This fall Middle Atlantic Four Wheel Drive Association held its annual meeting and trail ride at Rausch Creek Off-Road Part new Tremont PA. This event was open to all Mid-Atlantic clubs. Members from CORE, B4W, PA Jeeps, and East Coast Experience participated in this event.
” I watched in amazement as I saw his red TJ literally bouncing over the boulders and climb its way to the top!”
Representing CORE at this event was:
- Keith Holman – Blazer
- Jason Grogg – Rubicon
- Mike Vincenty and Donna Edwards – Rubicon
Keith drove up Friday night and camped overnight making good use of this new “Little Guy Deluxe” camping trailer. Jason and I drove up Saturday morning to make the 9:30 start time. When we arrived at Rausch, we could see that the weather was perfect for a day of wheeling in the woods.
While we waited in the staging area, a group of folks in a well lifted Grand Cherokee approached us and asked if they could ride with us since they came up for the day and Rausch has a 3 vehicle minimum per group. Of course we said “sure”.
So, with Ron from East Coast Experience leading the way, our morning trail ride began. We entered a trail immediately to the right of the Rausch Creek office. Immediately we were on blue L3, but I could see that this was a section of the trail that I had never been on. Very quickly we were presented with a hill climb that was littered with decent size boulders. You had to pick you way carefully up this hill so as to not get hung up or lose traction. At one point the Grand Cherokee that tagged along with our group, got hung up on a log near the edge of the trail. He managed to some how get hung up in such a manner that he was now straddling the log. The Grand driver was new to four wheeling and could manage to get the Grand over the log. Some in our grouped help him reduce his tire pressure and disconnect his sway bar disconnects. With some spotting, he was soon over the log and back on the trail.
Once on the upper portion of L3 we proceeded to trail K and made our way to green rated trail 1a. Part way into trail 1a we pulled off near a black diamond side-trail to watch a couple of the really well built Jeep play. This side-trail was covered with lots of tire-eating / suspension-ripping boulders. The group watched the show in fascination as the Jeeps picked there way through this field.
Back on the trail we proceeded onwards, picking our lines through the small rock gardens that littered trail 1a. We left trail 1 and headed to green trail C via B. On trail C we encountered a nice water filled bowl that the group took advantage of. Then we came upon another black-diamond trail, “Yellow Jacket Ridge”. This trail presented some very interesting challenges, large boulders, a steep hill climb up rocks, and a very rocky decent. Not all of us chose to tackle this challenge. However, Keith with this Blazer was! With Ron providing expert spotting, Keith impressively conquered this challenge (with only minor injuries to the Blazer)!
Lunch was next on the agenda, so we headed back to the office to group, relax, and attend the Mid-Atlantic meeting.
After lunch we continued to explore the east side of the park. We headed out onto L3 following the same route taken in the morning. The group made its way to blue trail 2. Here we encountered more pockets of rock gardens that kept you on your toes, requiring you to pick you lines carefully. One particularly difficult section of trail 2 was on the northern most point where trail 2 climbs up hill. Two possible lines were possible. Go left for a difficult line, or go right for an easier line. I went right. Even so, I heard the inevitable sound of scraping on my undercarriage. I watched Preston in his open-diff, 4-cylinder TJ take the harder line. I was convinced that he would not make it up the hill and over the large boulders. I watched in amazement as I saw his red TJ literally bouncing over the boulders and climb its way to the top!
At this point it was getting late in the day. The group headed back to the staging area for last minute preparations before heading home.
What more can you say? Great weather, lots of free wheeling in a premier off-road park, hanging out with old friends and new, ah … life is good!
Many thanks to Mid-Atlantic for hosting and organizing this wheeling event and paying our riding fees.
Trail report written by Mike Vincenty. Pictures courtesy of Jason Grogg and Keith Holman.