Rubicon Trip 2018

Kurt · 09-14-2018, 11:28 PM

So I was able to get down to the Rubicon finally to drive, and not be a passenger like I was in 2016. We left Wednesday evening from Portland, OR and drove to Medford, OR to stay the night. Thursday morning headed South...I-5 was closed just south of Mt. Shasta in California due to a huge fire, so we had to detour through Reno. Got to Truckee, CA about 2pm, stashed the truck/trailer at my brothers buddies house, and headed to Loon Lake Campground about 4pm. We set up camp about 7pm as it was getting dark.

Woke up Friday morning and hit the trail about 9am. Amazing weather, and even better scenery. We made it to Buck Island for camp about 5pm and hung out, swam in Buck Island Lake to wash the dust off, and hung out at the campsite.

Saturday morning we had a great breakfast and headed out, making it to Rubicon Springs about 1pm. We set up camp there and explored, hung out, and swam the rest of the day.

Sunday morning we headed out and up Cadillac hill to end the trip. As a driver, this was incredible. Our last trip involved shearing a trackbar bracket on a TJ the first day, cold, and snow. So much better this time around, and much more enjoyable.

Pics:

Buck Island Camp:

Kurt · 09-14-2018, 11:33 PM

Starting to attempt Soup Bowl. Didnt make it up....not enough traction to get up the 2nd ledge.

Little Sluice:

Cant remember where this was:

Buck Island Lake. Was cold, but refreshing:

Big Sluice

Rubicon Springs:

Kurt · 09-14-2018, 11:35 PM

Observation Point:

nblehm · 09-15-2018, 05:39 PM

Awesome! A bucket list trip for me for sure.

6DoF · 09-17-2018, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nblehm

Awesome! A bucket list trip for me for sure.

x2!

Kurt · 09-17-2018, 11:22 AM

Its amazing how much the trail changes from year to year. When I went as a passenger in 2016, things were very different in certain areas.

Talking with the caretaker at Rubicon Springs...since the Rubicon is a county road, improvements do get made with taxpayer money. One area in particular that had changed quite a bit was Big Sluice. They brought in tons of crushed rock and built a retaining wall on one of the hairpins. Since its so remote, that rock needs to be flown in by Helicopter at a cost of $4,000/hr. This past year, 6 mil. was spent on improvements and maintenance. Im sure the hippies love that!

Cobound · 09-17-2018, 12:58 PM

LUCKY FUK'R

#BUCKETLIST

From what I see, looks like a paved highway

JK, JK...how would you compare this to what Moab provides?

I've heard that it's a country road, fuk those hippies

Any carnage? Or were you able to keep it clean and exit unscathed?

Kurt · 09-17-2018, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobound

LUCKY FUK'R

#BUCKETLIST

From what I see, looks like a paved highway

JK, JK...how would you compare this to what Moab provides?

I've heard that it's a country road, fuk those hippies

Any carnage? Or were you able to keep it clean and exit unscathed?

Its got some pretty good sections with no bypasses. I used the hell out of my rock sliders and gas tank skid plate. I came off a large rock pretty hard and tagged the right rear corner of my bumper, and it hit the perfect spot to push it up into the body a bit. So now I have a bit of a dent where it pushed up just below the bottom tailgate hinge. Thats all though.

The dark red JK in our group tagged his door sill on a rock squeezing through the tree and rock on Big Sluice. My brother in a silver JKU on 35's broke a rear shock in half when he rolled back and a rock got pushed up between the axle and shock. Besides the rock slider and skid plate scuffs and scrapes thats about it.

Comparing to Moab, its hard to do. Moab has plenty of opportunities for damage, but its relatively open and you can choose multiple lines on a lot of things. And, there's plenty of opportunity to die from rolling off a cliff.

On the Rubicon, you don't get to deviate from certain lines much, and its one obstacle after another constantly. Large rocks, ledges...much easier to tag bumpers and rock sliders. There's not many places where you're close to cliffs, only Cadillac Hill. I get a kick out of the yellow reflective markers that go down the granite slabs to mark the trail/road.

