Moab 2021 Trip Report (1 Viewer)

[TTViper]

I’ll be out in Moab June 20-26th. I plan on keeping my notes and photos in this thread, hopefully other first time visitors can find it a useful reference. I will also be spending a few weeks in the Denver/Colorado Springs area, so some of those local trail reports might slide into this thread as well. I’ll update the thread throughout the trip. If anyone else happens to be out this way right now, hit me up. This is my first time wheeling out west. I’ll be leading a group of friends throughout the trip. Most of my research on Moab has come from YouTube videos and Charles Wells’ book ‘Guide to Moab’.


My vehicle is a 2006 LX. Bumpers, full skids, sliders, 33s, and lockers front and rear.

My friend group that is with me is an assortment of vehicles. This group of guys became friends through motorcycle track days, and have now all picked up wheeling as a hobby as well. They are in general competent automotive enthusiasts, but in relation to wheeling, it’s a pretty green group. The crew:

1. My LX
2. 2x JLU Rubicons on 35s, one of them is the diesel
3. Gladiator Rubicon on 37s
4. GX470, 3” lift, ATRAC, 33s
5. A rental JLU, supposed to be on 37s

I think it’s a fun variety of vehicles and skill levels. It should provide for an entertaining trip report . We’ve got at least 4 days of planned wheeling. I don’t expect the entire group to stick with it the entire time, so I’ve planned the trails to get progressively more difficult.

Day 1: Elephant Hill (only a few of us will be in Moab on this first day)
Day 2: Fins n Things Hells Revenge
Day 3: Poison Spider Mesa, Golden Spike, Gold Bar Rim.
Day 4: Potentially Top of The Word OR Moab Rim. This depends on who sticks with the wheeling and who drops out.

I’m also planning to do a little hiking, probably in Arches, but wheeling is the priority. If anyone has any suggestions for the Moab area, feel free to drop some knowledge!

More to come!

 

[lacefro]

Looks awesome @TTViper !! I hope you guys have a blast!

 

[afgman786]

Looking forward to the photos/ videos to follow

 

[matzell]

Day 2 will be a good warm up. Day 3 will be your longest, pack lunch and dinner. That is an epic trail with some great views. Be sure to get the Moab book that tells you things to look for and trail markers. You may not even notice but you will be on Pig Rock and on the way home you will see Gooney Bird Rock just a few of the extras that many people never know about. I think Rick Russel wrote the book. Bring spares and tools to change them. Remember you do not have to try the hardest lines, just get through it and enjoy the views. Moab is on my top favorite places to wheel.

 

[TTViper]

Thanks for the info @matzell ! Depending on how the group is moving on day 3, I’m prepared to either cut out the Poison Spider loop, or just do the loop and save Gold Bar and Spike for another day.

Theres no shame in taking a bypass, especially when there’s a weeks worth of wheeling ahead of you.

 

[chudly]

Enjoy! Sounds amazing!

didn't know you had lockers F/R!

 

[afgman786]

Thanks for the info @matzell ! Depending on how the group is moving on day 3, I’m prepared to either cut out the Poison Spider loop, or just do the loop and save Gold Bar and Spike for another day.

Theres no shame in taking a bypass, especially when there’s a weeks worth of wheeling ahead of you.

# hard lines only man..

 

[Svensk120]

# hard lines only man..

dont listen to him... take what you want to take enjoy the trip and take loads of pics !!

 

[afgman786]

Where's the pics? Boo!

 

[TTViper]

Day 1: Elephant Hill

This was a very cool trail. As you leave the trail head parking lot you immediately climb some of the coolest switchbacks I’ve ever seen. Some of them are so narrow, that the recommended method is to actually back down and avoid trying a 10 point turn on the edge of a cliff. This trail is limited to 24 vehicles per day and you must get trip permits 24 hours in advance. The trail head is about 1.5 hours from Moab. We didn’t run into any other traffic on trail, which was refreshing compared to all the traffic on Hell’s Revenge.

The trail itself was not difficult. Some of the switchbacks are narrow enough so that there really is only one line you can take. The “slick rock” has grip for days, you may as well be driving on asphalt. Many times throughout the day, I would run with my center diff lock off, turning is easier with less binding of the driveline. There are a bunch of unique obstacles along the trail, with a few harder ones that are optional. After the switch backs you run through a sandy wash. Driving on the soft sand is a welcomed break from bouncing around on rocks all day. The “Devil’s Pocket” is a tight squeeze, but easy enough for the 100 where I never needed spot. After the squeeze there is some desert track. This is also a refreshing break and a fun spot to test out the IronMan Foam Cell Pros. Don’t go too fast, as there is a hole or two that will engulf your entire vehicle. The LX’s ABS works very well in the sand

More to come.

