July 18, 2004

Hungry Valley SVRA 4-Wheel Drive Practice Area

Entrance sign on Peace Valley Road.	Picnic tables, parking & Recycling!
Head north from Los Angeles on the Golden State (5) freeway. Past Valencia and Magic Mountain, past Castaic, past Pyramid Lake, all the way to Gorman. Exit Gorman and make a left to cross under the freeway and then make a right at the intersection. I forgot to get accurate mileage, but not too far up Peace Valley Road you'll see the Hungry Valley sign on the left. There is a day usage fee when they actually have somebody at the gate. They have lots of places for camping and plenty of fairly clean restrooms. The place is dominated by motorcycles, but don't let that stop you.
This rocky road challenges you and your rig.
The Sluice Box Course is a long trail of boulders that will challenge you to ride slow and steady. The course is lined with even larger boulders that threaten the sides of your rig, forcing you to stay focused.
There is sand, but not really deep and certainly not a pit.
The Sand Pit is a short trip on a mostly flat trail that really needs some work. Well, mostly it needs sand. There is an ample supply of sand in the area, but what was here must have blown away.
Complete instructions for the novices.	It looks like it needs a bit of work.
The Frame Twister starts with a number of railroad ties set at various angles, but so much loose sand has accumulated around them that they're just abound level with the ground. The middle section of the course is cement and includes rocks and more railroad ties that will give you a little practice with flex and lining up your wheels. During the 2 rainy months of the year, this might even get muddy.
The rocks are firmly set in concrete.	Railroad ties at the far end are exposed.
Mud? Maybe during the rainy season or a couple of days in spring.
The mud pit is at least a pit. There is a steep entrance/exit on one end, but without mud, it's just a pit.
Test your articulation.	The [Un] Water Trough Course.
The wheel blocks give you a chance to show off your articulation and pose for a nice photo. The Water Trough... Well, like the mud pit it looks a bit dry to me. This must be a lot more fun in the rain or during the spring run off.
A quick, short ditch to test your approach and departure angeles.
The Hard Ditch is short and very deep and not really hard. If you have long wheelbase or bad approach and/or departure angles you'll want to approach it at an angle.
A small hill with boulders cemented in place.
The Stair Steps Boulder Climb provide a hill climbing experience with plenty of traction. There are lots of obstacles on the way up (or down) that provide practice choosing your line and placing your wheels appropriately.
The entire trip to the top is on concrete.
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