Rimrock Questions-WA

[ToyotaJeep]

I have wheeled the Naches area in the past and had a good time. Over the years many people have told me about how nasty, off-cambered and steep the Rimrock area is. One buddy "just won't go there". The other one says it is easier in a 4x4 than in on a motorcycle, but he won't take his Jeep. It has 5.38's, Dana's and a t-18 etc.

Is it really that nasty over there? I live some distance away now so I can't just run up there anymore. However I'd like to give it a shot once I get my Jeep done.

Any pics, stories or information about that area?

I am curious about it.

Thanks

[Jeepdude_Jay]

That area is some of the more difficult in WA just like you've heard, especially if it's anything other than dry. There have been many people die Jeeping there. Most of the trails are rated most difficult and down hill only.

[ToyotaJeep]

That sounds inviting! You painted a nice picture for me. That is almost worthy of a sig...

I did find one Youtube of a Pirate member here on the trail. Looks challenging.


Thank you, ROB

[Tech Tim]

When it comes to Rimrock, there are three types of people: Those who have never been, those who love it and those who will never go back...ever.

[85dhor]

I've heard if you get crossed up and roll. Better have a funeral home on standby.

['05TJLWBRUBY]

Originally Posted by Tech Tim

When it comes to Rimrock, there are three types of people: Those who have never been, those who love it and those who will never go back...ever.

While I've never seen it put this way before, I have to agree. I have spent the last 20+ years wheeling there, LOVE Rimrock. Can't wait to get my rig rebuilt again to get back up there.

Yes, it's steep, off camber, nasty and if you roll-better choose wisely where you plan to go over if you expect to walk away or have anything left of your rig when it hits bottom. I wheel my '05 LJ Rubi up there, have it down now for full suspension rebuild hoping to do a bit better there if things go well. When dry, it isn't too bad but if wet-expect to winch a ton and be in for a world of hurt if things go bad. My partner has totaled a rig there, we've lost a few four wheelers, this is where 99% of the damage my rig has ever had happen even after Moab, parts of AZ, the Rubicon, etc. Mine is built low on only 33s currently with 4.88s on the 6 speed and 4:1, ARB rear factory front. In middle of 3/4 link setup, trying to stay low and may bump to 35s. Expect body damage.

One request-if you do run up there, PLEASE use common sense and a little common trail respect-winch out of the lower holes. Far too many folks have destroyed this area by making alternate routes and bypasses. There are now bypasses for bypasses and with the idiots up throwing trash everywhere, it won't stay open too much longer.

Best of Luck,

Mike

[Coxmich1]

Yeah, not for the faint of heart. Many trails have spots where a simple driving mistake could end in loss of life or serious injury. If you do go, learn the trail s before going. There are many trails where there is no turning back. Preferably you should go with someone who knows there way around.

Check out pnwjeep.net and nwjeepin. There are sometimeswrite up there and nwjeepin has trail descriptions.

Good luck!
Mike

[ToyotaJeep]

http://www.nwjeepn.com/puckerridge.htm

Hmm.....this sounds inviting.

I do have a freind with an 80's style Jeep build. It has a trac - loc and 33 x 10.5's etc. Not a real crawler type. Just bolt-ons. He did tell me that he drove down one trail a few hundred feet and said it was so nasty that he winched for 4 hours to get out of there.

It will be a year or two before I get up there. I have a couple of stocker type Jeeps and a more extreme project. But nothing I would take up there today. That and it is a 7 hour drive as well.

Read that link. It is pretty good reading. Certainly interesting.

ROB

[Coxmich1]

Yeah, pucker ridge is insane. It is a ridge and the trail alternates from straddling it, to one side then the other. The ground is loose. There is a crazy loose hil climb to get up on the ridge. The exit if ran in the correct direction is a half dome slipslope that has an extreme sidehill where a mistake would equal a long tumble and a gory body recovery for your friends.

The sidehills are plentiful up there but no trail with prolonged expoture to a deadly roll as pucker.

With that said, i was only a passenger on that trip. My buddy got invited to go with rick russell to film a video up there it is available on his web page.

I would not take my rig, or any family on pucker!

[Coxmich1]

One other thing I forgot to mention. I run stock width axles 61 inches wms to wms with 8 inch wheels and 3.75 backspace and barely fit between many trees there. By barely i mean bark stuck in each bead!

