Rover Xchange Spring 2007
PresidentialROVINGS It appears that I’m still around! Whether it be back by popular demand, or lack of interest by others, I’m still here! I keep telling myself it’s popular demand even though deep down inside I know it’s just that nobody else wanted the job… Either way I’m glad to be here, looking forward to what this year has to offer us. That being said we have a lot of exciting stuff going on right now. Our new Club Trip Calendar is out and has been posted on the Solihull Society website. I hope to see many old and new faces on the trails this year. Keep in mind that this calendar is subject to change depending on trail leader availability and member interest. It is always best to register for the Solihull Society forums to keep up with the latest information on club gatherings. A few of you may have noticed the lack of speakers in the last few general club meetings. We need someone to step up and take on the role of locating speakers for the meetings as I suspect many are growing tired of my bad jokes followed by long uncomfortable silence! (Infomercial voice on) The only way to stop this is to act now, if you or a loved one have always had an interest in locating speakers but have never had the opportunity to develop this skill, Please E-Mail me Now!!!! But wait, if you act now we’ll throw in the opportunity to meet new and exciting people 6 times a year!! That’s right, 6 times a year! This is not a misprint. (Infomercial voice off ) Since I still have the position of Rally coordinator I feel I should speak a little about what’s going on in this area. This years rally is looking to be the biggest ever. We have officially filled the Rally Hotel and have just about filled the remaining rooms procured within the last few weeks. We will add more rooms as needed. We are planning for 400 people/200 trucks this year and already have nearly 50 registrations for about 100 people. Usually at this point before the rally we only have a handful of registrations. All things are pointing to a very successful turnout. The “official” Rally agenda should be out shortly as we are just finalizing a few minor details as we speak. I think folks will be pleased with what we have to offer this year. I encourage everyone to make plans for the National Rally now and send in your registrations as well as booking some lodging. As usual, for the latest details visit: www. landrovernationalrally.com. With that I hope to see everybody soon and don’t forget about those General Club Meetings;) Larry Grubbs
RoverXchange
A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
Spring 2007
RoverXchange TheRoverXchangeisaquarterlypublicationofthe SolihullSociety4-WheelDriveClub,Inc.Allmaterialin RoverXchange,unlessotherwisenoted,istheproperty ofSolihullSocietyandmaynotbereproducedwithout permission.
Solihull Society Contacts President – Larry Grubbs larry.grubbs@solihullsociety.org VP – David Garbs david.garbs@solihullsociety.org Treasurer/Secretary/Membership Jenny Burris jenny.burris@solihullsociety.org Trail Events Coordinator Ralph Brandt ralph.brandt@solihullsociety.org Special Events Coordinator Larry Grubbs larry.grubbs@solihullsociety.org Rally Sponsorship Coordinators David Bennet david.bennet@solihullsociety.org Ali Vali ali.vali@solihullsociety.org Land Issues Coordinator Jim Hall jim.hall@solihullsociety.org Newsletter David Lane david.lane@solihullsociety.org Website Admin Joshua White admin@solihullsociety.org Website – www.solihullsociety.org Newsletter Articles and Photos – Articles mustbesubmittedineitherWord(.doc)ortext (.txt)format.Digitalphotoscan beemailedor mailedonCDineitheraJPEG,TIFF orEPSfiles. Thearticlescanbesubmittedeitherviaemail (admin@soliullsociety.org)ormailedonaCDto NathanHindmanatthefollowingaddress:Nathan Hindman,2301NorthShoreDr.,Longmont,CO 80503.Materialswillbereturneduponrequest. Advertising–$25/issueor$100/year(4issues– get1add’lissuefree)for1/4pageads.Payment mustaccompanyallcamera-readyads.Makecheck payabletoSolihullSociety.Freeclassifiedadsto members. $5/issue to non-members. ClubMembership–$60/yearincludesmembershipintheColoradoAssociationof4-Wheel DriveClub,theirnewsletter,theRoverXchange newsletter,andallthetrailridesyoucantake! MakecheckpayabletoSolihullSocietyandmailit to the following address: Solihull Society PO Box 480864 Denver, CO 80248-0864
RoverXchange Volume 11, Issue 1
IN THIS ISSUE Presidential Rovings
2
Bill Burke Training Trip Report
4
Looking forward to trails, events and meetings. By Jennny Burris
Membership Information
11
Wildcat Canyon
12
A Letter From the Editor
14
2007 Land Rover National Rally
15
Bill Moore Lake Trip Report
18
Application, information and benefits of joining the Solihull Society. A New Look at an Old Friend. By Jim Hall
A First look by Peter Hope. By Mark Muskopf.
