Photo: Nik Schulz
In early April WCXC got together for a day at Hollister Hills OHV near Gilroy, California, for a couple of days of camping and trail skills practice. It had been raining so the trails were pretty muddy. Still, we had a good time driving the obstacle courses and playing in the mud.
Given all of the rain, and that this was our first outing as a group, we decided not to head down any of the intermediate difficulty trails. After we had our fill of the two obstacle courses, and were on our way back to camp, a ranger asked us if we wouldn’t mind helping a guy out that had not been so cautious and had gotten stuck on one of the intermediate trails. We said we’d go have a look and see what we could do.
What we found was a full-size, crew-cab 4×4 pick-up on 80 psi street tires, that had slid completely off the trail, down a slope that led down to a small ravine. It had sunk into the mud up to its door sills. Mas had a winch on his truck and we offered our help. About two hours, 3 or 4 winch pulls, and a rain and hail storm later, we had the truck back on the road. As the rain picked up I got concerned that he—and we—would be able to get back out (as his truck blocked our exit). He got his truck turned around though, and we all made it out. Sheesh. It was a little more than we bargained for.
Still it was a great trip. Here are some photos from that day.
The whole crew. Photo: Sadie Fowers
Greg negotiates the logs as I spot. Photo: David Fowers
Ismael runs the obstacle course. Photo: David Fowers
Mas climbs a hill at the Quarry. Photo: Nik Schulz
The group at the Quarry. Photo: Nik Schulz
David climbs the rocky incline. Photo: Nik Schulz
David in his Tacoma. Photo: Nik Schulz
Greg attempts a difficult rocky bit. Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
Greg's front passenger tire goes into a deep hole as driver rear tire starts to come up. Photo: Nik Schulz
Greg traversing the logs. Photo: Nik Schulz
David hits the mud hole. Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
David climbs a berm. Photo: Nik Schulz
Greg heading for the mud hole. Photo: Nik Schulz
Bryan on the rock obstacle. Photo: Nik Schulz
Ismael on some tricky terrain as Greg spots. Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
Bryan getting a wheel in the air. Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
Ismael on the logs. Photo: Nik Schulz
And he makes it! Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
Photo: Nik Schulz
My truck at the campsite. Photo: Nik Schulz
Our rain tarp. Photo: Nik Schulz
The stuck truck as Mas prepares to winch. Photo: Nik Schulz
Me about to climb the stairs. I made it up with Greg's spotting help. Photo Greg McDonald
Mas's Jeep. Photo: Gregory McDonald
Me climbing a rocky incline. Photo: Gregory McDonald
Photo: Gregory McDonald
Photo: Gregory McDonald
Adventure dwells in the unexpected.
That was good fun! The next trip can’t come too soon!
🙂