CybertruckDV
Well-known member
- First Name
- Louie
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2025
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- 3
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- 69
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- 113
- Location
- Newbury Park
- Vehicles
- Model Y AWD, Model 3 RWD, Cybertruck AWD
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- Analyst
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- #1
Just took a road trip to the Eastern Sierras this past weekend. SoCal had a week long rainstorm so expected muddy terrain on dirt roads and snow up in the mountains.
Day 1 - Bishop to CalTech/NJT Owens Valley Radio Observatory
-- Aired down to 30 psi. Used the Off Road All Purpose mode. Took the Warm Springs Rd and dirt road all the way to the observatory. Tires handled really well in dry dirt roads. There were some large and deep pools of water with mud. On deep muds, I felt the tires slipped a little bit but CT was able to keep it straight with no problems. Ride was comfortable.
Day 1 - Snowy climbed to the Ancient Bristlcone Park in the White Mountains.
-- Didn't air down for this as I was not expecting heavy snow at the top. Road is paved all the way but snow gets heavier as you go higher. Tires handled shallow packed snow well with little slippage. At 9k ft, snow got deeper at least 1 ft of snow on the road. I saw CRV with AWD got stuck up there but it has all season tires. I don't know what he was thinking why he still drove up there. Tried to help him with my traction boards but his tires wont bite. As for my tires, the tires had grip all the way to 2 ft of semi-packed snow. I saw no fresh tire tracks up further so I decided not to continue and turned back. No slippage on tires with 50 psi. I could have probably made it to the top at 11k ft if I pushed it and aired down but I do not have alot of experience driving in heavy snow. And since I saw no fresh tire tracks up there, I don't want to risk getting stuck up there. There's no cell coverage there too. And the one thing that scared me is the going back part where I have to drive downhill on roads I'm not familiar with especially covered in snow. The Pirellis are very capable in the snow, this was more skill issue than tires.
Day 1 - Alabama Hills
-- Aired down to 35 psi. Truck was in Off Road All Purpose mode. Mostly dirt roads with some deep ruts. Tires handled well as this is a well maintained dirt road. It got a little gnarly when I ventured further in. Encountered 3 deep dips. The CT can fit inside the dips easily like if you leave the truck inside the dip and covered it with sand, you wont notice that the truck is buried in it. The truck made it with no problems. Set the suspension to Very High. No slippage on climbing up that hole at all. Tires had excellent grip.
Day 2 - Lake Crowley Stone Columns
-- Aired down to 30 psi. Truck was in Gravel/Snow mode. I didn't expect snow slush and mud on the way for miles. Tires handled well. Felt the tire slipped a little one time but that's about it. The CT's off road mode is excellent. When I was airing down, I saw a Tacoma and a 4Runner past me by with all terrain tires. It was probably 10 mins after they passed that I finished airing down. I didn't see them air down. Long story short, I caught up to them and drove past them and they had to pull over to give way to me.
After the slushy road, came the dirt road with deep ruts. It is known that High Clearance and 4WD is a must if you want to take your vehicle all the way to the nearest parking lot on the trail or else you will hike 2 miles one way to get to the columns. We are talking about steep climbs with deep ruts on the way up. For seasoned off-roaders, this is probably moderate for them. This was the first time I drove the truck on this kind of terrain. On the most challenging section, a Subaru Crossover didn't make it. Even one of the best AWD won't make that final climb. It's just too steep of a climb and ruts are deep. Of course, the CT just ate that up. No slippage at all. The Tacoma and a Tundra all 4x4 with all terrain tires made it without problems as well.
Day 3 - Trona Pinnacles
-- Aired down to 35 psi. Truck was in All Purpose mode. There was a very muddy part where some SUVs got scared crossing it. We actually tried to go here on Day 0 while on the way to Bishop, but there were guys in a Jeep Gladiator with All Terrain tires waiting before the muddy area told me that it was very muddy on the way and saw 2 vehicles got stuck in the mud and had to call AAA. And it had all terrain tires too. So we decided to just come back on the way home. This place is very nice to practice off roading for beginners. Well maintained dirt road with some ruts with some sands and rocks to climb. Tires had no problems in this area. The most challenging part was the muddy section but the tires proved to be more than capable. On the way back, the GPS took us in a different route to Randsburg Wash Rd. There is a uphill with loose rocks section. Rocks are different sizes the biggest ones probably the size of a dog's head. Tires had no problem with it.
Conclusion:
I've been to Glamis 3 weeks before this. And the tires handled so good in sand dunes with Baja mode. Aired down to 20 psi. I saw a youtube video a guy in a CT with Pirelli's climbed the Oldsmobile hill convincingly.
I was really surprised that the Pirellis handled all those road conditions really well. I know that those are not difficult terrains but most CT owners aren't even going to do what I just did. The dips and slopes in the videos don't do justice how scary they are for novice off roaders. My truck was caked in mud and took me the whole to the whole day to clean it up. For CT owners with the Pirelli Scorpion ATR tires out there, you can off road with it just don't do rock climbs (or it probably can). The key is to air down. The CT's Overland modes are excellent. It made a novice like me seems like I know what I was doing out there haha. I know the KO3s and other all terrain tires will be better but those aren't cheap. You can basically have fun off-roading with the Pirellis.
