3rd party Videos Aussies tackle the Rubicon Trail

[stickshifter]

A group of Aussies tackle the Rubicon Trail.

Long day of work yesterday, and I opted not to join the lads for a drink, and instead stumbled on this video. Its pretty long, but held my attention. They seem like a good bunch of guys. Its always good to see your home through the eyes of a foreigner. So I think its a good watch - both for my fellow Yanks on the forum, but also for the Aussies on here - or anyone who wants to watch some good driving, see some beautiful scenery, and get a peak into the culture of hard core rock crawling in the States. Enjoy!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBA4A9dGEt0

 

[Tazzieman]

They love peeling sausages, you'll catch more of their fine culinary skills on previous videos

 

[emax]

Awesome experience.

Insane.

And hats off to the Tacoma!

 

[Mountain4x4]

Awesome series. Cant wait to do the Rubicon in a Grenadier!

 

[parb]

I really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for sharing!

 

[stickshifter]

I really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for sharing!

The same guys put up another video - this one in my home state of Colorado. If you liked the Rubicon, you will probably like this one too!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBAKALEiUEs

 

[parb]

I just finished it. Pretty cool, looked like by the time they got to CO their cars started breaking down after days of wheeling offroad.

 

[Krabby]

I’ve never been to/on the trail and had no idea how tough it is in spots. I’m not a big rock-crawler guy but it would be a great trip - in someone else’s truck

 

[Karearea]

A group of Aussies tackle the Rubicon Trail.

Long day of work yesterday, and I opted not to join the lads for a drink, and instead stumbled on this video. Its pretty long, but held my attention. They seem like a good bunch of guys. Its always good to see your home through the eyes of a foreigner. So I think its a good watch - both for my fellow Yanks on the forum, but also for the Aussies on here - or anyone who wants to watch some good driving, see some beautiful scenery, and get a peak into the culture of hard core rock crawling in the States. Enjoy!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBA4A9dGEt0

Watched the whole thing and absolutely loved it! Great entertainment and as Krabby said - I’d love to do it in someone else’s truck
Can’t believe what you guys get up to over there. I’ve cycled slick rock and camped in canyonlands, but taking vehicles through there is pretty impressive. I now fully understand all the tyre comments that I’ve read on the site !

 

[stickshifter]

Watched the whole thing and absolutely loved it! Great entertainment and as Krabby said - I’d love to do it in someone else’s truck
Can’t believe what you guys get up to over there. I’ve cycled slick rock and camped in canyonlands, but taking vehicles through there is pretty impressive. I now fully understand all the tyre comments that I’ve read on the site !

Its some tough driving for sure!

One thing that I think gets lost in some discussions about off-roading and large tires is that there are an enormous number of trails in the Western U.S. that are no where near as extreme as the Rubicon, but still require pretty high clearance. A lot of folk use their 4x4 - not for extreme rock crawling - but to access trailheads for hiking, climbing, camping, etc. The access to these trailheads varies:
- many trails are accessible by paved road
- others are accessible by dirt road or forest service road with small rocks (driveable by most cars)
- others require a high-clearance 4x4 like a stock 4-Runner, Tacoma, Wrangler, etc.
- others still require higher clearance or one risks vehicle-damage

As the Rocky Mountains have gotten more and more crowded, the high-clearance trails have become a way for some folk to get away from the crowds (though even these trails are getting more crowded). Many of these trails can be driven with a 33-inch tire, but it is slow going and not a lot of fun scraping and bumping on rocks. I've driven a lot of these trails on 33s and 35s, and a 35-inch tire really makes a difference. The folks on 37s are even more relaxed.

The Rubicon attracts people who are into rock-crawling as the end goal, but lots of folk who own 4x4s here in the Rockies regard off-road driving - not as the end or goal - but as the means to do something else, like hike, climb, or camp in a more remote location.

 

[MidnightCamper]

Awesome series. Cant wait to do the Rubicon in a Grenadier!

I drive an old Taco beater. Every time I think of beautiful new Grenadier in bear territory I cringe at damage to the exterior if you do an overnight. That said, looking forward to trip photos.

 

[Mountain4x4]

The second video is where I am retiring. The trails are quite easy, while being rugged and seriously scenic. The exception of course is Holy Cross City, that is serious. But those other San Juan Mountain Trails are all super easy and well suited to beginners, or new Grenadiers. ( just skip that snow side hill stunt please, only Ozzies and young bucks are that crazy.....and I broke a side window doing that as a youngling but that is not part of todays conversation ) The reason they started breaking was likely damage from the Rubicon as well. The Sierra Nevadas break stuff period. Its the only place I take a welder overlanding typically.

Bears are generally a bigger problem in the Sierra. Some camps on the Rubicon are the stuff of legends. Someone left their cooler out at Rubicon Springs on a trip, and the next morning they were out of cold food and it took us 2 hours of hiking to collect all the trash. Back to the Sierra sticker shifter comment. Trails today are mostly geared towards 35" tires or larger. Its sort of the advancement of tech over the years. When I started in 1989 31s where considered massive! I reasonably did Pritchetts Canyon in Moab with a rear LSD and 31s back in the day for instance. I would not even think about it with less then a 35" tire now. Imogene pass from the ozzie video above, along with numerous other trails in the area? No problem at all, just a bit more scraping. But those are bull dozed to stay safe, and to clear snow in the spring.

The truth is, the Rubicon, Fordyce ( much harder), Slick Rock, Deer Creek, Snake Lake and the Dusy/ Ershim trail system( just picked and chose a few) are the most stunning overlanding routes in the world. They just take well prepared rigs. You could spend all summer traveling north to south with out hardly touching pavement.