Chinaman Gulch
Chinaman Gulch was the only trail that we planned on running that Saturday. We all met up at the Gunsmoke Truck Stop in Johnson Village, and then headed to the trailhead parking lot for Chinaman Gulch to air down. The parking lot was full of Jeeps, trucks and trailers.
After airing down, we started to make our way down the trail. We made it up to the second hill and stopped to the side to let what we thought was a small group pass us, because we were moving slowly (like we always do). But it turned out to be a huge group, so we pulled to the side to watch the parade. After half of the big group passed us, a Toyota broke its front drive shaft. After a long break, they had the Toyota fixed and running again. It gave us a chance to catch up and meet some people, and the weather was perfect.
Soon after getting started up again, we arrived at the Rock Garden where we all had fun flexing on the rocks and playing around. Matt did get high-centered on a rock and needed a little help getting off it. We were on the same CB channel as people behind us, and we heard them stuck on it, too. It's a fun rock.
When we got to the Rock Pile, the big group was playing around on the rocks. They did have another truck break and were fixing that one. So, we had lunch just before getting to them at the Rock Pile. After lunch, we just went around the Rock Pile and the group, and made our way to the wash that takes you to Whale's Tail.
The creek bed to Whale's Tail was fun and had a lot of rocks in it. Quentin got high-centered on a rock in the creek and had to be pulled off the rock, which is always fun.
We soon got to Whale's Tail. Matt and Chad were the only two to make it up the center of Whale's Tail. Quentin just went to the right side of Whale's Tail. Monica tried to go up the center of Whale's Tail and just could not get her Jeep up it. So, after a few tries, she went up the right side of the obstacle and we were all through it.
The rest of the trail to the Stairs was fun. We did not have any issues with that part of the trail.
Soon, we were playing on the Stairs and listening to other people's loud, bad music as they watched us. Matt got high-centered again at one point but then worked his way up and over the Stairs. Chad, too, got high-centered on the Stairs. Monica just bounced her way up and over the obstacle.
The Chute was next. We all had fun getting up it . Matt, Chad and Monica all went to the right and drove up the side to go up the Chute. Quentin went for the center of the Chute to make his way up.
After going down the steep section, Monica broke her sector shaft on her steering gear box on the flat part of the trail. We had to pull her all the way out without any steering on her Jeep.
Chad was in front of Monica, and he was the one towing her out. Matt was behind her Jeep, winched to her and using his Jeep to brake for her. Because her wheels just went in any direction they wanted, we also had two people walking the whole way next to her, manually keeping her wheels in line and steering her Jeep from the outside by pushing on the tires. Monica is buying them new shoes and hands after that long walk out.
After a while of guiding Monica's Jeep down, we stopped for a break and Matt drove Quentin back to get his Jeep. We managed to pull off to the side to let a few groups get around us as we slowly worked our way out.
It took a few hours to get Monica down to the parking lot. After that long day we all made it back home very late at night. Did Monica win Trail Damage of the Year for 2017 already?
Reports from Other Days: 22
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Chinaman Gulch. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
