My wife and I decided to take another trip up Trey Mountain just north of Helen, Georgia. We had been up there before and had no problems with the gravel trail. We thought it would be nice to take another way down this time, to mix it up and explore.
Well, the ways down are NOT created equal. This particular way was much rougher and actually required me to pick the proper line to keep from testing the stock skid plates. There was one section that I simply was not prepared to see, about 100 feet if deep drops and sharp rocks, rock crawling if tou will. This might not have been anything for some of you who wheel every weekend, but it was the roughest trail this guy and truck have ever seen. We made it through and the trail narrowed but went back to regular rough, sharp rocks. This wasn't looking bad after what we had just seen. I was pretty sure the only reason we got through it was because we were going down hill.
A little further on down the trail we stopped to look at the map, we were almost out. Just another short leg and we would be back on smooth road. We were feeling pretty good, until we rounded the next turn and saw the road was blocked by a fallen tree. No big deal, I ALWAYS keep my Stihl MS261 in the tool box. It wasn't until I opened the box to see the empty spot my saw usually fills, I borrowed it to my father in law to use when this last hurricane was suppose to come through our area in South GA. Shit! We wound up needing to back up the rough trail about 1/4 mile to where we could turn around. Now I have no idea how we will get through that rough spot going up hill. But it didn't matter, there was no other way out.
When we got to the dreaded area, I got out and walked it, only semi sure if the truck could even do it. I wish I would have taken a picture at this point. But, I put it in 4lo and we took a run at it. We got to a point where I couldn't go any further when I gave it gas so I popped the rear diff into lock, pointed it in the general direction I wanted and gassed it. Once I got going I didn't want to stop, so we just stayed in the gas. We came extremely close to flipping it sideways but I turned that way and we came out of it. There were tears and cuss words (mostly from the wife) but we were through. Turning back tacked another 2 hours onto the trip but we made it out. Thank God for 4lo and lockers. I don't think I'll ever attempt another route like that without first investing in a Jeep. It may not be that serious, but we were just out for a little drive, not looking to do any serious offroading. I think I've ruined my wife, she never wants to go off road again. Unless we have a Wrangler, looks like we just justified our next big purchase. ;)
Well, the ways down are NOT created equal. This particular way was much rougher and actually required me to pick the proper line to keep from testing the stock skid plates. There was one section that I simply was not prepared to see, about 100 feet if deep drops and sharp rocks, rock crawling if tou will. This might not have been anything for some of you who wheel every weekend, but it was the roughest trail this guy and truck have ever seen. We made it through and the trail narrowed but went back to regular rough, sharp rocks. This wasn't looking bad after what we had just seen. I was pretty sure the only reason we got through it was because we were going down hill.
A little further on down the trail we stopped to look at the map, we were almost out. Just another short leg and we would be back on smooth road. We were feeling pretty good, until we rounded the next turn and saw the road was blocked by a fallen tree. No big deal, I ALWAYS keep my Stihl MS261 in the tool box. It wasn't until I opened the box to see the empty spot my saw usually fills, I borrowed it to my father in law to use when this last hurricane was suppose to come through our area in South GA. Shit! We wound up needing to back up the rough trail about 1/4 mile to where we could turn around. Now I have no idea how we will get through that rough spot going up hill. But it didn't matter, there was no other way out.
When we got to the dreaded area, I got out and walked it, only semi sure if the truck could even do it. I wish I would have taken a picture at this point. But, I put it in 4lo and we took a run at it. We got to a point where I couldn't go any further when I gave it gas so I popped the rear diff into lock, pointed it in the general direction I wanted and gassed it. Once I got going I didn't want to stop, so we just stayed in the gas. We came extremely close to flipping it sideways but I turned that way and we came out of it. There were tears and cuss words (mostly from the wife) but we were through. Turning back tacked another 2 hours onto the trip but we made it out. Thank God for 4lo and lockers. I don't think I'll ever attempt another route like that without first investing in a Jeep. It may not be that serious, but we were just out for a little drive, not looking to do any serious offroading. I think I've ruined my wife, she never wants to go off road again. Unless we have a Wrangler, looks like we just justified our next big purchase. ;)
