Colorado LR3 (or other Rover) Owners

[CoMclovin]

I'm in the Denver area, and head out from time to time... Silver D3

 

[nwoods]

I don't know why it didn't occur to me to post this earlier, but OffRoving is featuring their annual Great Divide Challenge again this summer, across the Continental Divide trail through Colorado.

This year marks the 4th GD (Great Divide) adventure, and the dates proceed the National Rally by one week: July 23-27. Most participants are going to attend the Rally in Leadville right afterward (July 28-Aug 1).

The cost is $300, and participants usually score far more than that in high-end, useful Swag (one year, everyone got free Cooper tires!)

The new tripsheet for GD4 is not ready yet, but last years will give you a good taste of what to expect:
http://www.offroving.com/GDIII_TripSheet.pdf

Here is a flyer for GD4: http://www.offroving.com/GD4_PRE_tripsheet.pdf

Cool deal going on, purchase an Overland Accessories roof tent, and GD4 is half off!

 

[BldrRover]

I just did Bunce School and Ironclads this afternoon and had a great time. Bunce was pretty easy(Subaru could do it), but Ironclads had a couple fun sections that needed spotting and "play hill" was a tough obsticle. While I was up there, I found an old mining road that I don't think anyone has been on in years and took it way way back into the backcountry until there was nowhere else to go. That was a great adventure, but I had a lot of tree branch scratches and my roof rack looked to be dressed in evergreen camo by the end of the trip(really needed branch clippers and a chain saw). I would recommend the trail to anyone who doesn't care about their paint too much.

Based upon my run today, I would say that Coney Flats, Miller Rock or Middle St. Vrain would be a fun link into a Bunce warm up. These trucks make anything under a 4 or 5rating kind of boring to be honest.

Sorry... no pics... I am really bad with bringing the camera.

I signed up for the GD4 months ago and am counting down the days...

 

[nwoods]

These trucks make anything under a 4 or 5rating kind of boring to be honest.

It depends. I've been arguing this point for a while now, that the LR3 invalidates the old trail ratings. Certain obstacles that are really hard for a traditional solid axeled vehicle that relies on big tires and flex are generally very easy for the LR3, but certain rock sizes and positions that are a piece of cake for a Jeep on 33" or 35" tires are super hard for an LR3.

So a trail rated 8 out of 10 could be doable in an LR3 IF the obstacle is of a suitable nature. Likewise, a trail rated 3 out of 10 could eat an LR3 for lunch if its the wrong sort of obstacle.

Its just so different, the old trail ratings don't apply.

 

[BldrRover]

Anyone hear if Jenny Creek off of Rollins Pass is open yet?

 

[Houm_WA]

Nathan, I'm interested in hearing more of your analysis. Do you have any examples off-hand or some scenarios that you can think of to better describe what you're saying? Are you thinking of the location of the obstacle (an LR3 can pass a fairly large rock down the middle whereas a solid-axle rig couldn't) or what?

 

[codemonkey]

Nathan, I'm interested in hearing more of your analysis. Do you have any examples off-hand or some scenarios that you can think of to better describe what you're saying? Are you thinking of the location of the obstacle (an LR3 can pass a fairly large rock down the middle whereas a solid-axle rig couldn't) or what?

I'm guessing it's partly due to the improved traction abilities of the LR3 - it makes use of limited traction like no locked diff ever could. So plus to LR3 for that.

The IS also can be a huge plus - crosslinking aside, if one wheel on an axle is compressed from a rock, the other wheel on the same end does not necessarily move, so it can remain perpendicular to whatever surface it is traveling on.

For clearance, the upside is no pumpkin. The downside is the exhausts are below the axle line and seem especially vulnerable to me.

Just my thoughts.

 

[codemonkey]

Anyone hear if Jenny Creek off of Rollins Pass is open yet?

Given how much snow is at the north end into summer, I'd guess it's not open yet.

Anyone been up to Bunce in the past few days? Just curious if it's a complete mudpit up there. Not a big fan of mud. I'm tempted to pass on the run this Sunday and road trip south for the weekend.

 

[H2OU]

I am 50/50 on Sunday as well. Does another weekend (or day) work better for anyone else?

 

[BldrRover]

20th or 21st of June?