Spring 2007
4
12
18
Front cover: Mark Muskopf during the Bill Burke Training. Back cover: Waterfalls on the Bangs Canyon Trail during the Bill Burke Training
RoverXchange
A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
Trip Report Bill Burke Training
by Jenny Burris
This year we had eight attendees for the three day Bill Burke Leadership class in March. The club sponsors the majority of the class’s cost each year for club members interested in volunteering as trail leaders for the rally. On behalf of the club I would like to thank our latest group of class graduates. Andy Snow Barry Barton Dave Lane Dee Williams Mark Muskopf Mike Burris Michael Calkins Mike McUne Another attendee, Suzanne Miller had to cancel due to a death in the family. I would like to extend our condolences to her and her family. We left on Thursday morning for Grand Junction Mark Muskopf starting his controlled slide. amid a mountain storm, and worried that the storm may cause us a long stop and go trip, but we lucked out that the storm was minor and arrived in Grand Junction about the time we expected. Andy Snow showed great dedication by leaving straight from DIA for the drive to GJ, making it there by 2 am.
I reserved rooms at a low budget motel right next to the highway that despite the traffic noise and transient population, ended up having a pretty good in house restaurant for breakfast, and a meeting room for the first day of class. Maybe next time around we will take Bill up on his suggestions for hotels in the Fruita / Grand Junction area.
Barry Barton testing his tippy scale.....Yup, it stops at 45.
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Our first morning was classroom time, where Bill went over the basics for leading groups into unpopulated areas. He stressed the importance of basic first aid skills and knowledge in the proper use of recovery equipment. As leaders you need to put beginner offroad drivers at ease, and keep the people with more enthusiasm than skill in line and on the trail, to lead
A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
all safely back to civilization. He stressed the need for having a plan if things go wrong, and creating mental scenarios so that if anything does come up you are not caught off guard. I took away a good array of lists of equipment and personal care items that should be distributed to attendees and trial leaders so we all can be prepared for each day’s events. It is also good to note that in the future our club may have to require all trail leaders to have first aid certifications as a prerequisite to pull national forest permits. That afternoon, we headed out to an area northeast of town where a series of steep barren gray hills rest against the scenic Bookcliff Range. This area, used mainly by motorcycles and ATVs who ride along ridges and catch air over the hills, was a surprisingly challenging place to learn off road driving skills. Bill has used this area for training for many years, and the best part about the terrain, was the low risk of damage to your vehicle due to the composition of the hills, which mainly consisted of soft silt and sands. I can only imagine how soupy it would be during a rain storm. Dee working it out in the arroryos.
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A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
Bill took us over hill and dale, up arroyos to practice steering through continuously off camber terrain, and down steep hills to practice controlled slides. In the arroyos the goal was to stay as horizontal and centered as you can over the deep “V” formed by water runoff. If you allowed the terrain to steer your vehicle, you would quickly find yourself too far up one side of the “V”, and near tipping, so you had to know when to steer into it, and when to climb up the other side. The best advice I heard was to drive with your rear tire placement in mind. I spent most of my time as a passenger, but did manage to get some time in on the arroyos, and it was more challenging than one would think! In the pictures you will see how often you had at least one tire in the air, if not two. We got our first taste of guiding others over obstacles within the arroyos. We also climbed hills that you thought for sure your vehicle could not muster. As I looked at the sky through the windshield I thought, “Well Bill wouldn’t take us where our vehicles couldn’t go would he? So hey relax!” I figured that had to be the worst of it, but then there was the controlled slide. The first time around, I wouldn’t even be in the truck while Mike drove. Being a photographer makes a great excuse not to be in the truck for
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A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
the scary stuff. So I watched as each truck went over the edge, at first very hesitant, and then just as you think the worst was over, the front right tire dips into a hole, raising the rear end of the vehicle into the air. From then on you are using your brakes in a controlled slide for another two hundred plus feet to the bottom of the hill where Bill sits watching. Mike McUne found out that having anti-lock brakes engaged during this exercise is a death wish. He went over the hill like all the trucks before him, but he never slowed down, picking up speed with each foot as his brake lights shined in the setting sun. Luckily he had a very sturdy steel front bumper that took the brunt of the jolt when he hit a berm to stop. Bill thought he had been hot dogging and gave him a tongue lashing, only to find out later, at the insistence of Beth and I that Mike had been braking the whole time. This ended our first day.
