Jim Oaks
Just some guy with a website
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Founder / Site Owner
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TRS 25th Anniversary
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2000
- Messages
- 13,520
- Reaction score
- 8,781
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Nocona, Texas
- Vehicle Year
- 1996 / 2021
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- 4.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- 6-inches
- Tire Size
- 33x12.50x15
Introduction / Land Rover:
In 1989, Land Rover took a group of Range Rovers 1,128 miles over the Continental Divide from Wyoming south to New Mexico.
You have to admire Land Rover, they know how to promote their vehicles in a way that no American automotive manufacturer has the guts to do. They supported the Camel Trophy for years with vehicles, taken their vehicles over the Continental Divide, were one of the first to do the Trans America Trail in a 4x4 instead of a motorcycle, and have new Land Rover's for people to drive on an off-road course every year at the Overland Expo. If only they made pickups...
Anyway, Land Rover celebrated 25-years of their Great Divide Expedition by doing the trip again in 2014.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/events/1501-land-rovers-great-divide-expedition-colorado-high-way/
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15361801/top-of-the-world-trekking-100k-range-rovers-across-colorados-treacherous-continental-divide/
A few others have done it since, but it's not something that many people have done in a 4x4.
My Interest:
Having done the Trans America Trail, I have been interested in doing the Continental Divide in either August 2020, or more likely, 2021 (my daughter is getting married in 2020). I chose August because their can still be snow at the higher elevations in mid-July, and I had way to many run ins with snow doing the Trans America Trail in June. I can't express how bad it sucks when you're 3/4 of the way over a mountain pass, and have to turn around due to the deep snow.
I anticipate this trip to take 14-15 days to complete, plus whatever time it takes for you to drive to the start of it, and then back home when we finish.
The time required to do this, and the distance you'll have to travel to do it, will rule most of you out. But if you do it, it will be a once in a lifetime experience.
There will be times that you will be at 13,000+ feet, driving on narrow roads, and it may get stressful.
This will require a reliable vehicle, and not a project that you're completing days before the trip. RELIABILITY is key. If you think you need to build a badass 4x4 with a solid front axle, you're looking at this all wrong. A mildly built Ford Ranger in top mechanical condition can do this.
I want to limit this to either Ford Ranger's or Bronco II's.
The important things you will need are:
- A reliable Ford Ranger or Bronco II
- Time
- Patience
- Navigation App on your phone or a tablet with a built in GPS
- 2-way radio for communication
- Food & water
- Camping gear
If you think this is something you'd like to do, and want to join me, let's talk.
Here's some good sources to read:
https://expeditionportal.com/overland-routes-new-mexico-and-the-continental-divide/
http://www.exploringoverland.com/overland-tech-travel/2014/6/9/continental-divide-vehicle-report.html
http://www.exploringoverland.com/overland-tech-travel/2015/6/10/2015-continental-divide-vehicle-report
More Inspiration:
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