Morrison Jeep Trail July 30th & 31st (1 Viewer)

[80 Sack]

Pucker Fest 2016 is almost here! On July 30th & 31st, we will make the voyage to Clark, Wyoming and hit one of the craziest trails out there. The Morrison Jeep Trail. I just got back today from running it with Adam S. Crazy. Epic. Scary. Amazing. Fun!!!

The Good:
It is the most beautiful scenery you could imagine. The trail really is not that technical, but really fun. You might make it through with no damage*.

The Bad, and The Ugly:
*You might damage your vehicle. There is a nasty boulder on one of the switchbacks that will scratch your sliders. I got impatient with it, hit the gas and tore off a fender flare. I think I could have avoided it. It is exposed. Very exposed. Very little room for error. The switchbacks are tight. The best way to do some of the switchbacks is backwards....yes, backwards. If you have anything longer than a Land Cruiser, you're in for a real challenge. If you're afraid of heights, scratching your truck, or not good on steep sections with your clutch, this might not be a good trail to do.

This is a really fun trail with a high pucker factor. Totally doable! If you are up for THE best trail around, You need to come along!!

We will have two options for meeting. One group will leave Friday Evening, and camp out at the trail head. Leaving at 6 and arriving around 9. the second group will leave at 6am on Saturday and arrive around 9. Please bring a friend, as we will need some spotters.

We NEED to know who plans to attend so we can coordinate appropriately. Please respond by Thursday if you will attend.

 

[80 Sack]

Here is a link to the Morrison Jeep Trail Recon Pics.

 

[elkun1]

TC, are we camping sat. nite? Steep stuff on pass. side? Write me down for 2

 

[80 Sack]

TC, are we camping sat. nite? Steep stuff on pass. side? Write me down for 2

Yes. We will be camping on Saturday night. Friday night as well if you elect to drive that evening. Do plan to bring enough water for the entire weekend.

 

[ttFJC]

Hello, This is Aaron.
Did you take a picture of the boulder that got you? Shorter wheelbase on an FJ should make it easier right? Was width a factor?

 

[80 Sack]

Here is a link to the Morrison Jeep Trail Recon Pics.

If you look closely at picture 16-18, you can see the switchbacks.

 

[80 Sack]

Hello, This is Aaron.
Did you take a picture of the boulder that got you? Shorter wheelbase on an FJ should make it easier right? Was width a factor?

We didn't get too many pics up there. It was a lot of work! Here is a link on Expedition Portal with a great write up on the trip. You'll need to scroll down a little bit. The width might push your slider into it a bit more, but being short I would think it doable. There is one section after the switchbacks that gets pretty narrow with a couple off camber rolls. You'll need to pay extra attention there. It would be nice for everyone to have a passenger to spot the side!

 

[elkun1]

enough water? depend on what breaks, 3 hrs to get there, thats with your new lc's, how about us that drive the lowly 40's. Has Stephen gotten his 40 ready?

 

[MontanAdam]

I'll echo a couple points and perhaps provide a bit more detail...

"Crazy. Epic. Scary. Amazing. Fun!!!" Absolutely all of the above, I did my research well beforehand and it definitely exceeded all my expectations.

"There is a nasty boulder on one of the switchbacks that will scratch your sliders." Bold for emphasis, we could not find a line around this one without slider contact, in my case it was either my slider kickout or my slider sliding down an angle on the bolder that allowed me to finally bounce around it. Without a very short wheelbase vehicle I don't see some slider contact being avoidable.

"If you have anything longer than a Land Cruiser, you're in for a real challenge." My 05 Tacoma Access cab has a 127.8" wheelbase and is 208" long in total according to edmunds. It was a serious challenge to get around some of the switch backs, multiple attempts, different angles, forwards, backwards, and 5+ point turns. There were a few that had me uncertain if I'd end up making it around at all.

"Very little room for error...not good on steep sections with your clutch" Manual transmission here, with the narrow and steep switchbacks and massive drop offs the consequences are extreme with roll back. My clutch start cancel and current gearing weren't enough on the steep sections to get a start without roll back so expect to slip the clutch a decent amount.

All that being said, it's an incredible trail, stunning vistas, adrenaline pumping sections, and fun wheeling provide a great trip and real sense of accomplishment. It wasn't easy with a truck my size, but it was definitely worth the effort.

 

[80 Sack]

enough water? depend on what breaks, 3 hrs to get there, thats with your new lc's, how about us that drive the lowly 40's. Has Stephen gotten his 40 ready?

If you come up Friday, we'll go slow. If you come up Saturday, You'll want to leave a little earlier. Directions to the trail head are pretty easy. We will definitely want to get an early start.

I'll echo a couple points and perhaps provide a bit more detail...

"Crazy. Epic. Scary. Amazing. Fun!!!" Absolutely all of the above, I did my research well beforehand and it definitely exceeded all my expectations.

