5th gen 4Runners in scenic locations

i feel the vortex

 

Hope you have your skis or board. Epic dump.

Quick edit- The way our winters have been, you got 2 years worth in 24 hours!

 

Berdoo Canyon up to Joshua Tree - during a break from CA's epic rain storms this weekend

 

Lots of logging roads north of Lake Almanor, Lassen national forest and Tahoe National forest. Emigrant gap, just pass Sly park. Ice house. I could name a few more but I'm being lazy and don't wanna open a map. Lol.

Emigrant gap

Lassen national forest

 

Another snowy day at Arizona Snowbowl.
Went skiing in the morning and snowboarding in the afternoon

 

Jump on the Sacto thread; they got some good group trips and plenty of advice and fraternity.

 

That 4runner looks great!

 

Kofa Wilderness, AZ (away from all the snow north).

 

Bottom of grand canyon, Colorado River

 

Is this in Peach Springs, AZ? If so, what month/year? Thanks in advance.

 

Yes sir, peach springs, AZ. Little Indian reservation, off of old route 66. It was the last week of November 2022.

 

Thanks. Tried to go twice, summer 2021 and early 2022, but was still closed off to outsiders due to CoViD19. Might try to get up there soon, then.

 

You'll need a permit, went into town hall, they don't sell permits, apparently there's a ranger that patrols the road/valley that collects fees but we never saw him. This sign is right at the entrance.

 

Thanks!

 

I went Sept 2021 with no issue. We were going to camp but it was 100 degrees so we set off for Flagstaff/Sedona.
Weird they didnt let you in at least in 2022?

 

i got my permit at - google maps calls it: Historic Peach Springs trading post. next to the post office.

 

It might have been late 2021. I travel all of Arizona working, except Maricopa country. On the reservations it's been touch and go the past 3 years with regard to the media's latest CoViD19 drama, of masks, NO masks, 6' apart or 2 sheeps apart. A few times I was told I needed a mask and I would say, "I was just up here two weeks ago and didn't need a mask then." "Today you do," they would fire back. The clinics and hospitals were worse, "You can't wear that type of face covering here." Anyhow, I might have stated the dates incorrect or correct, I really don't know now. Whatever times they were, twice I was turned away.

That aside, thanks for the info on the permit.

 

Very cool!

 

Pretty, but hell naw. This Missi'ppi boy don't like no snow. We had some around Christmas and it was colder than witch's tit in a brass bra.

If we get ANY snow it's usually in Jan or Feb. Might stretch it into March. But we usually start warming up in late March and stays hot all the way to December.

 

Glamour photo outside the entrance to Dixie NF:



And Bryce Canyon later this morning:

 

Nice!
Any hiking trails open in Bryce?

 

Thanks! Only the ones out to the overlooks have been groomed (and some not even that, more just smashed down by walkers haha). But the other trails show signs of ski and snowshoe use, but the snow is still too deep and fresh to make hiking easy. And as for driving on the forest service roads...nope. I drove about 20' off the highway onto a forest service road and promptly got stuck. Luckily my boot combined with 4 Lo and A-Trac were enough to finally get me out. I was bummed, I'd been hoping to do some dispersed camping, but nothing is passable.

 

It gets pretty cold camping at 8000 feet!
If you go back when the snow clears try hiking the Fairyland Loop trail. At 8 miles in length it gets a lot less traffic and the scenery is spectacular.

 

I camped last night but it only got down to 11 degrees. I was toasty warm in the 4Runner (no heater, just my sleeping bag), but the weather said it was about 10 degrees colder in Bryce. All told, I have a 0* bag (that I used last night), a 30* bag, two 40* quilts, and a wool blanket and a poncho liner… I think I may have overpacked my bedding.

I’ll definitely check out that trail when I’m here next!

 

Did that two summers ago. So damn gorgeous up there, and no one around.

 

An introduction here. My wife has a 2014 SR5 4WD with 320K miles on it. She’s retired and piles up the miles going between our home in Fullerton, CA and our ranch in Stevensville, MT….which she arguably loves more than me. She also geocaches all over the west and into Canada. Meanwhile, I still work to pay for all this and I do all the maintenance and the few repairs we’ve had on the vehicle. It’s almost certain she’ll be home when she needs an oil change. Recently had the alternator go out and I replaced it with an OEM Denso alternator. That was the first “breakdown” type of repair for this vehicle. We’ve ordered a 2023 Off-road for her and will keep the SR5 for local use in Montana. Hoping we can do more flying between SoCal and Montana and less driving.

 

Gorgeous ranch! Are you close to the Yellowstone train station?