camping question. - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

brian r · 06-13-2012, 05:08 PM

Our group of three will be entering from the loon lake side,parking our tow rigs somewhere around ice house,(i think).
We are plannin on a 2 night 3 days on the con.
Question is what would be a resonable distanance to travel before setting up first camp,im thinking buck island the first night,and spider the next,does that sound about right.
Or since were headin out the way we came in,can we set up camp and leave it up for two nights,but still be able to travel as far as cadalac hill,this is were i was told to turn around and head back,not missing to much after this point
SORRY for the NOOB questions,just want to make sure we do this right,and not miss anything.
FYI,living in utah ,we all have capable rigs with lots of experience in rock crawling,and looking forward to the big and little sluice
having never run this trail im insure as to what to expect.
Any help would be appreciated.....Thanks Brian R..

TN1776 · 06-13-2012, 05:52 PM

A lot of that is going to depend on your pace and how much driving vs. camping/hiking/swimming/etc that you want to do. Ellis Creek is a nice place to camp but isn't terribly far into the trail. Lots of people hit Buck Island for the first stop, Rubicon Springs for the second stop then out to Tahoe which is a reasonable pace... but if you're going in then reversing back out to Loon, just play it by ear.

Next time I run that trail I want to spend more time out there... wheel a while, stop a while, wheel a while, etc. Probably spend 4-5 days instead of the 2.5 days I did on my last trip. My last trip (the only time I went all the way through as a driver) we got a late start and one guy in our group was having some problems. We hit Ellis Creek as it was getting to be dinner time, stayed the night there. The next day we pushed up Walker and out to the Little Sluice where we spent HOURS watching people play around in LS (there was a big event happening, wheelers for the wounded 2010). After that we hit Buck Island and were exhausted. The third day we went out to Tahoe - I was having some issues which slowed us down a little and we got out to Tahoe around dusk then drove back to Sacramento. Way too fast of a pace. All I really remember was the view out my windshield and 50 feet up the trail while my passenger was enjoying the scenery and taking pictures.

Air Ride · 06-13-2012, 06:14 PM

We wheel into the Spring in 4 to 5 hours easily and have done it in as little 3-1/2 hours. You could camp at Buck and do a day trip up Cadillac and back to Buck.

Rocky Bar · 06-13-2012, 09:31 PM

Just got from spending 5 days on the Con and Ellis Peak areas. Went in from Wentworth Springs to Rubicon Springs for the first night (a $10 fee per rig to camp there) then on to Tahoe City for gas, back on trail to Ellis Peak for great views, then back to the Springs area for camping and checking out trails. Then on to Buck Island to camp (Bears are there also) and enjoy the area, and back out Loon Lake. Had a great time. Ran it with 7 street legal rigs.

MochaMike · 06-13-2012, 09:31 PM

Wheel to Buck if you can day 1. (or near Spyder if not).
Day 2 go to the Springs & back (Cadillac is just beyond, so if you have time do that).
Day 3 wheel from Buck to Loon.

SanDiegoCJ · 06-14-2012, 10:10 AM

I've done the trail a number of times and once with mostly mildly built Jeeps on 33's we easily made Buck Island in 6 hours.

oldtimingman · 06-26-2012, 06:06 AM

It can also depend getting to Buck if you take the " Old Sluice"

.......it can take a "little" longer for some folks.....

run23 · 06-26-2012, 05:43 PM

I live in s.lake tahoe. we do day trips to the springs and back, sometimes to buck.That is alot of driving in one day! we all trailer our trucks so we do the trail forward and back too. have fun at Little sluice,old sluice and big sluice. those are some really FUN areas of the trail. make sure you got plenty of supplies because a 3 day rubicon trip could easily turn into 5 or 6. If you guys need any help contact struve automotive, they are also full tilt 4x4. have fun!

R290 · 06-27-2012, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian r

Question is what would be a reasonable distance to travel before setting up first camp

It always seems to be controlled by carnage. Chit one year a guy in the group broke down at the spillway, we only made it to Ellis. lol Just go with the flow.

