Day three we ran a trail known as Kaner Flat, which is anything but flat. This trail required the only winching of the trip, mostly due to tougher optional routes up the trail. Alan Hewitt piloted his '76 CJ-5 up a route seldom used and nearly had a nasty roll. Quick winch work kept him upright and on the trail. Tom Cain and his '42 MB also found a loose spot on a hillclimb that required a winch. The only damage of the day was a torn sidewall suffered by Randy Mark.
Tight trees and hillclimbs were the theme of the day, and the Commander and Grand Cherokee crawled and powered through with the rest of the group. The Quadra-Drive II system gave them locker-like traction when needed, and they always took the hard line. It was impressive to see these modern and very comfortable vehicles go through areas usually only traveled by fully modified off-road vehicles. It was readily apparent that the Commander and Grand Cherokee with the Quadra-Drive II systems were just as capable as any of the Jeeps modified with aftermarket components.
Our third day ended a little early as our group needed to head back to civilization in western Washington.
It was a great adventure attended by wonderful people and featuring beautiful and challenging terrain. It was a trip where we all actually learned a little something about IFS suspensions and Jeep's Quadra-Drive-equipped trail rigs. They work just as well off the trail under harsh conditions as they do comfortably driving your kids to the ballpark.