Dusy Ershim

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

So the Dusy is a 33 mile long class 10 trail located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. Just West of Yosemite National Park. I've been wanting to do this trail for 4 years but deployments kept preventing me since the trail is only open from August to the 1st of November. Finally got to go. We spent 5 days on the trail, not including pavement/travel days. This trail literally takes you 3 days to drive through. But we ended up staying 2 full days at a lake in the middle called Ershim Lake. If you have never heard of this trail or have never done it? You need to!!! This is the ultimate trail! It is EXTREMELY tight! There are so many trees! The rocks lean you into them most of the time so driving very slow is a must. Extra gas is a must also. I had an ARB fridge so I never had to worry about my food but all my other friends were almost at just water by the end. Temps were perfect 80's in the day 60's at night. There will be a vid but I'm waiting for it to get edited. I have a buddy named Ed that lives up there. He started a poll a year ago on Pirate4x4 so people could vote to see if my truck would be destroyed on this trail. Over 70% percent voted against me. Fullsize rigs generally do not do this trail, but when they do it isn't pretty. I received a few dents but nothing major, tail lights intact even! But there was a blazer I met up with at the very end of the trail that broke out both rear windows, both taillights, ruined both quarters and his buddy in an xj flopped a mile from the end. So, this trail DEMANDS your full attention every second! Ask questions.

 

[Rock Taco]

Love that trail! Did you travel north to south or south to north. Looks to be the latter from the pictures. When I ran it back in 08 we did it with 8 of us in 3 days. i want to go back and take my time and get to enjoy it a little more. Any more pictures?

 

[Marsh99]

Love that trail! Did you travel north to south or south to north. Looks to be the latter from the pictures. When I ran it back in 08 we did it with 8 of us in 3 days. i want to go back and take my time and get to enjoy it a little more. Any more pictures?

What type of rig did you run it in?

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

Ran it south to north, I was in the fullsize dodge.

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

There was supposed to be more but they didn't show. I'll try again.

 

[Rock Taco]

What type of rig did you run it in?

We had a mixture of Toyotas and Jeeps.

There was supposed to be more but they didn't show. I'll try again.

You can only have 10 pictures per post.

 

[rondo]

more pics! I've always wanted to run this!

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

Few more.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I've been wanting to do this trail. We were down there at the Rubicon last week, contemplating this trail among others. Maybe next year...

 

[Maverick]

So the Dusy is a 33 mile long class 10 trail located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. Just West of Yosemite National Park. I've been wanting to do this trail for 4 years but deployments kept preventing me since the trail is only open from August to the 1st of November. Finally got to go. We spent 5 days on the trail, not including pavement/travel days. This trail literally takes you 3 days to drive through. But we ended up staying 2 full days at a lake in the middle called Ershim Lake. If you have never heard of this trail or have never done it? You need to!!! This is the ultimate trail! It is EXTREMELY tight! There are so many trees! The rocks lean you into them most of the time so driving very slow is a must. Extra gas is a must also. I had an ARB fridge so I never had to worry about my food but all my other friends were almost at just water by the end. Temps were perfect 80's in the day 60's at night. There will be a vid but I'm waiting for it to get edited. I have a buddy named Ed that lives up there. He started a poll a year ago on Pirate4x4 so people could vote to see if my truck would be destroyed on this trail. Over 70% percent voted against me. Fullsize rigs generally do not do this trail, but when they do it isn't pretty. I received a few dents but nothing major, tail lights intact even! But there was a blazer I met up with at the very end of the trail that broke out both rear windows, both taillights, ruined both quarters and his buddy in an xj flopped a mile from the end. So, this trail DEMANDS your full attention every second! Ask questions.

Cool trail, that one has been on my bucket list for years. How does it compare to Rubicon? I've done the 'con twice in the last 15 months, there was talk of doing it again next summer, but thinking of Dusy or Fordyce instead. Keep the pics coming!

