Trip Report: Snow Wheeling 2016/2017

[Nobody]

This is a master thread for our 2016/2017 snow wheeling trip reports. Please share!. If you subscribe to the thread, you'll be notified of new posts. If you have a lot to share, you can also start your own trip report thread if you choose. Start the subject with "Trip Report:" you'll get the fancy icon too.

Let's try to keep the snow wheeling trip planning in their own topics.

Standby...

[Nobody]

Finally got out snow wheeling for the first time this year. Been waiting on enough snow. On the way up the mountain, I was getting a little worried that we weren't going to find any snow, but it finally showed up about 2,500 feet. Unfortunately, it was a rutted out mess. I guess I needed to get out of bed earlier. It all worked out though. We had the backside all to ourselves.

I didn't take to many pics, but here are a few. Might have some video to add at some point.

Photo Gallery: http://www.snowtrek.org/snow-wheeling-2 ... eeling.php

I didn't realize until I was looking at the pics, Dion's jacket matches his jeep. Jeep Camo
















This pic really shows the difference in axle clearance between my 36's and Dion's 39.5's


This guy lost the nut for his heim joint steering linkage. He was using electrical tape to hold the bolt in. Luckily Dion had a spare nut.


This guy thinks he lost the ring and pinion. He was pulling axles as dark was setting in.

[dionzacharias]

Really nice photography work.

[Seventee]

I managed to get out also. First snow of the season for us, it's been pretty dry so far. I switched from 33" TSLs to 35" KM2s this year and so far I really like them. It was a good day until my buddy broke the double cardan joint on his front drive shaft.

[Seventee]

I managed to get out also. First snow of the season for us, it's been pretty dry so far. I switched from 33" TSLs to 35" KM2s this year and so far I really like them. It was a good day until my buddy broke the double cardan joint on his front drive shaft.

Looking great! I see in your bronco pic there was a nice crust layer to deal with... I started a topic for this seasons snow wheelin trip reports if you want to repost there.

Yep, I was approaching a summit in that pic and the snow had a nasty wind-blown crust and was surprisingly slick underneath which made it a challenge.

[Chris Immer]

Oh, what great snow, Dion is this the first run with the Irok's?

[Fubar]

I love all the old iron on this forum. Broncos, scouts, dodges . Great!

[christensent]

Denny Creek, Hyak, and an attempt at Tinkham but too many stuck vehicles blocking the road. Hyak was untouched road. Snow was pretty decent but a little on the heavy side. Couldn't push the wall once it went over about 3.5 feet tall in front of the Jeep.

[Nobody]

Excellent! I was hoping someone got out this weekend. Best snowfall we've had in a long time. Thanks for the pics, we'll have to meet up again is year.

[Nobody]

Took the family up Green Mountain today hoping to get some sledding in. Initially missed the turn up the mountain and ended up at the closed bridge on the back side. Back tracked and headed up the correct road. Very few people up there. I ran into a small group coming down. Non-driver in a toyota FJ couldn't keep it on the road. He wasn't open to any suggestion, even after I passed his group without slipping a tire. Okay man, have fun. Much to my surprise, shortly after that I was breaking trail. I thought for sure that road would have been hammered by now. I turned around about 3200 feet, not realizing I was almost to the top sigh... We were running out of daylight and I needed to cut the kids loose for a bit. I was just starting to have to work for it. Didn't want to get too crazy since there was no one else up there.

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Got a peek at Three Fingers South

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[Nobody]

Here's a little video from yesterday.

[Nobody]

Here's a few from yesterday. Went up Boardman Lake road to do a little sledding with the family. It was white knuckle drive out the Mountain Loop. I had to clean my shorts and air down just out of Granite Falls.



I really need a roof rack or something. Five people, snowshoes, snowtubes, snowshoes, cooler, chainsaw, highlift, tools, etc etc etc is really pushing the limits.






Had decent little sledding hill going.






And the obligatory stuck in the road pic


Broke trail up to the trailhead. It was deep! Didn't have enough daylight to make snowshoeing to Lake Evan worthwhile. Probably should have gone up there first.

[christensent]

Went out of Darrington up towards Whitechuck Mountain. Went up two roads to about 3000ft, in both cases the ruts ended there and it was positively impossible to make even slight progress. The second time I tried I sank through at least two ice crusts and the axles just disappeared, had to do a full shovel dig-out which took just under one hour, never had to do that before. I think I'll install a reverse winch.

Overall the worst snow I've ever tried to wheel by far, but the ruts drove alright (as long as you stay in them, get 6" off to the side and you're digging even if only sinking in a few inches).

I swear my axle is down there somewhere...





Some small fraction of a PSI, just made things worse today

[Nobody]

Nice! You were buried. I suspected it was going to be pretty tough out there. I was actually surprised how much the snow had already compacted on Pilchuck. Once things firm up a bit, we should be good!

Did you lose a bead, or were you just aired down that low?

[christensent]

Did you lose a bead, or were you just aired down that low?

I was just aired down, I have double beadlocks so can't lose it. I gave up on gauges and just pull the stems and wait until I'm about 5 seconds short of nothing coming out at all. Of course only for really deep soft stuff, in this case I immediately aired back up to a few PSI for departure in the ruts. On the right day it really makes a difference but often times I lose so much clearance it's actually worse like today. It's always a last resort effort before leaving.

[Nobody]

You've got the right idea. So many people are unwilling to adjust air pressure to conditions. Sometimes theres just nothing that works. I suspect the best purpose built snow wheeling rigs wouldn't have made it much further than you, unless they were light enough to not break through the crust.

[christensent]

Tinkham to 3900ft today. Relatively easy trail breaking but snow is too heavy to use any speed. Crawled very well. 5-6 foot total snowpack on the roadway up there.

[Scoobienorth]

Nothing to hardcore. Just touring around with kids gaining experience. I knew this season my wj would be way over weight for 33'. The early season powder and sugary stuff it did great in. But now as the snows adding up I'm geared to tall to crawl slow enough and to heavy to float. Still did alright. The auto trans over temp once badly too. Not sure how long light was on but it took 15-20 mins too cool down. Also got pushed for a ways. I need to build a dedicated snow rig. My grand works great and I hate to ruin it but it may happen anyways.

[Nobody]

Tinkham to 3900ft today. Relatively easy trail breaking but snow is too heavy to use any speed. Crawled very well. 5-6 foot total snowpack on the roadway up there.

That looks like a pretty cool road. I like the sign sticking out. Are you usually solo on these trips?

[Nobody]

Nothing to hardcore. Just touring around with kids gaining experience. I knew this season my wj would be way over weight for 33'. The early season powder and sugary stuff it did great in. But now as the snows adding up I'm geared to tall to crawl slow enough and to heavy to float. Still did alright. The auto trans over temp once badly too. Not sure how long light was on but it took 15-20 mins too cool down. Also got pushed for a ways. I need to build a dedicated snow rig. My grand works great and I hate to ruin it but it may happen anyways.

Thanks for sharing. Good to see the kids out there! I "almost" put an automatic in my Bronco, had both a C4 and a 4R70W on my garage floor at one point. I just couldn't do it and stuck with the NP435. Too bad they don't put V8's in more mid-sized vehicles. Fingers crossed for the 2020 Bronco.