Holcomb Valley Trail in the Winter

Can you have just as much fun in a bone stock Toyota Tacoma as you can a fully Built Jeep Wrangler? Well my two sons Jordan, Devyn and I are going to find out as we head for the Mountains to do some exploring on the trails, search for an old abandoned mine, enjoy some great bonding time around the campfire, and cook up some chow…and, well let’s just there’s room for improvement here. But things didn’t go as planned thanks to the weather and we took a major detour that took us many many from miles from our original destination in a completely different terrain. Come along for the ride as we adventure into a strange, remote place we’ve never been before and finally … does my Jeep Wrangler have all the tire clearance it needs now?
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0:00 Introduction
1:33 Holcomb Valley Trail
13:30 Metzger Mine
20:08 Day 2
24:59 Rainbow Wash Trail
27:58 Calcite Mine Trail
29:55 Truckhaven

[@paulbrowning1758]

Can’t imagine having a dad like Brad. Great dad.

[@marshaclifton1535]

The road back to my farm is worse than any trail I've seen you on.

[@purleybaker]

Completely agree. It will be fun to watch the changes to it.

[@tylerhunter7272]

Having 2 healthy sons to enjoy wheeling with you - doesn’t get any better! Enjoyed the video, you are a great creator.

[@stevenschmouder1285]

Please film and post the build progress on the Tacoma, im sure many of us would enjoy watching the progress and learning about building Toyota's.

[@classicrocker81]

Super excited to see more of the Tacoma content in the future! Looks like another amazing trip!

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you and more to come on the Tacoma!

[@paulvalenzuela5847]

Wishing you, Regina and the family a wonderful 2023. Looking forward to your adventures. Be safe and God Speed!

[@TrailRecon]

Same to you!

[@robertyoung8289]

TACOMA just makes the channel that much better. Something for everyone.

[@MrJamesLuz]

Unpopular opinion alert! Perfection with a JK is 37s. Maaaaybe 38s. The struggle with 39s really comes down to trying to make a full body JK into a rock crawler. I know you are close, but it’s also not a tube chassis.

[@boltactionshooter]

Unless you go with one ton axles and a top flight suspension on the JK. Done right they are amazing, I know I own one.

[@jeeplivion]

I was told by a reputable local that 38s are PERFECT in a 2 door jk. Jku probably 40s

[@TrailRecon]

I don't disagree that 37's are a great option of the JK, but I'm determined to make these 39's work for me.

[@John-uo1qf]

Time to reinstall the spacers? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@tallballer09]

Enjoy while you can because it’s passes quickly!

[@geoffalders1211]

Every time I see a garbage bag blowing at meal time, I wish you had a G.a.r.b from North Bound Expeditions in Canada's east coast. Nice footage as usual

[@trailrunnah8886]

Thanks for taking us along. Being on the east coast, this is some beautiful scenery of the type that most of us don't often get to experience. I also think the Taco (or a 4Runner) is great for things like this, the more technical it gets, the further the JK will pull ahead though.

[@karelesterhuizen7117]

If the 39 are your build, continue with that build I always say, there will be many opinions about 37s, witch are great but so are 39 if time spend well. So great to see a happy dad in nature with his boys, priceless.

[@purleybaker]

I love Jordan's attitude.

[@lindsayh1835]

Such a boys trip!! Missing oil, butter, seasoning. “You’ve never cooked chicken?😳” 19:56 Thanks for sharing 😂

[@regenakowitz]

I cringed when I saw that! I would have been happy to help them pack their kitchen items but...they didn't ask! 🤷🏻‍♀😂

[@ballen2179]

I love this channel. Mostly because you take the time to slow down and enjoy the adventure with family and friends. At 69 I am finally learning to slow down and enjoy. Life is not always zero to sixty in 2.5. Keep up the great content.

[@TrailRecon]

Ok wait, what are you driving that does 0-60 in 2.5?! I'm in for some of that! LOL. Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@rtazz17]

Agreed life is short

[@marklundeen1025]

I'm a taco fan. I have a 14 tacoma with a ironman 3" foam cell lift. 265/75-16 falcon wildpeak at3w tires. Want to put 255/85's on but scared of losing to much power. I want to get seat risers . The seats are really my only complaint about my tacoma. I also have the 6speed manual. Love that.

[@garretlewis4103]

Just started watching and to answer your question, sure you can. It may not be in all of the same places, but you can still have fun! It is easy to get caught up in all of the vehicles and gear. I too am guilty of that. We just fail to realize you can have fun without the most capable or built vehicle and the latest and greatest, "whiz-bangyest" gear. The important thing is we get outdoors and make those memories!

