Coyote Lake, CA 08/16-08/17/08

[slosurfer]

I ran Coyote Lake trail this weekend with the Slo4wheeler's club. It is a really fun trail and the lake is amazing and an awesome place to camp. Next year I will set aside 4 days so that I can get 2 days at the lake. The trail starts at "Sand Flats" which is about 12.5miles past Shaver Lake on Hwy 168 and then about 6.5 miles on dirt National Forest roads.

Jack and I left Friday afternoon and met up with part of the group at Sand Flats an hour or so before dark. We camped there and then hit the trail at about 9am on Saturday.

Other trails also start at Sand Flats:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7755.jpg

The only other Toyota in the group was this monster FJ40 on 37's with a 350 and some big axles.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7760.jpg

Two of the jeeps headed out early to meet up with part of the group that was already camped at Red Lake. OUr little group was led by a '53 M3801 military jeep, followed by the FJ40, and then me.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7762.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7770.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7772.jpg

We met up with the other 2 jeeps at Red Lake. Another 3 jeeps in the group were already camped there and decided to just stay there rather than going on to Coyote.

Jack at Red Lake
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7777.jpg

The hardest part of the trail starts right after Red Lake. This Jeep Rubicon is on 40's, I almost made this but kept getting hung up on my rear diff and with no lockers had to be winched over that boulder.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7781.jpg

The 4runner did awesome and impressed the Jeep guys. I got winched once and had to have rocks stacked twice on the way in and may have dented my pinch weld under the passenger rocker panel.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7787.jpg

[slosurfer]

Coyote Lake:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7790.jpg

Camp
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7811.jpg

Jack, bouldering :D We also went swimming to clean all the dust off.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7815.jpg

We had a potluck dinner that was amazing! anaheim chiles w/ garlic butter for appetizers, pasta salad, spaghetti, tri-tip, garlic bread, some kind of ground beef cheesy noodle dish, watermelon, and two different dutch oven peach cobblers
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7817.jpg

Sunday morning, after partially packing up, Jack and I borrowed the canoe and went across the lake and went swimming.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7820.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7827.jpg

[slosurfer]

The M38A1, FJ40, and I started heading back a little after 10am
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7835.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7839.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7840.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7844.jpg

We stopped at Red Lake to visit with the ones that had camped there and to grab a quick snack and Jack went swimming again. :D

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7842.jpg

Last climb back up to Sand Flats
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/IMG_7847.jpg

I was back at Hwy 168 and aired up around 2pm. and made it home around 6pm. I can't wait to go again. Carnage was a little dent above the passenger rear tail light from a line I kind of knew I would kiss that tree and dented the pinch welds on both sides under the rocker panels.

Thoughts/observations:
Most of the time I got stuck and needed an extra rock/winch etc.. I was hanging up on either the rear diff or transfercase. Lockers may have helped pull the diff over on some of them but others would only have been remedied by more clearance. A budbuilt transfercase mount has been bumped up in importance on my list now as the added clearance there would have really helped.

I tried to get my rocksliders installed before going but would have had to waited till Friday evening to get them done, my pinch welds got dented instead. :D

My sonoran steel a-arm crossmember rocks! It took some hard hits that made everyone cringe, but it just shrugged the rocks off. My front diff would have taken some hits had I not had it.

It's nice to just air up and drive home while everyone else is loading up a trailer. :D

It's even nicer to get home at a decent time and I was even unpacked before dark.

Oh yeah, it's embarrasing when you accidentally knocked it out of 4LO and you and spotters can't figure out how to get you over a rock that you should be able to climb. doh!

The only bad carnage for the group happened on the trip to the trail head. The jeep on 40's (the only other untrailered rig) was towing his offroad trailer and had a spindle on the trailer break off and flip the trailer. He was very lucky that it happened on the dirt NF road and not on the hwy. The other carnage was a flat towed jeep that somehow got bumped into gear sometime on the trip up and smoked the tranny.

It was a great trip with a great group. Jack was awesome this trip and I was totally able to relax and he kept himself entertained. He's already asking about the next trip. :clap: Here are the rest of the pics:
Coyote Lake Photos (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Coyote%20Lake%2008/?start=all)

[RunnerUp]

that is some beautiful country you have over there on the west coast, nice pics!

[YotaGirl]

Looks like you guys had a great time!

[slosurfer]

that is some beautiful country you have over there on the west coast, nice pics!


The pics don't even do it justice. It is amazing country up there.

Jenn, it was so much fun. Jack is really maturing too, as this was the first trip where I was able to relax while he was still awake. He entertained himself and was really good.

[chrisyota65]

we will have to set a date for next year so we can go up. man that looked like fun.

[YotaGirl]

that is some beautiful country you have over there on the west coast, nice pics!


The pics don't even do it justice. It is amazing country up there.

Jenn, it was so much fun. Jack is really maturing too, as this was the first trip where I was able to relax while he was still awake. He entertained himself and was really good.


