The Call of the Wild

Its that time of the year again when deer hunting season is right around the corner. This time of the year is a love hate relationship. I love the hunt, love to be outdoors and really enjoy being with friends and family. That leads to the other parts….well let’s just say the memories of past trips that is the part I have yet to come to terms with.

My Son Brad and I hunting 2000 My god has it been 7 years!!!!!!

Memories are hard to deal with, they bring back fun times of past days, but with that comes the yearning to have those loved ones that are no long willing to join us in camp. The toughest part about getting older is letting go of the past and looking to the future. I look to the future when my boys are old enough to come along on the hunt, with that comes new adventures and worries. My youngest wants to come out on the hunt, but at 5 I think he is too young, perhaps in another 5 or 6 years.

This year we may have the first of a new generation in camp. My older brother may bring his son to the hunt. This is kind of exciting for many reasons. Most of all is that both of my brothers may actually show up this year. That would be a first in 6 years. Ah the days when the entire population of young piazzas hunted. My hope is that my nephew will like to hunt and we can start a new group on our long honored Piazza tradition.

I do enjoy my two hunting buddies Pete and Sheldon each year we have a good time. Each of us enjoys the trip for different reasons I am sure, but we all look forward to the hunt and enjoying each other company.

I love the outdoors and the Hunt is not about killing deer to me, its about traditions old and new. Its about being with friends and enjoying the time we have together. Don’t get me wrong life is great at home, but every man needs male bonding time. This is the time of the year to bond, with both man and beast and most of all it’s the time to listen to the call of the wild.

My hat off to those who no longer join us on the hunt, the memories and laughter we have shared will forever echo throughout the hills.

Paul

2007 Corral Hollow Trip

Corral Hollow Annual Spring Run

Hot Tub
It was about a month ago and Raylene (My Wife) came up to me about 3:30 and said lets go for a run to Corral Hollow.

Map Of Trail

Every year in late spring we make a pilgrimage up Highway 4 to run Corral Hollow. This time of the year is beautiful the mountain cabbage is in bloom and the weather is nice. It’s a great time we make a pick nick and take a 4 hour long trip in the loop. This year would not disappoint us.



We have just got a new dog and he needed some wheeling time. If you’re going to be part of the Wheelingpiazzas you better like to wheel. We loaded up the 60 and headed up the highway.

It was later that we usually hit the road but that meant less dust and my wife made us a light snack for the trip, so that meant that we would not miss dinner. Finally after 30 minutes it was time to lock the hubs.

Wife Dog and Cruiser Can it get any better

Winding through the trees

The first part of the trail (Corral Gulch) you maneuver through ruts and trees. Nothing too hard, in fact if you’re locked you don’t even need to engage the t-case. We navigated through the trees without incident; we just kept it slow and crawled our way through. There is a couple of nice spots to walk and check out a creek. We got out and took some pictures, I wish I would have brought my trunks and sat in the natural hot tub See hot tub picture above.

When your out of the trees the next part is a long steep loose gravel road that cuts right through the poppy and cabbage meadows. As far as you can see yellow flowers, they go on and on. What a beautiful sight. As you climb the last part you probably will need to engage the t-case. The rocks are loose and your tires want to spin. We locked the hubs and ascended the hill. The reward is an awesome view of Bear Valley proper

The Long Steep Hill

We stopped at the overlook and enjoyed the view. It was beautiful mild early evening. The wind was gentle and temperature was about 75 degrees. After enjoying the view for a while and letting the dog go for his walk we decided to move ahead.

Next obstacle is Corral Hollow; you wind through the pines and enjoy the nice view. It was about this time that we say a nice sized coon and then shortly after we saw a good size doe running along the 60. Very beautiful……

After you go through Corral Hollow you start the decent through the Aspens on your way to Bear Trap Basin. The Aspens are my favorite tree; they are awesome when the wind blows the leaf’s twinkle back and forth. It’s Very beautiful indeed.

After the Aspens next up is bear trap gap and bear trap basin. This area is open long range viewing. It is a Great place with large meadows and beautiful views. Finally up is the forest service cabin.
Deer Look Carefully

The forest service cabin is a place you can stay for no charge. Its an old cabin with sleeping quarters and a safe haven for packers if its raining or a early fall snow. Don’t ask how I know……

Forest Service Cabin

The best part is the log book in the cabin. We sign it annually and enjoy this place quite a bit. This was a good place to have the snack my wife brought.
We hiked a bit and found a creek that actually cut through a tree, its about a short walk from the cabin and really cool to see.

Cabin Close Up

The 60 was performing awesome great family wheeler. The kids are comfortable my wife is happy because the kids are not sitting on top of us (like in the Jeep). The dog was happy because he had the entire back of the rig to himself. Like I said there is nothing better that wheeling with my family in the 60.