[@StacySalmans]

The 7 dwarfs built that mine. Fun adventure.

[@JendellOverland]

Happy new year to you Brad, Regena, and your family.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year!

[@johngray9702]

Awesome father and sons trip. Thank you

[@jaymoar3561]

Tacoma reliability all the way! Your sons a smart man!

[@RanchoTexano]

Great family times and the biggest moka pot I’ve ever seen! Lol! Jordan needs to hang with Marco for one trip - he’d be a pro

[@MichaelSmith-kr9qw]

Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year !!!! Nice to see you spending quality time with your sons. God knows how much time we didn't get to spend with them when they were younger, but that is a sacrifice we chose when we signed the dotted line. The Wrangler is a far more comfortable vehicle than a night in a HMMWV or the back of a AAV-P7 or on the ground with a ISO Mat and Shelter Half !!! Semper Fi Doc and have a awesome New Year and can't wait to see the new adventures ahead.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year and thank you for your sacrifice! Oorah!

[@Wklambert]

I can't wait till my sons tour is over, early '25... This is what it's all about. (oh, and Team Taco here too. Granted it needs a few mods to be really comfortable on long runs, but it definitely has tons of potential.)

[@bwofficial1776]

Nice drive and it looks like you had a good time. You have some beautiful scenery out West. Built trucks are fun but you can still have fun in a stock truck with good tires. You've had a lot of vehicles but like others have said, the JK is the heart of your channel. It'll be fun to watch the Tacoma's evolution.

[@brunnie]

Love the segue intro. A great fun trip with the boys, always interesting to watch. Lessons learned... LOL... but that is what it is all about. Thanks for teh trip... until next time.... Travel safe.

[@nigelbarker8726]

Always happy to see you in an Anza Borrego video. I took my first trip there in 1988. We arrived the first night and camped on the rim of Vista del Malpais. You could drive all the way to the rim in those days and we arrived in the dark. I didn't realize just how magnificent a view I was going to get when I emerged from my tent the next morning. The next two days we drove the length of Coyote Canyon, all the way from Borrego Spings to Anza. You can't do that anymore either, the trail is blocked halfway. I haven't had a four wheel drive vehicle for some time now but a few months ago I treated myself to a '98 TJ in stock trim. My daughter and her partner stayed over Christmas so we took the opportunity to visit some old favorites. A lovely loop down Canyon sin Nombre, Arroyo Seco del Diablo, Arroyo Tapiado, and back down Vallecitos Creek to the Palm Spring. The flowers were blooming and many of the ocotillos were showing their colors. We found a great spot for lunch. It was wonderful to be able to do this with family, my daughter was a toddler the last time I was out there with her. So please keep up the good work. Your videos bring back many happy memories for me and were an inspiration to get me back out there.

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you! So many amazing place in Anza Borrego and a few more that I still need to check off my list.

[@maccoolmac5191]

Brad, this Jk is by far the best looking Jeep in the garage.

[@drewgregory2370]

Thank you for the video really needed it with all this gloomy weather and still recovering from a spinal surgery. Happy new year to you and your family, ill be back on the trails shortly with my improved jk soon.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year and hope you are back on your feet again soon!

[@michaelholbrook4401]

You know what I find goes with chorizo, by accident?... refried beans. Mix them together and it makes quite a 'sloppy joe' style sandwich mix. It was a better blend than I thought it would. On another note, my wife and I just bought an 06 TJ, a good amount of miles on it, but still in very nice shape, ascetically and mechanically. We are looking forward to many camping trips in it.

[@SIMAR68]

I enjoy all your episodes, and being from Northern Wisconsin, you guys always make me laugh when you speak of camping in cold weather. You guys should try the Upper peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin, but probably in the summer.

[@PJ-vs8dy]

The JK is looking great in all silver, could say understated except for those 39's

[@daveoffroad7396]

Great video Brad..! Awesome to see both of your sons in the same video..!! Have a happy,heathy,.. and prosperous new year..!!

[@Wolf4wdadventures.576]

Happy New Year guys from Australia 🇦🇺... Thanks for the awesome content over the last year, looking forward to seeing more of your vids.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@stevetabor4447]

Awesome video guy’s happy new year brad wish you an your amazing family the best thru the new year ❤️ as always be safe 👍👍👍👍

[@flyfisher530]

Nice video Brad...good to see you out having fun with your boys! Happy New Year!

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you!

[@shelleydiamond6468]

So enjoyable ! What a treat to do this with your sons. Itching to get outside - possibly to Death Valley in the Spring !