"There is a nasty boulder on one of the switchbacks that will scratch your sliders." Bold for emphasis, we could not find a line around this one without slider contact, in my case it was either my slider kickout or my slider sliding down an angle on the bolder that allowed me to finally bounce around it. Without a very short wheelbase vehicle I don't see some slider contact being avoidable.

"If you have anything longer than a Land Cruiser, you're in for a real challenge." My 05 Tacoma Access cab has a 127.8" wheelbase and is 208" long in total according to edmunds. It was a serious challenge to get around some of the switch backs, multiple attempts, different angles, forwards, backwards, and 5+ point turns. There were a few that had me uncertain if I'd end up making it around at all.

"Very little room for error...not good on steep sections with your clutch" Manual transmission here, with the narrow and steep switchbacks and massive drop offs the consequences are extreme with roll back. My clutch start cancel and current gearing weren't enough on the steep sections to get a start without roll back so expect to slip the clutch a decent amount.

All that being said, it's an incredible trail, stunning vistas, adrenaline pumping sections, and fun wheeling provide a great trip and real sense of accomplishment. It wasn't easy with a truck my size, but it was definitely worth the effort.

Yes. With 2 points.
1. I think the boulder switch back could be done in reverse. We may not need to try to turn around it. Maybe...
2. The clutch worry could be dealt with by using the parking brake too. The 40's and 60's will work great with this. It's what we did taking off from a start on a steep hill in SF. Not sure how the electronic stuff works on the newer vehicles.

Also, make sure your parking brake is in good shape...you'll need it on this trail!

 

[80 Sack]

We forgot the best part of the trip. We were just a few switchbacks from the top, and there was a UTV waiting for us to keep moving up so they could pass. Adam and I pulled our vehicles into pull outs to let them by. As Adam is getting his truck pulled off, the guy comes over and says "There's no way you guys can keep going and you'll need to turn around" ?? I ask him why and he replies "You'll never get around the next two switchbacks. And are you trying to go to The Top of the World?" I replied yes, and that we were going out to connect with the Beartooth Highway.

After he tells us of the massive boulders we will encounter, we finishes with "They call this a jeep trail because people bring Jeeps up here. Highly equipped specialty trucks. It's impassible without a winch!"

We thanked him for the info, and drove to the Beartooth Highway. I guess he didn't know that a highly modified, specialty Heep....sorry, Jeep with a winch = stock Toyota with a lift and sliders.

 

[elkun1]

Still can't find my e brake handle! only thing still missing from the project, that and no sliders sounds like fun. Wife is thinking fri. , depends on if i have to work or not.

 

[ttFJC]

this must be the boulder your referring too.
doesn't seem so bad!

I'm most likely going to be there.

if you say that my bone stock daily driver FJ with a 6MT can make it, I'm game. Ive got sliders, almost new tires, and plenty of clutch left. Why not?

Someone is going to have to explain to me how the clutch start thing works. i understand it in theory, but never seen it used in practice.

 

[80 Sack]

Still can't find my e brake handle! only thing still missing from the project, that and no sliders sounds like fun. Wife is thinking fri. , depends on if i have to work or not.

The 40 will eat this trail up. Hopefully all can drive down Fri night.

this must be the boulder your referring too.
doesn't seem so bad!

I'm most likely going to be there.

if you say that my bone stock daily driver FJ with a 6MT can make it, I'm game. Ive got sliders, almost new tires, and plenty of clutch left. Why not?

Someone is going to have to explain to me how the clutch start thing works. i understand it in theory, but never seen it used in practice.

View attachment 1296185

That is the boulder. Not that menacing, but a puzzle to get around. I don't think you'll have any issues. Again, a little slider damage will probably happen, but it will be superficial!

 

[nohermosa]

This is Mike... Count me in +1 Navigator. I am super excited! We will leave Friday night. Do we have a Friday evening meeting place yet?

 

[80 Sack]

This is Mike... Count me in +1 Navigator. I am super excited! We will leave Friday night. Do we have a Friday evening meeting place yet?

Glad you're in, buddy! Let's plan on a Target meet up.

Also, as everyone signs up, please let us know if you're coming on Friday eve, or dawn patrol on Saturday. Note too if you have a winch, recovery gear, and CB or Ham.

 

[secretasiansam]

Megan and I are in. We may meet you there friday night. We need to scope out a camp spot for an upcoming trip with her family. I have recovery gear and a come along. No winch. No trail communication.

 

[NyNomad]

Undecided. Currently in Vail. Moab is a 4 hr drive

 

[Make it]

Count me in, and rob too with his green truggy. I want to be in the slower group, especially if that is friday night. TC you mentioned a 3 hour commute; my computer tells me its 150 miles away so that's 50 mph, which is perfect for me, unless I'm wrong in how far it is and I should leave even earlier?

 

[Make it]

Oh, I'll have cb and an illegal vhf, ha ha. I'm leaving my 8000 lb winch at home and putting on a 5000 lb winch. Its actually off a barbie jeep...Its just for pulling weeds, not stumps...so don't get stuck! Last laughs on me though if it won't get my little bucket unstuck : (