Smash-A-Car Event
The next day we split our time between the “Badlands” and a trail called Bang’s Canyon.
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We spent more time in the arroyos and this time I did the controlled slide, once as a passenger, and again as the driver. It was quite a thrill. We also got our introduction to recovery methods, when Bill showed us uses for the Hi Lift Jack. We got a demonstration of how to winch using a jack, tow chain, and tow straps. Bill’s technical knowledge is unsurpassed. He encouraged us to learn the technical terms for all of our equipment, which helps establish our place as leaders. Nothing quells a disagreement over handling a recovery faster than using technical jargon to amaze and confuse with BS. In Bang’s Canyon, we got a taste of the same terrain as Moab, with slick rock ledges, and deep stream cuts. Here we spent time practicing guiding people over obstacles. Bill advised that less guiding is better than too much, and stepping back a few car lengths is better for getting the lay of the land as well as giving the driver room to maneuver. We also learned how to use a tire bead break, when Dave Lane’s tire showed signs of a slow leak. The tire came off its rim using a Hi Lift Jack pushing down against a board lined up along the inside rim of the tire. Dirt inside the bead was the culprit, and once cleaned out, the tire was aired up. We thought for sure there was a button in the LR3 to do this automatically.
Now everyone, into that arroyo, and don’t tip over!
Bill’s Initiated Sequoya.
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A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
Our last day began with what we guessed to be an April fool’s joke, the Eisenhower Tunnel had a crack, was closed and traffic was being rerouted. This weighed on all our minds, and we asked Bill to only do a half day of class. We ran the first part of 21 Road north of Fruita. Bill brought out his Range Rover that was in need of repair. For the first two days he had been driving a Toyota Sequoia that was given to him by Toyota. We quickly improved it by slapping a Solihull Society green oval sticker on it. He had hoped the good old classic had at least two-wheel drive, but it turned out only 1 wheel was spinning most of the time. Even then he showed us all up with his driving technique. This also provided an excuse to teach us how to recover a stuck vehicle. We used winching techniques to pull it out of an area with quicksand. Mark also used a tow strap to pull him out of some deep sand, even though he went the wrong way. We gave him an “A” for enthusiasm, and a “C-“ for listening skills, but in his defense, he was driving without a CB, so Bill’s message wasn’t really getting across. The rest of the morning was spent practicing winching with vehicles lined up across from one another. We learned how to properly dress a winch, check lines for damage, and splice synthetic winch line. With the pending drive and potential traffic issues, we reluctantly left Grand Junction. We all could have stayed the rest of the day and played but thought better of it. There ended up being some truth to the rumor, the crack was in the Hanging Lake tunnel in Glenwood Canyon, and traffic was rerouted, but it had no impact on our drive home. I believe we all showed up in Grand Junction with our own preconceived notions about the class. Some of us wondering what Bill could possibly teach us that we don’t already know, and some with the idea that they still had a great deal to learn. Everyone left with smiles on their faces and a great respect for Bill and the knowledge he transferred to us in the few short days.
Top Row, Left to Right: Barry Barton, Mike McUne, Bill Burke, Mike Burris, Dave Lane, Andy Snow, Dee Williams Bottom Row: Jenny Burris, Michael Calkins, Mark Muskopf, Beth Muskopf, and Marshall!
