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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.)

Stiller wrote:I have a 2006 Xterra I bought brand new that I absolutely love. I have actually been surprised at how well it goes off road. Grasshopper can also vouch for how it handled the road out to the Horrel Spring TH. I followed him out in his rig until the road faded away and we were basically driving through the trees. it kept up with his wrangler the whole time.

I just returned from 10 days in Anza Borrego Desert St. Park in CA. IF one of my trip attendees had not just recently bought/brought their new 2007 Nissan Xterra 4x4 (that I had previously recommended they buy), I would have not been able to pull-off all my planned 4x4 day outings for this extended hiking, camping, and 4x4 trip. I just re-confirmed what I had already learned from previously seeing Stiller's vehicle in action. Nissan has done a great job of designing this versatile 4x4 SUV, that will carry 5 people, you can sleep in it too..and..like the Toyota-Tacoma it comes stock with great ground clearance and P265R16x 10" tires!

Two words: "IHC Scout"

Jeff MacE wrote:Two words: "IHC Scout"

I haven't seen one of those in a long time. How old is yours?

big_load wrote:

Jeff MacE wrote:Two words: "IHC Scout"

I haven't seen one of those in a long time. How old is yours?

It's a 1978. From the factory tag it was built a couple weeks before I was born...LOL

Remember about 1980 we had several car enthusiast neighbors. One guy a couple houses down had two corvairs he buffed every couple hours. A guy kitty corner across the street had a scout. That guy was constantly working on his scout or front lawn. Times have certainly changed.

joe bartels wrote:Remember about 1980 we had several car enthusiast neighbors. One guy a couple houses down had two corvairs he buffed every couple hours. A guy kitty corner across the street had a scout. That guy was constantly working on his scout or front lawn. Times have certainly changed.

They do require a substantial amount of maintenance, but it's a labor of love!

You can check the Photo Albums for the latest gallery from our Tortilla TH loop and see some of our hiking vehicles in action. Man that road is a lot of fun, esp. at the beginning

fairweather8588 wrote:You can check the Photo Albums for the latest gallery from our Tortilla TH loop and see some of our hiking vehicles in action. Man that road is a lot of fun, esp. at the beginning

Every time I've been up that way I've been passing through the area in a not-so off-road capable vehicle headed somewhere else, but I always think: "I need to come back here and check out some of these trails!" I was digging through a book on 4WD trails I have sitting around, you're talking about the one that runs off 88 to the old Tortilla HQ, right? (Bear with me, I'm from Tucson)...

Jeff

Yep, thats correct. Theres a couple of rock steps that you need to be able to climb within the first quarter mile but other then that the road isnt too bad, just a little washed out in some places

fairweather8588 wrote:Yep, thats correct. Theres a couple of rock steps that you need to be able to climb within the first quarter mile

"The washboard"

Yea, I was checking out the pics. The way the trail looks reminds me of some of the stuff on the backside of the Catalinas near Charleau Gap...Good times! I'll have to get the Scout up that way, one of these days...

Jeff

Oooh, a Scout would be great...and it could tow my International tractor!

PageRob wrote:Oooh, a Scout would be great...and it could tow my International tractor!

The really scary thing is that some of the parts are probably interchangeable!

Would save me some cash, that's for sure.

1990 jeep cherokee with a 3" lift and 31" tires. Lean and Mean, nothing sexy, just fit for duty.

Reads like the Nissan Xterra 4x4 is being recommended.

So the critical question: if I buy one of these, will I be able to make it to all of the Trailheads in the Supes driving sensibly in dry weather?

Any Trailheads in the Supes that it won't make? Any better choice?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Mike

If you want something new that is less spartan in its presentation and will get you 99% of the places you probably want to go then the Xterra isn't a bad choice at all (Especially if $$ is a factor). I see a lot of modded Xterras out on 4+ trails having a good old time...

mike.d.smith wrote:if I buy one of these, will I be able to make it to all of the Trailheads in the Supes

I dont think you'd be able to make the initial drive from England tho.
the xterra is likely the very last of a dying breed- a vehicle that lives up to the SUV moniker. All the new minivan/sportscar/suv hybrids are a joke and couldnt even make it to Peralta without breaking a tie-rod. See the "Pacifica" for an example.

you'd be right by buying an xterra, a pre 2001 4Runner, or a Cherokee. The older beater Bronco and Blazer arent bad choices either. And if you want the #1 rated 4x4 of all time, but you have to be willing to shell out some dough for a good one, get the International Scout. A montero sport like mine is a vehicle that is definatley under-used by all the soccer moms and grocery getters. A monty sport will likely be stock and have little to no off roading done to it- however is highly capable of such since it has Dana 44 equivalent, limited slip and a great transfer case. you can give it a 2" lift for under $400

te-wa wrote:

mike.d.smith wrote:if I buy one of these, will I be able to make it to all of the Trailheads in the Supes

I dont think you'd be able to make the initial drive from England tho.
the xterra is likely the very last of a dying breed- a vehicle that lives up to the SUV moniker. All the new minivan/sportscar/suv hybrids are a joke and couldnt even make it to Peralta without breaking a tie-rod. See the "Pacifica" for an example.

you'd be right by buying an xterra, a pre 2001 4Runner, or a Cherokee. The older beater Bronco and Blazer arent bad choices either. And if you want the #1 rated 4x4 of all time, but you have to be willing to shell out some dough for a good one, get the International Scout. A montero sport like mine is a vehicle that is definatley under-used by all the soccer moms and grocery getters. A monty sport will likely be stock and have little to no off roading done to it- however is highly capable of such since it has Dana 44 equivalent, limited slip and a great transfer case. you can give it a 2" lift for under $400

Scouts are great, I love mine. But they're very utilitarian and all are over 25 years old. Being English shouldn't you be a Land Rover owner, anyway?!