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Last weekend I took my Bronco offroad for the first time, heading to Northern MN. I'll be back later this summer.
Spider Lake OHV trains in the Foot Hills State Forest
Friday, I stopped by here on my way north into Grand Rapids, MN, for a wedding I was attending with my wife. She drove up there separately because she planned to stay longer as her father was there.
I was expecting mud there due to the rain forecast for the prior evening, but when I got there, it was quite dusty. There is primitive camping along the various trails in the forest. The trails were easy for the Bronco, never needing a locker and just keeping it in 4low, using 1st or 2nd gear. It was still fun, and Iikely felt more confident because of my time with the Bronco Off-Rodeo in New Hampshire last summer.
The main thing I was watching out for were branches poking out, looking to gouge my paint.
I talked to some dirt bikers as they prepared to head out. One of them took a picture of the Bronco as his kid has an RC version Bronco that looks the same. They were nice guys.
A couple in an Anti-mater Blue Big Ben soft top caught me as I was stopped to take a picture. I had apparently driven by their camping spot, so they tracked me down. I can't remember names, but their Bronco had 33's on some aftermarket wheels and a 2" lift. It looked nice but dusty, like mine was getting.
That afternoon as I headed to Grand Rapids, I ran through some rain which cleaned all the dust off my vehicle. When I got to the city, it didn't look like I had even been offroad.
Sunday, I headed out to the Iron Range Off-highway vehicle recreation area. That morning it had been raining off and on, as well as while I was wheeling. Not enough to make it super muddy, but it did make it slick. Most of the trails there are covered with high iron content rocks. So only a few muddy areas. But the rocks are crushed, which can make them loose underfoot.
This site has 3 rankings for trails. Easy, Harder, and Hard. I stayed on the Harder trails and avoided the Hard trails. I could do the Hard trails (mostly big rocks) if I had a spotter, but I didn't do it alone. I also didn't take a run through the mud pools they had. No one else was around, and I didn't want to get stuck without anyone else around.
There was a dirt bike thing going on that day with some trails marked for them. They also have a large ATV/side-by-side specific area that I accidentally dropped in on. I missed a sign and ended up going down a slope that felt like 50 degrees, more likely 30 degrees. But going back up it to get back to my part of the park was on loose rock, so I put the rear locker on and took it easy. I also turned on the screen that shows me degrees off of lean after that.
Only one section, called Twisted Sister, had the trees really close such that I had to adjust my entry and exit from each one. Otherwise the trails were pretty wide with only a few branches to watch out for, except for the trail that was along the side of a cliff. I was there for 2 hours, then headed out. I drove about 1/3 of the trails, so I have an incentive to head back.
Friday, I put the Bronco into 4wd Low and essentially kept it in 2nd gear for most of the drive.
Sunday, I put the Bronco into 4wd Low and used C, 1, and 2, depending on how tight things got or the incline I was on.
Not doing this trail without spotter and a way to get recovered.
Spider Lake OHV trains in the Foot Hills State Forest
Friday, I stopped by here on my way north into Grand Rapids, MN, for a wedding I was attending with my wife. She drove up there separately because she planned to stay longer as her father was there.
I was expecting mud there due to the rain forecast for the prior evening, but when I got there, it was quite dusty. There is primitive camping along the various trails in the forest. The trails were easy for the Bronco, never needing a locker and just keeping it in 4low, using 1st or 2nd gear. It was still fun, and Iikely felt more confident because of my time with the Bronco Off-Rodeo in New Hampshire last summer.
The main thing I was watching out for were branches poking out, looking to gouge my paint.
I talked to some dirt bikers as they prepared to head out. One of them took a picture of the Bronco as his kid has an RC version Bronco that looks the same. They were nice guys.
A couple in an Anti-mater Blue Big Ben soft top caught me as I was stopped to take a picture. I had apparently driven by their camping spot, so they tracked me down. I can't remember names, but their Bronco had 33's on some aftermarket wheels and a 2" lift. It looked nice but dusty, like mine was getting.
That afternoon as I headed to Grand Rapids, I ran through some rain which cleaned all the dust off my vehicle. When I got to the city, it didn't look like I had even been offroad.
Sunday, I headed out to the Iron Range Off-highway vehicle recreation area. That morning it had been raining off and on, as well as while I was wheeling. Not enough to make it super muddy, but it did make it slick. Most of the trails there are covered with high iron content rocks. So only a few muddy areas. But the rocks are crushed, which can make them loose underfoot.
This site has 3 rankings for trails. Easy, Harder, and Hard. I stayed on the Harder trails and avoided the Hard trails. I could do the Hard trails (mostly big rocks) if I had a spotter, but I didn't do it alone. I also didn't take a run through the mud pools they had. No one else was around, and I didn't want to get stuck without anyone else around.
There was a dirt bike thing going on that day with some trails marked for them. They also have a large ATV/side-by-side specific area that I accidentally dropped in on. I missed a sign and ended up going down a slope that felt like 50 degrees, more likely 30 degrees. But going back up it to get back to my part of the park was on loose rock, so I put the rear locker on and took it easy. I also turned on the screen that shows me degrees off of lean after that.
Only one section, called Twisted Sister, had the trees really close such that I had to adjust my entry and exit from each one. Otherwise the trails were pretty wide with only a few branches to watch out for, except for the trail that was along the side of a cliff. I was there for 2 hours, then headed out. I drove about 1/3 of the trails, so I have an incentive to head back.
Friday, I put the Bronco into 4wd Low and essentially kept it in 2nd gear for most of the drive.
Sunday, I put the Bronco into 4wd Low and used C, 1, and 2, depending on how tight things got or the incline I was on.
Not doing this trail without spotter and a way to get recovered.
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