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A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
DealershipDISCOUNTS Our members receive exclusive discounts at Denver area Land Rover dealer-
The Colorado Denver East Dealership offers Solihull Members:
15%
DISCOUNT ON PARTS
service and labor is only $85 per hour
The Colorado Flatirons Dealership offers Solihull Members:
15%
DISCOUNT ON PARTS
The Colorado Springs Dealership offers Solihull Members:
15%
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DISCOUNT ON PARTS & LABOR
A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
Membership Benefits of Joining: Out of state fees - $30 per year includes discounts at our Colorado dealerships and to the rally. If member happens to be in town, BBQ would require a fee of $10 and Christmas luncheon $20. Individual membership - $40 per year would entitle that one person to all the privileges of membership. Guests would be assessed a fee to attend social events, including the Winter Holiday Luncheon. Family membership - $50 per year would entitle that family access to the BBQ and Christmas luncheon in addition to all other privileges. Rally fee will be as usual, i.e. driver fee, passenger fee, and children fee. A family membership will entitle the member to bring one adult guest to the social events whether that be spouse or special friend. All members receive the RoverXchange quarterly newsletter. Members are allowed to place small ads in the RoverXchange for personal items at no additional cost. Membership includes immediate family, and includes . Guests 10 years old and over will be charged a fee of $10 for the Winter Holiday Luncheon.
membershipapplication Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ Spouse/Partner/Significant Other _ ____________________________________________________________ Street Address ______________________________________________________________________________ City _ _________________________ State ____________________ Zip________________________________ Phone Number________________ E-mail____________ Website URL________________________________ Land Rover(s) Model &Year ___________________________________________________________________ Detach and mail with $60 to: Solihull Society PO Box 480864 Denver, CO 80248-0864 11
RoverXchange
A Newsletter for Land Rover Aficionados
A New Look at an Old Friend
Wildcat Caynon
by Jim Hall
I remember the first time I took my Series Rover off road. I went with my friends Ralph and Mitch to a trail I’d never been on before in an area called Wildcat Canyon. There are many back roads and trails in this area between Deckers and Woodland Park. Most are mellow dirt roads, some going to mining claims, but there are also some more challenging four wheel drive trails. These trails were involved in the Hayman fire years ago, and have been closed since. Predator 4x4 and many people and clubs are actively working with the counties and Forest Service to try to re-open them. We started out on a trail called Hackett Gulch. None of us had ever been on it before, So we had no idea what it was like. It turns out it was quite a fun and challenging trail. It starts out going down a hill, nothing terribly steep, then there are quite a few ups, downs and turns as you drive through pine and aspen trees. You finally come around an uphill corner and are greeted by a slab of rock which brings you up to Hackett Rock, the first difficult obstacle. While it isn’t very big, it’s very steep with either another step on top to the left, or a tree to the right. Going to the right also means you hit your bumper on the rock to the side. Ralph and Mitch decided to go around, but being me, I had to try the rock. It took many tries, but I finally made it up the right side and promptly bent my bumper on the rock. The next challenge to await us was a small moguled out hill. It took us all a while to get our stock Series up as their articulation was lacking. From there the trail went down hill. There was a fork to the right, but we went straight ahead, continuing down until we came to a ledge on a corner. After getting a bit of air off of it, we continued down to the Platte River. We had to drive across even though Widowmaker Hill on the other side was closed. We thought the trail dead ended, so we turned around
John Wood rides across Taryall Creek atop his Rover.
