We took Henry out to Snoqualmie National Forest yesterday - technically Clearwater Wilderness. Our first attempt was FS-75 to Lonesome Lake, but halfway up, I decided it was too deep for Henry, so I back out. We tried a few more spots but they were all closed. Our last ditch effort was to hit up NF-7720. This proved to be more more gradual of a climb. The entire trail is 4,800 feet in 15 miles, while FS-75 was going to be about 5,000 feet in 15 miles, and many more turns.
For the first 10 miles of NF-7720, it was mostly wide packed dirt and gravel, with lots of potholes. Plenty of bouncing around. I aired down from 35 PSI to 15, mostly for comfort. The views are fantastic along the way, especially from noon and on where the sun is coming through the trees. Since a lot of the second half is higher up and receives more shade during the day, there was plenty of deep snow to tread. The deepness of the snow is very gradual and there are ample opportunities to turn around if you don’t feel comfortable.
Despite this road being more washed out than FS-75, and the snow being deeper, I felt more comfortable on it. The shield around the catalytic converter scraped the snow in the middle of the trail quite a bit, as the snow was 8-10 inches deep. There were parts where I felt that a higher clearance vehicle was necessary, but went for it anyway. Choosing the right line and having the tires aired down proved to really allow Henry to shine. Throughout the entire trail, we didn’t slip once, and I only felt AWD kick in maybe once. There were plenty of obstacles - such as severely washed-out portions, fallen trees, etc. - but nothing a standard 4x4 with appropriate tires and a capable driver should have any issue with.
At 4,000 feet, we encountered someone with an old beat up Ford Explorer that had gotten stuck on the north side. I don’t have a winch, so I wasn’t entirely sure how to help. We backed a couple hundred feet down the trail and stopped at a turnout to have lunch and take in the amazing views of the Olympics, Tacoma, and Olympia. As we sat, a gentleman in a heavily modified Jeep TJ pulled up and exclaimed his impression of our little Element. He proceeded to help out the stuck individual. We made the decision to head back home rather than heading to the top, as midwinter doesn’t lend to being able to explore much, and limits what sort of activities you can do on an overnight trip.
All in all, I am immensely impressed with our Henry. Not once did I feel unsafe or underprepared. There were definitely several points where I felt challenged as the driver, which is just what I could ask for. I think this trip really helped me learn what Henry is capable with a full load, in pretty challenging conditions.
Photo dump to follow.
For the first 10 miles of NF-7720, it was mostly wide packed dirt and gravel, with lots of potholes. Plenty of bouncing around. I aired down from 35 PSI to 15, mostly for comfort. The views are fantastic along the way, especially from noon and on where the sun is coming through the trees. Since a lot of the second half is higher up and receives more shade during the day, there was plenty of deep snow to tread. The deepness of the snow is very gradual and there are ample opportunities to turn around if you don’t feel comfortable.
Despite this road being more washed out than FS-75, and the snow being deeper, I felt more comfortable on it. The shield around the catalytic converter scraped the snow in the middle of the trail quite a bit, as the snow was 8-10 inches deep. There were parts where I felt that a higher clearance vehicle was necessary, but went for it anyway. Choosing the right line and having the tires aired down proved to really allow Henry to shine. Throughout the entire trail, we didn’t slip once, and I only felt AWD kick in maybe once. There were plenty of obstacles - such as severely washed-out portions, fallen trees, etc. - but nothing a standard 4x4 with appropriate tires and a capable driver should have any issue with.
At 4,000 feet, we encountered someone with an old beat up Ford Explorer that had gotten stuck on the north side. I don’t have a winch, so I wasn’t entirely sure how to help. We backed a couple hundred feet down the trail and stopped at a turnout to have lunch and take in the amazing views of the Olympics, Tacoma, and Olympia. As we sat, a gentleman in a heavily modified Jeep TJ pulled up and exclaimed his impression of our little Element. He proceeded to help out the stuck individual. We made the decision to head back home rather than heading to the top, as midwinter doesn’t lend to being able to explore much, and limits what sort of activities you can do on an overnight trip.
All in all, I am immensely impressed with our Henry. Not once did I feel unsafe or underprepared. There were definitely several points where I felt challenged as the driver, which is just what I could ask for. I think this trip really helped me learn what Henry is capable with a full load, in pretty challenging conditions.
Photo dump to follow.
