Ivy Branch ~ Hatfield & McCoy Trail System- Quick blog post

Well these are definitely constrained times. This will, unfortunately be a more abbreviated post (or so I think at the outset). 

I originally did not think I would have any takers to join me down at Ivy Branch, but I was pleasantly mistaken in the weeks leading up to departure. There is a $50 annual registration, the requirement to wear a DOT helmet (even in a full-size), and the trails are a solid 6 hours away from DC. All the same, Potter was up to the task. I was interested in checking it out as they are the only trails in the Hatfield & McCoy system in West Virginia which are open to full-size jeeps and trucks. I'm also doing fairly well in terms of doing some offroading in multiple states. Thus far represented: Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New York, and now West Virginia.

 Based on our anticipated arrival and the rain showers which began during the drive, I was able to convince Potter that the Walmart super center contingency is a viable option. Setting up the trucks for the evening rest.

 The next day, we set out for the trail head. You pretty much take 119 from Charleston (past the supercenter where we stopped) and continue to Julian Rd (route 3). It seems like you're on there for longer than it appears on a map, but the trail head pops up just as you're doubting yourself on the right hand side.

 They have operations vehicles. Pretty legit.

 This was my first testing of the Go Pro system. I spent a part of the morning Friday downloading the software upgrade needed for the Hero 3 (I didn't spring for the Hero 3+) to enable it to talk to my iphone. It actually worked splendidly.

 A Titan rolled through with a dirt bike in the back. Although he wasn't wheeling, I snapped the pic for a little Nissan love.

 Conditions on the trails were pretty muddy/soupy. The greens here are very tame. Even in the muddy weather, one would have no problem running them in 2WD. The abundance of mud in the pic above was taken immediately after our first venture onto a blue trail, 41. Under dryer conditions, the blues here are comparable to greens elsewhere. However, that first extended climb up the muddy slalom along the switchbacks with precipitous drops off the side was a bit disconcerting. I was starting to regret having brought Potter up to the blue on his first outing. I made the mistake initially of coming to a stop after not being able to raise Potter on the handheld I had loaned him. When he caught up at the first flat, I didn't have enough grip to gain any momentum to continue. What ensued was a pretty tense 10 minutes of fighting and fishtailing myself the rest of the way up until the tires found some grip and we were able to power up. Potter learned from my mistake and made short work following me up the rest of the way. From there on out we were good. I was just going to open it up, and from either my announcement to do the same or his hearing of my engine revving, he knew similar measures would be needed on his part to continue along.

 The trails were VERY well marked. It was probably the most extensive mapping and trail marking effort I have encountered to date. We did not venture down any trails qualified as black which require roll cages. Although a full-size, in a sense, has a passenger compartment that would afford some limited protection (over what an ATV has), we decided to play it straight. There was one exception which i thought was not a part of any trail, just a steep rocky climb and a steep dirt descent. Those turned out to be Orange-AND-Blacks, which are the most difficult that the trail system has to offer. I wasn't able to climb the rocky outcropping, but I did climb the adjacent dirt slope. I then descended down the rocky outcropping. Pucker Factor was at an 11. My battery  had konked out by this point. I bought what I thought was a second battery; however, it turned out to be a battery for like the first ever Go Pro Hero. I was pissed that it was there still on sale. I didn't discover the error until Friday morning. I'll have to hit up Potter for the video he took of the ascent attempts and then the descent. I was certain the rocks would offer more traction than the steep, looser dirt climb. But I was unwilling to really 'bump it' on the rocks. The truck kept sliding over to driver and I was worried about continuing the momentum into an uncontrolled roll with more throttle. I've seen quite a few 'fail' videos begin in such a manner.

 We made our way back to the trailhead for lunch after having completed pretty much all of the greens and a good chunk of the blue portions.

 For the second portion of the day, we set out to begin with blues such as 54 and 55 which we had bypassed off of 10 upon first entering the trail system.

 It's not really visible regrettably, but I posed our trucks here at a small, cascading water fall.

 Closer photo.

 A few pics from the trail, the latter half.

 I spent more of the day practicing the video command on the GoPro and realized I wouldn't have much for the blog if I didn't start snapping some shots.

 We encountered more of the small rock gardens on the second half on portions like 48, 50, and the like.

 Down to the left in that river bed is another one of the trails. It is a gnarly slalom of smart-car sized rocks and trees rooted in the very center of the stream.

 Posed our trucks after a fun day of wheeling.

 The trucks at our campsite

 Little Coal River Campground.

 Once we set up camp, we actually sought out a car wash with manual stations to try to get some of the mud off while it was still moist. I think this place is called Mountaineer Car Wash. It is a block away from the Hooters where we stopped for dinner in Charleston. If  you wheel here, head to Hooters and stop to wash your truck along the way.

 Our camp site this morning as we were packing up to head home.

 Manual photos by hand of the trip back.

That's about it. There's more to tell, but I immediately came home to a honey-do list and now it is past time for bed. I'm not at all ready for work tomorrow or class, but the truck did pretty well.

I may stay out of the water for a while. Had another dunking that I scarcely got back out of. And the check engine seems to come on after each outing that we go swimming. On the way back, the truck didn't want to take any gas without a fight. I'm thinking that little vapor canister thing is probably all saturated and caked with mud. Probably a good reason to stop swimming and maybe invest in that on-board welder I've been wanting. I've held off because I didn't want to drown the modified alternator, but maybe if we stop playing Aqua-man, I can go ahead and pull the trigger. We'll see. There were a couple other sights and happenings that maybe I'll get to in a subsequent post.