They are two completely different places, and thats what I love about it. Moab is awesome because of the scenery, waking up and getting breakfast in town before hitting the trail, choosing what trail and how long you want to be out for the day, and returning to the house/condo to relax. With the Rubicon, there are some places to get out depending on what areas you run, but for the most part once you start, you have to come out at the end or turn around. No cell service, beautiful scenery, camping, swimming in the lakes.

We went from Loon Lake and out Cadillac Hill. We could have made it out easily in 2 days, but we decided to relax and make it a 3 day trip.

Cobound · 09-17-2018, 02:53 PM

Nice, F'n awesome...makes me want to hit it even more, and sooner! Not getting any younger, certainly no more limber

Hopefully do Moab again this year, it's in questions as I have an overland trip planned in July to do the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR) from Cortez, CO (Four Corners) through Ouray (which is likely where we'll start anyway vs. Cortez, and up to the WY border. The Rubicon is just so damn far for me, so who knows. Moab is already a haul, the Rubicon is beyond that. 1,300 > 2,000

Looks great tho, thanks for sharing. With that said, let's see the carnage

Kurt · 09-17-2018, 03:01 PM

For us, Rubicon was about 1,000 miles round trip. Moab is 2,100 round trip. Even though that extra 1,000 miles sucks when you're driving it, I forget all about it when Im in Moab.

Id say the skid did its job:

Ill get some pics of the other stuff.

Cobound · 09-17-2018, 03:27 PM

Right on...yes, the ends always justifies the means

We forget about the miles once we get there, too...but when we turn around and go home it quickly crushes us

Kurt · 09-17-2018, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobound

Right on...yes, the ends always justifies the means

We forget about the miles once we get there, too...but when we turn around and go home it quickly crushes us

The drive home always becomes the expensive part for us. Thats when we discuss whats next on the build to be ready for next time.

Moab last year resulted in my buddy buying a 2017 JKUR, putting on a 3.5" Rockkrawler kit, 37" Coopers, raceline beadlocks, gearing, and all my bumpers/skid plates.

This Rubicon trip has me planning on ProRock60/80, 40's, Atlas....hopefully over winter to be ready for a spring Moab trip.

Cobound · 09-17-2018, 03:46 PM

Well, I have the ProRocks covered

Kurt · 09-17-2018, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobound

Well, I have the ProRocks covered

Ah thats right. Which set is in your JK? PR60/60 or the 60/80?

nblehm · 09-17-2018, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt

The drive home always becomes the expensive part for us. Thats when we discuss whats next on the build to be ready for next time.

Moab last year resulted in my buddy buying a 2017 JKUR, putting on a 3.5" Rockkrawler kit, 37" Coopers, raceline beadlocks, gearing, and all my bumpers/skid plates.

This Rubicon trip has me planning on ProRock60/80, 40's, Atlas....hopefully over winter to be ready for a spring Moab trip.

Why a prorock 80?

Also finish your tj

6DoF · 09-18-2018, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nblehm

Why a prorock 80?

Also finish your tj

i'm with nate here, you have a whole other jeep for the hardcore! that much tire/axle will sacrifice a lot of on-road.

xj_man_646 · 09-18-2018, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6DoF

i'm with nate here, you have a whole other jeep for the hardcore! that much tire/axle will sacrifice a lot of on-road.

Says the guy building a Jeep with blingy front and rear 9" that will surely never leave the pavement

Hoofmann · 09-18-2018, 09:49 AM

Yeah finish your TJ and keep the minivan JK for easy stuff like the pavement.

Cobound · 09-18-2018, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt

Ah thats right. Which set is in your JK? PR60/60 or the 60/80?

60/80

Kurt · 09-18-2018, 11:19 AM

The JK is a company vehicle...don't use it on the street much. I take it to shows and events, and wheelin. The JK has all of the KD Fabworks bumpers/skid plates on it, the TJ does not. With a family, the JK makes more sense to build. I also need more space for the business and the TJ is taking up a lot of space. I can finish that, sell it, put that money into the JK and build it to do what I need and be a marketing piece.

The 80 is only bout $150 more than the ProRock60, so why not?

