Expedition Utah's Freeze Your Tail Off 4

[Expedition Utah]

What: Freeze Your Tail Off 4
When: December 21st - 22nd
Where: The Sun Tunnels
Who: Anyone interested in freezing out in the west desert to have a chance seeing the sun rise through the Sun Tunnels for the winter solctice.
Details:
This is Expedition Utah's (http://www.expeditionutah.com) fourth annual Freeze Your Tail Off campout! we will be meeting at the gas station in Delle [Map] (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=delle+utah&oe=&safe=active&ie=UTF-8&ei=9umjUJuOAoTlrQGaqoH4DA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAA) at 6:00pm on Friday, December 21st. From there we will caravan to the Bonneville Speedway exit off I-80 [Map] (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=active&ie=UTF-8&q=salt+flats+cafe+wendover+utah&fb=1&gl=us&hq=salt+flats+cafe&hnear=0x80ac230a0f07825b:0x87c925ec43c6bf40,Wendov er,+UT&cid=0,0,7463607369073562461&ei=iu2jULujHsvaqwHcroHQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CIQBEPwSMAM). This is your last chance for gas, if you need it. After topping off our tanks we will caravan to the Sun Tunnels [Map] (https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=&safe=active&q=Sun+Tunnels,+Little+Pigeon+Rd,+Wendover,+Box+Eld er,+Utah+84083&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x80abf6a6280dbab7:0x2d580eacbec9be98,Sun+Tu nnels,+Little+Pigeon+Rd,+Wendover,+UT+84083&gl=us&ei=_e-jUO6mJsKDjALIg4C4CA&ved=0CGgQtgM).
Once we reach the Sun Tunnels, we'll pitch camp and get a fire going! Everyone is encouraged to bring wood, as it will be COLD out there!
In the morning, if you're able, try to wake up for the sunrise as it shines through the tunnels, it really is a sight to see. After everyone has thawed a little and is ready to get moving again we will split into two groups. One that heads up over the old Transcontinental Railroad grade back towards Brigham City and another down around the Silver Island Mountains and Wendover again.

So if braving the cold for a night sounds entertaining to you (and we hope it does!) please post up so that we know who's going!
FYTO3 Trip Report (http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2396)
Attendees:
Stephen +1
Kurt
sixstringsteve +1
Scott +1
Adam
Brad
Rot Box
Kevin B.
jeepin4x4james
tacomaman99 +1
ModStock
Jeepj667
Sawtooth
Moody
Brian P
Micah
dubtaco
dugfab
Del Glue
Brute Force +3
Troy DeMill
Dave(man)
beno
deviant
notajeep +1
Chaos
Paul R.
Chats
DOSS +1
Zack J. +1
mbradshaw
Grimmjpr +1
toy-utah fj
Krazytoy +1
blznnp
Tonkaman
trd270 +1
jentzschman
Westernhunter
Don Carroll + 1
heavy18
whitecruise
bigeee
Maybe:
SiRed91
max.powerzz +1
Mavrick
flyjester
CobraNutt
WillyLin
bobn (Saturday Only)
MooseCruiser +1
JCMatthews +1
hedonist +1
DAA
lilmule
Wjeeper
Donner
Jesser04
Bart
kepkramer
DevinB
jonharis
LFNTMS
SYLSKR
____________________________
What is Expedition Utah (http://www.expeditionutah.com/)? Expedition Utah is a website and forum dedicated to vehicle assisted exploration of Utah's beautiful and varied backcountry. We strive to provide an online repository of information to help people plan their next adventures and a forum to let them discuss it with others who share their passion. Our Quarterly Trail Rides are designed to move that experience off the computer and into the real world by highlighting Utah's thousands and thousands of miles of scenic backroads.

[BruteForce]

Can I do this trek in my big 4x4 Dodge Dually ? Mud terrain tires, 4x4 and 6.7L Turbo Diesel..

[middlefork]

I have'nt done the southern loop but the railroad grade is doable with that setup.

[Expedition Utah]

Can I do this trek in my big 4x4 Dodge Dually ? Mud terrain tires, 4x4 and 6.7L Turbo Diesel..

Yup. You'd have no problem with any of it. its all just graded country road. Only reason you'd need 4WD even would be if there is lots of mud, which hopefull there will not be!

[BruteForce]

Yup. You'd have no problem with any of it. its all just graded country road. Only reason you'd need 4WD even would be if there is lots of mud, which hopefull there will not be!

