Went for a drive this morning and took a few pics, pic 7 shows a fallen tree which is bigger than it looks, I couldn't move it and didn't have an axe with me, so I had to back down lol, anyway here ya go if you're interested.. click me

-Bryan

 

Nice pics and scenery.
Looks like a nice trail to explore on.

A bow saw might have worked on that tree also to clear the trail.

 

I hope that stream you played in, was part of a road. Few people know that crossing a stream or playing in a stream is highly illegal....

Did you have a tow strap with you. That log could have been pulled out of the way with a simple strap.

 

The stream is what used to be the road. And I didn't really have anything with me that morning. So my only option was backing down the hill.

 

Please don't be offended by my comment here, it's educational only.

I'm glad you weren't driving in a stream, as fun as it sounds. A very wet road is a lot of fun.

Although you're terrain wasn't terribly difficult, you want to be very careful about wheeling alone, especially with an underequipped rig. No offense to your rig, but it's fairly stock and it's pretty easy to get it stuck.

If you do go off "exploring", which is basically touring fire roads etc that don't really require 4wd, you should still have self recovery equipment with you. This would include a winch or you can use an inexpensive come-a-long, appropriate tow straps or cable, and a suitable jack. Your stock bottle jack just won't cut it. You need a high lift or similar jack along with suitable jacking points.

If you are going with someone else you can share the equipment needs plus you have the ability to get a ride home if need be.

If you are going somewhere where 4wd is required, you should never go alone. I know some of the people on this board do but it's still not recommend, particularly if you have a stock and relatively unequipped vehicle. It's a lot easier than you think to get in trouble. When I wander out on my own, I don't air down much and I don't turn on the lockers. This way, if I get stuck I have additional traction options, such as airing down further, turning on lockers etc (yes, I have a winch too).

I hope you enjoy your 4Runner and 4 wheeling, I just want to help you do it safely and responsibly. I had a couple of people help teach me all this stuf when I started so I feel obliged to pass it on to others.

Oh yeah, don't stack rocks either. If you need to stock rocks or logs to get over an obstacle, put them back where you found them. I'm still getting ribbed 5 years later from doing this one time.

 

Dang, there a lot of rules to this offroading stuff...

I can think of 10 designated marked trails where crossing a stream is just part of the trail. There's lots of places where the road is a stream for a few yards and the forest service marking signs point right into the water.

In some cases its ok do drive into water, other times not. It depends of who controls the land you are on.

 

Actually Matt, if I understand the rules correctly (open for correction here), you can only drive in a stream or river where it is part of the trail, regardless of who owns the property. If you look at the May Creek Crossing on the Lake Isabel Trail, this is an illegal crossing, especially since this is not an ORV trail.

I'm curious as to where you know of 10 crossings on marked trails. I don't know of any??

 

Picture for reference
since Matt's likely never seen the trail in question.

When Miller River was open was it an official trail? It also had a crossing like Isabel.

 

Well that trail was marked I beleive, and it's property of national forest so I really wouldn't know if it was illegal to cross it there or not, but during the dryer months you can't even tell a stream is supposed to be there.

I do realize my 4runner is pretty stock, and I do understand how easy it is to get in trouble (have had to help my friend who's gotten in trouble with his cherokee a few times).
I'd like to get a winch and some better tires, but for now a tow strap and hoping I can get ahold of a friend is what I typicaly do lol.

Anyway, thanks for the concern/information,
-Bryan

 

Different Miller River, not the Miller Jeep Trail. This trail always had water on it.

 

So what is the Lake Isabel trail if it's not an ORV trail. You would think it would've been blocked off if there shouldn't be a trail there at all.

Jim

 

That's a big debate regarding trails like Lake Isabell, High Rider, Shaw Lake, Reiter Pit. These are not sanctioned or official trails, they are just trails that are commonly used. Evan's Creek, Walker Valley, Elbe ORV Park, Tahuya State Forest and a few others are the only actual ORV trails. http://207.202.208.243/faithwheelers/places_to_off.htm

This page shows the most recent approved ORV parks in Western, WA.

Technically, these are illegal trails and could easily be closed at any time.

 

That trail looks somewhat more like a road in which case a river crossing may be legit. Having a lot of water on a trail doesn't make it illegal. The issue primarily comes to creek/river preservation. If a cross may cause damage to the creek bed, affect fish habitats etc, they are illegal, even if they are not marked illegal.

If you look at the Naches trail and Elbe Hills, bridges have been built over these sections. Tahuya has had these areas blocked off.

 

I know what you mean. We were at Tahuya once and there was this cool looking trail with a fallen tree across it. I took out my hatchet and cut about halfway through the fallen tree, and used a tow strap and my truck to break it in half. Turned out that it was a residential road, and I helped someone to get to their summer home I guess. Another time we were there, there was a fallen tree in the actual ORV part and since the tree was too long to simply cut and break, we ended up backing up and jumping the tree. Well my truck flew sideways and almost sideswiped another tree!. I have a pic of my buddy's explorer in midair after he hit the tree. I think that this whole jumpiing thing may explain why my front factory alloy 4Runner wheels had a bit of a wobble when I got the Pro-Comp Mud Terrains installed. (I replaced the wheels since but still have the alloys) The trail ended up bing a dead end, and we had to jump it again to get back...but this time it was UPHILL! Lesson learned- It is better to do a little recon before embarking on an unknown trail. This is even more important especially when wheeling alone. (Read:not a good idea anyway.) :pat:

 

According to the DNR ranger at Reiter, it is o.k. to cross a stream, but not to drive up or down its length. For what thats worth.

 

When crossing a stream is required, the 'rules' are to cross where there is the least chance of ecological disruption. i.e hard rocky bottom, easy exit so that you don't tear up the banks getting in or out, etc. It's not quite so easy as to just say, it's OK to cross streams.

I'd get that in writing BTW :o)

 

woow, i had no clue about the stream crossing rules, but i have always believed in "treat lightly" and the "never wheel alone", i think is pretty much common sense, as i use to ride dirt bikes, and i NEVER went alone, to many things can happen, love this site/board i learn something new everytime i visit, thankx to all of you. "newbee`s like me can learn somethings, lol.
Ric

 

We all learn every day!