[@theeddorian]

A t-bone collision converted me to a firm believer in rock rails when mine kept a pick-up trailer combination from landing my lap. As a former Tacoma (mother of tacos) 4X4 owner, you can't really beat them for get up and go, comfort, and general purpose trail and off road utility work. I drove mine up and down some serious ski runs while working where there was a track at best. Their biggest drawback is the same for any pick-up. They have no traction in back without help (sand bags, bags of dirt, collections of big rocks, or loads weight gear). My 2005 manual 4X got 25 mpg on freeways. Concerning mine tunnel heights, in hard rock you don't swing a pick axe. You use star drills, a single jack (lump) hammer, and blasting powder. So, often they worked on their knees because they had no reason to dig out more rock than absolutely necessary. Most of the rock pulled from a tunnel is waste rock - sometimes mistakenly called tailings. Occasionally a separate heap or pile of "high grade" ore was positioned for loading and hauling away for refining. The term "high grading" referring to theft came from thieves stealing the high grade ore after some other poor fellow worked hard separating it from the waste rock and getting all that lose rock out of the tunnel.

[@Jabroni2U]

😂😂 Eggs in the Chorizo is a must😂😂

[@TheRoadtoGonzo]

I love this channel, such a nice guy. It's great to see this become a family driven channel. Wishing you the best in this new year.

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you very much!

[@johnfullmer7659]

You have always been in beautiful places snow and the desert!! It's amazing to see the nature you're son's are still learning how to cook I was the same way but you never stop learning things on the trails specially when you have to plan you're meals before you leave and then pack up for the trip you're two sons are nothing like you're wife were she has a plan menus for you and her prepared things in advance to make things easier for you and her you're son's will get there soon Happy New Year to you and your family enjoy your new year please be safe happy healthy in all you do and want take care of yourself and your family enjoy your day

[@davidzimmerly7354]

Happy new year , great content seems like you guys are truly living the dream as they say , looking forward to seeing the taco build and your other projects the cherokee and your wives jeep , thanks for putting in the work to make these videos so great I'm sure it can't be easy

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@jhesiquio]

Happy New Years and thank you for all your videos with all your adventures in your jeeps. My New Years resolution is to purchase a jeep thanks to you 🙌💯

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year! Hope your resolution is one you are able to keep!

[@UrbanOpsOffRoad]

Happy new year full of success Chief! Thanks for the content and encouragement of start putting some videos online. Cheers!

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@shaferadventures1363]

Brad Happy New Year’s to you and your family I have to say anytime I get to spend with my kids it doesn’t matter what we do it’s always about the time I can spend with my kids love every second I’m with them Thank You for sharing your videos I appreciate all the hard work it takes to do so Stay Safe & Stay Healthy

[@TrailRecon]

100%! and thank you!

[@chrisgreenwood4713]

Nice trip!

[@mikegallagher2732]

THANK YOU for ALLLLLLL you do Brad !!!!!! AWESOME to see The Boys And The "YOTA" !!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 Wishing you Nothing but THE BEST for the year to come..

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@utahyork3338]

Happy New Year TrailRecon!

[@mithrandir1313]

Awesome!! Fun to watch! Thanks!

[@andymckane7271]

Nice video! Happy New Year to the three of you and to the rest of your family. Go Navy!

[@debbieflores5385]

Fully loaded and pulling a square drop trailer the Tacoma is fully capable. We did Monache Meadows and it did great. Now on a road trip to Vegas or Havasu if you have to sit in the back seat it is not comfortable at all, much prefer our GMC for that especially if you are tall. Love the videos. Happy New Year to the Trail Recon Family.

[@brbadventurer]

3:12 I have a handheld FRS/GMRS as in Canada we are not "allowed" to have a permanently mounted mobile FRS/GMRS radio. The handhelds have their uses like for spotting and getting the queue from the camera operator to roll into the shot. I hope the laws change here soon. I do have the old school Cobra 29 LTD NW Classic 40 channel CB and a ICOM IC-F5023 VHF radio to stay in touch on the trails. 10:11 Elevation change will do that LOL 18:11 Famous last words "nobody is here" I have a spot that I like to go to and you don't know until you are right in the site if it is occupied, that sinking feeling when someone else has your spot is all to familiar to me. 31:01 Nice flex. Thanks for the video 👍

[@lukewhitecloud8240]

Hey Jordan- don't let those guys grind you down about the food! It takes a long time to get that part right. And- for what its worth- some of my best memories with my dad were when he would forget to pack important things, like silverware. 🙄 On that trip we sharpened sticks and ate with those. The best of times! Peace, my brother!

