Anyone interested in running blanca next month?
Anyone interested in running blanca next month?
Blanca is the peak that forms one edge of the Sand Dunes National Park, right?
No that's medano pass I think. Blanca is about a 10 minute drive from the dunes. I would recommend at least 33s, or if smaller tires a locking differential. Not sure what your setup is. It's a fairly tough trail but scenic. Madano pass is a easy trail from what I've heard.
I’m certainly interested. Not sure what Sept looks like for us yet but I’ll be following this thread.
I will have to research more, but I very well may be interested.
I am busy the weekend after labor day, but I think I am wide open otherwise.
What about the 15th of Sept? After labor day so shouldn't be too bad as far as trail traffic.
Maybe...
I don't have anything penciled in then, so I'm a maybe as well.
Ok, so, I am interested, but I may be out classed a bit. I'll research old trip reports on here.
I could always ride a long and bring my camera gear.
I'm just below the minimum requirements suggested on trails offroad, I'm on 32's instead of 33's. The rigs I'm seeing in videos are much more built than me. I'm happy to drag, but I don't want to out do it and risk a time consuming break down that would hold everyone up.
It would certainly be the most technically difficult trail I'd done yet, I've done Red Cone solo and didn't need the winch, but this could be more... just plain impassable. I'll keep looking in the meantime.
https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/224-blanca-peak
Wow, just the photos and description on trailsoffroad are quite enlightening. Jaws 2 looks like a "nope" to me.
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James Orofino
1970 CJ5
1958 Willys Wagon
I did Blanca in my '07 rubicon, 35" tires, no lift, but hi line fenders. Jaws 1 is difficult, Jaws 2 is just down right scary, and Jaws 3 wasn't bad at all, but looks difficult. The lake and views up top are well worth it.
I believe this is the route that recently the Jeep rolled off, killing the mother and injuring the daughter. It’s rated as Difficult so probably for the most experienced drivers only & modified vehicles. I don’t think I’d be up for this yet....
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2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
2023 Ford F150 Raptor
___________
James Orofino
1970 CJ5
1958 Willys Wagon
Blanca is on my 'must do' list. Depending on circumstances at the time if a chance comes around I'm in.
___________
2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
2023 Ford F150 Raptor
I've never viewed Blanca as too bad. You are on a shelf road though so you need to pay attention the whole time. My friend wasn't paying attention and got into a pretty hairy situation but I got out the winch and straightened him out. Last time I did it was 2010ish things may have changed on the trail since then but at the time my fj40 had 4" lift leaf springs that flexed like I-beams haha, 33s, a winch, lockers, a very good skid plate. I hit my skid plate a few times. Jaws 3 has a hard left line which I couldn't make but the right line was easy. That's what I remember anyway. I don't want to prod anybody into doing something risky. Plenty of videos online. I always encourage winching rather than hammering it up a hill and breaking stuff, and I think on a shelf road that's more important for safety reasons. I would not do the trail without a winch. I would rate the difficulty to similarity of Wheeler Lake or chinamans also.