and went back up to the fork. As soon as we started down, we were at a long steep rock. I should remind you we were driving Series Rovers that have mediocre drum brakes at best, and ours were wet. There was a bit of pucker factor, but we made it down. From there the trail wound its way down to the base of another hill. This one was a little dug up and longer than the first mogul hill. Luckily it wasn’t nearly as dug up as it would be in later years, but it was still a challenge. The trail then wound around some more as it worked its way downhill towards the Platte River again. This crossing was a bit deeper than the first crossing we did. Water splashed up and was visible over the tire on my bonnet. We all made it through, but I seem to remember having to dry a distributor or two on the other side. 12
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Technically the trail was now Corral Creek, which comes out on the road to Hwy 126 By Wigwam Creek. Corral Creek is a fairly flat connecting trail which runs between Hackett, Longwater Gulch and FR 211. It also has a water crossing, Taryall Creek, which is a small creek running down from the area of Jefferson. Even though it is small, this was the deepest water crossing we encountered, plus unlike the Platte crossings, there are decent sized rocks lurking in its depths. I watched one of the others start across, only to get temporarily high centered. We all made it through all right though, and continued along to Longwater trail. To get to Longwater, you have to cross the Platte yet again. This crossing is shallower to the left and deeper to te right. I seem top remember Ralph wading out to find the best way to cross. After crossing, the trail winds up to a hill, yes another mogul hill. This one was harder than the previous ones. Ralph made it up, Mitch drove around on the bypass, and then came my turn. I kept having problems as part of the way up, my carb would cut out. I finally made it most of the way up, and stopped on a flatter spot to allow the carb to recover. I was within 15 feet of the top when I started hopping, then BANG, and the end of forward movement. I got pulled up, and we confirmed that I had indeed snapped an axle. From then on, I had to try going up every hill in reverse, although there were a few I had to be pulled up. The only other difficult obstacle on this trail is another steep rock. I had to go around. We followed the trail for a while until it met up with Cedar Mountain Rd. We followed this road back to Hwy 126, passing Metberry trail along the way. These were some of the best trails I had been on, they were close to Denver, and they were open almost any time of the year. If you have access to the Solihull Society
John Stehn on Chicken Scratch Hill, the larger mogul hill on Hackett.
Dave Gomes takes his D-90 up the rock on Longwater Trail.
forum, please look at the Land Use section as volunteers will soon be needed to continue work to open these trails up. Metberry is supposed to open in around two months, with the others to follow some time later.
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Gregory Chernushin Attorney at Law Parkridge Center 10475 Park Meadows Drive 6th Floor Littleton, CO 80124 (303) 689-0766
CLASSIFIEDS & ANNOUNCEMENTS PRESIDENT - shall preside over all membership and Executive Committee meetings and be present at all events when possible. He shall be the executive officer and shall have the duty to carry out the policies and decisions of the Board of Directors. VICE PRESIDENT - shall, in the absence of the President, serve in that capacity. He shall also serve as a Parliamentarian and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors. SECRETARY - shall keep and preserve all records and minutes of the meeting of the regular membership and the Board of Directors, shall keep a file system of membership and shall receive and answer all general correspondence pertaining to the organization. TREASURER - shall keep accurate and complete records of the funds and accounts of this organization and shall collect all dues and maintain a record thereof. He shall make only such disbursements from the funds of the organization as are directed by the Board of Directors and Article VII hereof.
Ballots shall be issued to each membership at check in.
Do you have stuff that you need to sell? Did you know that classified ads are free to club members? Simply send an e-mail with a description of what you’re selling along with asking price and contact information and we’ll run it for free in the RoverXchange classifieds. Send it to: newsletter@solihullsociety.org
A Letter From the Editor
I would just like to take make a note to all those that volunteered to help me out with this. As you may have heard, this is my first issue. I am very excited about it. I would also like to express my gratitued to the entire Solihull Society. You are all the reason why I started with the club, and have become so involved. The people of this club, and the passion in which we all show, is the reason why we can claim the “Best 4x4ClubxFar!” Please give me a little more time to make the newsletter more exciting, and error free! Feel free to send me any news, stories, or thoughts on what to put into the newsletter. Thanks for reading. Dave Lane. dave.lane@solihullsociety.org
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2007
