ROC Rubicon Trip Report 2009 (photos below the story)

Our Annual Rubicon run was attended by Mike Munson, Jon Munson, Tom Vallee, Robert & Julie McInroy, Paul Adams and Brent Lyman .

We met in Airport Campground at the Wentworth Springs turn off. There had been a little confusion on exactly where the campground was but it was found and camp was made for the night. Paul and Brent arrived in the morning and soon we were off on the trail.

Mike and Jon were Rubicon veterans. This was their first time starting out at Wentworth Springs. It was Toms first time on this trail. Robert Brent & Paul had been on this adventure before.

We rambled along until we came to a boulder pile where Mike broke an axle U joint. We pulled the axle in short order and found that our repair would be marginal. Robert had a spare which of course was the first thing he had loaded in the back of his Jeep. The axle fit perfectly and we set off again but Mike still couldn’t move. It turns out there was a rock perfectly positioned between the rear bumper and the gas tank. Some exercising of the high lift and Mike was on his way.

The next challenge was a good size boulder pile with a notch at the top. Paul was leading and left some orange paint and some turn signal lens on the rock wall. Everyone took a different line though the obstacle and made it through clean.

Robert has been doing his homework and had his line though Soupbowl figured out. Robert said that once you are in there is a large boulder that will not allow you back out. He was right!!!

Jon was the first to try and with Mike spotting made it look easy. Robert’s rig is very capable and jumped in and with a little tug from John made it through. The rest of us elected to leave it to another day. No one was at Little Sluice so we looked it over and proceeded on.

There was a flat fender broken down in the trail. Paul made it around him and pulled him off the middle of the trail. His group was retired firefighters on their first Rubicon Trip.

Old Sluice has always been a fun section and this year would be no different. As we entered Old Sluice it was getting dark. We bumped and scraped our way through. Robert has a tire go flat so we changed the tire in the trail. Brent and Paul set out ahead to Buck Island to get the camping going before it got too dark.

We took our time getting going the next day as it would be a short hop from Buck Island to Rubicon Springs. Jon and Mike took the point with Jon working some technical lines along the way. His Jeep is well built and was working exceptional on the trail.

Big Sluice seemed easier this year and after a photo opportunity at the bridge we were at Rubicon Springs. We walked the area and checked out the facility and local area.

We arrived at our camp around noon. Mike expressed the need to be in Tahoe and was going to head out. Jon could be ahead of schedule if he left also. They had left about a minute before Tom thought leaving wasn’t a bad idea. Brent and Paul made it about 3 more minutes and then headed out leaving Robert and Julie at camp alone.

Robert and Julie had a pesky raccoon provide entertainment that evening.

Everyone made it off of the trail and headed home. Mike and Tom did exceptional with their rigs especially being on 33 inch tires. A few of us were dinged, dented and in need of some minor repairs but we were all still moving along.

It was a great trip and before we know it will be time for the 2010 Rubicon adventure.

Hope to see you all then.

Paul Adams

Photos below-Click on thumbnail for larger view