Post by SidiousJK on Jun 12, 2017 22:24:46 GMT -8
The Holcomb Creek Trail in Big Bear has our rating of 7-8 on our 10 point scale. This is not a trail for stock Jeeps. The trail has several large boulder fields that are wet as you pass through Holcomb Creek.
We ran the trail opposite of the Wells Guide to California Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails, meaning we ran it from east to west.
To get to the trail to run it east to west, from the Big Bear Discovery Center, drive approximately 5 miles into Fawnskin. When you get to the main street type location in Fawnskin, where there is a 3 way intersection take the middle and go up Rim of the World Dr, which turns into trail 3N14. You will go about .8 miles in the dirt, then stay right on 3N14. At 1.3 miles since hitting dirt, stay straight. At 1.5 miles (a three way split) stay straight. At 1.55 miles stay to the right on Coxey Rd. This road starts to make a pretty steep drop. At 3.6 miles, where coxey Rd comes to its first major intersection, take the first left, which is 3N93. You can reset your odometer here. There is a short spot to climb a few boulders over the creek. there is a larger boulder field at 1.94 miles.
At 2.5 miles is the hardest of the boulder fields. At the start, stay to the middle right. As you cross the field, you will make your way to far left. We watched a JK unlimited stay stuck, high centered for about an hour by taking the right all the way. As you are on the left, the Jeep will slide down from the embankment. The key is to trying to time the slide to place the inside tires on the side of other rocks to prevent you from continuing your sideways slide and high centering on the boulders. There is another small boulder field at 3.76 miles. At 5.7 miles is the final large boulder field (it is the gatekeeper if you are running the trail West to east like the Wells book). At 5.8 miles, you can turn left on 3N16 and make your way back to the highway. Before getting on the highway, I suggest airing up and connecting swaybars as you are about 7 miles from Big Bear and traveling on the 330 starting at running springs.
Overall, I still think John Bull is more difficult, but barely. John Bull has to be run nearly perfect to finish in the same amount of time it took us to finish Holcomb as a first ever run on that trail for everyone. Due to the difficulty of this trail, it is another one that is not recommended for more than around 10 built Jeeps.
We ran the trail opposite of the Wells Guide to California Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails, meaning we ran it from east to west.
To get to the trail to run it east to west, from the Big Bear Discovery Center, drive approximately 5 miles into Fawnskin. When you get to the main street type location in Fawnskin, where there is a 3 way intersection take the middle and go up Rim of the World Dr, which turns into trail 3N14. You will go about .8 miles in the dirt, then stay right on 3N14. At 1.3 miles since hitting dirt, stay straight. At 1.5 miles (a three way split) stay straight. At 1.55 miles stay to the right on Coxey Rd. This road starts to make a pretty steep drop. At 3.6 miles, where coxey Rd comes to its first major intersection, take the first left, which is 3N93. You can reset your odometer here. There is a short spot to climb a few boulders over the creek. there is a larger boulder field at 1.94 miles.
At 2.5 miles is the hardest of the boulder fields. At the start, stay to the middle right. As you cross the field, you will make your way to far left. We watched a JK unlimited stay stuck, high centered for about an hour by taking the right all the way. As you are on the left, the Jeep will slide down from the embankment. The key is to trying to time the slide to place the inside tires on the side of other rocks to prevent you from continuing your sideways slide and high centering on the boulders. There is another small boulder field at 3.76 miles. At 5.7 miles is the final large boulder field (it is the gatekeeper if you are running the trail West to east like the Wells book). At 5.8 miles, you can turn left on 3N16 and make your way back to the highway. Before getting on the highway, I suggest airing up and connecting swaybars as you are about 7 miles from Big Bear and traveling on the 330 starting at running springs.
Overall, I still think John Bull is more difficult, but barely. John Bull has to be run nearly perfect to finish in the same amount of time it took us to finish Holcomb as a first ever run on that trail for everyone. Due to the difficulty of this trail, it is another one that is not recommended for more than around 10 built Jeeps.