Almost everybody in Alaska who takes four-wheeling seriously is on alaska4x4network.com. This forum is a great resource and allowed us to contact some local offroaders prior to a recent trip to the Last Frontier. In the true spirit of Alaskan hospitality, some members immediately offered to show us around. Thus, on a sunny and warm Sunday morning, we found ourselves at the meeting point in Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula. Our truck which has been built up with several sponsors caught the attention and appreciation of our new friends who decided to take us on two trails: Lackey Trail and Center Plateau Trail: The area is laced with interconnecting trails and the four-wheeling opportunities abound. These two trails were chosen for their nice blend of challenges and scenic beauty, and we certainly were in for a treat.

To get to the trails we had to drive on a dusty dirt road for over 10 miles. It hadn't rained in this area for a long time and the road was bone dry. Yet we had to expect several mud sections on the trails. The warm summer temperatures had melted the top layers of the permafrost and we were guaranteed to get muddy.

Lackey Trail proved ideal for rigs of different modifications. Our group boasted an eclectic mix of extremely modified mud boggers down to one stock Cherokee. Most difficult spots feature a by-pass so we all could have our fun. We followed along a grassy, narrow path until we got to a mean mud hole. This mud is nothing like the wet dirt we sometimes see in Southern California after the winter rain. Alaskan mud is like quicksand with an incredible sucking capability. Once you're stuck, you're stuck for good. We all had a go at it and the first few vehicles made it through with lots of mud-flinging. After a while, the hole was dug out deeply and the rest of the group had to use the by-pass. It was a great photo opportunity.

Shortly after, we came to a twisted 'half-pipe' with loose dirt which offered a serious challenge. Even with the best articulation one or the other tire would eventually spin freely. Lots of manouvering was needed and several rigs needed to be winched out. As we continued on the relatively easy road there were several sections of loose dirt, just wet enough to get one into trouble. One big hole avoided by everybody else was nicely manouvered through by John with his self-described 'junk yard' rig, a extremely modified Jeep. Just around lunch, one truck needed some help on the front axle. While Tim and several helpers tended to the problem, the rest of us traded stories about off-roading adventures and discussed material.

Soon we looped back to the dirt road and pushed on to the second trail close by. We paused at a small 'play area', a quarry-like spot with loose rocks. There we waited until Doug was done fixing his clutch which didn't like the extreme articulation in the wash. This trail led us to the top of a plateau where we had a wonderful 360 degree view over meadows, hills, mountains, ocean, and glaciers. We snaked along between bushes and got to a grassy area with a creek running through it. Water puddles were showing in several locations amongst the mud. The trail looked wet and deep and we expected some hang-ups, so only a few of us decided to take on this challenge while the rest stayed back and enjoyed the view. By now we had gotten the hang of attacking this mud (get some speed and coast over it), and all rigs managed to pass without getting stuck. We explored the trail beyond; after a water crossing and several mud holes we had to turn around because even the most capable truck in the group couldn't go any further.
So we returned on the same way and gathered at a road crossing to exchange ideas and experiences.

Finally it was time to head back to the highway again. We had spent seven hours on about 30 miles through this beautiful back country and enjoyed a gorgeous, hot day. Everybody in the group made the trail in one piece and we all had a lot of fun exploring different challenges with such a variety of capable rigs. For more information about our Alaska XXXpedition please visit our website: www.xxxpedition.com