by The Flatlander for
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Long day Rock Surfn' on Iceman. The sun was going down as we started the long trip back to camp. But we had a good time.
The excitement
started early as this CJ slipped a tire down off the precipice of the deep canyon. Wisely
they called for help rather than trying to back up and get in even more trouble. The trail
is very narrow and the right side tire stays very near the steep long drop off.
One of the
early optional obstacles on the trail. Almost everyone tried it. There was plenty of paint
on the rock where past pretenders slipped, but none of our group did.
Some impressive
"air" on the waterfall obstacle.
This well built
Bronco belongs to our trail leader, Jason Paule. It was built on a budget including front
coils that he made by welding two stock coils together. It articulates and climbs
extremely well.
Morris studies
the big rock he is high centered on. Neither wheel on this side is touching the ground.
Morris is NOT having a good day. He sliced a tire just a few hundred feet up the trail.
But no whining.
Rod Pepper's
"Wild Oats" takes a break on a on some boulders in the middle of the trail.
This is a HUGE
rock and it is narrow on top so there is little room for error. When the trail first
opened a year ago, no one even attempted this obstacle. But Earl Rahder of California's
Victor Valley 4 Wheelers thought he could do it and showed the trail leader how. Now it is
a regular feature of the trail.
Getting down
off the other end is no picnic either. Many got caught on their skid plates or transfer
cases.
This one made me pay the price. Smashed left front quarter panel and a peeled off right rear fender flare. These 4+ and up Black Hills trails just won't let you through without paying admission.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION: AS THE MORNING BREAKS, WE WILL BE UP READY TO GO AT 8:00 A.M. WE HAVE TO GO A LITTLE FARTHER THAN MOST, BUT THE SCENIC DRIVE TO THE TRAIL HEAD IS WORTH IT. AS WE ARRIVE ABOVE THE TRAIL, THE VIEW WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. AS YOUR CO-DRIVERS SWEAT OUT THE FEW HUNDRED FEET DROP YOU WILL BE GLAD THAT THEY ARE ALERT...TRUST ME. AFTER WE REACH THE BOTTOM...HOPEFULLY SLOWER THAN GRAVITY DICTATES, A CAVE STRAIGHT AHEAD MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE GOOD STUFF!! ROCKS WILL MOVE AND SLOW GOING WILL BE THE NORM FOR THIS TRAIL. AS WE ALL PROCEED UP ICE CAVE CANYON, OBSTACLES AND SCENERY WILL SURROUND US. ZIG ZAG FALLS WILL TEST YOU AND YOUR VEHICLE. ROCK BUFFING WILL INCREASE AND PAINT AND STEEL WILL MARK YOUR PATH. HITCH HOLE WILL DETERMINE YOUR APPROACH AND DEPARTURE ANGLES...AND LOG JAM WILL REACH OUT AND BITE YOUR TRANSFER CASE. LOADING DOCK IS LIKE THE FINISH LINE, BUT DON'T BLOW IT HERE BECAUSE IT IS A LONG WAY HOME. HOPEFULLY, YOU SAVED SOME PICTURES BECAUSE ICE CAVE IS WHERE WE WILL UNLOCK AND COOL OFF. BACK TO CAMP WE WILL MOTOR. NOTE: 33 INCH TIRES, A LOCKER IN THE BACK, AND NO WIDER THAN A BRONCO IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. NO FULL-SIZE TRUCKS.
Difficulty 4 - Not advisable for novice drivers; potentially dangerous situations; maximum ground clearance, lowest gears, and minimum tire size of 33 inches required; also lockers, limited slips, winches, and jacks advised due to moderate to large rocks and obstacles; vehicle damage is likely. No full-size vehicles.
Iceman is rated as 4+
96 Dakota Territory Challenge Index Page | Hal Johns | Iceman | Badland Boogie | Kiecker's Pics
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