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Overland trip: CK5 wheels the UP 2016 (trip report and pictures going up!)

@campfire I would like to go to Dunfest and the Overland Trip this year but probably only make it to one trip. It's a little early to make any soild plans. Meeting @76zimmer in Des Moines on Highway 80 west bound would be great to, but Moab is 19 HR and 16 min. From Augusta. bucket list. I need to get off my ass right now and get my truck back together or I won't be going anywhere.
 
Monty5150 said:
Is late April or early May a decent time to plan for?
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Depends on what you're wanting to do. A bunch of the trails will still be melting snow in April (sometimes even May), so the terrain will range from snowy to muddy to flooded. Not really representative of what we'll have in July.

On my end, I have a baby due toward the end of May, so I would avoid then.

What are you wanting to see? :thinking:
 
I'm looking to explore the central to Western side of the UP. I'm looking to do some wheeling and running the truck through its paces.
I'd like to spend most of my time off road, and do some dispersed camping.

Maybe run a past condensed version of a UP overland trip.
 
Monty5150 said:
I'm looking to explore the central to Western side of the UP. I'm looking to do some wheeling and running the truck through its paces.
I'd like to spend most of my time off road, and do some dispersed camping.

Maybe run a past condensed version of a UP overland trip.
Click to expand...

So you basically wanna run the same trip that we did last year? I could spare an early May weekend for a shortened overland trip. :thinking:
 
Monty5150 said:
I'm looking to explore the central to Western side of the UP. I'm looking to do some wheeling and running the truck through its paces.
I'd like to spend most of my time off road, and do some dispersed camping.

Maybe run a past condensed version of a UP overland trip.
Click to expand...

I'd hit up the Cliff, Rocket Range (or High Rock Bay), and Gay Beach. If we had time I'd start throwing in the offroad sections between Houghton and the Porkies.

That would be super easy, as we already have the itinerary (and I've been to most of the places multiple times, so I don't expect I'd get lost). Most of the Keweenaw route I could navigate without a map.

we might even have time to fit in the river crossing trail (further South). :thinking:

:popcorn:
 
That would be a decent trip, I'm game. A river crossing would be great, how much time are you
thinking? Like a long weekend( Friday- Monday)?
 
Monty5150 said:
That would be a decent trip, I'm game. A river crossing would be great, how much time are you
thinking? Like a long weekend( Friday- Monday)?
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I was thinking just a normal weekend (Friday afternoon - Sunday night), but it's just an idea at this point.

The river crossing is further South, you'd probably wind up with some road time if you wanted to see it all.
 
A few things about April/May schedule:
  • You're looking at Black Fly season. Things are different each year, but sometimes by later May you're breathing the things. Deet is obvious, but you need a very solid tent or vehicle to have a shot at sleep and sanity.
  • Freezing overnight temps can easily extend to Memorial Day. Probably no way to know the weather until it gets close.
  • Spring break up can make some mild trails impassable. I think it's not a heavy snowfall year and there's been some thawing in places, but something to keep in mind.
  • Studded tracks are popular any many of the trails are snowmobiled all winter. Spring is your best chance of getting a stud in a tire. Of course you should generally have a plug kit, but again, something to keep in mind.
 
Blue85 said:
A few things about April/May schedule:
  • You're looking at Black Fly season. Things are different each year, but sometimes by later May you're breathing the things. Deet is obvious, but you need a very solid tent or vehicle to have a shot at sleep and sanity.
  • Freezing overnight temps can easily extend to Memorial Day. Probably no way to know the weather until it gets close.
  • Spring break up can make some mild trails impassable. I think it's not a heavy snowfall year and there's been some thawing in places, but something to keep in mind.
  • Studded tracks are popular any many of the trails are snowmobiled all winter. Spring is your best chance of getting a stud in a tire. Of course you should generally have a plug kit, but again, something to keep in mind.
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Yeah, I know that the flies will be out in May, but I can't just sit back and miss out on the whole year waiting for that one perfect month. Early May should still be pretty good, depending on the year. We did decide a few years ago that Memorial day is a good time to visit a dry place like Colorado. :haha:

So far we're having a light winter along the bay, but that's no indication of what snow levels will be in 2 or 3 months.
 
Thanks for the insite, I was hoping to make the trip before the flies get bad....early May?? I've camped under a tarp when it was only 7 degrees outside, and I plan to have my extreme cold weather sleeping bag with me... just in case. Stud in a tire would suck...

Blue 85, if your not busy and want to make a run. .... I missed the trip last summer and vowed not to miss any this year.

Campfire, sounds good, for me I'd take the Friday and Monday for travel/rest.
 
If I went on the Overland Trip early to late fall would be the best time for me.
 
campfire said:
Hey there, these pictures show the trail on a DRY day instead of a wet & swampy day. I want a refund. :deal:

:haha: :thumb:


I remember getting winched up to the top and being told "there was a bridge bypassing the crossing." :rolleyes:
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Did I never address this?

  1. You have already received a full refund of everything you paid to join the trip and for camping (i.e. $0), with the exception of the 1 night at the Porkies which was about $12?
  2. The bridge has a locked gate. Plus, the trail on the North/East side has a lot deeper mud than what we had to travel.
 
Blue85 said:
Did I never address this?

  1. You have already received a full refund of everything you paid to join the trip and for camping (i.e. $0), with the exception of the 1 night at the Porkies which was about $12?
  2. The bridge has a locked gate. Plus, the trail on the North/East side has a lot deeper mud than what we had to travel.
Click to expand...

I think you did address this. The refund thing was 100% joke, and I didn't initially realize that there was a gate involved. But it was squared away long ago.
 
Have any of you guys wheeled around the Mt. Arvon area? I use to go atving in that area over memorial day weekend and we would always run into groups of trucks running the hills around Mt. Arvon. That's some really cool terrain.
 
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