Trip Report: Dropped into Big Bear via Grapevine Canyon - Sep. 13, 2015

[boyfester]

I met up with a few Jeep friends from So Cal Off Road Explorers and drove through Grapevine Canyon, White Mountain trail, to Wright Mine, 3N89, 3N08 to Little Bear Springs, 3N14, then 2N13 to Green Valley. We wanted to go to Butler Peak fire lookout but unfortunately we found out the road (2N13C) to the top is closed. So we continued along 2N13 and went to Green Valley.

This was our GPS track for the day (~33 miles).


Heading south through Grapevine Canyon.










We found the giant head too.






We entered SBNF and headed east along White Mtn trail. The NF rates this "most difficult" but it was more like "hard moderate" as my stock 4Runner was able to make it up with stock tires. My RCI skid plate took a beating though.

The start.


Leading the Jeep pack






After getting over the North and South Peaks we took a short shelf road to Wright Mine.


Tight turn


Entrance to the mine


There was a spring inside the mine so there was water everywhere.

 

[TheSentinel]

That's awesome, thanks for the report!

 

[boyfester]

My brand new RCI aluminum skid plate cracked on both sides at the welds. Not happy.


We rejoined White Mtn trail and kept heading east. This section was pretty tough as it was rocky and very loose. I almost had to be winched up it before we stacked more rocks for the rear wheels to hook up.





Here's a view of South Peak (in center of photo) and North Peak to the right.


Matt's Jeep had some loose bolts on its u-joint but we were able to tighten them up and keep going.




This was the last tough hill climb along White Mtn trail. We all took the trail to the left as the right was very steep and very rocky.






We all made it up.

 

[Quatre Coureur]

Great write up. Keemonrunnin, Kanger, and I ran this back in November. It's a great moderate trail, so fun!

 

[Capq45]

Looked like fun. Did some of those trails last month.

Sucks to see and hear what happened to your skid plate. I might be buying all the skids behind the front skid plate that I already have. Wonder if [MENTION=90834]joshp767[/MENTION] can help you out

 

[boyfester]

This is along 3N08.





We wanted to see Butler Peak fire lookout but the road was closed which would have required us to hike the 2.2 mile road instead. It was 3pm and we were pretty tired to have to go on a steep hike for an hour or so. I'll come back some other time though. I snagged these three photos off the web.




View from the lookout


So we continued on along 2N13 to Green Valley.




We came to a sign that said "Locked Gate Ahead" but the road kept going and going.


We eventually did come to the gate but it was open and it dropped us out at Green Valley campground. Great trip!

 

[boyfester]

Great write up. Keemonrunnin, Kanger, and I ran this back in November. It's a great moderate trail, so fun!

Was it snowing up there at that time? I can't imagine doing White Mtn with snow on top.

 

[Quatre Coureur]

Was it snowing up there at that time? I can't imagine doing White Mtn with snow on top.

It was just starting to when we did it. At the top of the ridge the snow was coming down sideways and the temp with WCF was 13*!
November GVL/Big Bear Run

T4R run 11/1/14 3N17

 

[2014 Warthog]

About the weld cracking.

My steel plate also has a cracked weld on one side. But at least the steel is super easy to repair at home.

That is definitely a spot that needs a little strengthening!

 

[BrianSD_42]

Cool trip. I'd like to do this sometime. I wonder if it can be done in the winter.

About the weld. Unfortunately aluminum skids just aren't a good choice for even medium offroading, basically any offroading with rocks on the trail. I had an aluminum skid and smashed it immediately in Anza-Borego. Aluminum is good for the pure desert runners though.

 

[470SNC]

looks like a fun run, love running white mountain!