High Sierra Topix

Hi. I'm going to be leaving out of Leavitt Lake TH next week and am wondering how bad/ good? the dirt road is leading up to the lake. I could either take up my old Jeep Cherokee or a Subaru Outback depending on conditions. I'm hoping the newer, comfier Outback would suffice.
Thanks!

I tried it in my 2005 Forester back in 2014 and no go. I was not the only Subaru to do so. But I just parked on a pullout and walked the rest of the way. Call up Summit RD and ask for current conditions.

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Thanks @rhyang. I will call them, but I find the intel here to usually be much better.

There are some short steep sections of road that require high clearance and (depending on the year and time of year) 4WD for traction, whereas most of it is easy 2WD. In addition, the 4WD is useful for such sections to have traction and also be able to drive them slower and minimize the risk of damage to the vehicle. Whereas it is commonly possible to drive a high clearance vehicle all the way to Leavitt Lake without shifting into 4WD, using 4WD is easier on the vehicle. My vehicle (which does this road easily) is a 1992 Nissan Pathfinder w 4WD, stock (highway) tires, but fairly high clearance (including fairly generous factory-installed lift).

This road? I've only been there twice, both times in a K5 chevy blazer 4wd. I thought the horse trailer on the road was a nice touch in the video.

Ha, that looks like the road. What a world. Looks a little rough, but not too bad. The Sub and its superior air conditioning will likely get the nod. Happy trails all!

EDIT: Nevermind, found some videos showing those steep, rutted parts @giantbrookie mentioned. Get me to the trail already!

Yeah. I was stuck behind a white van on one of the steep parts for a bit. He backed down and gave us berth. You could do it, but carry the winch? I've done worse in a Triumph spitfire. Clutch was a bit burnt afterward, but heck.. worth the try.

Always worth the try, always worth the try (except, probably, in my wife's 5 month old Subaru...)

I did that two years ago in my 4wd tacoma and made it fine, but jarred the skid plate a bit and had to get out once or twice to check my line or move an exceptionally large rock. I have ~ 9.3" of ground clearance on my truck, internet says your Subaru has 8.7". The gnarliest part is the turn at the 2:00 mark in the video, although the video doesn't give you a very good look at it.

Circling back on this -- this road is GNARLY! I ended up taking my 2000 Jeep Cherokee (old boxy kind) and it did fine, but there were a few parts where I was a little nervous I didn't quite have the clearance. Like @chasingrainbows we had to get out and scout lines on three different parts (and build up rocks in a few washed out parts). In the end, it was a bit of fun technical 4x4'ing. Not sure of clearance measurement on my Jeep, but anything less wouldn't fare well. The road gets you to the goods though.