NWFEST from my point of view. EXTREME detail writeup

[98CherokeeSport]

Ha they should be thanking us for paving the way!

[catchmytalon]

Originally Posted by 98CherokeeSport

Ha they should be thanking us for paving the way!

i agree did you tell them kris that the tracks that they were using werent from last week but yesterday lol i would say that we made it a lot easier for them and made it without anyone breaking anything on there suspension lol. i still think that it was a good run and would do it again

[nickguy]

Originally Posted by 2xtreme

with the angle of your winch line to your front axle, it didn't look like it was helping much from where I was standing.

You think you might have over worked your trans
Expecting your Jeep to climb an assecent like that with 3.55 gears and 35's is obsurd! I would never have recomended that I spot you up it if I had known that.





You worried your fellow members MUCH MORE than I think you suspect!!!!

I wasn't on the run with you guys, but one of the MOST important skills of a trail leader is to understand when it is best to turn back and when to push on. It is often NOT an easy decision but in this case I think I might question it.


Michael

Glad Michael said essentially what I was thinking. There is some responsibility that comes with leadership and there were 2 things that made it doubly important.

1: There were children involved.
2: It was an official run.

Hope that you take this as supportive feedback because that is how it is intended. I am all for pressing on regardless but as a leader one has to err on the side of caution. I am not sure when the turnaround point should have been but if it were me I would be thinking about it when I find a hill that I am not sure I can winch back up.

From a SAR perspective I would offer the observation that because there was no expected return time or indeed destination the rest of us were left with the only option of waiting until light to call the authorities in which would have been bad if anyone got hurt. Perhaps next year we should consider issuing VHF radios to trail leaders. You do not need to be a HAM to use one in emergencies and at least we would have a mechanism to know if things were going sideways. We could also look at finding out if we could get permission to use a commercial frequency for emergency communications.

Anyway my .02 flame away. Just felt it had to be said.

nick

[redrider2911]

I was in front of the pack for the most part of the trip and like I said I take responsibility that I was the one that asked the rest of the group to reconsider turning around at the first sight of a little snow. From there on out we made decisions AS A GROUP. There was only 4 rigs and it was easy to come to decisions between us. It wasn't 1 trail leader dragging 10 Rigs down a trail where they didn't want to go. In addition we told Dustin we were planning on making the ridge via 676 then follow the trail to the back side of the rocks. I still had a blast and plan on making a similar run next year now that I can navigate the actual trail better. I doubt that it will be during NWFEST though and probably with rigs that aren't concerned so much about a little body damage.If you look at the GPS log there was alot of sitting around time talking and looking at maps. At least 3 hours could have been easily shaved off if we Wouk have picked up the pace knowing what we were in for.

[redrider2911]

I do think the VHF radios or even a couple satelite phones in the future would be a good idea in general.

[nickguy]

Originally Posted by redrider2911

I was in front of the pack for the most part of the trip and like I said I take responsibility that I was the one that asked the rest of the group to reconsider turning around at the first sight of a little snow. From there on out we made decisions AS A GROUP. There was only 4 rigs and it was easy to come to decisions between us. It wasn't 1 trail leader dragging 10 Rigs down a trail where they didn't want to go. In addition we told Dustin we were planning on making the ridge via 676 then follow the trail to the back side of the rocks. I still had a blast and plan on making a similar run next year now that I can navigate the actual trail better. I doubt that it will be during NWFEST though and probably with rigs that aren't concerned so much about a little body damage.If you look at the GPS log there was alot of sitting around time talking and looking at maps. At least 3 hours could have been easily shaved off if we Wouk have picked up the pace knowing what we were in for.

Fair enough Chris the detail of it being a group call is important.

[MasterPull]

FWIW the race radios that alot of the PNWJeep crew has been picking up for around ~$300 work from base camp in long meadow all the way to the rocks.

-Alex

[redrider2911]

Originally Posted by nickguy

Fair enough Chris the detail of it being a group call is important.

I just want you to know that I am not disregarding your feedback. I still agree with the precautions your are stating.
The ONLY reason I was comfortable with pushing forward the way we did was because I knew that just 1 week ago another group had made the exact trip in deeper snow and it took them 11 hours. We followed their melted tracks the whole way and that set me more at ease.

[catchmytalon]

like he said we talked it through and all decided me included knowing that my daughter enjoys wheeling and wouldnt have a problem with it i did think about people being concerned about a child being involved but we had everything necessary to stay out there all night and continue in the morning(my rig) dont know about everyone else

[Bronzewyrm]

i really had no opinion until i red the 20 month old kid involved. i braught my 21month old son out to the fest. i am prepared for alot. and i have confadence in my rig/abilitys.

NEVER would i have brought him out on a run like this. too long, and too many unknowns.

me and tessa went to bed that night with only the reashuances of the mass of drunkos. that everything would be ok. we were sceptical at the least.knowing the trail conditions, and the time of day yall left, and what time it was when we crashed. had i known that yall had a kid with you. i would have been putting a party together to come look/hollar for you guies.

glad you guies are ok. supper glad the kid is alright. and glad it was a good time in retrospect.

please comuincate to the people that you leave in camp. not everyone can turn a blind eye and a deff ear.

i think the members here do care. more than some would like to think....

agin. So glad it was alright. im kinda gelous i dont have a rig that can do this stuff. but really; keep you and your familys SAFETY In mind at all times. no matter how EPIC the run/line may be.


Bronze.

[catchmytalon]

Originally Posted by Bronzewyrm

i really had no opinion until i red the 20 month old kid involved. i braught my 21month old son out to the fest. i am prepared for alot. and i have confadence in my rig/abilitys.

NEVER would i have brought him out on a run like this. too long, and too many unknowns.

me and tessa went to bed that night with only the reashuances of the mass of drunkos. that everything would be ok. we were sceptical at the least.knowing the trail conditions, and the time of day yall left, and what time it was when we crashed. had i known that yall had a kid with you. i would have been putting a party together to come look/hollar for you guies.

glad you guies are ok. supper glad the kid is alright. and glad it was a good time in retrospect.

please comuincate to the people that you leave in camp. not everyone can turn a blind eye and a deff ear.

i think the members here do care. more than some would like to think....

agin. So glad it was alright. im kinda gelous i dont have a rig that can do this stuff. but really; keep you and your familys SAFETY In mind at all times. no matter how EPIC the run/line may be.


Bronze.

we are all thankful for the concern i understand where your coming from about the child my only thing is that this is kris's and my own back yard so we know whats going on in this area(for the most part) but again i can understand your point of view and thats something that i like about this group is the concern for fellow members

[XJ-00-1]

The most disappointing thing about this is there are no pictures.