayaker!
Sandfly,your snowmobile trail vid brought back some bad memories! Few years back,before I had the lift and adequate tires.
I had the great idea ( ),to take the seasonal access/snowmobile trail near my house for an excursion.It was late winter,got it stuck REAL good! Got it out 2 days later,after several failed attempts with various 4wd trucks who also got stuck trying to get me out!
Finally was able to get it out with a tractor! But,the night before some snowmobilers apparently unhappy with me rutting up their trail/ROAD! Smashed my windshield and gouged " STAY OFF TRAIL" in the paint of my drivers side!
It still makes me MAD as Hell thinking about it now! Maybe this is the year I go back out and put some new ruts in! I'm much better setup for the job now.However,if I do get stuck you can bet your ,that I'll be sleeping in my van that night! Sorry,rant over!

[sandfly]

the roads here are all dirt and both trucks and sno-sleds run them..If I get stuck im there for a few days no where to walk out, bad leg...

[Kabey's Van]

When I was a kid we used to go up in the hills in our cars. I had a Datsun 510 and a old friend of mine had an old VW bug. We used to have a blast, some really good times and memories.
Other than work I have'nt gone up in the bush for fun in years.
We are supposed to get a foot of snow tonight that means you too T.Low, so have fun man.
What out for the loaded logging trucks cause they don't stop very good.

[mdmead]

Finally was able to get it out with a tractor! But,the night before some snowmobilers apparently unhappy with me rutting up their trail/ROAD! Smashed my windshield and gouged " STAY OFF TRAIL" in the paint of my drivers side!
It still makes me MAD as Hell thinking about it now! Maybe this is the year I go back out and put some new ruts in!

As a snowmobiler and board member of our state snowmobile association, I guess my question to you is: Were you on a designated snowmobile trail that was closed to wheeled vehicle travel at that time?

I don't condone tampering with your vehicle, but I would support a healthy fine if you were breaking the local laws...

Each state's snowmobile program requires a lot of volunteer work, and cooperation between private/public landowners and the local snowmobile clubs/state associations, to make it successful. Illegal use of 4x4s and ATVs on the trails is a real problem.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Bill, Matt is 100% correct. In NYS all snowmobile trails are designated for sled use only. Wheeled vehicle traffic is definitely prohibited. This is simply due to destruction of the trail itself. As a former VERY active sledder and more importantly, trail builder and Editor/fund raising chairman of our local club, it bothers me to no end when someone with either a 4x4 or ATV goes on the trail and ruts it up. We work for hundreds of hours each fall and spring cutting, marking, signing and getting landowner's permissions and we have to do the work EVERY year all over again. Then to have some body on an ATV or 4x4 vehicle tear it up just pisses us off. I haven't even mentioned the thousands of hours spent each winter by the groomer operators just trying to make a good solid base for the sleds.

So, yeah it pisses me off that your van was vandalized, but I also know the frustration sledders feel when the trail is destroyed.