SW Idaho Wheeling (pic heavy)

UPDATE: Here is a link to a map of Idaho with pin points of all the locations mentioned on here (and some others not pictured). So in case anyone ever wants to wheel in Idaho, this gives you a start.

MAP of IDAHO ADVENTURES!!!


I already posted this on TNX, but thought I'd share with those of you who are not on there.

So I finally found an off-road club to join out here (since I got tired of wheeling by myself and thus limiting where I could go and what I could do).

Last weekend was my first event- a Turkey Poker Run in SW Idaho at the Owyhee Mtns (Fossil Creek OHV). After 8h of wheeling, we found 5 of the 6 markers. It was great! I'm the only X in the group and they all commented how impressed they were by it (almost 90% were Jeeps there).

Google location here: Fossil Creek, Owyhee, Idaho 83650


Jacka$$es in pickup tried to climb the hill in 2WD and got stuck sliding sideways. Jeep had to winch them up.

And then on Black Friday had another event, only 2 of us showed up- Black Ops ed JK Rubi. Bone stock. Guy was new to wheeling. So we had some fun, both made use of the snatch strap (good learning experience for him). Area: drained Lucky Peak Reservoir/Robie/Mores Creek area.

Google location here: Robie Creek Boat Ramp, Robie Creek Road, Boise, ID

This is where he pulled me out- sandy shelf road that was giving way as I attempted to get off it.

Doesn't even look that bad after taking pics of it, haha! Not gonna try that again! Lots of water crossings (Robie Creek NW of Boise in Boise mtns)

Hit a rock at this crossing. Oops. The white truck stopped to watch us cross the creek, haha! I bet he didn't think we'd make it (poser asphalt wheeler).

Great to see you're show'em what the X is really for, buncha haters'

I tawt I saw a Hardbody in there....I did, I did, I did taw a Hardbody!!!

Sweet pix Mel!! Looks like an awesome time on a sunny day.

Thanks! Yeah, I try to get out as often as possible....just about every weekend. :-D

What no potatoes? hehehe

Looks like a fun way to spend the day

Great pics!!!

Killer pics, Mel! And it seems like pics NEVER show what stuff really looked like out on the trails... The X is looking good. Way to represent amongst the Jeep crowd!

Hahaha thanks All!
Yeah, the Jeepers I met were a great crowd. We'll see what other adventures an off road club shall bring and what other surprises I have in store for them. Right now I'm looking to make a tube bumper, bwahahahaha!

And no, no potatoes in SW ID, they grow in SC and SE ID.

Great pics! These threads make me loooooove the forum

Looks like a bunch of fun, show them jeepers how we do it!

NismoFire said:

I tawt I saw a Hardbody in there....I did, I did, I did taw a Hardbody!!!

Click to expand...

Lol, I had to go back up and play Where's Waldo with the hardbody, that was a hard one. I completely missed it the first time.

Yeah, there were a few hardbodies there. Those guys, I swear they looked like they were 12, started to follow my group around (I think they got lost). They were the morons who tried to go up the steep incline in 2wd and lost traction and slide sideways (so could not back down b/c trail was too narrow). A JK had to winch them up. *rolls eyes*

I'm a HUGE stickler for Tread Lightly mantra and quite a few of the buggies and trailer queen rigs blatantly broke those rules. Really annoyed me and I'll probably bring it up whenever the club accepts me as a member, bwahahaha!

Today went on another trail run with the Idaho Off Road Club. Everyone there was a Jeep except for myself and the trail leader (whose Jeep had flats, so he took his F350 instead, haha).

View from Boise foothills overlooking Treasure Valley area


The mtns should be COVERED in snow by now, but there is hardly anything. Sad. But we did encounter this:
Giant ice flow covering the trail, with a drop off on the other side. Luckily the F350 had sand bags and we had shovels to gouge traction marks in the ice with.



One of these is not like the others...

another trip i forgot to post...

Went on another (monthly) run with the local OR group out here. Went down south of Bruneau, ID (about 80mi SE of Boise towards NV border). I had to go on the easy run b/c I dont have lockers for the waterfall climbs on the other runs.