Great. Count me in. Is this all full sized (truck, jeep, SUV) type vehicles? Any SxS or ATV's coming along? I can get about ~140 miles on the ATV before needing to find a gas station (using my extra 4gal flat fuel pack); otherwise its the wifes 4Runner, kids Jeep or my Dually.

[Expedition Utah]

Great. Count me in. Is this all full sized (truck, jeep, SUV) type vehicles? Any SxS or ATV's coming along? I can get about ~140 miles on the ATV before needing to find a gas station (using my extra 4gal flat fuel pack); otherwise its the wifes 4Runner, kids Jeep or my Dually.

We would recommend a full sized vehicle. There would be no where to park a truck and trailer along the route and unload the ATV.

[Expedition Utah]

Wow, nearly 50 people looking to go! This is going to be an awesome trip!
Look for more updates and information on Expedition Utah's forum (http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3021).

[sixstringsteve]

Can't wait.

[Expedition Utah]

77 people potentially going! Wow!!! This is going to be great!

[Candace66]

Wow, I think I drove pretty close by this site when I was travelling between the Silver Island Mt's and Lucin (to pick up the old transcontinental RR grade back to the east). However, I didn't know about it at the time!

Unfortunately, I have to work Saturday evening so I can't go. But it looks like you'll have plenty of people on hand! :haha: Stay warm out there!

[Expedition Utah]

Wow, I think I drove pretty close by this site when I was travelling between the Silver Island Mt's and Lucin (to pick up the old transcontinental RR grade back to the east). However, I didn't know about it at the time!

Unfortunately, I have to work Saturday evening so I can't go. But it looks like you'll have plenty of people on hand! :haha: Stay warm out there!

It's pretty neat out there, for sure! Hopefully you can make it next time!

[Expedition Utah]

Wow, guys! This is shaping up to be quite the group! 56 confirmed and 25 maybes! Can't wait for Friday night!

[BruteForce]

Wow, guys! This is shaping up to be quite the group! 56 confirmed and 25 maybes! Can't wait for Friday night!

I've secured about 6 pallets, fire starter, my tent camping gear including an indoor rated propane heater. I'm adding 1 more (that makes me like +4); my 14 year old son is coming along!

[BruteForce]

Well, that was cold, fun and different. The Sun Tunnels were NOT what I expected. What's more, when all the Jeeps, FJ's and Taco's start airing down their tires and you're driving a dually weighing 10k pounds and tires at 65psi, you know you're in for some stuff. Rutted, wash boarded and rocky. Beat the crap out of my truck so much that the front suspension made contact with the front diff cover and I blew out both tail lights on the departure!

Great folks in that group, but doing 50-60mph on that trail at night wasn't so much fun. I should have taken the Jeep or the 4Runner instead!

[Candace66]

Were there many other folks out there (not affiliated with/inspired by bogley)?

Maybe I can make it for the spring equinox, LOL. Depends on my crazy work schedule. Will you be organizing a trip then?

[BruteForce]

Were there many other folks out there (not affiliated with/inspired by bogley)?

Maybe I can make it for the spring equinox, LOL. Depends on my crazy work schedule. Will you be organizing a trip then?

Most of the participants seemed to originate from an extreme Jeeping site.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[sixstringsteve]

There were people from:

- Wasatch Cruisers (Utah Toyota Land Cruiser club)
- Expedition Utah (A Utah forum dedicated to backcountry vehicle travel)
- Rocky Mountain Extreme 4x4 (A Utah forum dedicated to rock crawling)

Many people belong to all 4 forums.

[sixstringsteve]

It was a great trip. Super super cold (coldest I've ever camped, it got as low as 3* at 6 AM). I'll definitely be there again next year.

[BruteForce]

It was a great trip. Super super cold (coldest I've ever camped, it got as low as 3* at 6 AM). I'll definitely be there again next year.

Definitely cold. Next time, I need to drive something other than the dually. :lol8:

[accadacca]

We need a trip report! :popcorn:

[Expedition Utah]

Thanks everyone for coming! You can find the trip report here!
http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3089

[fourtycal]

Great report. Looks like everyone had a blast. :2thumbs:

[BruteForce]

Great report. Looks like everyone had a blast. :2thumbs:

Yeah, we froze our butt off.

[fourtycal]

Yeah, we froze our butt off.

Doesn't diesel gel at around 10 *F? :mrgreen:

I wish I would have tagged along.

