Our latest adventure — the fifth in nine months — took us up to Lake Arrowhead for a Family and Friends run led by Carlos and Gene, the same awesome duo who organized our last outing.
You can tell a lot about a person by how they lead a Jeep trail, and Carlos’s kindness, patience, and bright blue rig make him easy to follow (even when the terrain makes your palms sweat).
This group is the real deal — welcoming, experienced, and full of good humor. There’s usually a mix of Jeeps, and the same Bronco Raptor that joined the party last time.
Bob, the Bronco owner, is a solid guy who drives that thing like he’s auditioning for a commercial. Rich, the veteran in the white “Snopicon,” has a YouTube video with over 48,000 views testing RSG sliders. So, yeah, he knows what he’s doing.
We met up at a Jack in the Box in San Bernardino, grabbed breakfast, shared some laughs, and headed for the Willow Creek Trail. It’s rated easy to with spots of moderate, but there’s a little bit of “black diamond” on the route that turned out to be the real deal — at least from my still-new POV.
The Descent
We hit the trailhead and exchanged greetings with a few other off-roaders before starting down a long, rocky hill that looked manageable… until we were halfway down.
It took us twenty minutes to figure out the line (thanks, Carlos and Gene). Carlos went first, and I followed right behind him.
We had aired down and disconnected the sway bar, and it’s a good thing we did — my Jeep was articulated to the max. One wheel hit the well, and the pitch gauge hit 15 degrees. Which, for the record, feels like 45. My death grip on the steering wheel could’ve cracked walnuts.
Thankfully, Carlos and Gene were right there spotting, giving calm and confident direction. You really have to trust your spotters — and I did, though knowing right from left is not always easy when the adrenaline is pumping.
It was one of those moments where fear and faith intersect. I do think I leveled up as a driver right then.
Bob’s Bronco followed smoothly, and Rich made it look like a Sunday drive. You have to admire the confidence experience provides.
When we finally reached the bottom of the hill, we saw the same group we’d met at the trailhead, waved, and chatted. I asked how they got to the bottom already. Their answer?
“We took the easy way!”
The Rest of the Trail
The rest of the run had a little bit of everything — tight brush that left some pinstriping (thankfully, it rubbed out), muddy patches, and narrow shelf roads that made Lynn a bit nervous. Nothing matched that first hill in intensity, though.
At the bottom, we hit another rock garden that looked like trouble. There were several rigs already blocking the way near a creek, so we took it as a sign to stop for lunch instead.
We pulled out our chairs, unpacked sandwiches, and just enjoyed being in the mountains — laughing, chatting, and watching the occasional dirt bike or off-road truck pass by. It was peaceful.
After that, we headed out the easy way. I was more than fine with that.
Lessons from the Trail
Every trail teaches something new.
- There’s always more to learn. Looking back, I can see how far I’ve come since that first nerve-wracking run (or when we nearly fell off a mountain).
- Adventure is better with others. Even the scary parts feel manageable when someone’s guiding you through … especially with expert spotters.
- Find your balance. I love the challenge, but I don’t need to live on adrenaline. A good mix of fun and calm keeps it sustainable.
- Be friendly on the trail. A quick chat or a wave to another driver makes the day better. We’re all out here for the same reason.
I’m already thinking about taking a 4×4 class to learn what my Jeep can really do. I have also added a forward camera to my upgrade list for those blind slopes.
For now, though, I’ll take the lesson and the laughter.
Because every trail, even a black diamond, gets a little smoother when you’ve got friends and faith guiding you through.
#JeepLife #OffRoadAdventures #WillowCreekTrail #LakeArrowhead #JeepWrangler #BroncoRaptor #4x4Community #TrailLessons #FinallyGotAJeep
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