2023 National Park Foundation Fundraiser: Off Roading Subaru Ascent, Foresters and Outbacks - Part 1

[@jimbecker5675]

Such beautiful countryside

[@bruceyyyyy]

Gotta clean up! You should come with us on a Gambler 500 run. Trail clean up is the main goal!

[@freedom_foz_6337]

Looks like a blast!!

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

It was so much fun.

[@yingyil3314]

How did the Ascent compare to the Outback & Forester?

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

My angles are a LOT worse, so, it was easier for me to hit the nose or drag the bumper or scrape the undersides, but, it otherwise compares really well to the Outback Wilderness. The way it spools up power is a little different, even though the drivetrains in the OBW and Ascent are so similar, which gives me a little edge crawling up stuff. The Forester Wilderness has better angles and is easier at doing a bunch of stuff. The OG Forester has the trials of all of the old school Subaru drivetrains where it takes more effort to get up stuff and needs to "speedbump" its way over things the OBW and Ascent can easily slow crawl.

[@TexasHarleyBoy65]

How does the CVT perform in those conditions? Are there any mods that can help the performance or reliability of the CVT in those low speed, crawling scenarios?

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

The Ascent (except the Base trim) and all Wildernesses come with a CVT cooler that sits in front of the engine radiator and AC condenser. It does a really nice job keeping the CVT cool. The only mod I plan on is a fan in front of it for forced air. I will have the fan activated by a thermistor I will be JB Welding to the outside of the existing cooler, to have it turn on at 200°F. The new generations of these CVTs perform really well. If you watch my "Moab Madness" video, you can see the places the 4 speed geared automatic Baja struggled that I crawled over with my much heavier Ascent. Loving it so far.

[@aarontrotter5188]

Where those stock geolanders on some of the vehicles? Outbacks stock height? Plan on taking OBW out in August. 2inch lift, AT4s, and torq locker. Hopefully it’ll be enough!

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

Yes, one of them is on the stock Geolandars and stock height (the green one). My Ascent is running with the same Torq Locker you'll be putting in your OBW. It makes an already exceedingly capable AWD system even more capable. @OffRoadRoos will be holding a bunch of off-road events out there in August, so, definitely check our event schedule on Facebook over the next month or two as they get posted. Hope you can join us!

[@aarontrotter5188]

That’s awesome. I hope so too. I would really like to learn as much as I can.

[@aarontrotter5188]

@@SubaruAmbassadorRobert you guys did engineer pass them onto mineral creek? Would you recommend going that direction?

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

@@aarontrotter5188 not without a spotter, another vehicle, and a bunch of experience, especially stock. If you do go, be careful of drop offs. This August, we will be doing Imogene Pass.

[@aarontrotter5188]

@@SubaruAmbassadorRobert is there a way to contact people that live out there that might want to get together?

[@michaelthomson5101]

That just flat out looks like a good time! How well did those Subies breathe at that elevation? Where is part 2, 3 & 4?...

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

The turbos did really well when they started to spool. The Ascent, being as heavy as it is, builds up a bit slower as the turbo starts to spool (but it starts early, so, it's not bad), then gets to full power. The NA's did surprisingly well too, even if they couldn't maintain their max accelerations like the Ascent and OBW's. Parts 2 onwards are being edited and not far away, lol! I promise I will get them up as soon as I can.

[@HunterMuir-rq1tw]

Took my stock 2010 forester down mineral creek last summer. Thought it would be my end, but I made it out alive. Overall, 0/10 would not recommend.

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

LOL! Yeah, it's a tough one.

[@ThackeryBinx3325]

Is your Ascent on a lift?

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

In some of the videos - definitely in this vid.

[@juanvelazquez2666]

Is the Forester Wilderness stock height?

[@SubaruAmbassadorRobert]

It's running Ironman ATS Spec C struts and shocks.