Trail Run: Hungry Valley

[dogsbollocks]

Ok, second attempt at arrange a "run" since my Miller Jeep attempt was a flop (winter road closure).
I want to explore Hungry Valley, never been there before, anyone wanna show up to guide me through the cool stuff? It would be nice to meet some of you guys. Or any pointers of what do do or what to miss?

[TipsE-Z]

I had a good time at the OHV park up there a couple months ago and have been thinking of doing it again so the misses can hone her driving skills and maybe I can make it more than 60% through the Sluice Box this time. And look at the Infectious Off Road thing for the same date, just a thought.

[dogsbollocks]

TipsE-Z, do you have suggestions for particular routes to tackle, or obstacles on which to play? What's the sluice box?

[TipsE-Z]

Here's a link to the page for the OHV park:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1192

I just had a very long reply wrote out, then decided to not search for the parks page in a different window and lost all of it.... Oh well, here's the down and dirty version since I'm too lazy to write it all out again.

The Sluice Box is basically a rock/boulder garden that gets progressively harder the further you go. I would guess it's about a football field long and is a great obstacle to gain confidence in your rigs rock crawling ability, the drivers ability, and your spotters ability to choose a good line. Here's a link to the first half or so of it up there, about 2:30 in is where my stock YJ could no longer handle it and I had to Hi Lift the nose out of the course. Oh ya! Could recovery practice in a safe environment as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOVuZ4BhJ38

The "Rock Climb" as I think they called it was an excellent refresher/teacher for me in how to choose lines and rock crawl up a somewhat steep slope. Here's a link to this obstacle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7qk9Qpo9Mg
It get's pretty steep at the top and you're staring at the sky... Good times. You can also see the extreme version of this obstacle off to the left in the early part of this video, so depending on how your rig is built you could always tackle it too.

There is also a Rock Wall that I'd love to tackle again with a little more flex now. I only got my front wheels about a foot past the top of the first slab of concrete before I threw in the towel. Here's a link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxWHyrOZgiE

There are several other good obstacles up there to test various driving skills. Sand, Mud, Off Camber, etc. If you go, and I'm in town (may be house hunting in Phoenix) count me in. There are alot of trails through out the park as well and some just outside the parks boundaries, although some of those are closed and a bit scary right now due to snow and mud per some other threads on MJR. All in all, if you haven't wheeled in a while, have a new spotter, or want to get your spotters driving skills a little better, or if you just want a safe environment to push yourself and your rig I would say this is just the place; however still make sure to keep proper recovery/safety gear as even in a safe practice environment a mishap could easily occur (guess that's several years of Marine Corps risk training coming through)

[SoCalDevyn]

id be willing to join for this run, ive run pretty much everything up in gorman. ive been wanting to go up again though since they jus redid basically the whole 4x4 area and wanna tackle some of this stuff. i checked some of it out a couple weeks ago after our big rain we had.

[dogsbollocks]

I plan to be there bout 9am. If others wish to join is there a good meeting place?

[SoCalDevyn]

hmm we could just meet at the 4x4area? or if we get off a gorman exit theres that town there

[RallyeX]

The training center is a fun way to end the day after Miller!

RallyeX


The Sluice Box












The Rock Climb

[SoCalDevyn]

rally when were those taken? looks like b4 they redid that whole area....

too bad miller is closed now.

[TipsE-Z]

Devyn; when did they redo it all? I was up there about two months ago and it all still looked like it did after we ran Miller.

[Bert338]

If any of you want to come up Fri and camp with us ( Infectous Off-Road ) you are welcome.

2nd Annual Noob/Ball & Chain Run at Hungry Valley Jan 22-23

http://infectiousoffroad.com/PHPBB3/...php?f=2&t=1349

[dogsbollocks]

Holy Moly rallyex, that looks awesome. Now I'm itching to go.
Am anticipating my jeep will look different after I leave...

no skid plates :omg:

[dogsbollocks]

OK, I plan to be at the McDonalds Parking Lot in Gorman at 9AM on Sunday. Please come along and guide me round hungry valley! No CB sorry, channel 6 2-way radio only.

[SoCalDevyn]

Devyn; when did they redo it all? I was up there about two months ago and it all still looked like it did after we ran Miller.

i was just up there for a mud run during that last big rainfall we recently had and they added plus changed alot of the setups that were there. so its different from when we last ran miller.

u going to b making it up there with us this sunday? ill b bringing another yj with me

OK, I plan to be at the McDonalds Parking Lot in Gorman at 9AM on Sunday. Please come along and guide me round hungry valley! No CB sorry, channel 6 2-way radio only.

you have anyone else going with u up? i can meet u there

[dogsbollocks]

Headin up with an FJC. See you at 9 @ McDs.