[Ron4RNevada]

150527-4R Trek 275 Exploring a new faint trail “Ron’s Loop”

Yesterday I got the oil and filters changed at Dolan Toyota; plus they washed her all up. Can’t leave it clean can I? So this morning I took her across the highway into the Hot Springs Range. Not much dust as we’ve had intermittent rain for the past ten days, which even firmed up the sand a bit.

I got out on the pole line trail a few miles and found a faint trail I had missed before. So let’s see where it goes. It ran across the flats for a half mile and then started climbing up to an old tufa outcropping. From there the trail seemed to disappear. I walked around a bit and found a very faint two track in the brush that seemed to go up a wash and then into a little valley that broadened out. The trail kept getting fainter and fainter; “when in doubt follow the wash”. Every time I followed where a trail would logically go it would appear again. It was sometimes just a bit greener brush, sometimes a tire rut.

The ride and stops were quite peaceful and pleasant. Sometimes I would encounter some deeper sand and the A-Track would engage and pull me on through. The trail was mostly accomplished in 4LO; 2nd gear and A-track ON.

After about 8 miles of this I arrived at a familiar trail and then looped back to the flats. At one point I tried a hill climb in deep sand with a pitch of about 40 degrees. In the past I could never get more than about 30 yards up it. This time I went about 100 yards. Nearly to the top before all four wheels just dug down to the hubs. Then I just put it into reverse and backed slowly down. That rear view camera is great! Did you know that the Decent Control does not work in reverse?


Just truned 40,000 miles

The new trail

wild flowers blooming

heading north

Parked amongst some tufa





the trail fades

Carson Sink behind me

the little valley broades

surrounded by basalt mesas





Very peaceful here

[Ron4RNevada]

There is a hole in the rock







The sandy climb that I just could not do. I got to within spitting distance of the top.

No: Rear lockers, LED lights, X-Reas, KDSS, a 3 inch lift, bigger tires, steel bumpers, racing stripes, plasti-dip, would not have helped - - -

[philsey]

Nice thread.

A TRD Pro woulda made it no sweat.

[ihateBL]

trd pro would. man i wish i could even wheel that. im sick of only red clay and mud. cool thread

[1engineer]

Nice trip Ron and I hope you don't mind a brief hijack:

"The TRD Pro would have made it in 2WD while missing three tires, engine not running and one hand tied behind it's back." Next?

[MSinDC]

Originally Posted by Ron4RNevada

Did you know that the Decent Control does not work in reverse?

Great pics - Just curious, I thought the descent control was exclusive to the trail editions? Does the SR5 have it? I'm asking because I thought that it DOES work in reverse as well (have to check my manual).

[BobsTrail]

Great set of photos, looks like a trip I would like to make.

Surprised you did not make it to the top. OEM tires or Toyo MTs as in your signature? Did you air down or try it without ATRAC?

[ihateBL]

Originally Posted by 1engineer

Nice trip Ron and I hope you don't mind a brief hijack:

"The TRD Pro would have made it in 2WD while missing three tires, engine not running and one hand tied behind it's back." Next?

wow well if you put it that way.... mt. Everest, here i come

[96r50]

Originally Posted by MSinDC

Great pics - Just curious, I thought the descent control was exclusive to the trail editions? Does the SR5 have it? I'm asking because I thought that it DOES work in reverse as well (have to check my manual).

Crawl Control is only on the Trail Edition and it works in reverse. Descent Control is on the SR5 and Limited trims.

[Chsbrgr]

Sounds like a perfect day in the desert. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[Ron4RNevada]

It's always a fun day in the dirt. 11th off road trek in the 4Runner since I bought it December 10th. I'm liking it at least 95% as much as I did the LR Discovery - Will be 100% when I get around to trimming some of that low hanging plastic (when the wife isn't looking).

If the descent was working when backing down I couldn't tell - Going forward it makes so much noise you couldn't miss it. I didn't really need it though - Lots of sand drag.

Yes I was aired down - didn't add anything as the tires were buried to the inside of the rims - Can't get much more contact patch then that. It just sat there with all four wheels evenly slowly spinning and digging in. I woulda' got a picture but no-way do I get out of a truck hanging on a 45 degree slope.

Backing down with a rear view camera is the cats meow.

[wfo9]

Don't have much experience in sand in my truck, but I have hit a many sand obstacles in trials. Momentum and more throttle than usual is key. You have to float on top. Any sort of slow down and you sink/game over. Climbs are especially challenging. Lots of HP required (very different than rock/trail crawls)

The hill does work for you in the recovery scenario... I would hate to be stuck in sand on flat ground and have to dig out.

[Ron4RNevada]

Originally Posted by wfo9

Don't have much experience in sand in my truck, but I have hit a many sand obstacles in trials. Momentum and more throttle than usual is key. You have to float on top. Any sort of slow down and you sink/game over. Climbs are especially challenging. Lots of HP required (very different than rock/trail crawls)

The hill does work for you in the recovery scenario... I would hate to be stuck in sand on flat ground and have to dig out.

Momentum only carries you so far - That ridge was about 100 yards long. After it slowed and came to a stop I was still able to get about another five yards before it just wouldn't move.

Have done some sand digging on flat ground - but it has been years. A-Track (=LR ETC) is wonderful.

[ic0517]

I can't believe you did all that without changing the interior lights to LEDs. Awesome.

[mace.]

Originally Posted by Ron4RNevada

I woulda' got a picture but no-way do I get out of a truck hanging on a 45 degree slope.



Backing down with a rear view camera is the cats meow.

I would think that a sustained 45 degree slope would be beyond the limits of what the 4Runner is capable of especially on low traction situations. Getting into terrain like that always appears steeper than it is.