On Sunday Sheri & I took the short drive from Heart Bar campground to run Heart Bar Peak, Trail 1N38. The trail head is only 1.5 miles easterly from the campground turn off on Highway 38. My power steering pump had started failing on Saturday during the Adopt-A-Trail maintenance, but being that this trail was just a long walk from camp I decided to make a go of it anyway. The first obstacle came at less than a half a mile in – a fallen tree was blocking the trail. “Are we going back?” Sheri asked. “Uh, no” I replied. This was the perfect opportunity to use my old school Warn winch.
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| Fallen tree | The axe gets utilized | Tree removal |
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I had saved it from a '63 CJ3B I used to have. This sucker weighs a ton and I’ve never really tested it except for in my driveway. With all four wheels chocked with rocks (my e-brake cable broke on Saturday) and Sheri stomping on the brake, the winch just dragged the Jeep towards the tree. It was wedged in by other trees on both sides of the trail – so on to Plan B. I took out my axe and chopped a notch in the trunk a few inches deep. That along with breaking loose the smaller limbs from the uphill side allowed the winch to snap the tree and break it free. I pulled it back and off to the side of the trail and we were underway. This trail is adopted by Jeeping Jeepers, but it didn’t appear that anyone has been on it lately. It's hard to say how long that tree has been there. The majority of the trail is easy / moderate, but it earns its “more difficult” rating from a couple of long steep climbs as you near the peak. They’re littered with loose rock that will spit out behind you as you try to maintain your momentum. Vehicles without at least a rear locker may have some difficulty on these climbs, but it’s probably do able with a willingness to stay heavy on the pedal.
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| Typical switchback | Heading down | Nice view |
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