What is so special about PNW trails??

[w_howey]

Okay, I've been reading your threads and I have to know.

I keep seeing posts about how 'xyz setup' won't survive in the PNW.

Realistically, I haven't seen any pictures posted up of anything so extremely different from other parts of the country.

I see lots of trees, stumps and roots. Welcome to the Midwest or even most of the South East.

Some rocks, but not Moab or So Cal kind of rocks.

Very little mud, so that's better than the Mudwest.

Quite a bit of hills...

So what makes a PNW trail a PNW trail?

 

[hards91xj]

I was born and raised here so I don`t know about that. I hope somebody can explain that ,I`d like to know too.

 

[90exjay]

Can't speak for any where else, but was also born and raised here.I'm not sure what is so special about our trails, but i do know that we have a good amount of trails not to far away for most.Also that we have some trails that encompass all sorts of terrain which include dirt,mud,rock,stumps, and trees all along the same trail, which makes things fun for everyone.

One thing i have witnessed first hand is how narrow alot of our trails can be, which in turn mean body damage, as most here can attest to.

Sean

 

[CanMan]

There are a few places that have difficult trails. Crushers in Oregon, probably compared to the rocks in SoCal. Some of the trails at Reiter, don't know the names though. In Eastern WA, you have Naches, and there is difficult things to do there.

Yes, there are lots of trees, roots, and dirt-dust/summer, mud/winter. In Idaho, there are a few places that have some good trails, rocks to speak of. Oregon, don't know of too many other places besides TSF.

Hills, yea. There are plenty. Its the scenery that is most rewarding.

There is difficult stuff to do here, just not a whole hell of alot of it. You got to know where to look I guess.

 

[ECKSJAY]

I was born and raised here so I don`t know about that. I hope somebody can explain that ,I`d like to know too.

x2

 

[JBweld]

One thing i have witnessed first hand is how narrow alot of our trails can be, which in turn mean body damage, as most here can attest to.

Sean

That's about the only thing I can think of as well. I've never wheeled outside of Washington state (something I definately plan on changing), so I don't know why our trails would be harder. The trails here can be very tight (trees) and require some agility to get through them without messing up your body.

 

[w_howey]

I guess I was a bit unclear, and the MWC sarcasm maybe didn't come thru.

I've been reading alot of the PNW threads and PNW responses in other threads with an eye towards mods I need to make on my XJ for the probable move.

I keep seeing statements like 'that setup wouldn't survive in the PNW'. And I was interested in what makes the PNW so special.

The scenery out there is certainly one of the things we are looking forward too, second being the seemingly complete lack of a 'midwest' winter. Not facing weeks of sub-zero wind chills has lessened the blow from the absolutely ridiculous housing prices. From what we have seen, we are going to end up going from a 2000 sq ft, three story Sears home to a 3-bdr 1200 sq. ft. manufactured home.

 

[Boxil]

to a 3-bdr 1200 sq. ft. manufactured home.

i dont complain about trailer homes. i bought mine outright for 6,000. and when i move i'll sell it for a bit more and make my money back. better then renting.

 

[ECKSJAY]

I keep seeing statements like 'that setup wouldn't survive in the PNW'. And I was interested in what makes the PNW so special.

Oh, that... They're forgetting 'YMMV' and 'In my experience...'

In other words, it's mostly a buncha hooey. There's a point in a build where it doesn't really matter what you've got for tires or lockers. It comes down to driver ability and personal preference. Some of us learned differently than others.

 

[w_howey]

i dont complain about trailer homes. i bought mine outright for 6,000. and when i move i'll sell it for a bit more and make my money back. better then renting.

I'm not talking about trailers....

We are discussing modular homes. Alot of pretty nice ones, but compared to a stick and frame house not quite the same.

We have discussed me buying a trailer, and living in it till my wife and kiddies find their way out there.

Now if I could just find a certain few 'greenies' and convince them Chicago-style :firedevil to drop the damn lawsuit.

 

[Boxil]

In Eastern WA, you have Naches, and there is difficult things to do there.

i hate to break it to you but washington go's farther east then that. it go's almost all the way to idaho.

 

[scottmcneal]

modular homes have great floor plans, i just put one on my land out here. Alot cheaper than building a house, only thing is there on a slab or block wall..

 

[Metal Thrasher]

My only other real experience is California but here is what I see: A lot more roots, stumps and tree scraping; the trees in general are a lot tighter. Also wetter trails with tread clogging mud rather than wet sloppy mud. Lots of rocks but the smooth glacial till rather than broken chunks and few exposed rock sheets.
From a discussion this past winter we learned that the snow is not the hard frozen type that other climates get but rather tends to pack a lot more and is best handled with very low pressure rather than chains.

