That’s funny we were told the same thing. When I asked about body damage and the tight spots I was told that there are bypasses. Now I had seen a little video and some pics but they did not do the trail justice at all.
If there are a lot of different trails and bypasses I didn’t see them. Then again we moved through very quickly. I saw maybe three bypasses at some of the very tight spots (the ones where I was touching the fender flare on one side and maybe had about ¾” on the other). Two of the so called bypasses had become so eroded that you needed min. 37s and lots of clearance to even try it. The other one was at million dollar drop, this one was also badly eroded but doable. Being in a low center of gravity long wheel base truck the way to go was the drop not the bypass and it was nothing like the drop down hells gate. However jeeps often take the so called bypass just to be safe.
I found that my 80 with a 2.5” lift and 33s and weight well over 7,000lbs to be way out of its element. It was fun but very stressful and a true test of man a machine. I’m not saying that it is easy but taking a smaller lighter shot wheel base truck thru there with professional drivers and spotters staking rocks all day and into the night is to entirely different things. We staked no rocks and lift loon at about 9:30 and rolled into the springs by 5:30 I think. There was times like on hill climbs were the 80s shined as we watched heavily modified jeeps on 40s get sideways on a hill that we just went right up but, for the most part the jeeps and 40s are better suited for this kind of tail.
I would ride with someone or hike to trail first. Never let your guard down, remove the front swaybar and consider yourself lucky to come out with just a dent.
Sam
If there are a lot of different trails and bypasses I didn’t see them. Then again we moved through very quickly. I saw maybe three bypasses at some of the very tight spots (the ones where I was touching the fender flare on one side and maybe had about ¾” on the other). Two of the so called bypasses had become so eroded that you needed min. 37s and lots of clearance to even try it. The other one was at million dollar drop, this one was also badly eroded but doable. Being in a low center of gravity long wheel base truck the way to go was the drop not the bypass and it was nothing like the drop down hells gate. However jeeps often take the so called bypass just to be safe.
I found that my 80 with a 2.5” lift and 33s and weight well over 7,000lbs to be way out of its element. It was fun but very stressful and a true test of man a machine. I’m not saying that it is easy but taking a smaller lighter shot wheel base truck thru there with professional drivers and spotters staking rocks all day and into the night is to entirely different things. We staked no rocks and lift loon at about 9:30 and rolled into the springs by 5:30 I think. There was times like on hill climbs were the 80s shined as we watched heavily modified jeeps on 40s get sideways on a hill that we just went right up but, for the most part the jeeps and 40s are better suited for this kind of tail.
I would ride with someone or hike to trail first. Never let your guard down, remove the front swaybar and consider yourself lucky to come out with just a dent.
Sam
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