4x4 Trip through Last Chance Canyon

Decided to take a day trip with Terry and his friend Stuart up to Last Chance Canyon and see how it looks this year. (More photos and video to come as time permits, but we all know how that goes.)

We got out of Lancaster around 10 am. Jordyn decided she really didn't want to go. Said she gets to scared when the truck rocks. So I decided to be nice and let her goto a friends house and picked up Dalton and took him instead. So it turned into a boys day out in the dirt. It was Terry, Trevor, Zack, Stuart, Shad, Tanner, Dalton and myself. Starting temp around 95 degrees.

Shad decided to ride with Stuart in "the big Jeep". Stuart has a really cool decked out 05 Rubecon. This thing couldprobably climb a vertical wall.

Starting into The Last Chance Canyon wash, temp was 103. The start of the wash was really sandy. Seemed longer than it has in the past. It has really changed since the last time I was up there about three years ago. Lots of new washouts, and new rocks to navigate.

The Jeeps did really well with the rocks. Stuart just went right over most of them, but he has the clearance without a problem. Terry had to pick through a little more closely, but still no real issues. I had to really navigate some of the rather rockey areas, was afraid of some of the clearence. But did really well, except for one spot. Hopefully I will get some photos from Terry, but there was one section that had some rather tall rocks that I had to weave between. Trevor was shooting photos and spotting as we navigated through these areas. He looked away at one point and I thought I had cleared the rock to the right side, when all of a sudden "WHAM"! Very loud metal on rock slamming noise and abrupt stop. Caught me just under the front bumper on the right side. Tow hook and skid plate. After verifying no real damage, I was able to turn just slightly and crawl out from between the rocks.

About a mile later, we stopped at one of the open flat spots to take a break. When leaving this spot, my truck would not start. Turn the ignition and... nothing... There is nothing more frustrating than being in the middle of no where and having vehicle problems. And it was not a place that I could get towed out of. Luckily I was able to roll backwards and get it out of four wheel low. Then throw it in reverse and pop the clutch. Vaaroom. Gotta love the Toyota and stick shift. Needless to say, the rest of the day, if I did turn the engine off I made sure I was on a hill so I could roll start (which I had to do). Thoughts of something messed up by the rock impact kept going through my head. And now I had the extra preasure of not stalling the engine while attempting the last really hard climb.

So we reached the main dificult hill climb. Stuart went first and walked right up all the rock shelfs and sand with no problems. Terry was up next. He had to navigate it a little more than Stuart did, but no real issues. Now it was my turn. By this time, there was quite an audiance that had formed at the top. There were some people set up over the top. So after studying the route I wanted to take and seeing what spots Terry had a little slipage with, I had my route picked out. Had to shoot all the way to the right, then hard left to miss most the first shelf, then cut hard right again to navigate the second shelf. Then push hard to the top. The first try, I went a little to far right at the bottom and spun in the soft powdery sand. So had to let off for fear of stalling it. But on the second try, I got the lines just right. Had one spot at the second right push where I started up the second self a little more than I wanted to and almost let off, but turned hard right and slid back into good traction. (See video that Shad shot below.)

After that, it was a cruise. We went up SR-15 and explored some of the cabins that are out there. 111 degrees at the first one.

We then went down to what we think is called the "detergant mine". That is where I got the shots of Terry and Stuart climing up over a pretty narly rock shelf. I decided not to press my luck on this one. Was afraid of clearance issues and after the fear of stalls....

But over all, it was a good day of 4x4ing. Very hot as that area usually is though. And the problem with my truck turned out to be the battery. Couldn't crank enough amps to turn the engine over. But when you consider that it was still the original battery from when I bought the truck brand new with only 6 miles on it and now I have over 95k on it. It was bound to go. Live and learn.

I look forward to the next trip I can go on. Probably after new tires again though.


My climb up the hill at the top of Last Chance Canyon. Shad didn't film Terry or Stuart climbing this one.


Stuart climbs the hill at the soap mine. The first one is fully locked. The second on is no lock. Actually seemed to climb easier not locked.


Terry climbs the hill at the soap mine. Scrapes a little bit at the end but no problem going up. I will have to try it once I get better tires. Didn't want to push my luck this time though.