We made it! We made it all the way through the Rubicon! The word we got on the trail was no one had gone all the way up, and only two had made it all the way down, so far this year. Due to the severe winter, snow made the trail [nearly] impassable. But, we got our four Jeeps through!!! Rumor has it that there is a $500 bounty for the first vehicle to make it through this season. Where do I go to collect?

It started out Tuesday. I met up with the guys at the Loon Lake campgrounds. None of us knew each other before. We had met on the Internet (Jeep-L) and Prodigy (Off-road BB) computer networks. DAMo was there with his CJ5 (258 w/ T-18, Dana 300, 4.56 gears, locked F&R, Warn winch), just returning from Panamint. Don was there w/ his CJ7 (258, locked R, Warn winch), along with two dogs as passengers. Eric was there with his wrangler (4.0L, ARB rear, Warn winch). Ben was there with his Hummer (ARB F&R, 12,000# Warn winch). I arrived a little after 11 am driving my CJ7 (304 w/ TH400, 3.56 gears, locked F&R, Ramsey winch). We aired down, un-sway barred and hit the trail about noon. About 100 yards in we noticed the Hummers passenger front wheel was "wobbling." We inspected and found the steering linkage was worn. Ben decided it would make it and continued on.

Me met a great guy named Paul on the trail in a flatfender with a Suzuki Samurai engine, trany, & t/c. It was locked in the rear, but was totally stripped down, carrying only a shovel, axe and gallon of gas. He wanted to see the Hummer do the Rubicon, so he came along. Turned out to be a great asset, as he has been driving the Rubicon since he was a teenager (he's now in his 30's).

This early in the year we didn't know what to expect. We had heard reports that you could not make it through the trail due to snow. Early on we encountered snow drifts, and lots of run-off. I've driven the trail before, and I've never seen this much water.

As we encountered some of the more difficult obstacles I noticed a metallic clicking noise from my front end. Eventually I lost power to one front wheel intermittently. I thought it might be the locker not engaging or a bad hub, and I carry extras so I decided to continue till our camp site, where I might replace it. Approaching the Little Sluice Don ripped off a tire stem. He mounted his spare tire, rather than breaking the bead and replacing the stem. The Rubicon had already claimed vehicle damage as it ALWAYS DOES.

Not being that familiar with the trail, we drove the little sluice by-pass.

DAMo taking the Little Sluice Bypass 'down'

Me taking the Little Sluice

Eric taking the Little Sluice

Then we looked back and saw the little sluice behind us. DAMo didn't want to go home, after driving so far, with out doing all the "good parts" of the Rubicon. So he drove the bypass backwards, and then took the Little Sluice.

DAMo going UP the Little Sluice Bypass saying "I should've installed those rocker panels!"

DAMo drove both with little trouble, only banging his new fiberglass body a couple times. The rest of us spotted.

DAMo going up the Little Sluice

We made it to Spider Lake just before night fall and made camp about 8pm. Paul drove back to the trail head to his RV. While we camped Ben sprained his ankle and decided not to continue on Wednesday to let it rest, then drive out the way we came in Thursday. This was a disappointment for the whole group. We would never leave a member on the trail- especially injured. Many of us had driven a long way to make this trip. Paul drove back in early in the morning and said he would drive out with Ben. So we decided that Ben would stay, and the rest of the group pressed on about noon. Right outside camp we met a Toyota P/U and L/C from who had come down through the snow. They said it was tough coming down and would be tougher going up. They hadn't seen any tracks in the snow, indicating anyone had made it.

Just before turning onto the Big Sluice we encountered another water-crossing that isn't usually there. And it was deep this time.

Don't get your feet wet

On the Big Sluice we met a group on quads. They were very nice, and pulled off the side of the trail while we struggled down. The leader said he had driven all the way himself, on a quad, but wasn't taking the tour through. He doubted a Jeep could make it. I've often met motor-cyclist, quads, mountain bikers, and hikers on this trail- they've always been courteous and respectful.

Three Jeeps waiting for DAMo to clear an obstacle on the Big Sluice. Notice the memorial plaque on the rock wall

By this point I started to notice increased trouble with my front end. Eric watched it while I was driving, and told me that my front wheels were not driving AT ALL! My drive shaft was going, but my axle shafts were not- Blown front locker was my conclusion.

After crossing the Dam at Buck Island lake DAMo got stuck on a double ledge. I drove up and parked next to him on his low side and got out to help. Don hooked DAMo on the tow strap and started pulling. DAMo was hung up with his real axle against a boulder, which subsequently pulled upright with the Jeep, raising the left rear and caused DAMo to roll. His Jeep Stopped with its' pass side down, and the top of the roll-cage on top of my hood. We decided that if I hadn't been there, it would have been a long roll down the hillside for DAMo.

OUCH!

We righted his Jeep with snatch block and then winched it over the ledge, keeping the first cable attached to prevent a repeat roll-over. After we got the Jeep over the ledge it was now on a down hill slope and in neutral (a minor oversight). As DAMo & I attempted to slow its roll Eric jumped in and hit the brakes. When I braced against the Jeep I got a handful of side mirror mount, and it sliced open my hand real good causing it to bleed profusely. DAMo had hurt his elbow and was bleeding, although he doesn't remember how. A quick first-aid session with poor medical supplies and repacking of spilled gear, and we were back on the trail (my first aid kit now includes sutures).

