Yankee Hill

[SubaCool]

I have tried to get a group run with some 4x4 owners from a local 4x4 club I'm on, but since nobody has showed up in Idaho Springs this morning, we've decided to go ahead and do the run anyways by ourselves. We drove up the Oh My God road (pretty) to Russell Gulch.

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-Btw, before I go any further. My buddy Mike (yellow FJC, wrecked) let me use his Garmin Nuvi 350. What a piece of "equipment" that is. Kept trying to get us lost all day, good thing I've only used it for way-points.- OK, rant over.

In Russell Gulch, we've taken a shortcut up Roy Smith rd to Bald Mountain rd. It winds up the hill around some private properties, including mines. The structures were cool.

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Once we got onto Bald Mountain rd, the Nuvi led us up to a gated residence that had bunch of yellow sign warnings all over the place. Basically, we were just asking to get shot, so decided to wisely retreat and ignore the dumb Nuvi. Roy Smith rd put us just a short distance from Yankee Hill turn off (towards the cemetery, WP#8 in Wells book). We took that to the intersection with Alpine way. Got a little confused with the directions again and took Hamlin Gulch trail instead of 175.1 to YH. After a mile or two, we got suspicious that we're on a wrong trail heading downhill, so we've backtracked and got our headings again.
Back on 175.1 we came to the little rock obstacle that we remembered from a trip with Smash and decided to copy his pose:

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Lisa has talked me out of attempting to rip plastic parts off the car, so I've only posed for pictures, but after she got back in the car, she said it looked like it was doable. From respect to her I didn't run it, but we both knew we'll be back another day.
On we went towards YH when we came to the "play area" before the big intersection. Looks like the FS is flattening the fun rut and doing some extra work there.

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We took the rocky shortcut on the left (175.3B) which we've struggled with due to some new drainage channels. I remembered it being a lot easier back when we were there with Smash in July. But, we managed to get up that way and onto the intersection where we had lunch.

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[SubaCool]

After lunch, I was a bit concerned with how icy the hill looked, but decided to give it a go.

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Aired down to 25psi (36 street) and the mighty Subie crawled right up the ice no problem.

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It was having issues with the rocks above it, but that was mainly from me trying direct approach, and not the Subie approved lines. I took it out on a rock (made the rock pay, SUCKA!!):

The rest of Yankee Hill was uneventful.
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We've reached the intersection with Cumberland Gulch and since it was already 3pm, we've decided to drive down it instead of checking out YH and then coming back to CG. And good thing. We came up to a small innocent looking snow drift on CG. I've walked it and it felt like it was frozen solid, but it wasn't. I drove into it slowly and sank in. We've spent the next 3hrs digging out:

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[SubaCool]

Poor Lisa was getting freaked out because it was getting dark, but we've had recovery gear (a shovel! and some other things, but not a winch) and were able to get out on our own.

"Funny" thing was, right before we got stuck I said to Lisa: We should stay up here another hour to see the sunset! I guess I didn't realize I was making a wish:

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We got out about an hour after it got dark, but I was getting ready to call it and settle in for the night if we didn't get out within the next hour or so. We've had extra clothes and food and other necessities, so spending the night wouldn't have been that bad, just inconvenient. But we were relieved we were able to get out. The last two miles in the dark was a lot of fun, just wished we had some extra lights.

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It was a long and busy day, but we've made it and have another adventure behind us! YAY! Oh, and NO CARNAGE!

For the full slideshow, go see https://good-times.webshots.com/slide...75488350JGCZHI

Got some videos, but way too tired to do anything with those right now. Will update in a few days.

 

[mr turbo]

Great pics & trip report SubaCool.

As usual, your pics are top notch.
I must say that the snow pics make me feel quite cold brrrrrrrr :ebiggrin:

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[subaruguy72]

You Rock...

Those pics Rock...I always get caught in the MOMENT...and forget about taking the COOL pics till we are miles down the road.....

We are getting a good Local group back together finally, so We Will be getting some good run vids and pics soon...

It has dumped another 1-2 feet of snow on our passes the last 3 days....
I'll be out hunting in it this weekend.....:ebiggrin: will get some pics of the DEEP stuff.

SubaCool.....2 ton hand come-a-long and two 50 ft 1/4 inch cables have saved me many a long night in the car seal....

Again AWESOME pics and Report...

 

[Smash81]

I agree about the come along/cable puller. They aren't that expensive.

 

[yarney]

Great pics subacool

You're game going up there by your self saying that i probably do the same thing

Jan

 

[SubaCool]

Thanks guys, we really had fun despite the minor setback at the end :iconwink:

 

[chazmataz]

Awesome pictures! Atleast you made it out. Spending the night wouldn't have been fun but atleast you we're prepared just in case.

I'll second the come-a-long, i carry one with me all the time.
Also i carry about 3 straps(weigh less then cable) and 3 or 4 shackles to look them with if needed. I have also used my high lift as a winch/come-a-long before getting the come-a-long. The high lift works great, used it on a full size dodge truck not my soobie. :lol: