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 Project CJ-7

Jeep Project CJ-7

An ongoing Budgeted Rebuild/Build up of a Rock Crawling Machine.

Offroad Lights
Installing 23,000 Volt Offroad Lights

HID Offroad Lights
What are HID Lights?

 

Lockers, Limited Slips and Other
Differentials Info

HEI Ignition
Installation & Review

Warn 9500i Winch Installation, Review

Onboard Air
Converting a York
AC Compressor
to Pump Air

Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon On-Road Review

Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon Offroad Review

Jeep Wrangler JK Specifications

All-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler JK

 

Exploring Leatherwood 
In a little known valley there exists an area known by only a few as Leatherwood.  It's unclear as to where the name Leatherwood came from, but it is known that the valley of Leatherwood served hunters through the years as well as the logging industry during the past couple of centuries.  Today the secluded valley of Leatherwood remains mostly unknown and inaccessible except for the few who know about it ... and the bears, coyotes and deer who roam these hills.  A few cabins and hunting outposts exist on what would be considered the fringes of civilization but beyond those cabins is the rough terrain.  This was our destination.  Exploring the back country of Leatherwood. 
 
 

 
 
  
The Map

Generations ago, mountain men who lived on these hills hunted and trapped game of the region and apparently gave names to areas and old trails.  By chance a local friend found an old hand written map and some notes in a local book store.  The undated map and notes looked very old and was stuffed into the back of a surveyors notebook from the region.  Upon recognizing the trails on the map, he bought it for 10 bucks.   He examined it and cross-referenced it's trails and markings with modern day satellite images and terrain maps.  From there he was able to identify approximate locations of old hunting cabins, ancient trails, old mining operations, prime hunting grounds, fields, streams, and landmarks, and could identify them by a name, an old name, given to that landmark or trail no longer existing cabin.  Amazing.  Some names found on the old map were: Jim's Tree, Timberline Trail, Wood Haven, Oak Tree Hollow,  Tangleweed Hollow (apparently famous for the "Stingerweed"), Coyote Ridge, Snake Valley, Mudspring Shallow, Rattlesnake Pass, Michael's Rut, Buck Pointe, Hunters Grove, Lee's Hill, Bear Lookout, Blueberry Hill (pre-dating Chuck Berry's song!), White's Crossing, Pine Tree Grove, Dark Forest, Bill's Rock and 10 Point to name a handful.  So armed with a copy of the old map, we set out one fine fall weekend to re-discover the trails once again. 

 

Rattlesnake Pass

A few of us wanted to explore that area named Rattlesnake Pass, which is a rocky area of the valley.  A few nice trails cut through there.  However we limited our exploration to a single evening run back there in light of a recent Rattlesnake encounter in the same general area.

 
 
 
 
On the way, we stopped in a small town for some lunch at a place call Denny's Beer Barrel Pub where John took a challenge to down a 2 pound burger in one hour.  While 2 pounds doesn't sound like a lot, consider all the fixings then get a load of the size of this thing.  Check out the video of John shot throughout the attempt and see his confidence diminish as the hour elapses.  How's that burger John?

 

 

 
 

 


 

 

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