My Jeep, having just been rolled on top of, and beaten on through the whole trail, decided it had had enough. My fuel pump decided it just didn't want to pump anymore. I had a little trouble with it stopping previously on the True Big Sluice, but got it going again. This time it was gone for good. But, no worries I bought a back-up just for this trip... I looked and looked, but seems I forgot to pack it. I had a vision of it siting on the work-bench at home where I had placed it, so I would not forget to pack it.

DAMo to the rescue! He towed me to the shade and then made a gravity fed fuel pump. In other words: a plastic bottle filled w/ gas taped to my windshield, and a hose running down to my fuel line and into the carb. It worked! I just had to keep refilling the little one liter gas tank. With a thirsty V8, you can imagine how often that occurred. But I made it into Rubicon Springs under my own power.

My new fuel pump taped to my light, thanks DAMo!

I don't know how we all avoided it, but DAMo, Eric and I made it through the last mud hole before Rubicon Springs fine. Eric, the last in our group high centered on an uprooted tree stump. We had to high-light jack him up and remove it.

While at Rubicon Springs we cracked open my front diff and inspected the locker. We found that the springs which spread the locking gears were broken or missing. We hammered in some washers between the two sets of locking gears. Then I borrowed DAMos onboard Arc Welder and welded the washers and the locking gear together. Now I have a spool! A "$300 locker, plus labor, broken and welded together spool," but front spool is better than rear wheel drive only. Later we would find that I couldn't have made it without the modification.

We met two Jeeps coming down from Cadillac hill. They had just attempted to make it through the snow at the top and turned around after failure. They were planning on driving out through Loon Lake, but were low on gas. They tried to buy some gas off of us, but we were in the same situation. We wouldn't have charged them for it if we had any to spare. If we couldn't make it through the Cadillac we would also be going the "long way" and need every drop we had. We were determined to make it through.

We got up with the sun to get an early start, we knew that we had a long day ahead of us. Just outside of Rubicon Springs we stopped and I turned off my engine. When it came time my starter motor would not engage the fly-wheel. I replaced the starter (which I HAD remembered to pack) and we were off again! We conquered Cadillac hill with only a little trouble and winching one boulder out of the middle of the trail. Once at the top we gathered at the Outlook Point for a moment of reflection and preparation of the journey ahead.

Triumphant at the top of Cadillac Hill. Little did we know?.

From here on out, the CB would crackle with different voices "I'm stuck", "I'm stuck again", "*&%^%$##@%." We took it one Jeep at a time, with the other three spotting and stringing winch cable. It was so much work, that I didn't even think about taking pictures! We winched and we dug. We slid and we fell into holes and snow caves. It's weird to drive over what appears to be a snow drift, only to have one side, suddenly drop out from under you, and now you're laying on your side against the snow. Seems, runoff had hollowed out the drift, and left a nicely deceiving crust on top to lure the unwary Jeeper. We stayed on the, often more difficult, trail and avoided journeying off in search of where snow had melted or through delicate wet meadows. DAMo and I took turns breaking the trail (literally some-times). The other two didn't have front lockers, so they followed in our tracks.

Soon the drifts turned to constant deep mountains of snow, that we straddled and slid and winched and powered through. After hours of this, a mountain lightening, rain and hail storm visited us adding to the experience. Eric broke his right front spring. The shackle laid back against the frame and the rear of the spring was bent at almost ninety degrees. He managed to make it through with it- he had to. As we continued the snow got lower and the water and mud holes got deeper, until we passed the last of the four (still ice covered) lakes and reached good, solid gravel road. I announced my celebration over the CB. You could hear the hope return in the voices of those behind me. Soon reality return and they asked "how far IS it?" as I was pretty far ahead, blazing the trail.

We eventually all made it to the staging/parking lot, about 8pm, and surveyed our damage. I quickly aired up and unlocked- I had to make it to South Lake Tahoe before the parts store closed. I also had a four hour drive home that night (not counting the many 1 liter gas stops). DAMo, Eric and Don stayed trying to fix Eric's' spring.

I took the last of the spare gas and headed out. I pulled up to the first auto parts store- CLOSED... Hope was melting away- I could just stay the night, but I had been subpoenaed to be in court at 9 am the next morning! I drove down further and found another that closes at 9pm- It was 8:55... I bought my fuel pump, installed it and headed home. Once home I found that my court appearance had been canceled.

DAMo, Eric, and Don jacked up Eric's' rig allowing the spring to unweight and stretch. This allowed them to pull the shackle forward. Then they let the Jeep down with a block and hydraulic jack under the spring where it was bent. This pushed the spring back into respectable shape. It was driveable now, but at increased risk of breaking. Eric stayed the night in Tahoe. After spending much of the morning futilely looking for a new spring, Eric crossed his fingers and successfully made his way home to the Bay Area.

From what we could tell, we were the first Jeepers to make the entire trail from Loon Lake to Tahoe this year. It took thirty hours of wheeling and quite a lot of hard work, but was very satisfying to complete. We worked as a team and got all of the vehicles successfully off the trail. We worked though breakdowns, roll- overs, stucks you wouldn't believe (it's amazing what you can do with multiple winches). In the end we had a great time, and conquered the Rubicon- FIRST THIS YEAR, and spent three days with four great new friends. (Oh, an don't forget Paul, a stranger on the trail who gave us more help than anyone could have expected).