Expedition Utah's Freeze Your Tail Off 4

[Expedition Utah]

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

[fourtycal]

Great report. Looks like everyone had a blast.

[BruteForce]

Great report. Looks like everyone had a blast.

Yeah, we froze our butt off.

[fourtycal]

Yeah, we froze our butt off.

Doesn't diesel gel at around 10 *F?

I wish I would have tagged along.

[BruteForce]

Doesn't diesel gel at around 10 *F?

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!

[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/...ad.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!

[DOSS]

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

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.

[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!

[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!

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..