Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it?

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Krullin_14ers
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Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it?

Post by Krullin_14ers »

Hey Guys and Gals, I would like your input. Was thinking about heading up to Castle peak this weekend, and would like to start a bit higher than the main trailhead. Do you think a 2012 Subaru Outback could make it all the way to 12,800? If not, any further than the main trailhead? Has anyone seen this done before?

Thanks,
Alex
](*,)
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by PaliKona »

The road gets really, really rough above 11,000. I would even recommend parking just a 1/4 below the Pearl Pass intersection - even in an SUV I thought that was where it really got rough and iffy. But YMMV.\

FWIW, it took an hour to hike from Pearl Pass Rd to the top of the road.
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by RyGuy »

Krullin_14ers wrote:Hey Guys and Gals, I would like your input. Was thinking about heading up to Castle peak this weekend, and would like to start a bit higher than the main trailhead. Do you think a 2012 Subaru Outback could make it all the way to 12,800? If not, any further than the main trailhead? Has anyone seen this done before?

Thanks,
Alex
If you value your vehicle in working condition after trying, no. I've taken my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee up there before, would recommend something at least that good or better if you don't want to get stuck or have vehicle damage.

That said, as PaliKona noted, park about .25 miles below the Pearl Pass junction just below the "Subaru Trap" and you'll be fine.

-Ryan
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by bigredmachine »

I took a Jeep Liberty to the pearl pass junction and that was pushing it a bit. The first creek crossing was pretty rough (some big pointy rocks on the edges) and it got rougher near the pp junction. No, you will not make it to 12,800, most jeeps pulled off before the end of the road. I doubt you'll get your outback to the pearl pass junction, but if you do... Park there.
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by Roald »

See my recent TH update. I doubt you'd make it past the first creek crossing.

https://14ers.com/php14ers/trailheads2.php?thparm=er01" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by Herbert »

I was there on 9/8/14, parked at the Pearl Pass intersection. I had rented a Jeep Wrangler, which was definitely the right equipment for the job. As mentioned by others, parking at the turnaround about .01 - .02 mile below the Pearl Pass interseciton saves a short stretch of really rough road. You are at 11,100 - 11,200 in that area which makes it just over 3,000 ft elevation gain to the Castle Peak summit. I personally would not have been comfortable, even in the Wrangler, going beyond 11,200.
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by SoCool »

It may influence the OP to know that it will be a very slow process to coax an Outback along, maybe not faster than walking.
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by fahixson »

We drove a 2002 Toyota Highlander to the end of the road back in 2009. I don't remember it being that difficult, but maybe conditions have worsened since then. Seems like we had the navigator step out of the car to spot a couple rocks to make sure we had clearance beyond the pass and again spot on the creek crossing. Having walked the road from near the bottom a couple years before and getting turned around a few hundred feet from the top the first time, I felt it was well worth the time/effort to make the extra drive. If I'm reading the specs right, 2012 Outback ground clearance is the same or better than 2002 Highlander. I've never driven an Outback though and maybe there's more important specs than ground clearance?
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by Krullin_14ers »

fahixson wrote:We drove a 2002 Toyota Highlander to the end of the road back in 2009. I don't remember it being that difficult, but maybe conditions have worsened since then. Seems like we had the navigator step out of the car to spot a couple rocks to make sure we had clearance beyond the pass and again spot on the creek crossing. Having walked the road from near the bottom a couple years before and getting turned around a few hundred feet from the top the first time, I felt it was well worth the time/effort to make the extra drive. If I'm reading the specs right, 2012 Outback ground clearance is the same or better than 2002 Highlander. I've never driven an Outback though and maybe there's more important specs than ground clearance?

Thanks man! Do you remember if your highlander got past the pearl pass junction? Or did you park there?
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by jmc5040 »

I've taken my Outback up that road a few times. See my post from almost a year ago. Not sure if the road has changed as I haven't been up there since.

http://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 06#p509206" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by myfeetrock »

I drove a stock 4 door wrangler to the upper lot in 2010. Many did the same that day. I remember there being a lot of slide debris on the road up high.
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Re: Castle Peak: FR 102..Could a 2012 Subaru Outback make it

Post by fahixson »

Krullin_14ers wrote:Thanks man! Do you remember if your highlander got past the pearl pass junction? Or did you park there?
Yes, we drove by Pearl Pass junction and parked at the end of the road, ~12,800. Here's a pic of our Highlander and two others, I think there was a Wrangler there as well, not shown. This was August 2009.
End of the Road.jpg
End of the Road.jpg (246.25 KiB) Viewed 535 times
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