[BruteForce]

Doesn't diesel gel at around 10 *F? :mrgreen:

I wish I would have tagged along.

Yes, but I planned ahead and put in some additive. Starting the truck up that morning, I've never heard it idle so rough. Truck sounded like an old 7.3L Ford!:naughty:

[BruteForce]

BUMP to the top. It's that time of year again. Anybody else going? My youngest and I may do this again.. only I'll air the tires down on the dually first!

[sixstringsteve]

Sign up for this year's trip here:

http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/showthread.php?p=39199


I'll be there.

[txoutdoorx4]

Sounds awesome! If I were closer I'd join for sure. Looking forward to seeing the trip report/photos.

[Candace66]

LOL, it was cold enough for me out there on Nov. 16, you all have fun in December! :cold:

70756

70757

[DOSS]

LOL, it was cold enough for me out there on Nov. 16, you all have fun in December! :cold:

70756

70757
How rutted was the route up from I80 this year.. thinking of going out in the BMW but not it it isn't frozen and unrutted HEHE :)

[Candace66]

How rutted was the route up from I80 this year.. thinking of going out in the BMW but not it it isn't frozen and unrutted HEHE :)

Approaching from I-80, on Pilot Mountain Road, is a drag. I found about 37 miles of washboard and occasional ruts, with very little smooth dirt, from pavement's end to the Tunnels turnoff. I dropped my tire pressure and it was still a long bumpy ride. The access road to the Tunnels was not bad.

You might consider instead accessing the Tunnels from Hwy 30, which is what I plan to do if I go out there again! Then it's only about seven miles from pavement to the turnoff. I haven't driven the entire Grouse Creek Road between Lucin and Hwy 30, but I expect it will be better than the alternative.

Much to my amazement, the intersection of that road and Hwy 30 is on Google's street view! It also revealed a gas station in tiny Montello, NV which might be a good place to top off before heading into the boonies. But I haven't been able to find a phone number for that place so I don't know if/when it's open.

70788

[BruteForce]

You know the trail is going to be bad when all the Jeeps and extreme offroaders air down.. That should have been my sign last year - because I hit the trail with 80PSI in all 6 tires and that made for a miserable drive to the tunnels.. The Jeeps flew at like 50-65 MPH and I lost one kidney and a few teeth just trying to keep up! :crazy:

[Candace66]

You know the trail is going to be bad when all the Jeeps and extreme offroaders air down.. That should have been my sign last year - because I hit the trail with 80PSI in all 6 tires and that made for a miserable drive to the tunnels.. The Jeeps flew at like 50-65 MPH and I lost one kidney and a few teeth just trying to keep up! :crazy:

Hmm, I aired down too and found 25-30 mph to be rough enough. I'd like to think you're just exaggerating. But if they're the same people I met on a trip earlier this year, I can believe they'd try to drive faster on the dirt than they did on the highway getting there.

[DOSS]

Hmm, I aired down too and found 25-30 mph to be rough enough. I'd like to think you're just exaggerating. But if they're the same people I met on a trip earlier this year, I can believe they'd try to drive faster on the dirt than they did on the highway getting there.

He isn't exaggerating.. When I had a Jeep I drove that road at about 70 :).... heck did most of the Pony express trail at 65-70 as well... big aired down tires eat the bumps and the faster you go the smoother it is as well... :)

[Candace66]

He isn't exaggerating.. When I had a Jeep I drove that road at about 70 :).... heck did most of the Pony express trail at 65-70 as well... big aired down tires eat the bumps and the faster you go the smoother it is as well... :)

Wow, I bet you can see a lot of scenery, old buildings, artifacts, etc. at 70 (not). I mean, what's the point? Was that route part of your work commute? I like to go a little slower so I can enjoy and appreciate the area a bit. Especially since I move around a lot, so I'm often driving a road or visiting an area for the first time. JMHO!

[DOSS]

Wow, I bet you can see a lot of scenery, old buildings, artifacts, etc. at 70 (not). I mean, what's the point? Was that route part of your work commute? I like to go a little slower so I can enjoy and appreciate the area a bit. Especially since I move around a lot, so I'm often driving a road or visiting an area for the first time. JMHO!

It wasn't my first rodeo on that road. we were usually headed for a specific destination late in the day or returning home when going that fast.. new areas we didn't usually go quite so fast :)...

[BruteForce]

When we hit that trail last Dec 31st, it was dark - so there was no point in going slow.. except to keep a vast amount of dust out of your face and vehicle..