Big Bear Trifecta!

[Russ Chung]

Dishpan, Holcomb Creek, and John Bull.
We plan to depart the T6 crossing at the lower end of Dishpan at 9:00 am, then run Holcomb Creek (west to east) and John Bull (east to west). Everyone is welcome, but if you have a stock Jeep (like myself), better bring tow straps, tow hooks, armor, spare parts, lots of patience and maybe a sleeping bag. And don't forget to bring lots of water.

[maddmike]

if this was a different weekend I'd be up for it...have an aching to tackle BB again (except dishpan, way too much for my stocker). work calls, besides I'm picking up my spare D35 shafts tomorrow morning

hey, never saw any pics from our night run at miller...did any come out or were they all bad?

[4XINT.J.]

Russ, T6 is that the bridge ? were is everyone meeting ?

[Matt2001TJ]

how about the firestation in fawnskin

Russ, T6 is that the bridge ? were is everyone meeting ?

Mike has a good point, where is T6...??? the fire station in fawnskin has always been a good place for everyone to meet....MATT
PS> who all is going???

[4XINT.J.]

I'm not sure but i think it is the bridge. If i can find i'm in. channel 4 cb

[Russ Chung]

I'm not sure but i think it is the bridge. If i can find i'm in. channel 4 cb

I'm thinking of the bridge where the Dishpan Springs trail crosses Deep Creek. I'll try to look up the directions and post them in a few minutes.

http://www.myjeeprocks.com/jeeps/deepcreek.php

[Russ Chung]

T6 Bridge over Deep Creek

N34°16.098, W117°07.745

Google Maps

I don't have a map with me right now, and I won't be home for a few hours. If you need beter directions, send me a PM with your phone #; I'll call you in the morning.

[4XINT.J.]

Russ, if it is the new bridge i know were that is. Is that the start of Dishpan Trail.

Mike,

[Old Fart]

It's the West end of Dishpan Springs Trail.

[Russ Chung]

Trip Report, Part 1 - Dishpan Spring (3n34)

Big Bear Trifecta, July 8, 2006

A few days ago, I realized that my Jeep had not been in four wheel drive in nearly three weeks!!! I called Andrew Webber and asked him if he had any plans for Saturday, July 8. After a brief discussion, we decided to try running three Big Bear trails in one day: Dishpan Springs (3N34), Holcomb Creek (3N93) and John Bull (3N10). I called this the Big Bear Trifecta because everything would have to be perfect and we would have to be lucky to complete all three in one day. Mike (4XinT.J) decided to join us with his friend, Jeff.

The meeting point was the T6 bridge over Deep Creek at the lower end of the Dishpan Springs trail (3N34):


Jeff, Mike and Andrew are chatting next to Andrew’s silver Rubicon Unlimted and Mike’s red TJ. My khaki TJ is in back.


A group of five Jeeps arrived shortly after us and they had to stop on the bridge because the parking area was temporarily closed while an archeological survey was being conducted.


We let the other group go first, because I was afraid that my Jeep (31s and open diffs) was going to need help getting up the trail, and I didn’t want to hold everyone up. When we finally left the meeting point shortly after 10 am, my Jeep had gone 20 days, 10 hours and 50 minutes since it had last been in 4 wheel drive.




We caught up to the group at the first waterfall.

Here are a few videos of the group going through the upper part of the waterfall:









Mike made it through easily.


Andrew showed that the third try was a charm. (Out of sympathy for my open diffs, Andrew purposely avoided using his lockers).


The rest of the Dishpan Springs trail was uneventful, and we stopped for lunch upon arrival at Tent Peg campground:





The first leg of the Trifecta was done; no damage and I made it through without the need for a tow strap or a winch cable.

[Mtbikbob]

Great pictures!!!! I have got to try these trails.....!!! Where's rat patrol? I am going to need him.
Thanks.

BobO

[Russ Chung]

Trip Report, Part 2 - Holcomb Creek

After our lunch break, we continued to the Holcomb Creek trail (3N93). We ran it from west to east. Here are pictures of the rock garden at the west end of the trail. Mike’s red TJ is in the lead, followed by Andrew’s silver Rubi Unlimited and my Khaki TJ:







A light shower began to fall. Mike and I were concerned because I had bikini top and he had a safari top. The rain wasn’t heavy enough to cause us to get wet, but it made a tremendous improvement in the amount of dust on the trail:





The Holcomb Creek trail has been adopted by the Riverside Ruff Riders, and they have done some wonderful improvements to the trail. For example, there was an off camber section near the east end of the trail and an unofficial bypass had been created. Here are before and after pictures:

[COLOR="Red"]OCT 2005[/COLOR] Notice how off-camber the trail was, and the tire tracks on the bypass


[COLOR="Red"]JAN 2006[/COLOR] Everyone was using the bypass.


[COLOR="Red"]NOW[/COLOR] The off-camber section has been graded, and the unauthorized bypass has been blocked.


We finished the Holcomb Creek trail. No damage, no straps, no winching. Two trails down, one to go.

[Russ Chung]

Trip Report, Part 3 - John Bull Trail

The final leg of our Big Bear Trifecta was the John Bull trail (3N10). I had never been on the trail, and I was concerned because of its reputation and because of my small tires and open diffs, but I was confident that Andrew and Mike would be able to rescue me if I got into trouble. As a sign of my confidence, I brought along TWO tow straps AND a sleeping bag in case I had to spend the night on the trail.





This is a video I took of Andrew’s silver Rubi Unlimited and Mike’s red TJ. The transmissions you hear on the CB were from a different group of 4 wheelers who were using the same channel:



We met a group that was traveling in the opposite direction, so we pulled over and let them pass:



We continued up the trail. I only have a few more pictures because I used up the batteries on my camera:





We completed the John Bull trail without incident; no damage and we never had to use the tow straps (or the sleeping bag) that I brought along. We got back onto pavement shortly after 6 pm.

It was a big boost to my ego to be able to do all three trails in a single day without needing a tow strap or winch. I have to give Andrew, Mike and Jeff thanks and credit for their expert help in spotting my Jeep on those trails.

[4XINT.J.]

Trifecta

Russ, Great right up and pic. Had a great time.

Mike,

[RAT]

Hey you guys, looks like another great day on the trails. Did any of you see the red paint I left on the rock at the camp ground at JB?

As usual, the report is excellent Russ.

Rat