Fordyce Trip Report Jul 13-14-15 - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Wulfman · 07-18-2006, 05:21 PM

I've been coming to this area for my whole life - Dad has had a cabin @ Kingvale since 1960. I've been down the Fordyce trail on a mountain bike - I don't remember it much as it was excruciatingly painful. That was about 6 years ago. This past week four rigs , two wranglers, a rubicon and an FJ40 made the trip up from Eagle Lakes. Fordyce was running about 300 on Th-Fr and down to 250 on Sat. The first crossing my driver/buddy Greg got his wrangler stalled mid stream as he's only running 33's. The other's run 35's one with a fording kit. This trail is pretty rough - Carnage included:

Wrangler with 33's - Left front shocked blew through top mount, right front torsion bar cleaved 70% through frame weld, right front lower shock mount bent about 20 degree's.

FJ40 got the worst of it. Right front hub cracked resulting in rear wheel drive only AND no left turns. Required alot of towing, winching and 3 point turns to get him out the remaining 2/3rds of the trail. Also blew two right front tires

- The last only a few hundred yards from the pull out below Fordyce Dam.

The Rubicon and the Wrangler with the snorkel made it through fine.

Overall, what a blast.

We ate fantastically as one of the crew owns four restaurants, drank margarita's profusely and I brought the 110" outdoor movie theatre and we watched Old School and Blazing Saddles. A couple guy's came down to our second camp on Friday PM from Reno - They were Pirate's and they say they were affiliated with this site. Not sure if that's true or not. We let them share the campground as we were pulling out in the AM.

Great trip but go with a min of one more, preferably two more rigs.

jeeperrick · 07-20-2006, 06:22 AM

Is this you guys at the committee crossing?

Wulfman · 07-20-2006, 08:08 AM

Hey, Nice Pix.

Yup, that's us. First pic - That's me on the top of the jeep carrying the outdoor movie theater and electronics package. Had to make sure that came across with dry feet! I'm glad you got a pic of Greg St. Clair coming across in the Blue Wrangler (3rd pic). He hit a rock midstream and the current started to move him sideways - Unfortunately in the excitement I didn't get a chance to video his exciting fording experiment! Does anyone in your group happen to have a vido clip of that one or anymore pix! I'm Burning a DVD for the group with stills and almost an hour of video and that's the one clip I don't have. Which group were you in? Did you come across from the other side before us? Were you in the Pirate's group that camped with us the night before? Seemed like there were about 25 people to watch us attempt the crossing. I think the flow was 250 on Sat, but was up to 300 Th-Fr on the other 3 crossings.

jeeperrick · 07-20-2006, 08:43 AM

We were the the guys that crossed just before you, I was driving the green jeep. I believe my buddy got the whole thing on video. I will talk with him tonight and get back to ya.

Wulfman · 07-28-2006, 08:25 PM

Hey Jeeperrick, just curious if you were able to get any pix or video's from your buddy that shot us crossing east after you guy's crossed west. Anythin you've got would help round out of trip video - I'm calling it Beauty and Carnage!

Todd Wulfert (Wulfman)
Placerville
530-642-9616
twulfert@gmail.com

jeeperrick · 07-29-2006, 08:07 AM

Got the video, my buddy put in on a VHS for me.?? I can either send you a copy on tape or transfer it to a DVD, let me know.

Wulfman · 07-30-2006, 07:27 AM

Yeccchhhh. VHS. Hey, beggers can't be choosers. If it's not trouble, burn in on DVD. If it's eaiser just send me the tape. I'd be glad to pay postage, tape costs what have you. I'll send you my address in a PM. Really appreicate it.

Wulfman · 08-17-2006, 04:33 PM

Hey Jeeperrick, any luck on that video from your buddy? I'm ready to finalize my trip DVD and I'd like to get whatever footage you have. Let me know. We'll also be up there Sep 16 weekend. Hoping to get a group of guy's to the campground a mile or so below the dam - the one after the split river crossing.

jeeperrick · 08-17-2006, 05:34 PM

Todd,
My buddy has deleted it off his camera but Iwill be heading thru placerville tomorrow afternoon and can drop off the tape. I will call you this evening to set something up. I have tried to copy onto a dvd but I'm not able. Sorry

Wulfman · 08-18-2006, 08:32 AM

Jeeperick, Just sent you a PM with my contact #'s. Really appreciate it. Cheers.

Wulfman · 08-18-2006, 08:33 AM

Jeeperick, Just sent you a PM with my contact #'s. Really appreciate it. Cheers.

