Headed out with a few of my club members from Motherload Rockcrawlers sunday for the maiden voyage in the JK. I've been itching to take this thing out since I finished it a few weeks ago. Last run I did was Barrett Lake trail before I sold my YJ back in August. It's nothing to crazy. Poly Performance Stage 2 3" lift, 35's

Anyways, the run went off without a hitch. Typically this time of the year, the trail is pretty dusty, but we went the day after a storm rolled through. There was just enough water on the ground that it packed the trail a bit and there was absolutely no dust. It was an amazing day. We headed in to Deer Valley from highway 88, and exited from highway 4. From there we headed down 4 to Lake Alpine where we found the trailhead to slickrock.

The only real obstacle of the day was the stairstep at the end of slickrock. I was 3rd in line. Our president Glenn took his cherokee up the stairstep without much effort. Locked front and rear, with a custom longarm in the front and 33's, it's pretty much point and shoot.

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02338a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02340a.jpg

One of our prospective members had a YJ, sprung under on 32's locked front and rear. He tried and tried for about 10 minutes and just couldnt get up it. With the little bit of water at the bottom he just couldnt get traction.

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02350a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02367a.jpg

I was up next. I already picked my line which was a bit more to the right than the rest of the folks. I used to compete in the professional rockcrawling competitions so the line I picked came from experience. It was either going to be too high up to the right and tip me over, or it was going to be the best line I could pick and make me avoid the hole at the bottom. Thank god it was the second of those choices. The extra wheelbase with the JK made it easy. I was a bit worried with an open front and a limited slip in the back that I might have a few difficulties, but I dont even think I had to stop or backup.

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02376a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02378a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02383a.jpg

After I popped to the top another member lorien picked his line in his TJ and drove right to the top. Took a little bit of backing up to clear the large boulder in front of him but it was nothing difficult in his jeep.

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02391a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02398a.jpg

Here's some more pics from the run

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02246a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02268a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02192a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02219a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02151a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02162a.jpg

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp2/jeeper1943/Oct0508/DSC02164a.jpg

Those are some GREAT pictures. Looks like a beautiful place to wheel- just like you'd expect from California. Really unbelievable what that JK can do while still running stock driveshafts and a short arm lift! Thanks for sharing.

Dont really need a longarm kit on the unlimited. The control arms for the shortarms are pretty long as they are.

Great pics. What club are you in? I'm in Reno and have been down to Deer Valley a few times now. A buddy in his XJ and I wheel around this side of the sierras a lot.

Motherlode Rockcrawlers. We are based out of the Jackson/amador county area.

www.motherloderockcrawlers.com

your telling me that a YJ with locked front and rear axles could not get up what locked in the rear only or unlocked vehicles were going over?

I'm with ya.. Everyone keeps telling me I need lockers, but I have the same set up as you and there hasn't been anything that I couldn't make it up. I think down the road maybe an arb air up front, but for now I think the JK is pretty capable.

Nice Pics!!

The two vehicles that had no problem going up the hill had considerable wheelbase on the YJ. Both of the front ends on the cherokee and JK were out of the hole at the top before the rear even touched the one at the bottom. The TJ took a far different line. With the water in the hole at the bottom, and the fact that the two holes as you are climbing lined up perfect to work against the YJ's wheelbase, it just wasnt happening.

The two vehicles that had no problem going up the hill had considerable wheelbase on the YJ. Both of the front ends on the cherokee and JK were out of the hole at the top before the rear even touched the one at the bottom. The TJ took a far different line. With the water in the hole at the bottom, and the fact that the two holes as you are climbing lined up perfect to work against the YJ's wheelbase, it just wasnt happening.

I think most of his problem is he forgot to air down or is not familiar with airing down. He appears to have beadlocks yet his tires look like they have 30 pounds of air in them. SO much so their is no bulge at all.

Those are streetlocks, and he was running 12psi in the tires. I was running 15 in mine

What a great looking trip. Thanks for sharing.

I have rund Deer Valley and slick rock, enoyed them both. In fact the area on deer valley down buy the river is one of my favorite places to came second only to the Springs on the Rubicon!