06-13-2012, 05:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
brian r Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Member # 72630 Posts: 11	camping question. Our group of three will be entering from the loon lake side,parking our tow rigs somewhere around ice house,(i think). We are plannin on a 2 night 3 days on the con. Question is what would be a resonable distanance to travel before setting up first camp,im thinking buck island the first night,and spider the next,does that sound about right. Or since were headin out the way we came in,can we set up camp and leave it up for two nights,but still be able to travel as far as cadalac hill,this is were i was told to turn around and head back,not missing to much after this point SORRY for the NOOB questions,just want to make sure we do this right,and not miss anything. FYI,living in utah ,we all have capable rigs with lots of experience in rock crawling,and looking forward to the big and little sluice having never run this trail im insure as to what to expect. Any help would be appreciated.....Thanks Brian R..

06-13-2012, 06:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
Air Ride Tech Editor Join Date: Sep 2000 Member # 1656 Location: Santa Margarita, north of bender land Posts: 3,554	We wheel into the Spring in 4 to 5 hours easily and have done it in as little 3-1/2 hours. You could camp at Buck and do a day trip up Cadillac and back to Buck. Attached Images __________________ HENDRIX MOTORSPORTS.COM Threaded Panel Tab Sale tinbenders.org camo is my hero, even if he is gay DirtChoppers.net

06-13-2012, 09:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rocky Bar Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Member # 149343 Posts: 42	Camping Just got from spending 5 days on the Con and Ellis Peak areas. Went in from Wentworth Springs to Rubicon Springs for the first night (a $10 fee per rig to camp there) then on to Tahoe City for gas, back on trail to Ellis Peak for great views, then back to the Springs area for camping and checking out trails. Then on to Buck Island to camp (Bears are there also) and enjoy the area, and back out Loon Lake. Had a great time. Ran it with 7 street legal rigs.

06-26-2012, 06:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
oldtimingman Tinkerer Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75774 Location: In a van down by the Rogue River, OR Posts: 610	It can also depend getting to Buck if you take the " Old Sluice".......it can take a "little" longer for some folks.....

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06-13-2012, 05:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
TN1776 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Member # 118129 Posts: 83	A lot of that is going to depend on your pace and how much driving vs. camping/hiking/swimming/etc that you want to do. Ellis Creek is a nice place to camp but isn't terribly far into the trail. Lots of people hit Buck Island for the first stop, Rubicon Springs for the second stop then out to Tahoe which is a reasonable pace... but if you're going in then reversing back out to Loon, just play it by ear. Next time I run that trail I want to spend more time out there... wheel a while, stop a while, wheel a while, etc. Probably spend 4-5 days instead of the 2.5 days I did on my last trip. My last trip (the only time I went all the way through as a driver) we got a late start and one guy in our group was having some problems. We hit Ellis Creek as it was getting to be dinner time, stayed the night there. The next day we pushed up Walker and out to the Little Sluice where we spent HOURS watching people play around in LS (there was a big event happening, wheelers for the wounded 2010). After that we hit Buck Island and were exhausted. The third day we went out to Tahoe - I was having some issues which slowed us down a little and we got out to Tahoe around dusk then drove back to Sacramento. Way too fast of a pace. All I really remember was the view out my windshield and 50 feet up the trail while my passenger was enjoying the scenery and taking pictures.

06-14-2012, 10:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
SanDiegoCJ Non-Lemming Join Date: May 2000 Member # 840 Location: Ramona Posts: 16,271	I've done the trail a number of times and once with mostly mildly built Jeeps on 33's we easily made Buck Island in 6 hours.

06-26-2012, 05:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
run23 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Member # 171517 Posts: 11	I live in s.lake tahoe. we do day trips to the springs and back, sometimes to buck.That is alot of driving in one day! we all trailer our trucks so we do the trail forward and back too. have fun at Little sluice,old sluice and big sluice. those are some really FUN areas of the trail. make sure you got plenty of supplies because a 3 day rubicon trip could easily turn into 5 or 6. If you guys need any help contact struve automotive, they are also full tilt 4x4. have fun!