[whiterunner27]

Originally Posted by Coxmich1

Yeah, pucker ridge is insane. It is a ridge and the trail alternates from straddling it, to one side then the other. The ground is loose. There is a crazy loose hil climb to get up on the ridge. The exit if ran in the correct direction is a half dome slipslope that has an extreme sidehill where a mistake would equal a long tumble and a gory body recovery for your friends.

The sidehills are plentiful up there but no trail with prolonged expoture to a deadly roll as pucker.

With that said, i was only a passenger on that trip. My buddy got invited to go with rick russell to film a video up there it is available on his web page.

I would not take my rig, or any family on pucker!

Been there too. But then again i was ridin with a friend. There were a few times I thought we were going to be turned into grease spots.

[toyoturd]

sounds like people used to talk about lions back in moab anybody got pics of pucker ridge ?

i've rode stuff like this in atvs where your in a semi controlled slide and you mess up you get heli ride out

['05TJLWBRUBY]

I found Pucker years ago chasing elk. Have ran it a few times since in various rigs. Never considered bothering with a camera, it just isn't worth it. As much as I love Rimrock, Pucker is one I prefer to get off of as quickly as possible.

Best of luck,

Mike

[shrek tits]

Put in a good cage and have fun.Lots of people don't like it because it weeds out the junk.Good to go with someone who knows the area. Please don't post video that's not what this area is about thanks.

[Tech Tim]

Originally Posted by Coxmich1

i was only a passenger on that trip. My buddy got invited to go with rick russell to film a video up there it is available on his web page.

I was on that trip too, loved it.

I would not take my rig, or any family on pucker!

Backs up what i said earlier about the three types of people.

[SHAWNB]

I tried to work with the forest service to get permission to fill some of the holes in on 617? (trails on the right hand side of spencer creak) and they told me that they have been told that those trails are not work spending time on. I said ok, there is a pile of rocks at the bottom of the tail that a previous work party used may I used them to fill in the holes. The all I get is "NO". If I had a trailer I would say fuck them and just do it! There are holes on those trails that swallow my 4runner on 39s.

[Coxmich1]

Originally Posted by Tech Tim

I was on that trip too, loved it.





Backs up what i said earlier about the three types of people.

I dont think you can sum rimrock by only pucker ridge. There are plenty of trails up there. Yes, i love rimrock, no i would not go on pucker ridge as a driver in my rig.


By the whay techtim, which rig were you in on that trip?

[Cat Burglar]

Don't waste your time with the lower trails that's where all the punk kids are. Head up the 1000rd or 1010rd we usually drop at bake oven flats or off the 1012 rd. go with someone familiar with the area and go during the dry season if it's your first time. We were up there last weekend and there is still a lot of snow in places. Good luck, have fun!

[Phantom 309]

We ran up Leaning Tree and back down Short and Dirty on Thursday. We hit a couple of really small drifts and a ton of runoff. We didn't go all the way on top of Divide though.

There's some pics here http://www.off-camber.com/forum/inde...rail-jam-2012/

[FJFOOL]

I've been up there numerous times, love it mostly, hated it a few times, too. I ran it with my old built FJ40, won't run my 80 there though. Never been there when it was wet, but I can imagine !! It is fun, just pay attention and wheel smart. Lots of off-camber and side-hilling and loose stuff.

[Stonebone]

A friend, and I did a lot of the trails including Short, and Dirty, and maybe Pucker Ridge about 20 years ago in an old flatfender... I don't recall being scared too bad. I remember coming down a hill with a yield sign off to the side about halfway down. People were turning around at the bottom and trying to go back up it to no avail..

I think I'll go back when I get my buggy done. The Flatfender I wheel now is really stable on Toy axles, but why take the chance, I have a family now to live for.

[Treeclimber]

Originally Posted by 85dhor

I've heard if you get crossed up and roll. Better have a funeral home on standby.

I barrel rolled there. Got lucky. When I came wheels up, I gassed it, and drove out of the roll, back uphill. I knew to gas it, and actually thought about that as I was going over, but the fact that it actually WORKED, was pure luck. Wife was with me, riding shotgun. Nobody got hurt, had a full cage and good belts. Afterwards, the rig was trashed. BIG ass'd sledge made the body kinda square. Replaced the front clip. When I cut the cage out (to replace it), it 'sprang' a good three inches. All new cage. All new harnesses.

edit: And I've been there since around '87 or '88 or so... can't exactly remember. Rollover was in 2010. And for what it's worth, you don't need big tires for Rimrock. One of the best rigs I've ever seen there, is STILL on 33s. Lockers, Winches and Cages are a neccessity, but big tires probably hurt as much as they help.