5th gen 4Runners in scenic locations

Up on Boreas Pass, outside Breckinridge over the holiday.

 

A hop, skip, and a jump northeast of Boreas... up on Santa Fe Peak.

 

Nice, we were looking to do something up near Montezuma (Warden and/or Chihuahua Gulch) or even further west on Mosquito Pass but was reading that there was still snow up there. Seeing your photos on the Santa Fe trail doesn’t look to be the case though.

 

Yea, no snow at all on Santa Fe trail.

 

Those are great photos. I’m planning a return trip this fall. I’d be interested in your route from Toroweap to Whitmore Canyon. The NPS descriptions make it sound pretty hairy getting there.

 

Big Bear, CA - Clarks Grade

 

This is my third time in the area. My GAIA map is attached, with pink as the track and green as the plotted route. Yes, there are a few routes that are a bit more challenging. On the GAIA map, intersection #1 on track pink to green route, the trail degraded more than I was interested in pursuing. Although I had the route plotted on GAIA in green, I turned around about halfway before reaching intersection #2. At #2, on the green route, a sign reads, "Dead End." So I turned around, taking County Highway 5 (CH5) west to Potato Valley and County Highway 257 (CH257) to Whitmore Canyon, like CH5, also a well-maintained dirt road. However, after Bar 10 (Resort), CH257 degraded about the last seven miles into Whitmore Canyon, which was mostly bumpy downhill with loose rocks, and I drove in 2WD to Whitmore Canyon. Climbing out of Whitmore might require 4WD due to grade and loose rocks. If you took the same route south to Toroweep, at intersection #3, continue CH5 west to Potato Valley, CW257 to Whitmore Canyon. These main routes are well-marked at intersection #3. The road out of Potato Valley does have some shelf areas. A vehicle was being recovered near section #4 the first time I was out there. At Whitmore Canyon, India and I hiked to the river. It's about 1.5 miles down, so about 3-mile round trip, but climbing back up takes effort due to the grade. I mention that because the hike is inviting but deceptive as well.

While I have a favorite, I won't spoil it—Whitmore 3 Toroweep 1.

Hope that helps.

 

I have to chuckle because in the middle of the map I see, "Mount Emma". I've seen Mt. Emma in Colorado in person, and there is a Mt. Emma in Washington (haven't been there yet), and now there is a Mt. Emma, AZ. I guess just like town names, mountains aren't too original either.

PS- I see you're another Gaia GPS fan. I love it. It's by far my favorite map app.

 

I've been to Toroweap and Whitmore multiple times. I followed your "green" line on your map a few years ago and it is not a route to take with stock vehicle with stock tires. The switchbacks where the road drops out of the Mt Logan wilderness area are extremely steep and in places your tires will not touch dirt...the road surface is all loose jagged boulders (that dark reddish-brown volcanic rock you see in the area). I was on a dirt bike, small enough that I was able to maneuver around the worst spots. You do get some fantastic views of Hell's Hollow following this route!

 

I have been using GAIA GPS for years before premium membership since 2021. However, I have considered giving up on GAIA since it has lost a few long tracks. And I never get a reply the times I've emailed GAIA about it. Including an auto stop/start feature like my MapMyRun (since 2012) and Relive apps, which, even if set to walking, automatically stops/starts recording. Too many times, I forget to restart GAIA after stopping, only to learn that it has not recorded a segment. What has been your experience with preserving recorded tracks?

 

I'm glad I turned around as I travel alone. Right-of-way through wilderness-designated areas is rare, and some allow only foot traffic but no bicycles or other vehicles. I am sure your experience is a memorable one. Thanks for sharing.

 

I've been using GAIA for about 5 years. I agree, an auto stop/start feature when recording a track would be awesome. I have too many tracks that have a gap in them because I forgot to restart them. I'm have a lot of tracks saved and I don't recall any being lost. I paid $60 for a five year membership almost five years ago. I see it's $20/year now. May need to consider other options when it's time to renew.

