WNLRR RUBICON TRAIL TRIP

The Rubicon – that’s a name to inspire dreams! Unquestionably the most famous trail in the country and possibly the world, the Rubicon is on every off-roader’s bucket list. Situated west of Lake Tahoe/north of Sacramento it passes over 7000’ elevation and offers outstanding scenery, unmatched history, and non-stop obstacles to challenge any vehicle.

Talk to any old timer and they’ll tell you the Rubicon ain’t what it used to be. It’s been paved; it’s a highway; anybody can do it. While it is true the trail has been tamed from its gnarliest years it’s nothing to be taken lightly. It’s still a long, difficult trail that breaks dozens if not hundreds of rigs every year. Underestimate it at your own peril. When the topic of the Rubicon comes up among 4-wheelers, one person will tell you ‘sure, no problem, you can do it!’ but then you realize they’re driving a rock buggy on 40” tires. Another person says ‘no way – you’ve got to be crazy!’ but they’re running a nearly stock truck and have never tried anything harder than a fire road. As always the truth lies in between and in fact, the trail changes radically from year to year, even week to week sometimes.

For this trip, our minimum requirements are as follows:

1) Solid frame-mounted recovery points both front and back,

2) 33” aggressive AT or MT tires in good condition

3) Full size spare

4) Sliders and Diff Guards

5) Rear locker and HD axles, Front locker recommended

6) Upgrade rear trailer arms (D90s/D1/RRC) if applicable

7) HD bumpers

8) Working winch and recovery gear

10) 5 gal spare fuel

11) tools and spares for your rig

It should go without saying that your Rover should be in good mechanical condition and ready for the rigors of an extended trail outing. If it’s not obvious by now, this is a trail for experienced drivers only. Body damage and mechanical breakage are possible and common on this trail. We will make every effort to get you through without suffering either, but there are no guarantees. If the thought of a scratch or dent puts you off you should think twice before attempting the Rubicon. By the same token, you need to know how to maintain your vehicle and have spares/tools as needed for common trail fixes. Again, we will make every effort to help you should you break something but we are not professional mechanics – you need to be self-sufficient.