Kelly Flats on 4th of July...
Hey all,
I'll preface this by saying a few things. 1) Sorry for being the "burden" of the trip this time. I hate being that guy, and I definitely didn't mean for it to be that way. 2) I still had a great time and it was cool to meet some new people and do a new trail and 3) Goodbye Samurai hello Toyota!!!!
Ok, so here is the actual report. I knew I wanted to get out on the 4th since I had the day off. Also knew I wanted to get out one more time in the Samurai before I bought my new rig (got it today, I'll do a different thread about it). I did put another new set of carbs on that I got from Bob's Motorcycle in Lafayette. They run pretty well on the road, but had a lot of issues on the trail yesterday, and were the cause of much frustration on my part. I was lucky enough to have a couple patient guys that were willing to help me out in my situation.
For those who haven't done it, the Kelly Flats Trailhead is located in Poudre Canyon, which is west of Fort Collins and a bit north too. The drive up the canyon is great, with the only "Wild and Scenic" river in the state along side the road. Some really fun stretches of river to run if you are a Kayaker like me (or enjoy rafting) and also some really scary stretches called the Narrows. Either way, the drive is great and relaxing.
There is a great spot to air down right at the trailhead, and the fun stuff starts just after. For the most part, this trail is pretty tame, with a few obstacles that may provide some challenges in both the mental and technical game. There are some small ledgy and rocky sections that aren't hard but alot of fun. A stock VW Toureg got up this part no problem. As you get about 1/2 mile into the trail, there is a great view of "Heart Attack Hill". There was also a huge mud puddle right before, which is probably fun for lifted vehicles, but probably not recommended for stock height ones. The previously mentioned Toureg found out the hard way, and when I asked if they were ok, said that it had taken some water into the engine. Nothing too serious though.
Heart Attack Hill is a pretty serious little obstacle. Its really a series of small ones that add into one big one. The main issue with this hill, is that its a long way down if you loose control of the vehicle. Any part of the hill isn't particularly hard on its own, but with a 100-200 yard long steep slope behind you, things become a bit more serious. The hardest part is the middle section, with the hardest part on the right side, the slightly easier part in the middle, and a bypass on the left. The bypass is still steep, but not a problem at all as it doesn't require much articulation like some of the other lines.
Fourflo (FF for the rest of the report) was first up, and stuck his nose into the right line, but decided it was a bit too steep. He backed up and went up the middle instead, and pretty much styled it. I was next up in the Samurai, and went straight for the middle section. Unfortunately due to Carb issues, I wasn't able to make it up. Every time I tried it would stall after getting about 3/4 of the way up the main steep part. I tried at least 5 or 6 times to get it, but to no avail. Makes me sad since I know the Samurai is fully capable of dealing with that, but it just wouldn't go. Jeepin Chef (hearafter known as JC) also went up the middle I believe. I was up dealing with my rig and getting up the rest of the hill, so didn't see his run up it. I know he didn't have any issues though. I only got pics of Fourflo's run up this hill, but here they are:
and artsy version....
More to come....
JH
Reply W/Quote