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

I've never run the Rubicon but there was a convo on Pirate that the locals up there (including a buddy of mine) said that the Rubicon is pretty much paved. I know it is an icon of our offroading community but I just can't bring myself to sh*% in a bag and keep it in my truck. Not just that but I don't really live close and if I'm going to drive that far I may as well do a trail that is less popular, longer, harder and is way more isolated from the rest of the world. I'll tell you that there is nothing like not having a smart phone (internet, texts, calls) for four to five days! It is so freeing and makes you feel like the way we are supposed to be and not so lost in society and technology, worried about things we can't change.

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

Cool trail, that one has been on my bucket list for years. How does it compare to Rubicon? I've done the 'con twice in the last 15 months, there was talk of doing it again next summer, but thinking of Dusy or Fordyce instead. Keep the pics coming!

Vid coming soon!

 

[Maverick]

Rubicon is far from paved. Maybe in a buggy, but there were buggies having fun too. Folks with us had hear the POR bit too, and were surprised to find the lack of lane dividers and rumble strips. It was a bit nastier in July than the previous Sept, but still decent in Sept. If you get really bored, go up True Old Sluice from Buck Island Lake. If you can.

Pretty darn fun for the 9 mild to wild trail rigs in our group (tire size 33 to 39). There's a thread around here somewhere. Only cell coverage is a blip on Walker Hill. As for the pooper, There were plenty of outhouses if you planned it right.

Little Sluice, comparatively speaking, is "paved"; but will still give any rig a workout. Before they ruined it, my understanding was that it was nearly impossible (not that I have a problem with that).

 

[blznnp]

You guys are making me jealous of this talk of the rubicon and Dusy. If my summer wasn't so booked up I would love to go next year. Great pics.

 

[Rock Taco]

Having been on all three trails (dusy, rubicon and fordyce) although it has been about 3 years.

Dusy to me is the most scenic, it is surrounded on both sides by wilderness areas. It has technical sections but nothing like old sluice, soup bowl on the rubicon or winch hill 1, 3, 4 or 5 on Fordyce. It is the longest of the three but it has long sections of peaceful dirt roads. Lots of lakes for fishing. Most of the trail is between 8k and 10k feet which means it is only open for a short amount of time each year. It usually doesnt open until late July. It would take 3 days but I think 5 days would be perfect. For non street legal rides you either do it again or have a ride to the other end and back. If I remember right its about an hour + from one end to the other.

[video=youtube;vkQHVpY1djI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkQHVpY1djI[/video]

The rubicon is a little more technical (if you take the harder sections), a little less scenic, more heavily traveled but open more throughout the year. It still has easy sections between the harder areas but they are shorter. Its also less than 1/2 the length of Dusy. It can be done in 1 day but I think 2-3 days would be perfect. For non street legal rides you either do it again or have a ride to the other end and back. If I remember right its about an hour + from one end to the other.

[video=youtube;M2f7WJNaDqA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2f7WJNaDqA[/video]

Fordyce is the shortest of the three but is also the most technical. Its not quite as scenic as the rubicon but is still quite nice! Its less than 8 miles long but is more consistent with difficult sections. There are also some deep water crossings on this trail that can limit when you can access the trail. It can easily be done in a day but I prefer to do it in 2 days. Again for non street legal rides you either do it again or have a ride to the other end and back. If I remember right its about an hour + from one end to the other. However there is an exit that requires a water crossing between winch hill 2 and 3 that can be used to take you back to one of the parking areas with out hitting a paved road (except for a very small portion).

[video=youtube;xb7_Nlm-HmY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb7_Nlm-HmY[/video]

All of these trails should be done a few times in your life. You could have a great week of doing the Rubicon and Fordyce less than 2 hours between the 2 and restock in between.

Fordyce is probably my favorite trail that I have done (still have a lot that I want to do)

 

[Ram-on-Rocks!]

I'm jealous! I really want to do Fordyce!