Current Conditions on Fish Creek Forest Road 1N05 Ok for Subaru Outback?

[hbandrew]

Hi,

I am planning on heading out to drive Forest Road 1N05 to Fish Creek Trailhead after Labor Day.  Has anyone been on the road recently?  Will a Subaru Outback make it?

Was the road graded this year?  As I know conditions tend to deteriorate a bit as the season goes on.

My favorite story from this road is when I left my Mazda 3 Hatchback at the Aspen Grove trailhead several years ago (before Lake Fire) for an overnight.  It began to Thunderstorm about 45 minutes before I made it back to trailhead.  I’m running the last half mile with a full size overnight pack and clunky boots.  Road was already getting messy when I made it back to my car.  Tossed my pack in the trunk and slipped and slid my way back to the highway with my sport tires.   Back at Arthurs in Mentone it was clear skies, with a big dark cloud hanging over SGW.  Will always remember that one.

[Webdweeb]

I just drove that road in mid-May with my new 2021 Outback Onyx XT and had no issues, but I took it pretty slow since it was the inaugural gnarly road drive with my new car-took me about 90 minutes to reach the trailhead from Heart Bar campground, although the return drive was faster since I was familiar with the road by then.  It was dry as a bone, but I still needed to use the X-Mode traction feature a few times, so I’m not sure I would try it if there was a storm on the horizon, but I also have the stock all season tires, so AT tires could make a big difference in mud.

[MikeH]

Took our stock Crosstrek to Fish Creek Trailhead on 5/9.  No problems.

[Ted_S]

We’ve been driving to Fish Creek and beyond for over two decades with a Prius and never had an issue.  However negotiating frequent rocks and ruts requires care.

We also sometimes use our Outback but there’s nothing on the road to Fish Creek that requires all wheel drive or high clearance.  The road has a very gradual change in elevation. All wheel drive helps when there are steep uphill sections on which front wheel drive vehicles can’t get sufficient traction, but there are none of these on the way to the Fish Creek Trailhead.

[Author]

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