Day 1 - Bishop to CalTech/NJT Owens Valley Radio Observatory
-- Aired down to 30 psi. Used the Off Road All Purpose mode. Took the Warm Springs Rd and dirt road all the way to the observatory. Tires handled really well in dry dirt roads. There were some large and deep pools of water with mud. On deep muds, I felt the tires slipped a little bit but CT was able to keep it straight with no problems. Ride was comfortable.
Day 1 - Snowy climbed to the Ancient Bristlcone Park in the White Mountains.
-- Didn't air down for this as I was not expecting heavy snow at the top. Road is paved all the way but snow gets heavier as you go higher. Tires handled shallow packed snow well with little slippage. At 9k ft, snow got deeper at least 1 ft of snow on the road. I saw CRV with AWD got stuck up there but it has all season tires. I don't know what he was thinking why he still drove up there. Tried to help him with my traction boards but his tires wont bite. As for my tires, the tires had grip all the way to 2 ft of semi-packed snow. I saw no fresh tire tracks up further so I decided not to continue and turned back. No slippage on tires with 50 psi. I could have probably made it to the top at 11k ft if I pushed it and aired down but I do not have alot of experience driving in heavy snow. And since I saw no fresh tire tracks up there, I don't want to risk getting stuck up there. There's no cell coverage there too. And the one thing that scared me is the going back part where I have to drive downhill on roads I'm not familiar with especially covered in snow. The Pirellis are very capable in the snow, this was more skill issue than tires.
Day 1 - Alabama Hills
-- Aired down to 35 psi. Truck was in Off Road All Purpose mode. Mostly dirt roads with some deep ruts. Tires handled well as this is a well maintained dirt road. It got a little gnarly when I ventured further in. Encountered 3 deep dips. The CT can fit inside the dips easily like if you leave the truck inside the dip and covered it with sand, you wont notice that the truck is buried in it. The truck made it with no problems. Set the suspension to Very High. No slippage on climbing up that hole at all. Tires had excellent grip.
Day 2 - Lake Crowley Stone Columns
-- Aired down to 30 psi. Truck was in Gravel/Snow mode. I didn't expect snow slush and mud on the way for miles. Tires handled well. Felt the tire slipped a little one time but that's about it. The CT's off road mode is excellent. When I was airing down, I saw a Tacoma and a 4Runner past me by with all terrain tires. It was probably 10 mins after they passed that I finished airing down. I didn't see them air down. Long story short, I caught up to them and drove past them and they had to pull over to give way to me.
After the slushy road, came the dirt road with deep ruts. It is known that High Clearance and 4WD is a must if you want to take your vehicle all the way to the nearest parking lot on the trail or else you will hike 2 miles one way to get to the columns. We are talking about steep climbs with deep ruts on the way up. For seasoned off-roaders, this is probably moderate for them. This was the first time I drove the truck on this kind of terrain. On the most challenging section, a Subaru Crossover didn't make it. Even one of the best AWD won't make that final climb. It's just too steep of a climb and ruts are deep. Of course, the CT just ate that up. No slippage at all. The Tacoma and a Tundra all 4x4 with all terrain tires made it without problems as well.
Day 3 - Trona Pinnacles
-- Aired down to 35 psi. Truck was in All Purpose mode. There was a very muddy part where some SUVs got scared crossing it. We actually tried to go here on Day 0 while on the way to Bishop, but there were guys in a Jeep Gladiator with All Terrain tires waiting before the muddy area told me that it was very muddy on the way and saw 2 vehicles got stuck in the mud and had to call AAA. And it had all terrain tires too. So we decided to just come back on the way home. This place is very nice to practice off roading for beginners. Well maintained dirt road with some ruts with some sands and rocks to climb. Tires had no problems in this area. The most challenging part was the muddy section but the tires proved to be more than capable. On the way back, the GPS took us in a different route to Randsburg Wash Rd. There is a uphill with loose rocks section. Rocks are different sizes the biggest ones probably the size of a dog's head. Tires had no problem with it.
Conclusion:
I've been to Glamis 3 weeks before this. And the tires handled so good in sand dunes with Baja mode. Aired down to 20 psi. I saw a youtube video a guy in a CT with Pirelli's climbed the Oldsmobile hill convincingly.
I was really surprised that the Pirellis handled all those road conditions really well. I know that those are not difficult terrains but most CT owners aren't even going to do what I just did. The dips and slopes in the videos don't do justice how scary they are for novice off roaders. My truck was caked in mud and took me the whole to the whole day to clean it up. For CT owners with the Pirelli Scorpion ATR tires out there, you can off road with it just don't do rock climbs (or it probably can). The key is to air down. The CT's Overland modes are excellent. It made a novice like me seems like I know what I was doing out there haha. I know the KO3s and other all terrain tires will be better but those aren't cheap. You can basically have fun off-roading with the Pirellis.
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30 to 50 psi probably took 3 mins per tire. Then I deflate using those tire deflator with the gauge. Nothing fancy. Not bad at all.
