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Thread: Blanca Peak

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    Default Blanca Peak



    Anyone interested in running blanca next month?

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    Blanca is the peak that forms one edge of the Sand Dunes National Park, right?

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    I’m certainly interested. Not sure what Sept looks like for us yet but I’ll be following this thread.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    What about the 15th of Sept? After labor day so shouldn't be too bad as far as trail traffic.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    Maybe...

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    I don't have anything penciled in then, so I'm a maybe as well.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    JGRubicon previously posted:
    "Ok, so, I am interested, but I may be out classed a bit. I'll research old trip reports on here."

    It's rated pretty challenging in the Wells guidebook. I don't know much about this trail, but I think it's difficult.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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

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    Default Re: 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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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    open_circuit previously posted:
    "Jaws 2 looks like a "nope" to me."

    Exactly what I was thinking...except with my tiny little jeep maybe I could just squeeze by on the left...just maybe...

    For those of you looking to step up the challenge without going too far into the very difficult trails with severe consequences - I would greatly suggest something like Chinaman's gulch and Wheeler lake as good stepping stones. I have run both of those in my old cj, but am still thinking Blanca is out of my league at this time. Also, I am starting to think about doing a ride-along for some of the hardcore difficult trails (Blanca, Holy Cross etc) as a way to see them and then can decide if I would want to return with my jeep. I think most of our members would be willing to have a passenger ride-along.
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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    RockyMtRebel previously posted:
    "Jeep rolled off, killing the mother and injuring the daughter."

    Maybe there was two separate incidents, but Iron chest Mine (not Blanca) had this incident recently
    http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/...Chest-fatality
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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    RockyMtRebel previously posted:
    "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...."

    There's a at least one memorial on Blanca Peak for a death of a wheeler. The most recent fatality (I think the one your talking about) was on Iron Chest.

    http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Fam...490945061.html

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    Blanca is on my 'must do' list. Depending on circumstances at the time if a chance comes around I'm in.

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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    FINOCJ previously posted:
    "Maybe there was two separate incidents, but Iron chest Mine (not Blanca) had this incident recently
    http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/...Chest-fatality"

    Whoops, sorry for the mis-information.... somehow I confused the two routes!
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    Default Re: Blanca Peak



    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.

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