Land Rover National Rally
by Peter Hope
Since 1992 the club has hosted the Land Rover National Rally. In the past 16 years the event has grown to become one of the premier Land Rover specific events in the USA. This summer the National Rally will be held in Montrose, Colorado, from 15-18 August, 2007. Land Rover fans worldwide are invited to come join us. Last year saw over 150 Land Rovers converge on Moab. Early predictions are for 200+ this summer in Montrose. The National Rally is a true family event. For those that are interested in more then off-pavement trail rides, the Montrose area features dozen of other outdoor activities: mountain biking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and golfing to just name a few. The Rally offers three days of trail riding and three evenings of social activities. On the first night is the cocktail party. A chance for old friends to catch up and new friendships to be formed. The cocktail party will be held at the Turn of the Century Saloon. This historic building in Montrose is reminiscent of the Old West and we are sure you will enjoy yourself. The second night is the Vendors Night. Typically 20+ vendors participate, setting up displays of their wares. The Club has been successful in getting the local community involved in the Vendors Night, with various members of the local Chamber of Commerce participating. For 2007 we are also inviting other Land Rover clubs to set up a table and promote themselves. The event will be held at the Elks Lodge. The final evening is the big banquet dinner and raffle. The Rally Sponsors and Vendors donate all sorts of prizes, from gift certificates to winches, which get raffled off. For those that do want to partake of the off-roading, this year’s Rally is going to offer a wide variety of terrain. From the high, wet Grand Mesa to the dry slick rock around Montrose, from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the “North American Alps” of the San Juan Mountains. Visit the infamous mining towns of Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton. Visit 1800’s ghost towns, gold and silver mines, take a ride on the narrow gauge railway, or just sit and bask in the natural beauty of the San Juan Mountains. Stunning vistas abound at every corner, but with that is a wide variety of four wheeling challenges for novices and experienced four wheelers alike. For those that are interesting in the trails, we are sure your will be pleased with this year’s offerings. From the scenic to the historic to the extremely challenging, this year’s Rally is sure to have trails to meet all tastes and ability levels. So, whether you will be bringing you have a brand new Range Rover, original Series, or a tricked out Defender, there are plenty of trails to whet your appetite. For those that are new to off roading, new to Land Rovers, or just haven’t been off road in a long time this year the Solihull Society is hosting an off road training course on the first day of the Rally, 16 August. Our Bill Burke trained trail leaders will take you to the Peach Valley Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) area and show you how to drive your Land Rover off road. This one day class is intended to show the new Rover owner how to safely navigate obstacles and
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gain confidence in their vehicle’s capabilities. For the 60th Anniversary in 2008 we will be back in Moab, mark your calendars now for 16-20 September, 2008. Yes we have added an additional day of trails for 2008. The Rally Committee is looking for help during the Rally. We need more people that are interested in leading trails, help with registration, assistance selling Club merchandise at the evening social events, and raffle ticket sellers for the banquette dinner. Trail Leaders will only be leading trails two out of the three days and attend the Rally for free. Trail Leaders do not need to attend Bill Burke training to participate. Our next Rally meetings are scheduled for Tuesday April 24th and Tuesday May 29th at 7pm. The meetings will be held at Pints Pub in Denver. http://www.pintspub.com/ We will be discussing our plans to pre-run trails and begin to build a tentative schedule of trails for the Rally. For information on the National Rally please visit http://www.LandRoverNationalRally.com. Also join the conversation on the club’s forums http://forum.solihullsociety.org/viewforum.php?f=13 If you are interested in being a Trail Leader please email peter.hope@solihull.society.org if you would like to help during the rally or have further questions please email larry.grubbs@solihullsociety.org.
View from Black Bear Pass down to the town of Telluride. Truely Spectacular!
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Bill Burke’s
4-Wheeling America
970-858-3468 … bb4wa@bb4wa.com
Premier Training for all users of 4-wheel drives and all skill levels. Driving Techniques. Recovery. Safety. Environmental Awareness. Getting Prepared. Trail Spotting. Navigation. Field Fixes.
●Private Instruction One-on-one with Bill Burke.
●Group Training
DVDs by Bill Burke ●Getting UNStuck
●Getting PREpared
Spotting, trail leading skills & more.
●Industrial and Government Training Programs Custom safety programs for organizations that use 4WD vehicles in their operations.