 

So far I haven't lost any that I know of (I've definitely forgotten to start them before trips though). That said, I don't have tons of tracks because I typically only use them for long road trips, not so much short drives. Maybe the incidence of losing them increases with the number of tracks you have saved? Here's what mine looks like so far. I'm bummed that I didn't have it on for two additional routes across the country and all of the west coast/ Eastern Sierra routes, along with nearly every one of my Colorado drives. Oh well, just an excuse to go back and visit them again.

 

It could be user error on my part as well. That aside, you have a very nice collection. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you, that info really helps. You sure have had some great adventures.

 

I am not sure if you read @Yamahamer 's experience about the green route I plotted on the GAIA area map, "I've been to Toroweap and Whitmore multiple times. I followed your "green" line on your map a few years ago, and it is not a route to take with the stock vehicle with stock tires. The switchbacks where the road drops out of the Mt Logan wilderness area are extremely steep and in places your tires will not touch dirt...the road surface is all loose jagged boulders (that dark reddish-brown volcanic rock you see in the area). I was on a dirt bike, small enough that I was able to maneuver around the worst spots. You do get some fantastic views of Hell's Hollow following this route!" Yikes! You've been warned.

Be safe.

 

I also have been using Gaia GPS for many years. Its subscription prices have been increasing. Now for premium it’s $60 per year, but with a little discount it’s $53.

I always let the tracking run constantly while hiking but sometimes I forget to turn it off when I drive away. Luckily that can be fixed. After you save the track you can Edit it, then Crop the beginning or end and resave it.

 

If I understand it correctly, @Yamahamer took the part of the green route that you bailed on.
I would not even attempt that based upon your reports. Thanks for the heads up.

By the way, have you ever gone to Whitmore Point? The route described on this NPS site sounds long and very rough.
(BLM1063/NPS1263 to Whitmore Point).
https://www.nps.gov/para/planyourvisit/whitmore-canyon-overlook-whitmore-point.htm

 

I have been to Whitmore Point at least twice that I can remember, once on my bike and once in my 4x4 van, and I don't remember that drive to be much worse than the drive down through Whitmore Canyon to the river. Of course, that was a few years ago and all it takes is one good rainstorm to take out a road. Some awesome geology is visible from up on the Point.



Looking south at the Grand Canyon:


Looking back to the northeast from Whitmore Point, Hell's Hole is visible as a colorful palette in the green of the forest. Mt Logan is to the right, and further to the right but not in this picture is where that "green line" road comes off the side of Mt Logan. I hike up into Hell's Hole via the bottom of the canyon and that was a mistake. Rough doesn't begin to describe it. Should have stayed up high and just looked down in.


But what I really found amazing is the view of the lava flows coming over the cliffs down into Whitmore Canyon. From up here you can really see how the lava flowed down over the red cliffs and I can only imagine what it would have been like to see this when it was actually going on.

 

Thanks for sharing this; another one was added to the list.

 

Linked up with @Stoney Ranger in Silverton, CO to run the Alpine Loop and Imogene Pass. Dave is a cool guy! Camped in Ironton last night. Had to part ways today due to the GF wanting to see some friends that she hasn’t seen in 15 years. This will be her last trip, lol.

 

Absolutely beautiful scenery!

 

Outstanding photos! I miss Alpine Loop, and I need to get back there. Engineer Pass was plenty exciting for me, I think I’ll skip on Imogene based on what I hear, and I’ll never do Black Bear. Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

Black Bear and Imogene aren’t as bad as Engineer. Don’t listen to all the Overland YouTubers claiming you’ll die on either of them. There was a damn Rivian on Imogene this morning.

Black Bear is overhyped, yes, there are two spots that you have to pay attention in but the rest of it is no different than any other trail out here.

 

I appreciate the feedback.

 

Looks like a fun trail. What type of slider and roof rack accessories are you using?

 

I had blast wheeling with you, Brian. Ophir Pass ( which was the scenic route back to camp) was way more exciting than I thought it would be. Met with 2 4x4s coming down on a 1 lane shelf road as I was going up. It was pretty sketchy getting around each other. But in a cool way. It was cool meeting some one from the forum.

 

Keep an eye out for another 4Runner guy out of Florida coming from Moab tomorrow. I referred him to the campground you’re in.

I’m glad we got the trails in that we did. Awesome time wheeling with you.