Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek: Where and How to Take Yours Off-Roading
SHARP & Nissan
Making your initial muddy tracks into the world of off-roading can be a daunting proposition and there’s a lot to learn along the way. Thankfully, your new Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek backs you up for rugged journeys with a selection of targeted upgrades designed to add capability confidence.
Key among these are a wheel and tire combination designed to withstand the rigours of driving through challenging terrain, a lifted suspension that’s off-road calibrated, and a Drive Mode Selector which puts situation-specific off-road tools at your fingertips for optimal, fine-tuned performance in a range of off-road settings.
Leveraging decades of experience with 4×4 and off-road vehicles, it’s all designed to make off-roading easier, more enjoyable, and less stressful—regardless of skill level.
Before venturing out into new territory for the first time, it’s important to cover a few bases. Below, we’ll cover some tips to prepare yourself and your vehicle for the job, as well as some resources and websites to help you connect with the right trails, communities, and events to kick off years of off-road adventure.
Before You Hit the Trails
A little preparation goes a long way towards confident off-roading. Before your first serious off-pavement adventure, it’s important to have some basics covered.
The starting point for successful and stress-free off-road adventures is your Pathfinder Rock Creek’s owner’s manual.
Here, you’ll find specific instructions and information on all of its off-road features and functions, tips and pointers on where and how to use each one, and the limitations of each.
Once you’ve committed these to memory, it’s time to start planning your first adventure.
Be sure to pack a fully charged smartphone, battery bank, shovel, work gloves, a flashlight (ideally with a magnetic base), an old blanket and some tow straps as a bare minimum. All these items can quickly become indispensable if you or one of your fellow off-road adventurers needs assistance along the way.
Knowing you’re prepared to deal with surprises and challenges is a great way to spend more time enjoying the adventure with lower stress levels.
Consider keeping your off-road toolkit in a durable plastic storage bin or pail that can be easily stored in your shed or garage but carried along with you when you hit the trails. Alternatively, you can transport off-road gear in a roof-mounted storage box, since the Pathfinder Rock Creek comes standard with a tubular roof-rack inspired by the Nissan’s famous racing trucks. It has a 220-pound load capacity.
Finally, don’t forget to let a friend or loved one know your plan of action before you leave.
Find Some Friends
Some drivers prefer solo off-roading as a means of getting away from the stress of everyday life and to relax and connect with nature. Others prefer to off-road in a group, which comes with the confidence of being backed up by friends with similar vehicles and interests. When you’re off-roading in a group, experiences and tips can be shared and new friendships forged. The choice is yours, but remember that first-time off-roaders learning the ropes can gain a lot of knowledge by venturing out with a group of like-minded drivers.
Check out Facebook, Reddit, or an online off-roading community to help connect with new friends and events like weekend day trips and holiday adventures.
Many off-road communities and web forums have regional sub-forums where members from specific parts of the country can connect, plan meets and events, and share experiences and advice. Consider joining an online forum or becoming a part of a regional off-road club or association to make solid connections with other enthusiasts, and you’ll likely make connections that’ll power years of adventure.
Familiarize Yourself
Start by taking things slow and easy, seeking out light to moderate trails after checking with friends, online community members and regional groups for recommendations.
As your skill levels, experience and sense of adventure grow, you’ll venture into terrain that’s more and more challenging, where the use of the Pathfinder Rock Creek’s specialized drive modes becomes more important.
Every off-road voyage you make, no matter how light or challenging, adds skills and experience to your mental toolbox while fostering the connection between you and your machine.
Work within your capabilities and learn to let your Pathfinder Rock Creek do the work for you, allowing its specialized systems and functions to help guide your adventure.
When Caution Is Required
Extra care is required in at least two off-road situations you’ll likely encounter in your adventures.
Need to cross a body of water or tackle a steep incline or decline? Be sure to stop, scope things out, assess the situation and formulate a plan before proceeding.
Crossing water is not an issue for your SUV if you’re keenly aware of the limits of your machine and know exactly what to expect.
Your owner’s manual lists specific instructions and depth limits for crossing water. Before entering the water, get out of your vehicle and assess the situation. Confirm the water’s depth, using polarized sunglasses to see ‘through’ the water to the surface beneath a stick or pole to physically probe the depth of the water and surface beneath it. If the surface beneath the water is rocky, gravelly, or otherwise solid, there’s less risk than if it’s sandy, soft or muddy.
If the water is flowing, extreme caution is required, and you may need to find a different route. Do not attempt to cross a body of water without knowing exactly what you’re about to drive through. Very shallow flowing water is of little concern, but deeper flowing water is a strong signal to find an alternative route.
When safe to do so, proceed through the water in a slow and controlled manner, resisting the temptation to make a big splash. Driving through water is often best handled at a speed fast enough to maintain a little momentum, but slow enough to avoid forming a wake or any excessive splashing. Don’t speed through water, but don’t crawl through it either. Maintain steady throttle pressure to keep your vehicle’s speed slow and steady. Avoid stopping, or any sudden changes to vehicle speed in the process. If you need to turn back, simply stop the vehicle, and reverse out the way you came in.
Steep inclines can be another challenge.
Heading up a steep and slippery hill? Maintain throttle pressure in a way that keeps your speed steady. Increase throttle pressure slightly if the vehicle slows heading uphill. Be smooth and steady at the controls and avoid stopping—a little momentum is your friend.
Heading down a steep hill? Be sure to use the Pathfinder Rock Creek’s Hill Descent Control function, which automatically regulates vehicle speed while making aggressive descents. With this system engaged, vehicle speed is automatically controlled to prevent the machine from ‘running away’ down the hill, helping drivers maintain rock-solid control.
Always travel in straight lines up and down steep hills, never tackle these on an angle.
Finding your new favourite trail
A great way to find new trails to explore is to visit www.alltrails.com. This website is a search engine for trails across the country and allows users to find off-road trail options in their area, complete with photography, the ability to search by difficulty levels and nearby attractions, and even the likelihood of encountering other people while you’re out exploring.
Using the interactive map, you can track down trails in your current locale, or in an area you’re planning to visit. You’ll often discover trails that connect to other trail networks, opening your options for further exploring.
When searching new trails, be mindful that some trails are shared with cyclists, joggers, bird-watchers and the like. For instance, the Cheam Peak trail in British Columbia is primarily an off-road trail, though it’s also used as a hiking trail. Ontario’s Ganaraska Oak Ridges Trail is listed as an off-road trail, but is also used by bird watchers, horseback riders and hikers. Alternatively, the Gooderham OHV Trail in Highlands East Ontario is only listed by alltrails.com as an off-road trail.
For those on the West coast near Vancouver, checking out Forestry Service Roads (FSRs) can reveal some great off-road drives, especially when heading north near Squamish. On these roads, and any other trails you decide to visit, be sure to respect all signage and gates, double-checking maps along the way to be make sure you’re steering clear of private property.
To get you started, here’s a list of alltrails.com’s top-rated off-road trails in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Manitoba. Note the difficulty level of each as you plan your adventure and be sure to check out the scenery in the user-uploaded photos and reviews.
For further access to owner communities and additional tips, guidelines and trail suggestions, search for an off-road club or off-road association in your area. Canada is home to a multitude of such communities. Track down the ones closest to you by doing a web search for the term ‘off-road club’, followed by your town or province.
If you’re a Facebook user, the Canadian 4×4 Club is a great place to make new connections, too.