Safe recovery Watch this DVD "...The learning started before the first turn of a techniques. before you head out! key and continued right up until our goodbyes. Real life situations! Includes Simply put, Bill is an outstanding instructor...he 8-page booklet! sets the standard by which all others must be judged! An unexpected Excellent Dealer Discounts. but much appreciated benefit of our time "Bill's spotting is a lifesaver. For me to take the together was Bill's encyclopedic knowledge nicest car I've ever owned and drive it over of the environment around us." some of the roughest terrain I've ever Vanoff Family. VA - 2006 Moab Private Training attempted, I must have a lot of confidence that "Every once in a while in life you come Bill knows what he's doing. And I do." Bruce Davis, AL, 2005 across someone who is just plain gifted in their vocation. You are truly one of those people. I've never been so engaged in the learning process as I was at ...On the Road... trainin..." Peter Vollers, VT, 2002
www.bb4wa.com We hold BLM & USFS permits to operate on public lands.
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Trip Report Bill Moore Lake
by Mark Muskopf
On 7 April having felt the need to get out of the house, Mike & Jenny Burris, Beth & Mark Muskopf, along with Marshall, decided to see how far we could make it up the trail to Bill Moore Lake. After a fine breakfast at the Pancake House, we drove out of Denver under cold and rainy weather conditions. As we ascended up I-70 the rain turned to snow, but at the trail head the weather broke. Several inches of snow was on the ground, but at this point we didn’t think it was necessary to chain-up just yet… Traveling through the first section of the trail was unremarkable. The views were striking with a coating of snow across the landscape. Just before the trail split off for the rock garden, we encountered snow drifts on the trail. They were hard-packed and caused the vehicles to be in a more off-camber inclination than normal. Not wanting to slide off the trail, we took this opportunity to put on our chains. Moving across the snow drift sections required slow travel, good spotting, and a line close to the edge of the trail. Two areas were particularly ‘sporty’ which required the use of a winch and other rigging to keep from sliding off the trail or into trees. While we negotiated one such section, Beth took a walk up the trail. The switch back turn ahead of us was completely covered in snow and would require major effort for us to get through. Having enough for the day, this signaled the point for us to turn around. The descent back down to the trail head was without incident. It was about 3:00pm, so we proceeded back to Denver just in time to have a few Heffavison Dark beers at the Chinook Tavern. Afterwards, Mike treated us all to his made-from-scratch pasta sauce which was excellent. We didn’t make it very far up the trail, but it was sure better than staying home and working off chores or watching the idiot box. Everyone had a good time and I for one would certainly like to do it again.
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2007 Solihull Calendar Here is a short list of trails for the 2007 season. This year, we are doing something new. There has been much talk about those interested to go, but only can make one day. We are going to try to run one trail each day on the weekends. Just a reminder, you need not have any training to be a trail leader. Just the ambition to go out. Please contact Ralph Bradt if you need more information on any of these trails. Please check the website often for updates. 4/28 - Chinaman Gulch Carnage Caynon 5/12 - Independence Trails Slaughterhouse 5/19 - Lefthand/Carnage Caynon Minesweeper 5/26 - Hole in the Rock Elk Ridge 6/2 - Kelly Flats Eagle Rock/Baldy Mountain 6/9 - Lamartine/Saxon Mountain Crystal Mountain/Moody Hill 6/12 - Club Meeting 6/16 - Spring Creek Bounce School/M. St. Vrain/ - Coney Flats 6/23 - Battlement Mesa
8/11 - Bill Moore/Red Kingston Peak - Elephant Hill 6/30 - Jenny Creek 8/15 - 2007 Nation Rally Grizzly Lake 8/25 - McAllister Gulch/ 7/7 - Taylor Pass - Ptarmigan Pass Wheeler Lake North Twin Cone 7/14 - Mt. Antero Sacramento/Brown/ 9/1 - Medano/Hayden/ - Hermit Pass - Breakneck Pass 9/8 Holly Cross 7/21 - Tomichi/Hancock Pass/ MosquitoPass/ - Chalk Creek Area - Birdseye Gultch Montezuma Area 9/15 Winding Stairs/Ice 7/28 - Indiana/Pennsylvania Creek - Caves S. Halfmoon Creek/Iron Mike Radical Hill Workday - Mine 9/22 - Kenosha Pass/South 8/4 - Blanca Peak - Park Red Cone/Glaicer Ridge 10/9 Club Meeting 8/7 - Club Meeting
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