Hiking vehicles

[rally_toad]

What kind of vehicles do you guys all drive when your going hiking? Im thinking about investing in a 4wd high clearance Jeep or something of the sort so I could get to some places where I definitely couldnt get to with what Im driving now (73 mustang):) I saw a Jeep Grand Cherokee today for $2600 and I was thinking about checking it out. What "hiking vehicle" is easiest to drive and which gets the best gas mileage (even though I know most wouldnt be too fuel efficient.)

[big_load]

@sneakySASQUATCH

Cool! My garage door is too short to go in with the basket on, so I have to move. My wife is lobbying for an awning, but I worry about the wind. I'm looking at something more tarp-ish for now. We're heading for Iowa City and CO later this week, hoping to do a few of the high passes.

[sneakySASQUATCH]

@big_load
I have Overland Vehicle systems 270 degree LTE. Deploys And stows one person in about 30 seconds. It has extra poles and guy lines for winds, but does not really need any of those for normal days.

[sneakySASQUATCH]

Can swap and use rtt and awning on either HAZ ride now and Yertle still fits in the garage!

[big_load]

I just finished mounting my basket and slid in the sleeping platform. The truck will have to live outside until it comes back off. Tomorrow I'm taking out the back seat bottoms to maximize storage for our road trip.

[RedRoxx44]

Toyota engineers just playing around at SEMA; https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4568 ... aled-sema/
but I like the "tank mode" option.

[Alston_Neal]

@RedRoxx44
Holy snickers that is wild!

[Alston_Neal]

Our new hiking vehicle up on Anderson Mesa.

[The_Eagle]

@Alston_Neal I borrowed this one from my GS on halloween to get to those more remote TH's.
I'm thinking it's going to work out pretty well.

[ image ]

[Alston_Neal]

@The_Eagle
Bwahahaha yep that's you the Luke Skunkwalker Special.

[Hansenaz]

@Alston_Neal
So you have your drone taking a picture of your hotel on wheels? Tres moderne.

[The_Eagle]

@Hansenaz
My guess he sent Deb or Tess up the hill to take the photo.

[Hansenaz]

@The_Eagle
I figure Anderson Mesa got no hills...

[big_load]

Can swap and use rtt and awning on either HAZ ride now and Yertle still fits in the garage!

That's a big win! I had to remove the basket from my 4Runner to get it back in the garage. It might not go back on until I drive West again.

[Alston_Neal]

Ah yes there is nothing like the deep bonding of friendship one feels as I .....wait...wrong group.....Bruce and Steve I'm rewriting my will.

[Hansenaz]

@Alston_Neal
wasn't expecting much anyway

[sneakySASQUATCH]

@big_load
The crossbars w/awning and rtt store on our ceiling storage via two straps that allow raising and locking in place. I can lower one side at a time to line up with with the cross member locks on either truck. Takes 5-10min. to remove and about the same to install. Only done it a couple times and it will probably get quicker. One person no lifts required however, much easier to line up vehicles with a spotter. Have to remove snowboards from wall rack to provide clearance for Pinz spare tire to get it under storage rack.

[big_load]

@sneakySASQUATCH

I'll eventually have to do something like that. It beats hoisting the basket over my head like Samson and tottering toward the vehicle, hoping to lower it without denting anything or breaking windows. My only mitigation is covering the roof with a thick wool blanket first, which I can slip out from under the basket when it's down.

[weinerschizel]

New to forum here, but not new to hiking or forest service roads. At recommendation of my friends in Border Patrol I bought an old Tahoe for $3500 w/ 225k miles on the clock. It's a beast, I thought clearance would be an issue but I've not once hit anything except the hitch a couple times in something like 20,000 miles on the trails. My friend uses an all stock 1999 pathfinder. It's a BEAST too. He scrapes on occasion, but just ploughs through haha I have a couple other friends with 2 door Jeeps and another with a four door Jeep. The two door is kind of the holy grail, one has lockers. Even with the 4 cylinder they are unstoppable, but your head might not be attached after you get off the trail. The four door jeeps ride really nice but the new stuff is prone to issues and interestingly has more issues with clearance in stock configuration than my Tahoe. If money is no object, the best setup I've been in is a Toyota Landcruiser. Rough trail felt like a smooth highway. In my opinion though, a GMT 800 or GMT 400 w/ shortest wheelbase is best bang for buck. Parts are SUPER plentiful and very cheap. They made tens of millions of them.

FYI ~ GMT 400 & GMT 800 are the 1/2 ton General Motors (Chevy, Cadillac, etc) truck chassis.

[sneakySASQUATCH]

New Shoes on the HAZ ride! Surprisingly quiet on the road. A little bigger than originals no clearance issues. Don’t want to buy 7 tires for awhile! Ouch!

Need to get the rooftop tent/270 awning off the truck and stored for the winter. Any camping between now and spring will be in the truck with the heater!

[RedRoxx44]

Only for those who are Toyota fans. Not for those who are easily offended. Seven years old, but could still be a politically incorrect yota commercial.
[ youtube video ]

some actual hilux commercials from mostly UK and NZ
[ youtube video ]