Katemcy Rocks Closing - Last Wheeling Weekend

[bburgi]

I hit up Katemcy Rocks outside of Mason, TX for the first and unfortunately last time this Saturday. This place simply rocks - from what I've seen and heard it's the closest you can get to Moab without actually going there. The park is closing due to new land ownership though.


I rolled out with a few guys from Austin Jeep Exclusive and hooked up on the trail with several other guys in various rigs as well. Being one of the last chances to wheel here, the place was packed, but there are plenty of trails, so the lines at obstacles weren't too long. I just put some new shoes on the Jeep (BFG Mud Terrain KM2), so I was excited to get them out and shake em down.


We hit up a trail called Aggie Highway first, rolled through a few Medium-level obstacles and we took out first casualty - a broken drag link on a TJ. Got it welded back up and we were off again. I had to bypass my first obstacle here - guys sitting on 35's+ were getting high centered coming over the edge of this rock, so there was no way my little 32's were going to make it. On the bright side, even though I am so low to the ground, with armor and lockers front and rear I was able to clear 90% of the trail in my WJ - just took a little more love and a lot more sliding on my skids.


I took an early hit trying to navigate through a small valley between two boulders. I got a little too close on the driver's side and ripped a valve stem off one of my 24hr old tires. I changed it out for the spare and jumped back on the trail. Around lunch time my group (two LJ's, a TJ, a stripped down Toyota, a full-size truck and me in my trust WJ) broke off from the group and tried to find an area called The Waterfall. We never found it, but our efforts payed off in some pretty awesome wheeling. I got a couple of thumbs up and some surprised looks from passers-by that my WJ on 32's was clearing some of the stuff we were on.




After playing around for a while we went to meet back up with the larger group. Unfortunately that's when my day ended. I was trying to climb up a pretty decent ledge and got my exhaust pipe wedged against a rock. I backed up, ripped the exhaust mount off and taco'ed the tail pipe. The tip of the exhaust dug into the side wall of my tire and tore a big chunk out of it.



Even though it was still holding air, since I was already running without a spare we decided to park the WJ and I jumped in to ride along the rest of the day. We finished up by hitting some harder trails and ended the day with the Yota ripping off the diff drain plug and blowing a tire bead, and one of the LJ's taking some sweet sheet metal damage.

Overall it was a great day. The official run lasted all weekend but I could only make it out for the one day. Hopefully the new landowners will soon realize what they're missing and re-open the park to the public. Until then... enjoy the pics.

[bburgi]

Here's the complete set of photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bburgi/...7617561800525/

[OverkillZJ]

That's when you cut the exhaust off, and keep wheeling!

[bburgi]

Yeah yeah yeah - Actually I did take a hack-saw to it and cut it off on the trail, but since we were at the very beginning of the trailhead I didn't want to risk going on and losing the cut tire without a spare.

[SirFuego]

Nice pics! It's a shame another wheeling place is closing down. Have there been any reports/speculation as to what the new land owner is going to use it for? Hopefully, he'll decide to supplement his income by opening the park back up!

That's when you cut the exhaust off, and keep wheeling!

I've been known to do that before.

[bburgi]

Have there been any reports/speculation as to what the new land owner is going to use it for? Hopefully, he'll decide to supplement his income by opening the park back up!

From the Katemcy Rocks website:

"The son who inherited the property has decided he wishes to use the property exclusively for his family, as is his right. They may eventually build a home on the property... We are actively working on other possible land opportunities, but these are distant chances."

-

[jfowlzj95]

Nice pics! I've never been to Krocks so I'm trying to make it out there either Memorial Day weekend or the last weekend the park will be open (June 12-14). Looks like Memorial weekend will be a better time. Won't be able to take my rig, I just wanna be able to get out there once before it's gone for good.

[sasdranger]

I haven't decided if I'll wheel the ranger, Krocks has a bad rep for finding all your weak links.. and I don't think I'll be able to trailer it out there.

But I'll be there, probably memorial day and/or the last weekend


it kinda pisses me off, i was planning on having the ranger ready for k-rocks opening weekend of '10 and this happens.

[bburgi]

I'd love to get out there Memorial Day or the last weekend, but I just don't think it's going to happen. I'll be sure to let you guys know if I'm headed out there

A few more pictures from this past weekend...