Hidden West

08/25/2024

What a great spot to kick off the High Sierra Overlanding Adventure!

08/07/2024

The route has been set for the Autumn Glory overlanding adventure this September. We will be exploring the edges of the Wallowa Mtns wilderness and down into Hell's Canyon. We will leave the trucks for one night to hike into a high alpine lake in the wilderness.
We have one cancelation slot that we would like to fill. Check out the pinned Event Details post in the Events page ( https://www.facebook.com/events/396400439705585/ ) and DM to discuss joining this adventure.

07/23/2024

The route for the High Sierra Overlanding Adventure has been set. Ten days of exploring high alpine lakes, fire lookouts, and numerous historical points of interest. This year's route combines elements of the California Backcountry Discovery Route and Overland Trail Guide's California Crest Trail while seeking out and prioritizing iconic High Sierra experiences. We are excited to embark on this adventure 1 month from today!

Remember, in addition to leading these overlanding adventures, we also offer custom map and route building services to meet your specific needs.

07/10/2024

Decisions, decisions, decisions....

There's a LOT of research that goes into designing our adventures. Timing, pavement vs dirt mileage, trail difficulty ratings vs the capabilities of overloaded overland builds, campsite locations, fuel stops, rescue plans, permits, etc, etc. It seems never-ending sometimes but in the end, the opportunity to explore the beautiful remote locations around the West make all of the maps and spreadsheets worthwhile.

06/27/2024

In Central Oregon for Overland Expo PNW? Check out Funky Fauna Artisan Ales in Sisters, OR. Best saisons in the area.

05/15/2024

Sunset in SE Oregon. That's the snowcapped Steens Mountain in the background.

05/14/2024

It's spring and the snakes are out. Are you prepared to recreate in snake country? Do you know what to do in the event of a bite? Do you know what it costs if you or your dog get bitten?
This article dispels a couple of key myths about dealing with snakebites, vaccines for dogs and advocating for yourself in the event of a bite.

Snakebite 101 for overlanders
https://mangai-rollin.medium.com/snakebite-101-for-overlanders-04dfa1b9c6f4

04/29/2024

Adventurers: Do you know if your insurance covers rattlesnake antivenom treatment? Do you know what it typically costs?

Here is some light reading on the subject. We suggest that everyone who plays in rattlesnake country Walk Loud, know their coverage and know how to advocate for themselves, loved ones and pets in the event of a snakebite.

04/23/2024

We spent the weekend in the woods working on routing a section of the greater Portland Overland Loop (and developing a figure-eight short course for weekend adventures). It's early season which involves bucking fallen trees, digging through snowbanks and eventually retreating when snow got too deep.

We used ALL of the tools. Chainsaws, shovels, traction boards, winch, dynamic rope, loppers and Silky saws. It was fun!

Lessons learned: bring more chainsaws. Bring extra batteries. Bring more soft shackles (double and triple pulls are helpful when winching downed trees off the road after the chainsaw batteries are depleted).

Suggestion: Every adventuremobile should have a Silky saw close to hand. They are faster than a chainsaw on the small stuff and even can cut through larger trees (in time). I was able to saw through the majority of the 18" tree with the Silky Big Boy (link below) before the rest broke under its own weight. https://amzn.to/3w52juG

04/02/2024

This is a custom-made map, route and schedule package for a two-week overland adventure from the East Coast with a goal to explore highlights in Moab and southern UT / Northern AZ. This was designed to be a balance of beautiful locations, hiking and off-road trails.

You can avoid the analysis paralysis and make the most of your limited free time by commissioning your own custom package for adventures throughout the Western US, B.C. and the Baja peninsula. Send us a DM today for details.
We serve individuals, families, groups and corporate clients. If you are working on a commercial project, we can assist with scouting locations and applying for the necessary permits for commercial endeavors on public lands.
PC: 📷

04/01/2024

There's a special windy bit of track along the way to a favorite cliffside camp spot in Southern UT that presents a wonderful spot to film. A little spirited driving almost makes the trucks look like they are dancing together. I look forward to visiting that spot again soon with faster rigs and more filming tools.

02/22/2024

If you are a backcountry adventurer, a good part of your life is spent planning and preparing. We highly recommend taking training classes through an IW4DTA certified instructor. If you are in the Rockies, Eric Ross of Sierra Mechanica is a fantastic resource. At the very least keep an eye on his page for tips and relevant discussions on planning and preparedness. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088864480791

Driving and recovery skills integrating communication, leadership, navigation, and survival.

02/06/2024

Get your custom Baja Merch!
We have been designing custom T-shirts and hoodies for our Baja adventures for some time. We are now removing the dates from the designs and making them available to our fellow Baja fans. Each design is available in multiple colors and can be printed on other blanks.
The Hidden West merch store is at: https://merch-mkt.com/collections/hidden-west

01/18/2024

The NorCal BDR route is being released next month. Late summer or early fall will be the perfect time to explore this area. Who's in?

01/08/2024

Photos from yesterday's snow run. Deadpoint Rd is open. We ran it to up to washout roughly two miles before Rainy Lake. Mt Defiance Road is also open. We ran it up to the steep, hard left before the sketchy exposed section.

01/08/2024

A quick snow run up Deadpoint (at least to the washout) and then as far up Mt Defiance as we could get before the snow got too deep.

Remember to check the FS Roads page and the MVUM book/pdf BEFORE you go out so you know which roads are open / closed.

12/31/2023

New tour announcement:
Starting in Spring 2024, we will be running a new tour focused on stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and snorkeling. The locations will be less remote and the driving conditions will be easier. This means that this tour will be open to crossover / fauxverlander / soft-roader vehicles and vans as long as they have good AT tires with a full-size matching spare and the tools to air down/back up. Airing down is still important for sand driving.

12/27/2023

What are your favorite spots to catch the migration? We've gone out to the Oregon coast a couple of times to see the whales, but now that we see them up close in the lagoons in Baja, there's no longer the same draw.

Winter Whale Watch Week begins on the Oregon coast Wednesday as thousands of gray whales are making their annual journey from Alaska to Baja Mexico.