3 rigs on the run. My XJ, Drew's JKU sport on 35s, and another friend with a JKU rubicon on 33s.

Left Obexers at about 10:30 due to some people hitting traffic. Headed up blackwood canyon.  The trail was nice until the switchback near the summit.  The first switchback climbs and then turns left around a tree.  The trail was washed out so after making the turn you had to cross a 3ft ditch on super silty soil on about a 30 degree slope.  The rubicon was sent ahead since lockers were necessary and then tow strapped us across.  The next 1/4 mile was rough and the rock step was totally blown out.  For the last 10 years the rock step has been a steep but easy obstacle with clean jagged rock allowing an easy climb.  This past winter water got into the rocks and froze pushing out the previously anchored stone.  The rock step is now much looser with cobbles and gravel breaking traction. 

There was tons of smoke in the air from a fire down south so rather than head to ellis peak we grabbed lunch at bear lake.  There were plenty of people in the area but we were able to find a free spot along the water for lunch.  Though pricey (like anything at Tahoe), the sandwiches were amazing due to the maple and brown sugar bacon that Obexers makes in-house.  After a quick swim to get the silt off we headed out 003-004 which drops you on the Rubicon just before miller meadow.  We then had a smooth exit out of the rubicon.

Once at the Rubicon staging area an issue with the JKU Rubicon became apparent, it wouldnt shift out of 4-low.  Turns out the plastic clip that holds the shifter cable to the transfer case shattered.  Due to running the undercloak skid plate system we had to squirt some water out of a water bottle onto the exhaust to cool it off enough to squeeze a hand in there.  This allowed us to shift the transfer case easily and hit the road.  Drew and my friend hit the road about 3pm and were home shortly after 5.

I hung out in the area for a few hours and hit the road about 5:30.  Around 6pm i was driving through camp richardson and went through a substantial hail storm with marble sized hail.  Vehicles were parking under trees and after about 10 minutes there was standing water with hail floating in it on the shoulders of the road as the ditches were overflowing.