Eddie, I really enjoyed this post and series of great pictures! Several years back I went with a group of friends (6 vehicles) from California (My wife and I are from Arizona) to run the Rubicon and Fordyce. None of us had ever done Fordyce and, of course we were on our own as it wasn't during the annual run. Our guide book said it would take us about 5 hours so we were in no hurry to get to the trail head. We arrived and began our trek at about 10 am. At winch hill #1 the oldest vehicle (CJ5) among our group broke a spring perch and it was downhill from there. I found myself thrust into the lead and 2 of our six jeeps got off the trail at 4 am the next morning. I negotiated winch hills 3-5 in the dark and at various points my wife was walking in the lead with a flashlight to recommend lines and make sure we stayed on the trail. On winch hill 4 the CJ again lost his spring from the jury rigged perch and the last 4 vehicles decided to wait until dawn to try to fix him again. My wife and I and the Jeep behind us went on into Truckee, after getting up winch hill #5 (I turned slightly early and actually climbed the rounded slick rock and then jagged boulder to the left of your jeep in your hill 5 photo) and brought back a thermos of coffee and some donuts for those who had waited on the trail for dawn. I have attached a photo of my 01 TJ going thru water crossing 2. (Terra Flex 4" long arm suspension, 5:38 gears, ARB lockers Front and Rear, 4-1 crawl box and many other extras but only 35" tires. [I notice you recommend nothing smaller than 37's in your post, now]) Not too deep, until the hole right before exiting, but water was really moving fast.
Hell of a story but pretty common on Fordyce. There is no question in my mind that if you take all the winch hills, it is a much tougher trail than the Rubicon and one that only seems to get tougher with each passing year.