Yeah, Caity is starting to do that as well. It's nice! I was able to set up the tent and not worry about her getting into trouble. Hehehe

[slosurfer]

Yeah, Caity is starting to do that as well. It's nice! I was able to set up the tent and not worry about her getting into trouble. Hehehe


Nice! NOw just to get him to figure out how to unbuckle himself from his carseat and then with sliders he can get himself in and out. Our carseat chest buckle is a bitch and nearly impossible for kids to get (although I guess that may be considered a good thing).

[RobG]

Wow, great trail and great pictures but I think there is a rule that if you make featured member of the month you have to run all trails that month with the featured rig. :)

Looks like a good time. Was there anyone else up there or did you have the whole lake to yourselves?

[JOSHH]

Nice pics. Trails look like fun and the scenery looks awesome.

[slosurfer]

Wow, great trail and great pictures but I think there is a rule that if you make featured member of the month you have to run all trails that month with the featured rig. :)

Looks like a good time. Was there anyone else up there or did you have the whole lake to yourselves?


:lol: Someone give me a set of portal axles and I will crawl the van. :hillbill:

We had 6 vehicles and 14 people there in our group. There was a built 1st gen 4runner with a couple people who were way off to our left and then there was a group of jeeps to our far right. There are many areas to camp so it felt like we were the only ones in there. The last night the jeep group had music going pretty late, but it was really faint and didn't disturb me at all. You could easily fit a big group in there.

[wifesaysimadumbass]

dude chris where the heck is this? it looks epic for a group run/campout sometime next summer!

[slosurfer]

dude chris where the heck is this? it looks epic for a group run/campout sometime next summer!


Map (http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=37.18556&lon=-119.09083)

That map looks like the trail keeps going past Coyote, but it stops there, so those others are hiking/pack trails. There is some awesome catch and release fishing (most are too small) in one of the meadows past Coyote.

It would be a great place for a group trip. The rigs that can't make it to Coyote can stay at Red Lake which is just as nice as Coyote. The hill climbing right out of the Red Lake spot is the really tough spot, so it is easy for people to decide whether to go on or not. For those that couldn't make it to Coyote, the trail up to Red Lake is still challenging, especially if you are open/open. Some built rigs decided to stay at red lake due to not wanting to deal with that hill (I think they broke on it last year).

[RobG]

dude chris where the heck is this? it looks epic for a group run/campout sometime next summer!


I would definitely be up for that if I can pull off some lower gearing by next summer.

Headed up that way (Kings Canyon) this weekend, doesn't looks that far from there if there was somewhat of a direct path. Leaning towards not taking the 4runner so we may just do some scouting.

I think portals might bring your gas millage down just a tad. But it would be cool.

[YotaGirl]

dude chris where the heck is this? it looks epic for a group run/campout sometime next summer!


I think this is a great idea! I know I would be down for it.

[slosurfer]

I'd be down for a trip next year.

Also, I forgot to add one more observation/thoughts:

I'm a tri-tip snob and normally would never use a pre-seasoned tri-tip, but my wife got me the Carne Asada Tri-tip from Trader Joes. Dang, that was delicious! I highly recommend it, especially grilled over oak. :thumbup:





I would definitely be up for that if I can pull off some lower gearing by next summer.

Headed up that way (Kings Canyon) this weekend, doesn't looks that far from there if there was somewhat of a direct path. Leaning towards not taking the 4runner so we may just do some scouting.

I think portals might bring your gas millage down just a tad. But it would be cool.


I would take the mileage hit for some portals. Then I could change her name to MiniPini (Mini Pinz) :smokin:

I don't think there is much of a direct route from Kings Canyon to Shaver Lake. Looking at the map there doesn't appear to be a quick way. :(

Low gearing would definately help as the climb from Prather to Shaver Lake on the 168 is brutal.

[slosurfer]

Here's a vid that was put together by the nephew of the guy in the yellow fj40. Mix of vid and some of my stills. Around the 4min mark you can watch me get winched over some boulders. :laugh:

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=We8VIRO77WI

[YotaGirl]

Nice video! Makes me want to get the fj40 out on the trail now! :D

[Seanz0rz]

nice video man!

very very cool, cant wait to wheel that one day.

[xonetruthcrewx]

Thats one area I really wanted to wheel but never got around to it. Tons and tons of good trails in that area. Someday.......

[wifesaysimadumbass]

hey chris whats the elevation in that area was it hot during the day cold at night?

[slosurfer]

I believe it was around 9,000ft and the temps during the day were perfect. In fact, since it's the Sierras, in the heat of the day some big thunderheads would form and we got a couple sprinkles. Made it really nice. Even if it was hot, most the trail and the camp are in the trees and shade. :thumbup:

[havik]

cool vid/slide show.
that looks like a fun trail. if you go again let me know that would be a perf trail to bring fam on. mild with some sweet tech spots
looks like the runner did good too
right on dude

[slosurfer]

Z, it is a really cool fun trail. Next time I plan on going for more days and possibly take the whole family with. I'll definately let you know when the next one is. :thumbup: