When is Last Chance Canyon open & closed?

[daniel_buck]

I know this trail is only open part of the year (and only part of each month too, if I remember correctly?). The BLM website doesn't state when the trail is open or closed. Anyone know? Is it the same every year?

I'm wanting to get up there again, take the little CJ through there because I know it has alot of bypasses for the more difficult parts. I'm still not familiar with what it's capable of and how it handles, so I want to run a trail with bypasses first

[FishPOET]

I believe Last Chance Canyon is open year round.

Nightmare Gulch is open for motor vehicle travel from the 15th of the month until the last day of the month from July until January.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631

[daniel_buck]

ahh, it's nightmare that's not open all the time, I guess I got the two confused. Thanks!

[alittleoff]

You'll have to remember that stock flatties have been doing The Rubicon Trail for years.

Steve

[daniel_buck]

but I'm no where near used to driving it on the rocks, haha! My TJ is easy to drive offroad, I just point it where I want to go, and it goes. I hardly ever even stall it! (thanks to the 4:1 tcase, no doubt!). So even though I've been on some good trails with the TJ, I can't say that I'm a very experienced driver, my TJ does all the work.

But this little CJ, it requires alot more attention and foot work to drive. I've had it on a short easy trail with some decent hills and small rocks and loose stuff, I was surprised how much work it took to drive it. In part, because the motor isn't very powerful, so you have to work to keep it from stalling on a climb or in a tricky area. The lack of power steering isn't a huge issue, but it does make you work harder.

But also, in addition to just controlling the vehicle, man it bounces around alot! You have to hold on pretty good. That can make smooth footwork a challenge sometimes. Fortunately, it's got a factory hand throttle, which helps. But even the seats, when off camber your body slides around a good bit, the lap belt won't really hold you in one place to much, because the seat is flat. So you have to hold on just to stay in one spot in the seat! I won't lie though, it's a hell of alot of fun

But I was also surprised that it did pretty good for a stock 65 year old vehicle. It never got stuck, but it took a few tries in some areas that my TJ would literally just walk right up. It just took some work and sometimes some momentum, that's all It's got radial tires now, and I'm sure the ride will be alot smoother when they are aired down (I don't think the bias ply tires do anything when they are aired down, not them skinny ones anyway!)

I want to make sure I don't get in over my head, so for the first "real" trail, I want to make sure it's one that has alot of bypasses, just in case And also because I don't have a cage yet. The way this thing bounces around and lifts a tire off the ground with no effort at all, I don't want to be forced to take an obstacle that might be more tricky than I expect (not being familiar with the way it handles off road and off camber), if I don't have a cage to keep me from being squashed.