There is defenitely an element of just wanting to be different. :anon:

 

[XJourney]

I my opinion, like others have stated, what makes our trails "hard" is how tight they are. Most our trails won't allow anything bigger then a cherokee. But I think 95% of all our trails can be done on 33s and a winch

How many rigs around here run full width axles?? Not very many. When is the last time you have seen a rockwell in Evans??? EVER??? Who in the NW chapter (that has been offroad) is dent free?? I am not sure I would call our trails HARDKORE. But I like them.

Every time I watch a video of hardcore midwest/southeast wheeling it seems to be big blocks, 44" boggers, full width 60/60s at least if not rockwells, oh and lots of throttle.

Maneuverability is the name of the game up here. My future trail rig WILL have 4 wheel steer, and I still will have to do several 10 point turns.

I like this discussion. please continue.

So what are the most hardcore trails in PNW??
Crushers, Elbe/ Busywild(wet), BYS and SOL at Reiter, Walker/ LOWER Expressway, Naches/ Kaner flats, Rimrock/ Pucker Ridge or what about Vancover Island?

 

[mud1059]

Obviously there's exceptions to every rule, however neither in S Cali, nor the Carolinas was there the technical aspect of turning, leaning, trees, hillclimb and mudhole all at the same time. Around here, that's rather common. Plus, there's a huge variety of terrain.
I can't compare here to the plateau area with any experience, nor can I defend us assuming wheeling in this area is the only place like it on Earth. I do understand where you're coming from though.

Here's my contribution to the PNW scenery.

Yes, the housing prices are ridiculous in these parts. Blame the Californians. They've migrated north and brought their shatty traffic and housing costs with them!

 

[Metal Thrasher]

Yes, the housing prices are ridiculous in these parts. Blame the Californians. They've migrated north and brought their shatty traffic and housing costs with them!

The county I came from in California didn't even have a stop light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_County,_California I had to come here to experience traffic congestion that didn't involve a motorhome going way to slow on a mountain highway. Also at one point when living in Redding, CA the neighborhood was made up of a majority of people from WA and OR. So please realize that despite the "facts" there is just as big a flow of people into California as there is coming out. Just to scare you: more than one tenth of all Americans are Californians http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California#Population.

BTW I LOVE the PNW and am not going back! :wave:

 

[noutlawjeeper]

My future trail rig WILL have 4 wheel steer

are you gonna put nomes in the rear axle for that?

 

[2xtreme]

I have wheeling in several other parts of the country. Not alot, and not with lots of experience but I believe that it is the "technical" part of the trails here that make them most difficult. What I mean by "technical" is the following; Very tight tree's, combination of mud, roots, rock's, and the importance of picking a line. I have been places with much stickier mud, much larger rocks, and beautiful scenery. But there is a reason I love the NW and have no interest in moving!!

House prices. I love them!! I hope they continue to go up!!

Nothing wrong with modulars or trailers, but keep in mind that they are generally a depreciating asset and a stick built home is an appreciating asset. There are also other tax and insurance related benefits of a traditional house over a modular or trailer.

Michael

 

[w_howey]

I have wheeling in several other parts of the country. Not alot, and not with lots of experience but I believe that it is the "technical" part of the trails here that make them most difficult. What I mean by "technical" is the following; Very tight tree's, combination of mud, roots, rock's, and the importance of picking a line. I have been places with much stickier mud, much larger rocks, and beautiful scenery. But there is a reason I love the NW and have no interest in moving!!

House prices. I love them!! I hope they continue to go up!!

Nothing wrong with modulars or trailers, but keep in mind that they are generally a depreciating asset and a stick built home is an appreciating asset. There are also other tax and insurance related benefits of a traditional house over a modular or trailer.

Michael

Are you a realtor??? I don't know a thing about WA tax laws, but here in IL the tax benefits are more about the land rather than the house.

 

[mud1059]

Seriously...WTF? At the rate it's been the last 5 yrs, Your kids' 1st house will cost over 1.2 million dollars and their job after college will pay roughly 75k. (obviously negotiable). Figure on a 30 year fixed rate 6% loan. Your kid will make $6,250 and their mortgage will be $7,194.00 monthly. This is based on the a current $300,000 house and 15% annual housing increase and generic 1-3% annual pay scale increase. I would love to hear your reasoning Michael.