Freeway Ridge - Lake Isabella

[Russ Chung]

Freeway Ridge trail (31E73) is in the Sequoia National Forest about 7 miles southwest of Lake Isabella, CA. It is found in the Charles Wells “Guide to Northern California Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails (Trail #70) and is rated “most difficult”. Andrew Weber and his friend, Randy, who lives in Lake Isabella ran the trail with me on August 26, 2006.


The trail begins at Highway 178 near mile marker 37. Andrew's silver Rubi Unlimited is on the left; my khaki TJ is on the right


The first part of the trail is rocky.








A nice view of the Kern River Canyon and Highway 178


Randy (on the left) and Andrew next to Andrew’s Rubi Unlimited. This photo was taken at the junction of Freeway Ridge trail and Black Gulch trail (26S06).


Wells’ book describes a loop using Black Gulch trail (26S06), Rancheria Road (25S15), then a descent DOWN 32E47 to return to the Black Gulch trail. Andrew and I though it would be more fun to drive UP the trail.




Lake Isabella




Some friendly earth creatures (Got Milk?)


About two thirds of the way up the trail, there is a steep waterfall (there is a bypass to the left)


This is a view looking down the waterfall. After careful deliberation, we decided to take the bypass, and leave the waterfall until next time.

After the waterfall, the last obstacle is a steep hill with very soft, powdery soil. I managed to get stuck on the hill and Andrew had to winch me out. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I didn’t get any pictures of my stuck. We returned to Lake Isabella via Rancheria Road and Highway 155.
We plan to run the trail again in about a month and we will invite our MJR friends to come along (and help me when I get stuck again)

[JpPassenger]

My wife led our club run up there and had lunch with you guys. Hugger says hi!

She says it was very fun run. They had a CJ flop onto it's side just as the first climb met Black Gulch Road. On Sunday, they went down the ridge and played on that drop off. Good run, for sure.

Thanks for the great trip report,
Spud

[Russ Chung]

My wife led our club run up there and had lunch with you guys. Hugger says hi!

She says it was very fun run. They had a CJ flop onto it's side just as the first climb met Black Gulch Road. On Sunday, they went down the ridge and played on that drop off. Good run, for sure.

Thanks for the great trip report,
Spud

It was great to meet the South Bay club members on the trail. I already knew Dakota and Sir Lion from the Badlands Off-Road courses I've taken. We tried to persuade Hugger to go UP the 32E47 trail with us but they went around via the Black Gulch/Rancheria trails and came DOWN the 32E47 trail.

Russ

[Roknxj]

Looks like a great trail how does it get during Nov. or Dec.? The modifications that I am making to my Jeep should be done then and I am tired or running Lockwood/Miller trail.

[blackZZR]

wow. that unlimited looks nicely set up
I was looking at that, seems like quite the adventure jeep
Someone else posted this trail a few years ago, It looks really interesting,
I had almost forgotten about it, now I need to write it in my book of trails to do, those waterfalss and climbs looked just too fun