[@ajr5195]

Yeessss more tacoma content! Happy New Year to you and your family!

[@djp1234]

I went from a Grand Cherokee to a Rubicon Gladiator and it feels fine on long road trips. I have no complaints.

[@nativetexson]

Fun adventure. Happy New Year to all of you-

[@zarataku9555]

Finally a new episode.. Waited for quiet a while 🤣🤣

[@TrailRecon]

KZbin doesn't always serve up my new videos, so be sure to click that notification bell so you know when new ones are released. There were several new videos in December and six in November (including shorts). Happy New Year!

[@agesadventures]

Great video. I enjoyed the trip you took and always makes me want to get back on the dirt road (even if I just came off it🙂). Happy New Year!

[@JohnDoe-xm9ql]

Great video Brad.. Happy new year to you and your family..

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@Sharpies_Taco]

Just drove my Taco from RI to TX and back. As comfortable as my wife’s car. Can’t wait to see what Jared has in store for his Taco.

[@davezehner127]

Great content!! Loved it!

[@sandralutz-rodriguez2864]

Happy New Year! what an awesome trip this had to be! Rainbow trail looked spectacular. Nice flexing on the JKU!!

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year!

[@someguyonline377]

Happy new year Krowitz family! Looking forward to many new videos in 2023 and maybe you making another trip out to the central eastern side of the US.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@bladedash2245]

He changed his classic TrailRecon intro! Noo!!!! 😭

[@TrailRecon]

I've changed it many times over the years!

[@lukerutherford]

Great video! I’ve been to the Fonts point lookout, never knew there was a trail at the bottom.

[@crjmoto]

Great video as always. I have the same Taco but the access cab w topper, great do it all rigs. You can't beat the off-road performance of a Jeep though.

[@jamiedixon3035]

I have both a JKUR and a Tacoma and I have to agree the Tacoma has a much smoother ride but my jeep can take me almost anywhere. I love them both but the jeep is definitely my top pick!

[@ascentoffroad]

Can’t wait to see how the Tacoma build turns out.

[@donnapablos8752]

Thank you for the video Brad and sons. Don and Donna from Hope Idaho

[@SunnyWu]

I love heading into the Sierra Nevadas. One thing I've learned is to squeeze a bit of air out of all the condiment bottles, shampoo bottles, and even lotion bottles before leaving the SF Bay and every time I use them before packing them away. It won't be pressurized at altitude. 😅

[@gwaddles]

Great videography, drone shots and editing

[@johndidion6373]

Happy New Year to the entire family🤗

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@edwinbonilla7986]

Greetings from Costa Rica!!! Happy New Year!!! Nice video as always, just missing Marco's culinary expertese!

[@NasTimeAdventures]

Beautiful family time. I dream of my little girls getting back into adventures one day.

[@JeepBro]

Happy 2023! My dad and I with our TJ would love to go with you guys to Coyote Flats or somewhere else in the Sierra Nevada one day! We enjoy it up there so much!

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year!

[@wjgrandcherokee]

Hi guys, great channel. I'm out a ways away in Massachusetts. When you mentioned the burning smell in the Tacoma, I thought about it and get it in mine also. If the front 4 wheel drive driveshaft was greased recently, sometimes the grease from the ujoints can hit the exhaust. While it's great to keep that shaft well greased, this does happen. Hope this is your simple encounter also.

[@trailrunnah8886]

I'm in RI. Doesn't it suck watching these videos sometimes, wishing that we had terrain and trails like this out this way?

[@amodghising7615]

just seeing that Bialetti, make u my hero... lol

[@bruceklassen8261]

Fantastic video

[@alfa8822]

Great video! It's nice to see the JK out again. Not really a surprise asking what rides better a fully modded Jeep with 39's and a 4.5" lift or an off the lot stock Tacoma. That doesn't say anything bad about the Wrangler. I think that would be the case comparing it with any bone stock vehicle.

[@jeepinintexas6215]

Yea, I've driven that style Tacoma before and the seating position and the dash weren't all that comfortable to me. The dash/center console area left me with little room for my right leg. The seat bottom is too close to the floorboard too IMO making feel like I'm sitting in a small car, not a truck. I'd much rather prefer my JK seating position and I have taken it on many trips that were hours long. If you're talking about ride, yeah the Tacoma rides good, still that seating position sucks for me.

[@gwolf7716]

Excellent video, Doc. Semper lutulentus! 😆

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you!

