Up the Mountain to Fresno Dome. Do We Need 4x4?
I mentioned prior to our hike at Angel Falls this morning that today would be a two-fer. Our second hike was to Fresno Dome. The summit is at almost 7,600' elevation. Thankfully we don't have to ascend most of that on foot; our car does most of the work driving to the trailhead.
It was maybe a 45 minute drive up to the second trailhead on a variety of Forest Service roads. First the route was paved, then semi-paved, then pretty much dirt and rock. Along the way we were wondering, Did we really need our 4x4 SUV today, or could we have driven our convertible- which would've been a beautiful choice for the weather? I recorded some video as we drove.
Link: Watch video on YouTube
We've asked ourselves many times the question, "Do we need 4x4?"- and specifically the followups, "How much 4x4 capability?" and "How often?" We ask it when we're choosing which car to drive for a trip. We've asked it each time we've bought a new car the past 25+ years, too. Why pay extra for a 4x4 and deal with its shortcomings as a street car if you're rarely going to use it for 4x4 driving?
The truth is that we don't need 4x4 for 99% of the miles we drive. We very seldom drive through snow (it doesn't snow where we live), and almost everywhere we go has paved roads. Though the tall suspension, tough shocks, and thick tires on our Nissan Xterra SUV prove disappointingly necessary on crumbling highways we see more and more often.
With Fresno Dome I'm glad we took the 4x4. Even though I didn't actually engage 4x4 mode, the tall suspension, tough shocks, and thick tires made quick work of the forest road. I might have been able to nurse our convertible through. I've driven ordinary sedans to places that would surprise most people. But here I was thankful for the peace of mind that I was driving a vehicle that was barely even being tested by the terrain instead of one at risk of damage.
Ironically there was a big mud puddle in the road right before we got to the trailhead that I didn't record video of. It was deep, I could tell it was deep, and I wouldn't risk driving any ordinary street car through it. If we'd gotten that far in our convertible I would've parked 1/4 mile back from the trailhead and we'd walk through the mud. As it is, I'm glad I could drive through it. In fact I even revved the engine to splash the mud. Gotta wear it with pride on our 4x4 so people know it's not just a suburban grocery-getter.
Keep reading: Hiking Fresno Dome
It was maybe a 45 minute drive up to the second trailhead on a variety of Forest Service roads. First the route was paved, then semi-paved, then pretty much dirt and rock. Along the way we were wondering, Did we really need our 4x4 SUV today, or could we have driven our convertible- which would've been a beautiful choice for the weather? I recorded some video as we drove.
Click to viewLink: Watch video on YouTube
We've asked ourselves many times the question, "Do we need 4x4?"- and specifically the followups, "How much 4x4 capability?" and "How often?" We ask it when we're choosing which car to drive for a trip. We've asked it each time we've bought a new car the past 25+ years, too. Why pay extra for a 4x4 and deal with its shortcomings as a street car if you're rarely going to use it for 4x4 driving?
The truth is that we don't need 4x4 for 99% of the miles we drive. We very seldom drive through snow (it doesn't snow where we live), and almost everywhere we go has paved roads. Though the tall suspension, tough shocks, and thick tires on our Nissan Xterra SUV prove disappointingly necessary on crumbling highways we see more and more often.
With Fresno Dome I'm glad we took the 4x4. Even though I didn't actually engage 4x4 mode, the tall suspension, tough shocks, and thick tires made quick work of the forest road. I might have been able to nurse our convertible through. I've driven ordinary sedans to places that would surprise most people. But here I was thankful for the peace of mind that I was driving a vehicle that was barely even being tested by the terrain instead of one at risk of damage.
Ironically there was a big mud puddle in the road right before we got to the trailhead that I didn't record video of. It was deep, I could tell it was deep, and I wouldn't risk driving any ordinary street car through it. If we'd gotten that far in our convertible I would've parked 1/4 mile back from the trailhead and we'd walk through the mud. As it is, I'm glad I could drive through it. In fact I even revved the engine to splash the mud. Gotta wear it with pride on our 4x4 so people know it's not just a suburban grocery-getter.
Keep reading: Hiking Fresno Dome