Long Journey Spanning Continents in a Subaru Crosstrek: A Series of Exhilarating Off-Road Explorations
The TransAmerica Trail (TAT), a 5,000-mile off-pavement adventure route crossing the United States, has been successfully navigated by a Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. This compact SUV, known for its all-wheel drive and off-pavement capabilities, proved to be a worthy contender on the challenging TAT.
Navigating the TAT
The TAT, which traverses the country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, is designed for legally traveled public roads with some private property permissions. Navigation can be done using official maps, roll-charts, or GPS tracks. Originally intended for dual-sport motorcycles, the trail has increasingly been used by four-wheel drive vehicles such as trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs [1][2][4].
Sam Correro, a Mississippi pharmacist and adventure motorcycle enthusiast, mapped and created the TAT in the mid-1980s [3]. The journey consists primarily of unpaved roads, including dirt, gravel, forest paths, and farm roads, with occasional paved sections. The route offers a mix of scenic vistas, challenging rural terrain, and diverse weather conditions [1][3][4].
Modifying the Crosstrek Wilderness
To make the Crosstrek Wilderness more suitable for the TAT, modifications were made. These included the addition of underbody armor, wheels, tires, suspension upgrades, lighting, storage, vehicle recovery equipment, camping gear, and off-grid power [2]. The car's size presented space limitations, but with careful planning, it was manageable.
Overcoming Obstacles
The journey had 39 total deviations due to various obstacles such as downed trees, closed roads, washed-out bridges, flooding, wildfires, and a sinkhole [4]. Despite these challenges, the Crosstrek Wilderness was successful in summiting several 10,000+ foot passes and completing trails in Moab, Utah, including Gemini Bridges [4].
Essential Equipment
Primitive Racing's skid plates and BFGoodrich tires were essential for protecting the underbody and providing off-road capabilities [4]. The RiG'd swing-away tire setup helped maximize space for additional gear [4]. Quad Lock mounts were used to secure phones while navigating [4].
The Journey's Details
The TAT journey took 29 days, covering 7,163 miles, with 3,184 miles being unpaved [4]. Across 15 states, 23 nights were spent in a rooftop tent [4]. The journey was navigated using paper maps, GPX files, and onX to check dispersed camping, wildfires, and trail conditions [4].
A Worthy Compact Overlanding Platform
The Crosstrek Wilderness, despite its size, struggled on extremely steep and narrow switchbacks at high elevations due to a loss of power and lack of oxygen [4]. However, it proved to be a worthy compact overlanding platform, withstanding unexpected obstacles without breaking anything [4].
Official Information
Officially, TAT runs east to west, with the starting point for a transcontinental journey being the Atlantic Ocean Spur in Nags Head, N.C. [1]. The journey ends at the Pacific Ocean Spur in Port Orford, Ore., covering approximately 7,100 miles [1].
Powering Off-Grid
The Ecoflow DELTA 3 Plus and 800W Alternator Charger were effective for off-grid power, allowing for the car's starting and the ARB fridge/freezer to function properly [5].
References:
[1] https://transamericatrail.com/ [2] https://www.motortrend.com/news/2022-subaru-crosstrek-wilderness-off-road-review/ [3] https://www.adventuremotorcycling.com/articles/trans-america-trail-history [4] https://www.off-road.com/news/2022/07/12/subaru-crosstrek-wilderness-tackles-transamerica-trail/ [5] https://www.ecoflow.com/
The Crosstrek Wilderness, equipped with portable power solutions such as the Ecoflow DELTA 3 Plus and 800W Alternator Charger, navigated the TAT efficiently, maintaining essential appliances like the ARB fridge/freezer operational off-grid. This adventure highlighted the versatility of the TAT, which caters to a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs, as observed in multiple sports. The exciting journey through the TransAmerica Trail passed through 15 states, including steep and narrow switchbacks at high elevations that presented challenges even for compact vehicles like the Crosstrek Wilderness. The adventure was planned meticulously, considering space limitations while incorporating essential equipment such as Primitive Racing's skid plates, BFGoodrich tires, RiG'd swing-away tire setup, and Quad Lock mounts. Despite the occasional obstacles like downed trees, closed roads, and flooding, the Crosstrek Wilderness stood up to the challenges, reflecting the adventurous lifestyle embraced by backpackers, campers, and travelers alike who embark on such sports-filled adventures, including car expeditions and sports-betting struggles.
