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Field trips 2.0


BC witness

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^^ lol. I’d love to try a trail like that but maybe with a more equipped vehicle.  A set of studs would be great!   My Chebby with studs in the tires would be a blast.

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I was out checking an area this weekend, as well. Just south of where BC Witness was. I went to the Chilliwack River Valley. Tried to get up to Foley Lake, but there was still a foot and a half of snow. A small avalanche blocked the FSR. ATV's could get over it but the snow was too deep and soft for my truck. I parked it and my wife and I hiked the 5 km up to the lake, instead. After we got back to the vehicle, we went to a forestry campground nearby (no snow there), where a witness had told me that he had experiences nearly every time he camped there. Bipedal footfalls within the campground, pine cone throwing, etc. A beautiful area with tall Pine trees and mossy undergrowth outside the camping boundaries. Like walking on carpet. Definitely going to have to spend a weekend or two there.

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1 hour ago, cmknight said:

A beautiful area with tall Pine trees and mossy undergrowth outside the camping boundaries. Like walking on carpet.

 

"Like walking on carpet"  equals trackless area. They know how to not leave tracks.

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I appreciate all the comments, including those calling me foolish for trying. I admit that I should have turned around earlier, but once I had started up the slope that led to where the pics are, I really had to continue to a more level turn around, as there was no way I was going to try backing down the steep part. The Outlander hybrid has amazing climbing ability, with electronic traction control that really works, limited only by ground clearance, which was not a problem here. It also has selectable levels of regenerative braking of the electric motors (one on both front and rear axles), which I had cranked to the max for the descent. Though not quite as effective as a transfer case in low/low, it does a great job of slowing the SUV with no wheel lock up, which is key in that situation.

 

I am running winter rated tires, though they will be replaced with more aggressive off road types in the near future. As for chains, Mitsubishi says don't use them, as it plays havoc with the previously mentioned traction control system. Owning it only a year, I'm still getting a feel for the Mitsu's abilities, and must say that it has continuously amazed me. No, it's not a hard core off roader, and I've had a few of those, but it will take me almost anywhere I want to go, but I will rein in my enthusiasm a bit in the slippery slopes.

 

@cmknight

 

That's a great area to search in, as well. We usually have a couple of group camps up there every year, some of which I've described in V 1.0 of this thread, I believe. I hope to meet you out in the field again this year, maybe PM when you're heading out, and I'll drop in for a coffee and a chat.

 

The campsite you refer to is probably the one where Thomas investigated a multi witness sighting back in '86. He was able to find tracks across the road from the site, where the witnesses stated it had retreated through the forest and climbed a scree slope up the mountainside out of sight. Interesting to hear there's still activity there!

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@BC Witness

 

The campground will be good due to the possibility of "children playing" noises attracting attention, but I think it more likely that activity will be higher at one of the many user-maintained campsites that can be found all along the river. The campground is gated between 11 PM and 7 AM, so unless you are willing to park outside, you are limited to foot patrols in the wee hours.

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13 hours ago, Catmandoo said:

 

"Like walking on carpet"  equals trackless area. They know how to not leave tracks.

Two panorama shots that show camping area, and outside the area, down an embankment.

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Five years ago, I camped at a great place on the OP and tried my first audio recording "in the field" with some success. It has everything, and going to recreate the trip soon about the same time (elk calving).

 

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BFF Patron

One thing that the highway departments in Oregon especially does not understand is that ice covered roads are the most slippery just at the freezing point.   They are so afraid to salt the roads and they think melting ice is better than hard frozen ice.      The cooefficient of friction at the within a degree or two of the melting point of ice is several times less what it is when the ice is 10 or more degrees colder.     KInd of a complicated thing that is not completely understood.   Boils down to if you are going to drive on icy roads do it when the ice is as cold as possible.   Near freezing it is as slippery as it gets.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224134492_Physics_of_ice_friction

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Ive driven on ice roads at 40 below in which Ive had more traction than if it was dry.

 

Think again if the sun is hitting it.

 

The worst driving conditions is wet ice and slush. Miserable.

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Wyatt my son and I did some wheeling out on the ranch. Did not see any tracks in the snow patches. Just deer and turkey...

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