This is a route reserved for only the best maintained, outfitted 4WD vehicles. In 2006, I traveled with such a group to Mission Santa Maria.
Enjoy the photos and memories...
Parked at the bog - One of the drivers was poked by a Cactii. Expert Off Roader Tom Severin http://www.4x4training.com/aboutus.html took care of Jim along the trail.
Parked and posing in front of the Mission Santa Maria ruins
The drive back to Hwy 1
Parked at Hwy 1 - No breakdowns or flat tires. The Jeep Rubicon Unlimited with its hood up was airing its tires up using a York Compressor mounted in
the engine compartment.
rts551 - 12-6-2014 at 04:13 PM
Nice pictures Ken. Did any of the Jeeps have to use ATRAC or is the A$$trac to get in and out?Ken Cooke - 12-6-2014 at 04:31 PM
Nice pictures Ken. Did any of the Jeeps have to use ATRAC to get in and out?
The white Cherokee and the khaki Wrangler were open diffed! Just good 'ole 4WD and nothing else.
David K - 12-6-2014 at 11:48 PM
2006 was not 2010 after heavy rains... I went in 2007, and while tough, the bog was dry still then. The bog when deep is more challenging to drive
through than the Widowmaker.
A-TRAC is a Toyota/Lexus system. Jeep Rubicons have front and rear lockers. In 2003, the Wrangler also climbed the Widowmaker without a locker. Light
and short make it an ideal off road bobcat. I like to carry stuff to have long or comfortable camping trips, plus I need the truck bed for my work.
Longer, heavier, and the body rock damage from Mission Santa Maria proves it is a harder rig to drive in there.
[Edited on 12-7-2014 by David K]Emerson - 12-8-2014 at 04:20 PM
Great Trail, its up there in my top 5 for sure; last April, the road was very rough, the widowmaker keeps being a tough one, but some significant
height steps have eroded their way into the main trail obstacles... cant even start to imagine the road condition after Odile storms... there is a
voice in my mind that keeps telling me to go and check it out!
On this ledge, we had to pull the XJ and a Full Size Bronco out, loose rocks and this heavy incline didint help with the traction