09-14-2018, 11:28 PM	#1
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	Rubicon Trip 2018 So I was able to get down to the Rubicon finally to drive, and not be a passenger like I was in 2016. We left Wednesday evening from Portland, OR and drove to Medford, OR to stay the night. Thursday morning headed South...I-5 was closed just south of Mt. Shasta in California due to a huge fire, so we had to detour through Reno. Got to Truckee, CA about 2pm, stashed the truck/trailer at my brothers buddies house, and headed to Loon Lake Campground about 4pm. We set up camp about 7pm as it was getting dark. Woke up Friday morning and hit the trail about 9am. Amazing weather, and even better scenery. We made it to Buck Island for camp about 5pm and hung out, swam in Buck Island Lake to wash the dust off, and hung out at the campsite. Saturday morning we had a great breakfast and headed out, making it to Rubicon Springs about 1pm. We set up camp there and explored, hung out, and swam the rest of the day. Sunday morning we headed out and up Cadillac hill to end the trip. As a driver, this was incredible. Our last trip involved shearing a trackbar bracket on a TJ the first day, cold, and snow. So much better this time around, and much more enjoyable. Pics: Buck Island Camp:

09-17-2018, 12:58 PM	#7
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,171	LUCKY FUK'R #BUCKETLIST From what I see, looks like a paved highway JK, JK...how would you compare this to what Moab provides? I've heard that it's a country road, fuk those hippies Any carnage? Or were you able to keep it clean and exit unscathed? __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

09-17-2018, 02:53 PM	#9
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,171	Nice, F'n awesome...makes me want to hit it even more, and sooner! Not getting any younger, certainly no more limber Hopefully do Moab again this year, it's in questions as I have an overland trip planned in July to do the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR) from Cortez, CO (Four Corners) through Ouray (which is likely where we'll start anyway vs. Cortez, and up to the WY border. The Rubicon is just so damn far for me, so who knows. Moab is already a haul, the Rubicon is beyond that. 1,300 > 2,000 Looks great tho, thanks for sharing. With that said, let's see the carnage __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

09-17-2018, 03:27 PM	#11
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,171	Right on...yes, the ends always justifies the means We forget about the miles once we get there, too...but when we turn around and go home it quickly crushes us __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

09-17-2018, 03:46 PM	#13
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,171	Well, I have the ProRocks covered __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

09-14-2018, 11:33 PM	#2
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	Starting to attempt Soup Bowl. Didnt make it up....not enough traction to get up the 2nd ledge. Little Sluice: Cant remember where this was: Buck Island Lake. Was cold, but refreshing: Big Sluice Rubicon Springs:

09-14-2018, 11:35 PM	#3
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	Observation Point:

09-15-2018, 05:39 PM	#4
nblehm Needs moar dagger Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 26,781	Awesome! A bucket list trip for me for sure.

09-17-2018, 11:22 AM	#6
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	Its amazing how much the trail changes from year to year. When I went as a passenger in 2016, things were very different in certain areas. Talking with the caretaker at Rubicon Springs...since the Rubicon is a county road, improvements do get made with taxpayer money. One area in particular that had changed quite a bit was Big Sluice. They brought in tons of crushed rock and built a retaining wall on one of the hairpins. Since its so remote, that rock needs to be flown in by Helicopter at a cost of $4,000/hr. This past year, 6 mil. was spent on improvements and maintenance. Im sure the hippies love that!

09-17-2018, 03:01 PM	#10
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	For us, Rubicon was about 1,000 miles round trip. Moab is 2,100 round trip. Even though that extra 1,000 miles sucks when you're driving it, I forget all about it when Im in Moab. Id say the skid did its job: Ill get some pics of the other stuff.

09-18-2018, 09:49 AM	#18
Hoofmann AKA: Kebo Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 7,822	Yeah finish your TJ and keep the minivan JK for easy stuff like the pavement.

09-18-2018, 11:19 AM	#20
Kurt TJ Pimp Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 5,504	The JK is a company vehicle...don't use it on the street much. I take it to shows and events, and wheelin. The JK has all of the KD Fabworks bumpers/skid plates on it, the TJ does not. With a family, the JK makes more sense to build. I also need more space for the business and the TJ is taking up a lot of space. I can finish that, sell it, put that money into the JK and build it to do what I need and be a marketing piece. The 80 is only bout $150 more than the ProRock60, so why not?