 

[TTViper]

Elephant Hill Part 2:

Shade is hard to come by.

There is a short hike called Joint Trail, this is absolutely worth doing in 105 degree heat. The hike takes you to a slot canyon, with many offshoots and caves to explore. Nature’s air conditioning is rushing through every crevice. This was the perfect cool down spot.

SOB Hill is a fun little obstacle that you have to do down and on the way back.

 

[TTViper]

Day 2: Hell’s Revenge

So this was pretty awesome.

It’s an iconic trail for a reason. Driving the slick rock fins is an experience everyone should do at least once. For the people in my group that aren’t familiar with wheeling, the fins were definitely their favorite part of riding or driving. Some of the fins like Launch Pad are so steep that a photo will never do them justice. The amount of grip that you have is mind blowing. The lockers really do feel unnecessary the majority of the time. ATRAC rarely even activates. You have plenty of traction, and when you think you are defying gravity, there’s still traction beyond what you’d expect.

Most of the trail is pretty easy. There’s a few optional obstacles to play on. The most difficult part is being careful as you crest the steep inclines, because all you can see is sky.

Hell’s Gate was a great time. The best part might of just been the people watching. No one was doing the obstacle, so we sent my LX to do it first and it quickly collected a crowd of people. The obstacle itself is not terribly difficult. A little finesse goes a long way. Once our group figured out the right line, each vehicle went up it easily. I should have much better pictures at some point, once my friend edits her’s.

 

[lacefro]

This is shaping up to be a quite a trip. Have you considered submitting a write up to TLCA? Thank you for sharing your adventure with us @TTViper !!

 

[TTViper]

Hell’s Revenge - The Escalator

This has by far been my favorite obstacle of the trip, and the only one I’ve thought twice about doing. We got to watch a SxS almost roll backwards, just before I tried it myself. He was successfully winched to the top. We had the diesel Jeep ready to winch, should I need the help. Thanks to my spotters, I breezed right up it. If the dimensions of my front bumper were larger in any way, it would have been a very painful attempt. The LX fit in that middle hole perfectly. I think the group of 14 Side x Sides were very disappointed to see me make it up without any drama.

 

[TTViper]

Poison Spider Mesa

We only did the Poison Spider loop today. We actually made great time today, but a group vote decided to save Gold Bar/Golden Spike for the next trip. I’m a little disappointed, but it’ll just motivate me to make another trip back out here.

I’m finding these trails to be easier than the descriptions and ratings. It’s just my perspective. It could be do to the Moab hype train. Or maybe they intentionally rate these trails as more difficult to discourage people from getting in over their heads.

That said, Poison Spider was still a blast. I’d recommend it highly and would not mind running it again. The ledges in the beginning are a fun playground, with many different lines to take. The Waterfall, V-Notch, and other slick rock obstacles all offer unique challenges. On top of the mesa there’s some high speed sections, a few areas of super soft sand. The overlook up top is a great view. Oh, and there’s a short walk down to Little Arch, it’s a must see. We took a bunch of noobs to ride along on this one, and the trail had everything they could ask for as part of their first wheeling experience.

Tip #1: If someone rents a Jeep in your party, make sure you are aware of the ‘Do Not Travel’ trail list as part of the rental agreement.

Tip #2: If you show the rental company that you easily completed The Escalator in a Lexus, they’ll give you permission to go do the “difficult” trails in their rental Jeep on 37s.

 

[matzell]

Hell’s Revenge - The Escalator

This has by far been my favorite obstacle of the trip, and the only one I’ve thought twice about doing. We got to watch a SxS almost roll backwards, just before I tried it myself. He was successfully winched to the top. We had the diesel Jeep ready to winch, should I need the help. Thanks to my spotters, I breezed right up it. If the dimensions of my front bumper were larger in any way, it would have been a very painful attempt. The LX fit in that middle hole perfectly. I think the group of 14 Side x Sides were very disappointed to see me make it up without any drama.
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Last time I did that one it had over a foot of water in the bottom hole, made it a little more difficult to say the least. Good job getting up it.

 

[Svensk120]

man that looks like a great time!!

 

[TTViper]

More Poison Spider

I think it’s a must do if you come out this way.

 

[76FJ40]

Why stack rocks when you can just drive over one of your buddies?

 

[TTViper]

Why stack rocks when you can just drive over one of your buddies?

It’s also more efficient than hauling traction boards all over the country, he drove out on his own dime