Re: Bear Creek Diversion Dam Road question
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 3:24 pm
WD:
I would add to the comments I posted in the related post you link-to:
The road in the YouTube posted by @SirBC is in much better shape than what I encountered in the 1980s and 1990s. I drove the Bear Creek Diversion Road several times with a Ford Areostar, which had the clearance approximating a mini PU, such as the 1980s era Ford Currier and Toyota SR5. I have also taken std clearance Ford 150s on this track. Both of these vehicle types have long wheel bases, but still took the winding route with no clearance issues. Since this road exists primarily for SCE maintenance vehicles to access the dam, it is is usually in reasonable shape after snow season, but this is a relative statement. Rock fall can randomly occur, and will occur whenever a sustained rain loosens things up above. I always bring work gloves, shovel and a digging bar in case of obstacles, but so far have managed to clear the occasional rock by hand, and have yet the need to fill in any ruts. My main challenge was traction. You can hear the vehicle's rear wheels slipping at various points in the aforementioned YouTube. The Aerostar (cargo carrying version) and F150s lack rear axle weight, causing my slippage. Sometimes this chewed up the rear tire tread faces a wee bit. Solution: 2WD vehicles can generate better traction by loading up the rear axle with a few hundred pounds of rocks before heading up the road!
Ed
I would add to the comments I posted in the related post you link-to:
The road in the YouTube posted by @SirBC is in much better shape than what I encountered in the 1980s and 1990s. I drove the Bear Creek Diversion Road several times with a Ford Areostar, which had the clearance approximating a mini PU, such as the 1980s era Ford Currier and Toyota SR5. I have also taken std clearance Ford 150s on this track. Both of these vehicle types have long wheel bases, but still took the winding route with no clearance issues. Since this road exists primarily for SCE maintenance vehicles to access the dam, it is is usually in reasonable shape after snow season, but this is a relative statement. Rock fall can randomly occur, and will occur whenever a sustained rain loosens things up above. I always bring work gloves, shovel and a digging bar in case of obstacles, but so far have managed to clear the occasional rock by hand, and have yet the need to fill in any ruts. My main challenge was traction. You can hear the vehicle's rear wheels slipping at various points in the aforementioned YouTube. The Aerostar (cargo carrying version) and F150s lack rear axle weight, causing my slippage. Sometimes this chewed up the rear tire tread faces a wee bit. Solution: 2WD vehicles can generate better traction by loading up the rear axle with a few hundred pounds of rocks before heading up the road!
Fortunately there's not much traffic on the Bear Diversion Dam Road. Furthermore, timing your trip going in to occur early morning or very late in the day, and going out to occur mid day should reduce the likelihood of encountering oncoming traffic. But do remember OR driving etiquette has descending traffic yielding to those heading uphill.jmherrell wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 4:46 pm The tough part would be having to back up for another car. I once met a truck with a huge mule trailer on the worst part of the Florence Lake Road above a cliff. and had to back. The car behind me got the first spot. By the time I found the next wide spot I had gone about a quarter mile. This road is much worse than the Florence Lake Road.
Ed