Ready for our trip out West

[calemasters]

I have put in a lot of time on our Jeep for our trip to the West Coast (Redondo Beach to visit our daughter) and then back through Sedona and Santa Fe and probably other Route 66 destinations. Leaving in 2 days. Over the last few weeks I have:

• Installed Shrockworks rock rails
• Installed Hi-Lift jack and mounting bracket on the tailgate hinges
• Installed the Daystar 3/4" spring bushings to compensate for the added weight and clearance loss when aired down
• R&R engine oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, front and rear axle oil, transfer case oil
• Install a 3 gallon rotopaX auxiliary fuel container
• Filled the DEF tank
• Installed 315/70R17 tires

Some the trails we plan to do:

• Santa Ynez Mountain Peak trail (Santa Monica to Santa Ynez)
• Crown King
• Broken Arrow (one of my favorite trails)
• Table Mesa Road
• Van Deren Cabin
• Mingus Mountain
• Soldiers Pass
• Oak Creek Homestead (if it is still open)
• Lockett Meadows

It will be about a 5,000 mile trip. By the time we get back home, the Jeep will be ready for another engine oil/filter change. Just doing my part to keep Pennzoil in business.

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[Dgr401]

Have a great, safe trip. We like pictures btw.

 

[donmontalvo]

Sounds like you're going to have a blast! My month long trip will be the entire month of June.

 

[RubiJR]

Be safe out there and sounds like an awesome trip. Hopefully you don't run into any problems with people protesting aggressively. Pictures would be a wonderful vicariously taking the trip with you. Be healthy and stay happy

 

[wibornz]

Take plenty of pictures, Take up with you. I often add places to visit from seeing where others on this site go.

 

[Beancooker]

Sounds like a great trip. You’ll be passing right through my neighborhood. Homestead aka Cliffhanger is still open. Soldier Pass you need to get a permit at least 72 hours in advance. Those permits get eaten up quick, so sooner the better on those. Only 12 permits are issued each day.
Mingus is open and there hasn’t been enough precipitation to wash out any parts of the road. Pretty easy drive. Van Deeren Cabin trail is open, but it’s also the trail to Devils Bridge and it’s kind of like driving through the mall. There are tourists everywhere and they feel that they have the right of way over vehicles and do not understand it is a shared roadway.
Time permitting, check out House Mountain. It’s a pretty cool trail from what I hear. It’s the only trail aside ofSmasher Canyon that I haven’t been on in the Verde Valley. The trail is supposed to be fun and the views are supposed to be amazing. It’s FR120 off of Beaverhead Flats road.
If you are looking for other trails stay away from Powerline. APS took a dozer and backhoes to it. It went from a 7/10 trail to a 2/10 trail. Smooth dirt road, you could easily do it in a Subaru Outback. Outlaw is fun and pretty easy. Ends at some cool Indian ruins.
I normally never work weekends, but I am working this Saturday. Otherwise I’d say let’s go hit a trail.

 

[calemasters]

Sounds like a great trip. You’ll be passing right through my neighborhood. Homestead aka Cliffhanger is still open. Soldier Pass you need to get a permit at least 72 hours in advance. Those permits get eaten up quick, so sooner the better on those. Only 12 permits are issued each day.
Mingus is open and there hasn’t been enough precipitation to wash out any parts of the road. Pretty easy drive. Van Deeren Cabin trail is open, but it’s also the trail to Devils Bridge and it’s kind of like driving through the mall. There are tourists everywhere and they feel that they have the right of way over vehicles and do not understand it is a shared roadway.
Time permitting, check out House Mountain. It’s a pretty cool trail from what I hear. It’s the only trail aside ofSmasher Canyon that I haven’t been on in the Verde Valley. The trail is supposed to be fun and the views are supposed to be amazing. It’s FR120 off of Beaverhead Flats road.
If you are looking for other trails stay away from Powerline. APS took a dozer and backhoes to it. It went from a 7/10 trail to a 2/10 trail. Smooth dirt road, you could easily do it in a Subaru Outback. Outlaw is fun and pretty easy. Ends at some cool Indian ruins.
I normally never work weekends, but I am working this Saturday. Otherwise I’d say let’s go hit a trail.

Good information. Thank you!

 

[sourdough]

Santa Ynez Mountain Peak trail (Santa Monica to Santa Ynez) must be a hiking trail. It is not a motorized vehicle route.

 

[Jamrock]

Pictures, pictures, pictures.

Have a great trip.

 

[calemasters]

Santa Ynez Mountain Peak trail (Santa Monica to Santa Ynez) must be a hiking trail. It is not a motorized vehicle route.

We lived in Thousand Oaks for 19 years. We have driven this trail at least 30 times. It is an easy trail. We see hikers, BMX, side by sides, Jeeps, mountain biking and 1 stuck Prius. Start here: Santa Ynez Peak Trail – Camino Cielo Road – Forest Route 5N12
Start Here: 34.5043261804906, -119.8123200681801

Information also is available by calling the Los Padres National Forest headquarters at (805) 968-6640 or Los Prietos Ranger Station (Santa Barbara Ranger District) at (805) 967-3481 or the Fire Information Center at (805) 961-5770

Contact: Andrew Madsen (805) 961-5759

 

[sourdough]

FYI, sadly things changed around hear more than a decade ago. Motorized traffic is no longer. Very little of East Camino Cielo is open. Gate is always closed hear... https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34....222f055d435ea0!2m2!1d-119.575578!2d34.4750311
You need to check with the folks you provided as info. BTW, I live in Carpinteria and it's sad how the public land has been shut down to near zero. Even the sand dunes at Pismo Beach are being shut down. I was a member of Santa Barbara 4wd club for awhile. Haha, nearest jeep trail is Miller Jeep trail 65 miles away.

 

[calemasters]

FYI, sadly things changed around hear more than a decade ago. Motorized traffic is no longer. Very little of East Camino Cielo is open. Gate is always closed hear... https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34....222f055d435ea0!2m2!1d-119.575578!2d34.4750311
You need to check with the folks you provided as info. BTW, I live in Carpinteria and it's sad how the public land has been shut down to near zero. Even the sand dunes at Pismo Beach are being shut down. I was a member of Santa Barbara 4wd club for awhile. Haha, nearest jeep trail is Miller Jeep trail 65 miles away.

Thanks for the up date. Last time we did this trail was July 2017, just before we moved back to Missouri.

 

[sourdough]

Yeah, my memory isn't what it used to be however the trails have been my back yard since '89. I watched closely how the gates first appeared with winter closeures and then became full time lock outs of 4 wheel vehicles. Divide Peak Route has been closed to 4 wheel vehicles for a decade. I use to ride my Dual Sport bike up there after the closure. The last several years(drought/fire dangers) you can't get past the gate here... https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d34.4763635!4d-119.5953436

 

[NMPirate]

If your going to be in Santa Fe and interested in old Route 66 stuff, check out La Bajada trail west of Santa Fe. It's part of the 66 spur that went up to Santa Fe. Nothing too technical but a great piece of history that has some old shelf roads that drop into the village of La Bajada.

 

[calemasters]

If your going to be in Santa Fe and interested in old Route 66 stuff, check out La Bajada trail west of Santa Fe. It's part of the 66 spur that went up to Santa Fe. Nothing too technical but a great piece of history that has some old shelf roads that drop into the village of La Bajada.

Thank you for the suggestion.

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