Here are some pics of a very snowy day, haha:


Clean!

Nice pics Mel!

Thanks! I kept forgetting to update this thread with my most recent endeavors. I'll try to be better about it haha

Oh dang, I completely forgot I started this thread. MAn, I have months of pics of catching up to do! Just gotta make all of you jealous you do not live in Idaho, bwahahaha!

I love those pictures, I wish we had snow here in FL. Would be so much fun to wheel in. I miss it :'(

gorillamel said:

Oh dang, I completely forgot I started this thread. MAn, I have months of pics of catching up to do! Just gotta make all of you jealous you do not live in Idaho, bwahahaha!

Click to expand...

Get on it, woman!

Sorry, I'm still at work. Doing 12h shifts sometimes blows....like when you miss all the Cyber Monday deals and posting pics on XN haha.

I hate 12s...it's like a never ending cycle. Work. Sleep. Repeat.

Yep pretty much. I love the days off though. Of all the work schedules Ive ever had, 12s are my fav. Just limits me to strictly working and sleeping on those days. No chance to accomplish anything personal/errands.

hokay, here's a start:

Mid-June 2012-

This weekend I went on the Idaho State 4x4 Association's event run. We camped at Nat-Soo-Pah hot springs/campground. I could only go on the trail on Friday. It was near Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir/Jarbridge (about 1-15mi from the NV border). Here are some pics:

On the way there, we stopped at Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, ID


Salmon Falls Creek Dam and a view of area we were in (looking S toward NV):

^this was actually a more cleaned up area that we went thru.


large branch hitched a ride and scratched the crap outta my hatch.

Scenic views:
Natural Arch

Standard poser shot:
(getting my zombie on)

I learned that shale is EVIL when going down a steep decline at 3.13 gearing!


Overall had some body damage from smashing rear driver corner on a rock (those Jeepers made AWFUL spotters) and bowing out my hatch a bit. Guess I'm lucky I didnt bust out my rear window, too.

And more

@Yellow Pine, ID. Near Frank Church Wilderness. Annual 4th of July bash with local Oregon Off Road Group. The Oregonians were beyond impressed with the Xterra. They couldn't stop talking about it. Went on a moderate/challenging trail through burned out area.

Lots of driving over fallen trees, through creek/mud pits and lengthy rocky trail...

At beginning, I was the only non-Jeep of 20 rigs or so.


Parts of the trail in the valley part of the trail. Lots of mud/water crossings (including fallen logs in deep water = oh boy fun).


Rockiest section:


Had to pull/chop some trees off the trail.


Some parts were on edge of mountainside on soft ground. At times had to go around, over fallen trees which pushed rear end toward drop off. View from my window...and ~1000' drop.


At top near Tungsten mine (abandoned):

Great shots. There is some awesome terrain out there!

I'm thinking I should add a map and pinpoint all the areas I've driven on in Idaho so that people have a better idea of what they are looking at. Idaho has ALL sorts of terrain, as you can see. And some areas are much more fun to drive than others.

Great pics Mel! Looks like some great trails!

Good idea....for when I travel to Idaho....... Lol

Ok since I am going in chronological order, I think August is the next month.

Went to Sinker Creek, off of Silver City Rd in Owyhee Mtn area. Went with the local JK club. LOVED it! Possibly the most technical trail I've ever been on (Moab aside). Lots of tight-fitting places, going over and around trees/rocks/water in a canyon.

The start- air down.

First part of trail- up a steep incline where you cannot see the other side when you get to the top.

The X in its natural habitat- stuck between a rock and a tree. This was hellaciously tricky. Yellow jeep friend made it look easy.

Had to be pulled out and re-position on this one. Wheels got crossed up.



What most of the trail looked like (too small for an ATV!)

Follow Sinker Creek in the canyon for most of the trail.


And here, I got stuck. Again.

Made it look easy. Again.

Sept I went on a few wheeling trips (almost every weekend).

First one was Tiddy Springs, also off of Silver City Rd in Owyhee mtn area.