07-18-2006, 05:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Fordyce Trip Report Jul 13-14-15 I've been coming to this area for my whole life - Dad has had a cabin @ Kingvale since 1960. I've been down the Fordyce trail on a mountain bike - I don't remember it much as it was excruciatingly painful. That was about 6 years ago. This past week four rigs , two wranglers, a rubicon and an FJ40 made the trip up from Eagle Lakes. Fordyce was running about 300 on Th-Fr and down to 250 on Sat. The first crossing my driver/buddy Greg got his wrangler stalled mid stream as he's only running 33's. The other's run 35's one with a fording kit. This trail is pretty rough - Carnage included: Wrangler with 33's - Left front shocked blew through top mount, right front torsion bar cleaved 70% through frame weld, right front lower shock mount bent about 20 degree's. FJ40 got the worst of it. Right front hub cracked resulting in rear wheel drive only AND no left turns. Required alot of towing, winching and 3 point turns to get him out the remaining 2/3rds of the trail. Also blew two right front tires - The last only a few hundred yards from the pull out below Fordyce Dam. The Rubicon and the Wrangler with the snorkel made it through fine. Overall, what a blast. We ate fantastically as one of the crew owns four restaurants, drank margarita's profusely and I brought the 110" outdoor movie theatre and we watched Old School and Blazing Saddles. A couple guy's came down to our second camp on Friday PM from Reno - They were Pirate's and they say they were affiliated with this site. Not sure if that's true or not. We let them share the campground as we were pulling out in the AM. Great trip but go with a min of one more, preferably two more rigs.

07-20-2006, 06:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
jeeperrick Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Member # 26694 Location: Dixon CA Posts: 253	Is this you guys at the committee crossing? Attached Images __________________ Rick Bailey Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers Member CalRocs #515 Last edited by jeeperrick; 07-20-2006 at 06:31 AM.

07-20-2006, 08:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Yup, That's Our Group Hey, Nice Pix. Yup, that's us. First pic - That's me on the top of the jeep carrying the outdoor movie theater and electronics package. Had to make sure that came across with dry feet! I'm glad you got a pic of Greg St. Clair coming across in the Blue Wrangler (3rd pic). He hit a rock midstream and the current started to move him sideways - Unfortunately in the excitement I didn't get a chance to video his exciting fording experiment! Does anyone in your group happen to have a vido clip of that one or anymore pix! I'm Burning a DVD for the group with stills and almost an hour of video and that's the one clip I don't have. Which group were you in? Did you come across from the other side before us? Were you in the Pirate's group that camped with us the night before? Seemed like there were about 25 people to watch us attempt the crossing. I think the flow was 250 on Sat, but was up to 300 Th-Fr on the other 3 crossings.

07-20-2006, 08:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
jeeperrick Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Member # 26694 Location: Dixon CA Posts: 253	We were the the guys that crossed just before you, I was driving the green jeep. I believe my buddy got the whole thing on video. I will talk with him tonight and get back to ya. __________________ Rick Bailey Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers Member CalRocs #515

07-28-2006, 08:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Buddy's Video? Hey Jeeperrick, just curious if you were able to get any pix or video's from your buddy that shot us crossing east after you guy's crossed west. Anythin you've got would help round out of trip video - I'm calling it Beauty and Carnage! Todd Wulfert (Wulfman) Placerville 530-642-9616 twulfert@gmail.com

07-29-2006, 08:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
jeeperrick Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Member # 26694 Location: Dixon CA Posts: 253	Got the video, my buddy put in on a VHS for me.?? I can either send you a copy on tape or transfer it to a DVD, let me know. __________________ Rick Bailey Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers Member CalRocs #515

07-30-2006, 07:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Thanks Yeccchhhh. VHS. Hey, beggers can't be choosers. If it's not trouble, burn in on DVD. If it's eaiser just send me the tape. I'd be glad to pay postage, tape costs what have you. I'll send you my address in a PM. Really appreicate it.

08-17-2006, 04:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Any Luck on that Video? Hey Jeeperrick, any luck on that video from your buddy? I'm ready to finalize my trip DVD and I'd like to get whatever footage you have. Let me know. We'll also be up there Sep 16 weekend. Hoping to get a group of guy's to the campground a mile or so below the dam - the one after the split river crossing.

08-17-2006, 05:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
jeeperrick Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Member # 26694 Location: Dixon CA Posts: 253	Todd, My buddy has deleted it off his camera but Iwill be heading thru placerville tomorrow afternoon and can drop off the tape. I will call you this evening to set something up. I have tried to copy onto a dvd but I'm not able. Sorry __________________ Rick Bailey Dysfunctional Rockcrawlers Member CalRocs #515

08-18-2006, 08:32 AM	#10 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Jeeperick, Just sent you a PM with my contact #'s. Really appreciate it. Cheers.

08-18-2006, 08:33 AM	#11 (permalink)
Wulfman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Member # 75911 Location: Placerville, CA. Posts: 20	Jeeperick, Just sent you a PM with my contact #'s. Really appreciate it. Cheers.

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