Last weekend we got a spur of the moment invite to go off-roading to Santiago Peak with Ray from MP TrailGroup. It was raining that morning and we were reluctantly cleaning out the garage. So when Ray texted, we gladly accepted his offer.
Our cousin, Eddie had every intention to run errands that day, but decided to join our little caravan instead. After all, it was Saturday and these other things could wait…it was time to have some fun!
We met up at Silverado Café and grabbed some coffee. See map below. Then, we bought sub sandwiches from the Silverado Canyon Market to bring along with us. Both are great little spots to get a quick bite to eat and are located close to the trailhead.
From there we headed to Maple Springs Truck Trail. Ray and his daughter were in his Lexus LX470, Eddie drove his 3rd gen 4Runner and Phil & I were in our 80 series Land Cruiser. By this time, the rain had stopped and it was perfect weather for off-roading.
We’ve been on this trail many times, but never tried the “extra credit” technical offshoots. Ray is more proficient in this area and encouraged us to try it. The result was awesome – a real confidence booster! See YouTube videos below.
Ray led the way up one of the steep inclines with deep ruts and moguls. It’s difficult to describe or even capture on video just how steep, deep and bumpy these offshoots really are. But they’re more difficult than they appear. Phil followed Ray’s lines directly behind him. And much to our surprise, we made it to the top without any issue.
Eddie has a 2wd, not a 4wd vehicle. Regardless, he decided to try one of the technical offshoots, too. After slipping and spinning his tires the first couple of times, he gained enough momentum on the third try and made it all the way up. The guys were ecstatic and felt even more skillful as drivers!
So, our tip for today is this: go with an experienced offroader who can guide you along and get you out of your comfort zone. Then, send it!