[@CACressida]

If you guys think the Taco is comfortable on the trail now, wait till you get some 2.5 shock bodies and big squishy tires. As for the JK, the TRJK is iconic at this point. The most tastefully modded jk in my opinion and it represents the channel. The facial expression when he processes that his brother has never cooked chicken before was the highlight for me.

[@TrailRecon]

We are excited to see how the Tacoma performs as we move forward, and thank you for your kind words!

[@scottymac5174]

The JK is looking really nice!

[@RST2123]

Happy new year to your whole family

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year to you too!

[@M4c223c]

Have a bone stock ‘16 4Runner kdss trail edition other than some cooper at3 4s tires, it handles most of the trails up in the big bear area. Love the Yotas for all around wheelin

[@jerrymestas1231]

Awesome!!! HNY👊🏻👊🏻

[@MarcChavez915]

yaa Big Bear, my backyard, i need to get out there again.

[@j.a.garcia868]

I had that same sound on my rotor, freaked me out bc I had just replaced a speed wheel sensor and I must have bent dust shield a bit. 😅

[@scottymac5174]

It would be interesting to hear your comparison of the Shift Pod and the Gazelle tents. Similar in design but a huge difference in price and materials. Shift Pod for cold weather? Gazelle for warm weather???

[@GATORADDAM]

I gotta say.... I usually hate "family time" videos. But you and your sons are cool enough to make them... well.... cool.

[@troybuiltadventures5481]

Brad just get you a new Tacoma and overland it out ! That would be awesome 👏

[@gilbertferguson1685]

Discretion is the better part of valor Brad. Happy New Year to you, Regina and family. Look forward to more of your great videos in 23.

[@TrailRecon]

Happy new year!

[@turbojunki]

Independent front suspension for overlanding on mild dirt roads is always gonna be more comfortable, IMHO. But hard off-road trails I’ll take solid axle every time

[@iwishiknew10]

great times had

[@jeffsiegel4879]

The Anza Borrego State Park has at least 3 or 4 "Palm" Oases. One, the "thousand palm" oasis, sits at the top of a cliff in the most southwest portion of the park. We found it (randomly) and it's a biological surprise. Evidently, the theory is that this little oasis (a water-fed spring bubbling up from a subterranean source) was at the top of the mountain, and a bird defacated a palm seed while visting the oasis. One palm led to another, and voila, a water-stoked oasis on top of a rocky cliff/mountain with palm trees in every stage of life and decay. DIdn't count, but there were at least a hundred around a relatively small water hole. A very cool place that I've not been able to find (we tried at least once) since we first visited. A drone will lead you to it!

[@jimmaillet1504]

Happy New Year to you and your Family

[@TrailRecon]

Happy New Year!

[@ronaldspins]

Marco could be the greatest over landing chef in the world , He should make a over landing cookbook , that would have lists and show the fine art of preparing ingredients beforehand ..Happy New Year

[@TrailRecon]

He has a cookbook: amzn.to/3i4cbOm

[@jeepinwithjulia]

Great video!

[@TrailRecon]

Thank you!

[@jamesgunther8804]

The JK is perfect, but I think you should try the livery look again. It would help break up some of the silver.

[@Stuka87]

Looks like both issues may be addressed by adding a bit of bump stop up front. The mayo bit made me chuckle, as everytime I take people to higher elevations they have the same thing happen. Followed by the bottles getting squeezed on the way down.

[@insaynbcr]

I always hand overpressurized bottles to someone watching me prep food to open for me in an effort to "help" me prep. Gets them every time!

[@MichaelCarrPilot]

New Year, new Intro! Nicr

[@scottstone4948]

My jeep is set up much the same way as your JK. I don’t really worry much about the tires getting into the fenders. Those look like poison spyder fenders, and if so, they can take a lot of abuse. I would worry about the tires hitting the frame. Either wider axles, which you probably don’t want to do, or spacers, will help a lot. My jeep is different, because I am on true 40’s, but I also have full width tons and hydraulic assist steering. The steering is actually a limiting factor for me.

[@nicholasnguyen9346]

Hey Brad! Great content as always. Any suggestions for the wobble? I’ve been experiencing it on my 2020 JT. Taking it back to the dealer soon but wanted to pick your brain. Was thinking of possibly going for the 2in Mopar lift since it comes with better shocks, keeps the warranty and allows me the 35s I’ve been wanting for a while. I’ve read online that a lot of the stock parts don’t really do the job. Any insight would be great or if you possibly have a previous video that addresses this? Thank you! I hope to off road with my son in the future.