Author Topic: 4x4 Trails!!  (Read 4563 times)

Offline Dr_Snooz

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4x4 Trails!!
« on: September 17, 2024, 11:35:17 PM »
My brother-in-law got his 4Runner going a few weeks ago, so we went out to see what's what on Labor Day weekend.



I live about 30 minutes from the Kings Canyon National Park entrance. The park adjoins the Sequoia National Park to the south. Both parks sit inside the Sequoia National Forest, so we have lots of recreational opportunities close by.



This was up near Hume Lake.



California is a special place. You have the beaches to the west with all kinds of fun stuff to do, surfing, motorsports on the sand dunes. The weather is spectacular all year round. As you come over the coastal range, you get into the Central Valley which produces the most amazing diversity of agricultural crops. There's everything from nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, to specialty crops like wine and olives. As you pass into the Sierra Nevada range, the foothills contain vast range lands with lots of cattle. As you rise into the mountains, you come into land largely preserved by legislation and managed for the benefit of the public. The National Forests are big preserves of timber. They are owned by the public, managed by the government, and are open for sensible commercial exploitation, like logging. Weyerhauser can't come buy it all up and build a fence around it. You can go 4x4ing or backpacking there whenever you want. The National Parks are off-limits to any kind of commercial exploitation, because they are especially beautiful. Yosemite is the best example. All of this is within easy driving distance of my house. LA and SF are also an easy half-day's drive away. San Diego is a full day.

I'm privileged to live where I do.
1989 Chevy Suburban V-2500, 5.7L, TH400

1990 Chevy C-3500 Ext. Cab, 7.4L, 3L80

2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT 4WD, 4.8L, 4L60

Offline Dr_Snooz

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2024, 11:44:51 PM »
Last Sunday, we drove up the trail to the Delilah Point fire lookout.



This is the lookout, which is manned by volunteers who drive up from the Valley floor.



The volunteers stay for a couple days at a time in the 15x15 perch at top and watch for wildfires. When they find them, they gather the coordinates using this contraption and radio them in.



The volunteer that day was super nice, gave our crew a tour, and answered all our annoying questions. It was an easy four hour round trip including a stop under the lookout for lunch.

Good stuff!
1989 Chevy Suburban V-2500, 5.7L, TH400

1990 Chevy C-3500 Ext. Cab, 7.4L, 3L80

2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT 4WD, 4.8L, 4L60

Offline Shifty

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2024, 10:40:20 AM »
Very cool!  Thanks for sharing.  :D
87 V20 Standard Cab Longbed (current)

87 R30 3+3 Longbed (days of yore)

98 C2500 ext cab longbed

Offline JohnnyPopper

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2024, 11:09:04 PM »
That was nice...Thanks!

I am born and raised San Diego, this truly is a great part of creation.

I've tried to live other places in this country, always returned here.
1957 Apache 3100 235 Inline 6, 3 on the tree
1973 C-20, 3+3 454 4BBL TH400  Water Injection
1978 K-10, 350 4BBL TH350 NP203 M.M. Part time Kit/Hubs
1980 C-10 under construction

Offline Dr_Snooz

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2024, 08:42:16 PM »
California gets a lot of flack right now, and justifiably so. Still, it's special and amazing.

I'll probably be posting more to this thread as my brother-in-law will probably get the itch here soon again.
1989 Chevy Suburban V-2500, 5.7L, TH400

1990 Chevy C-3500 Ext. Cab, 7.4L, 3L80

2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT 4WD, 4.8L, 4L60

Offline Dr_Snooz

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2024, 02:39:45 PM »
Yesterday we headed up to Hume for another excursion.



Except the rangers have all the roads closed for the year. So we stopped and had a conference.



The Cherokee is my nephew's new wheeling rig, on its first outing.

We decided to go to Delilah Lookout again...



Never mind.

Our last resort was to follow a trail that led down to Mill Creek.



Past the cow.



To Bailey Bridge.



Across the Kings River.



Past this remarkable installation.



I have no idea what it's for, but I think it has to do with hydro-electric power.



I don't know where we ended up.



But it was amazing, even though recently scorched by wildfire.



Pretty much sums up how we felt.



1989 Chevy Suburban V-2500, 5.7L, TH400

1990 Chevy C-3500 Ext. Cab, 7.4L, 3L80

2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT 4WD, 4.8L, 4L60

Offline Shifty

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2024, 01:35:48 PM »
Great pics-thanks for sharing them!
87 V20 Standard Cab Longbed (current)

87 R30 3+3 Longbed (days of yore)

98 C2500 ext cab longbed

Offline JohnnyPopper

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Re: 4x4 Trails!!
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2024, 01:44:05 PM »
NICE Dr!
1957 Apache 3100 235 Inline 6, 3 on the tree
1973 C-20, 3+3 454 4BBL TH400  Water Injection
1978 K-10, 350 4BBL TH350 NP203 M.M. Part time Kit/Hubs
1980 C-10 under construction