J-BlickPhoto Thread

[J-BlickPhoto]

Final days of our vacation and we found some decent lines in the backcountry. It felt so good to be back on the skis.

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Back home and back in the mountains. The runner needs a bath badly!

 

[07V8]

Unbelievable thread!

What kind of suspension are you running?

You also mentioned your truck was getting tired - care to elaborate?

Thanks!!

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Unbelievable thread!

What kind of suspension are you running?

You also mentioned your truck was getting tired - care to elaborate?

Thanks!!

What kind of suspension are you running? OME with nitrocharger shocks. Medium springs in the front and Heavies in the rear.

You also mentioned your truck was getting tired - care to elaborate? She's starting to squeak everywhere. Sunroof motor started to fail, rear door latch failed, u-joint failed, leaking seal in transmission, almost time to revamp my suspension (130k on original lift, which still performs flawlessly, but I know it's coming), wheel bearings, misc interior stuff like the blue tooth, and a few bumps and bruises to the exterior. Everything has been fixed except for the suspension so I can't really complain. I will say that I will keep the 4runner forever.

 

[mcarey86]

What kind of suspension are you running? OME with nitrocharger shocks. Medium springs in the front and Heavies in the rear.

I did some digging, but couldn't find it since you've been so active so long, but you running aftermarket UCAs?

I'm 99.9% sure I'm going the OME route.

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

I did some digging, but couldn't find it since you've been so active so long, but you running aftermarket UCAs?

I'm 99.9% sure I'm going the OME route.

Still running the stock UCA's and I haven't had any issues to complain about.

 

[longeuayms]

As you can see, Evan drives as I sleep and eat in the back. Pretty rad!

Can you please show us your new platform and how it attaches to the 4runner? I like the idea of being able to store stuff up top and then sleep below it.
Thanks.
-Mike

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

This morning was GOOOOOOOOOOD! :cheers::thumb3::yo:

 

[desertred]

Jake, are those basically backcountry powder skis with a cross country ski binding set up that you all are using? I've never seen a set up like that (mainly sticking to groomers). I have been wanting to try cross country skiing though.

 

[Thirty4]

I think he has Trekking Skis on.

EDIT: Wow I was way off on that assumption. LOL Although that's what they looked like to the untrained eye. Good call on their actual make-up!

 

[FLY_FISHING]

Jake, are those basically backcountry powder skis with a cross country ski binding set up that you all are using? I've never seen a set up like that (mainly sticking to groomers). I have been wanting to try cross country skiing though.

They are ski touring bindings, the heel releases for climbing up hill and then you lock it back down to ski down

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Jake, are those basically backcountry powder skis with a cross country ski binding set up that you all are using? I've never seen a set up like that (mainly sticking to groomers). I have been wanting to try cross country skiing though.

They're Dynafit Speed Radicals mounted on a set of Volkl Nanatuq Touring skis. They're an all around ski as they're only 107 under foot. They're great in the backcountry and a lot lighter than other options that are out there. Depending on the binding, the only drawback about tech bindings are the relatively low DIN settings. Mine are set at 10, although that's only for the heel. The toe has an estimated fixed setting of 4. So, chucking it off cliffs or jumps gets dicey...I tend to lose a ski on the larger stuff.

It's funny since I've never skied a traditional binding or boot for that matter. Last year we skied a little over 100 days and only a few were resort days. Touring is extremely fun, but can be exhausting depending on the route. Mix that with a little climbing and it gets really fun...that's where I really shine and what keeps me motivated about backcountry skiing.

 

[Simpleman74]

Stifler says good to see updates Jake

 

[Throwback]

Awesome thread, man.

It's also very cool to see someone in the industry who isn't a walking Magpul/5.11/BCM/blahblahoperator caricature.

 

[longeuayms]

Can you please show us your new platform and how it attaches to the 4runner? I like the idea of being able to store stuff up top and then sleep below it.
Thanks.
-Mike

Nevermine, I just found it.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/1610821-post3450.html

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Nevermine, I just found it.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/1610821-post3450.html

That's not it. I built a completely different one. The one I built now is WAY better. I'll try to find some pics.

 

[1engineer]

That's not it. I built a completely different one. The one I built now is WAY better. I'll try to find some pics.

Question: on a typical day, how much vertical feet do you climb to either ski or rum?

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Can you please show us your new platform and how it attaches to the 4runner? I like the idea of being able to store stuff up top and then sleep below it.
Thanks.
-Mike

Here are a few images. So far it's worked REALLY well. We've spent a lot of time camping in the truck and this seems to be the best way to still carry a fair amount of gear in your vehicle and sleep comfortably. So, the (kind of) cool thing is that in the corners near the rear door, it's fitted to the side panels, and it's just long enough that when the rear seats are up, the seats sort of push against it. It creates a solid truck that doesn't shift or shake.

 

[J-BlickPhoto]

Question: on a typical day, how much vertical feet do you climb to either ski or rum?

Well, in the winter during the week, we will ski about 3 times a week. We have a secret spot that's close, so we're able to get about 1500 vertical feet before work. Winter weekend...4-8000 feet over two days. 8000 would obviously the bigger weekends, but on average it's around 6000. Last weekend we climbed 5800 on Saturday, and it felt fairly comfortable. Sunday morning we got up and knocked out a few pitches of climbing, so we finished the weekend with 6150 ish..

So I would have to say during the winter, on average we are getting in anywhere from 8-12000 ft. I keep a fairly dialed in route planning book. I use Caltopo, which allows us know with a fair amount of accuracy how much vertical gain we're getting on each outing.

During the spring, summer, and fall we shift to climbing during the week and if we're able we will still ski whatever scraps are left. Evan and I will typically climb twice a week. We try for 3-6 pitches (outdoors). It's typically fast and we run to each spot. There's a lot of climbing at night under headlamp. Evan has gotten into ultra running so she'll run 25-40 miles a week in 2 maybe 3 runs and I'll usually tag along. Weekends are bigger. Lots of ski touring if there's still snow, mountaineering, and running in the mountains.

So, summer months are around 6-8000ft. During the bigger weeks it could easily double.

FYI, this is feet ascended not descended.

 

[longeuayms]

Here are a few images.

Thanks for digging up the pictures. Version 2.0 looks great. *I like how every picture of your truck is full of gear!

Can you still sleep two people in there with that box installed?

Is this version built in place, or can you remove it?
- I liked how the previous version could be removed as a camp table.

I building something similar, but I opted for right angle brackets off the side where the factory cargo cover goes in and where the "grocery" hooks are bolted in. Tomorrow is the first test camp run.

**This wasn't the finished picture, just the cardboard that was used for the trace out the final wood shelf.