Then after a while it was time to move on. The rest of the trail is pretty normal and runs along a dirt road. All in all it was another wonderful year on the Corral Hollow trail.

We will see you on the trail
Paul

Stranded

What a weekend!!!!!

I have been wheeling over 15 years and never have I left a rig behind. Before I get ahead of myself let me start at the beginning.

It started out as a sunny day, I had my coffee and breakfast and was off to meet Ken at the brewery. We were going to do a snow run up off Highway 4 on Black Springs road. I figured this would be an easy road with some snow. Little did I know that it would turn out to be a snow ridden Donner Party trip.




After getting to the trail head we aired down the tires and were off. This was my first snow trip in The Moose. After climbing over the small snow bank we were off. The first part of the trail was pretty non eventful. After the first mile the snow was getting deeper. Then The Moose started to bog down and burry itself.



Stuck 1:

I buried my rig but Ken pulled out the strap and with a yank I was out. We ventured about another ¼ mile and it was Kens turn to be strapped. With a yank he was out. This happened one or two more times, but we ventured on.



The big Stuck:

We were in 2.5 miles on Black Springs road; the weather was brisk but sunny and very nice. A deceiving feeling of security was over us. Then it happened; The Moose decided it was time to dig itself into a hole. The snow buried up to the frame and over the doors. Ken took out the handy dandy strap again but this time The Moose had other plan. He did not want to move. With a few more tugs Kens cruiser was stuck in the snow.

We were both buried, and stuck good. There was nobody to tug and now way to move our rigs. After digging and trying tire chains sticks wood rocks under Kens tire we were still stuck. Time was not our friend at this point it was 3:00 and I was not sure how long it would take to get somebody into our spot to pull us out.



The Plan:

I decide before it gets dark I could hike out and maybe call my wife to bring in The Grasshopper to pull us out. Meanwhile Ken his wife and daughter wait at the rigs and attempt to dig themselves out. I hike out about ¼ mile and actually get a choppy signal and call my wife. I explain that we are stuck and I need her to bring in the backup team in the Jeep (The Grasshopper) for a winching to get us out. I would continue to hike out and meet her at the trail head.



I hike the rest of the way out. The road was fairly flat, and being a big guy I enjoyed that fact. It was a nice hike actually; I got to see a few deer, a coon and some other critters. It was actually very pleasant, but looming in my mind was my poor stuck moose. About a tenth of a mile from the road I hear a rig coming behind me. It was Ken his wife and daughter. They had dug themselves out. We continued to the trail head to see if my wife was waiting.



An End of a Long Day:

After we made it to the trail head, Ken explained to me it was very gushy snow and that he thought we should get out in the morning to get to The Moose. My wife drives up in the Grasshopper and does not look happy.

Ken suggests we wait until morning to get it, but me being the stubborn person I am wanted to try to extract The Moose that night. So we decide to venture in alone in the grasshopper.

The Grasshopper is light, locked and winched, I was confidant that we would get The Moose out. I knew it was getting dark, and we only had about an hour of sunlight left. So it was going to have to be a fast extraction. We made it in without any problem. Around the bend was my poor little Moose stuck in the snow. Buried, it was buried alive….

Winching was fruitless; all it did was drag the Grasshopper. My son Brad dug like a mole. We were able to free The Moose. I tried to drive backward but kept getting sucked off the road. I tried to go forward but couldn’t. After about an hour of trying to get her off the road in the dark, I decide to give it one more try and go forward a bit and then make a run at the little hill.

What a dumb thing to do, in my forward progress I get buried again. We sink deep. It’s now about 7:30 and dark. I decide to call it a night and leave The Moose in the snow.

One Long Night:

The drive home was a long cold drive, not much was said and my thoughts were decision of leaving The Moose. When I get home I make some calls to my local guys with fixed up rigs. Now I was getting worried because nobody answered their phones. Then Ken calls and offers to come back out and help me extract The Moose.

My dreams that night were of The Moose being in the snow for months. He was buried up over the doors. Needless to say it was a long night.


The Extraction:

This was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. We wheel in and get to The Moose. It was stuck; my son Brad again starts his digging. We manage to get it free. I try to drive out but it just sticks. With one tug The Moose pops right out. Within minutes we were free. The Moose drove out without any problems. And we were on the road in no time.




Epilog:

My thoughts on this trip are the following.

I love to see team work especially when its families. Kens family worked as a team. Ken and his wife dug out their rig as I hiked for help while his daughter waited patiently in the car. My family went in on Saturday night and tried we dug, pulled and worked as a team. My wife came to my rescue, my oldest dug and dug with me trying to free The Moose. To me the lesson learned from this trip is with team work anything can be accomplished.