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7 day wheeling and camping trip thru the Sierra National Forest.


RockRanger

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All my pictures can be found here.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm4cYywH

Our trip started Sunday morning. We met up along Dinkey Creek Road and headed to Swamp Lake. As soon as we turned off the pavement we all aired down.

IMG_0890 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

In the group was my self in my Ranger, Mike and Ken in the TJ, Brian in the Explorer, and Mike and Zack in the JK. We made our way up the very dusty forest service roads to the trail head of Swamp Lake trail. We made our way up the trail without much trouble. The biggest issue was Mike in the TJ started having problems with his front ARB not locking. But the trail was awesome.

IMG_0897 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0905 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0908 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0914 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Half way to Swamp we did a quick hike over to a private lake called Mud lake and checked it out.

20170827_131653 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Then we made a stop at Grouse lake. I tossed a fishing line in real quick and caught a small trout on the first cast.

20170827_160048 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

After Grouse Lake you climb to the highest point on the trail of about 9600 ft. On the way down to Swamp lake is a mine on the side of the mountain.

IMG_0917 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr
 


RockRanger

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We made our way down to Swamp lake at 9000' and setup camp. We had the entire lake to ourselves. I went down to the lake and caught a few trout.

IMG_0923 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0922 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0921 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

The next day was a relaxing day of no wheeling. Some people hung out at the lake and relaxed. Myself, Zack and JK Mike decided to hike to the top of Three sisters peak. We are starting at 9000 feet. The peak is at 10612 feet and there is no trail. So we set off back up the trail and around the lake. This is looking out part way up at Swamp lake. We are camped just to the left of the rocks at the top side of the pictures.

20170828_092334 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Another view looking down on Swamp part way up. The small lake on the left is Little Doris Lake

20170828_101708 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Made it to the top.

20170828_120546 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Signed the book and a picture of the lake where we started from.

20170828_120426 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

A 360 degree picture from the top. The two lakes on each end are the same and more on them later. Just left of center is Courtright reservoir where Dusy Ershim trail starts. Just to the right of center is Swamp lake.

20170828_115824 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

We hiked back down and all said took us maybe 6 hours. A bit later a few of my friends wheeled in Monday and spent the night with us. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of them.
 

RockRanger

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Tuesday we packed up camp and were planning on heading to Brewer lake to camp for the night. We made it about 200 feet from camp to a pretty good climb and JK Mike broke a driver rear axle shaft.

IMG_0928 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

To get it all apart we ended up having to pull all but the pinion from the axle housing. The broken axle shaft wedged itself in the locker. we had to pull the e-locker apart to get the piece out.

20170829_173245 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Thru the use of Ham radios we were able to get a hold of JK Mike's dad in town he located a Yukon alloy shaft and misc parts we needed for the repair and brought them up the mountain. I wheeled out to the paved road and back in with the replacement parts. I had to stop and take a few pictures in one spot. Always fun wheeling solo.

IMG_0926 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0927 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

By the time I got back with the replacement parts it was around 430 pm. We reassembled the Jeep and resetup camp and stayed at Swamp one more night.
 

RockRanger

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Wednesday morning we packed up camp and headed out the plan was now to skip Brewer Lake and go into town for gas and ice then head to Coyote lake. When working on the JK yesterday it was found that the other shaft had twisted splines and was ready to break anytime. We didn't discover the second shaft till it was to late to get a second shaft on the same day. So the plan was for my wife to pickup the other side shaft and bring it up the mountain with her. She was bringing my Dad up who was going to ride with me for the rest of the trip. So Mike took off early from camp solo and headed for town. If he had any problems we would catch him on the trail He made it to town, got the parts and on a pullout on the side of the road swapped out the passenger side shaft.

We all made it to town topped off and headed to Coyote. On the way to Coyote we stopped at Red lake on the way. Here is an older picture of one of my previous trips of Red lake.

20160630_144628 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

We continued passed Red Lake and on to Coyote. We get about 200 yards from Coyote lake at the last hard spot and JK Mike tells me he keeps feeling a thud under his feet. As he pulls forward I see that the driverside link mount brackets are broken and swinging on the frame. We start determining the best way to get a welder up to fix the problem. As I pull into Coyote lake I notice the first camp is taken. On the second take I notice it is Sean (4x4junkie) from this site camped there with his friends. I have met him up there the last two years and camped with them. I go over to and talk to him and find out he has a welder in his BroncoII. We setup camp and planned to fix the Jeep Thursday morning.

Thursday we get up and tear the Jeep apart to get the bracket off. Here is the busted bracket.

IMG_0933 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Prepped straitened and ready to be welded back together.

IMG_0934 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

We slapped the bracket back in and did a nice walk around Coyote Lake.

IMG_0931 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0932 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

IMG_0935 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr
 

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Great write-up and photos! Looks like a fun trip with great friends.
 

RockRanger

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Friday we got up and decided to go on another hike into the Dinkey Creek Wilderness. We left Coyote lake and hiked a few miles south to our First lake called First Dinkey lake. As look at the picture you will see three peaks in the back ground. Those are Three Sisters Peaks. The one we on Monday was the one on the left in the below picture. you can see this lake in the picture I posted earlier. I fished the lake for about 20 minutes. I caught one and lost another.

20170901_110127 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

We left First Dinkey Lake and headed to South Lake

20170901_114913 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Then we hiked to Swede Lake.

20170901_121921 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Then headed back to First Dinkey lake and back over to Camp at Coyote. JK Mike decided to pack camp and head home. He was in a wedding the next day so he didn't want risk making it home in time. Once he got back to pavement he reached me on Ham radio to let me know that he made it off the trail and the lift bracket on the passenger side was starting to break on the front suspension. Fortunately he he made it home that night without incident.

Saturday we packed up camp and made our way out. We made quick work past Red Lake. Instead of heading strait out we decided to do a quick trip over to West and Strawberry lakes. The trails to each is not very hard but they are dusty and bouncy.

We made it to West and and I didn't take any pictures there. Then we went over to Strawberry lake.

IMG_0948 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

While at West Brian was showing me his modified steering shaft. I noticed the fan was also rubbing on the shroud. a quick look around and noticed the passenger motor mount bolt snapped on the top. A length of chain and a bolt was wrapped around the mount to hold it on the way out. We made it back to pavement and back to reality. It had been a great week of fun adventure and relaxation. I made the two hour drive home. Brian and TJ mike drove down the mountain to stay the night in town and leave for San Diego Sunday morning. You can read more about Brians adventure on the way home here.

Bkennedy's SAS and Modification Thread
 

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