Silver City Rd, view looking SE-ish.


Views along trail.




Stopped at some abandoned mining structures.


Trail. Also very overgrown. Lost my Hella light cover. Luckily orange Jeep friend went back next day to find it for me.




Took a break to shoot shiat.


Next trip I took my Dad to Silver City, ID. He had never been to Idaho before, so I thought I'd show him some fun historical stuff. Not a wheeling trip. Forest fires were rampant everywhere, as you can see in the pics how smoggy it is.

The Silver City Hotel

Church.

School.

Fire Dept vehicles.

Masonic Bldg.


Silver City Rd past New York Summit.

Also in late Sept the OR group went on a trip along Edna Creek to Graham Ranger station in Boise National Forest. We met and aired down at Whoop-Em-Up Park n Ski lot off Hwy 21 about 15mi past Idaho City.

The description given on my club forum for this run: "We will travel edna creek for a short ways then go north toward the Banner mine, then turn to east and make a side trip to Jackson Peak LO and then go thru Trapper Flat area and over the top then drop off down to the North Fork of the Boise River. Depending on the water level cross and go on to Graham RS. Then return back to start point."

Some views of that trip:






View running along airstrip.

The Ranger Station and airport.

Creek crossing.

Suicidal bird on trip home.

Once again, in Nov I went to the Turkey Poker run sponsored by the High Desert OR group. Had a blast again. Brought my friend with his stock Cherokee (TJ?). Performed awesomely. I busted off my front driver side sway bar and ripped off part of the plastic wheel well lining on front driver side. Ah well.

The start/parking lot

General scenery:


The most badas$ Chevy Trailblazer I have EVER seen:

Trying to figure out where we are:


Driving up the damn steep butte:

And now atop the butte:

Leaving the butte:

Balance beam contest:

Operation Feminise X:

Great stuff Mel...I need to work less and wheel moar!

I'm at an airport now. So had to pause in adding photos. I'll try to finish up in the next few days.

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Most recent trip taken Black Friday. I cannot stand being around large groups of people or holidays. So I decided to go camping in the mountains while everyone else spent money superfluously and enjoyed their family time.

I took Hwy 21 up through Idaho City, then stopped at Bonneville Hot Springs about 15mi past Lowman, ID. Then took FS 524 in to Grand Jean. Checked out Sacagewea Hot Springs and camped in the X at the (closed for the season) Sawtooth Lodge grounds. The next day drove further N to Stanley, ID and checked out the Lake. Then went through Sun Valley/Ketchum and back to Boise.

Bonneville Hpt Springs (we built the one on the far right bottom)


Sacagewea Hot Springs


Camping- Sleeping arrangements. Snowed the next day.

Quite a few parts of the trail were frozen water puddles.
Using my machete's saw to cut grass for kindling. (and posing like a moron for the photo)

Attempting to start a fire in snow with damp wood. Joy. Thank goodness for Rigid LEDs, haha!


FS 524 the next day and VIDEO of it.


Lake Stanley



Marshy area next to trail that floods/crosses it. Mount McGowan in background of Sawtooth range.


Along Hwy 21- Galena Summit and beyond

Entering Ketchum, ID.

Suicidal woodpeckers! Bahahaha.

Sapsucker I do believe was the species of bird that was suicidal.

Learn something new everyday!



Also, paint yer rack!

Videos of wheeling today:

Blacks Mountain Road, Owyhee Mountains, Idaho
[video=youtube_share;k0oRS07loCU]http://youtu.be/k0oRS07loCU[/video]

Jeep friends going through snow drifts
[video=youtube_share;qcKWVhRoWIA]http://youtu.be/qcKWVhRoWIA[/video]

Side trail off Black Mountain Road (coming back down toward main trail)
[video=youtube_share;f9FklCxpsIo]http://youtu.be/f9FklCxpsIo[/video]

Dan's Ferry: the starting point for all wheeling in Owyhee Mountains.


Views along trail





My friend posing with some of our rigs

The jealousy. I haz it.