Moab questions.

[slander]

me and my buddies are planning a trip out to moab this summer for a week. What trails will you guys recomend? The jeeps will be a Longarmed zj on 33s locked in the rear, My yj locked f/r and half an SOA and 33's, and a tj on 32s locked on one end. We will be looking for moderate to hard trails, nothing extreme tho. What trails are the "must do" in moab?? Need answers from the experts

thanks
Geoff

[Handlebars]

My first suggestion would be to get TJRON to go with you- he has done every trail out there. If that doesn't work, the next best thing is to get Charles A. Wells' book "Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive trails".

Some good moderate/hard trails- Start out with Kane Creek Canyon. Not too hard and the scenery will knock your socks off. Bring $2 per vehicle because you enter through private land and that is what he charges.

The next day run Hell's Revenge. Sometimes the trail can be hard to follow so the book and a GPS help here. Keep an eye out for Mickey's Hot Tub, Hell's Gate and the Escalator, optional hardcore obstacles. Exiting the trail, head over to Lion's Back, you'll have to pay 5 bucks per vehicle to get in. It is intimidating but easy to drive, as long as you don't look off the side.

By now you should be ready for the big off-camber ledges of Moab Rim. This is not for those with vertigo, you will be on a shelf road, very off-camber, with only the Colorado River to break your fall. You should be done by lunch, giving you plenty of time top browse the t-shirt shops along Main Street.

By now you should be pretty good at sandstone ledges so get up early to do the Poison Spider/Golden Spike/Gold Bar Rim marathon. It offers lots of slickrock, plenty of ledges and the famous Golden Crack. If all goes well, this will take most of the day, if not, well you might be camping out there.

Be sure to bring spare parts, the high traction and extreme grades of the trail is hard on drivetrain and steering components. Don't ask me how I know! A full set of axles and steering linkage should be in your group if you are still running stock stuff.

[slander]

nice thanks man , that would be badass if TJRON could come with. We will all have 44/30 combo on our jeeps, and im already stocking up on parts. IF anybody else wants to chime in feel free.

Thanks
Geoff

[Joe Dillard]

I spent ~1 week with TJRON (and a small handfull of others), in Moab. We did so many trails I can't remember 1/2 of them. We wheeled every day from ~7:00AM till ~5:00PM. One day we started at ~8:00AM & didn't return to camp till ~2:00AM the next day! This particular day we ran Lower Helldorado, Behind The Rocks, & Pritchett Canyon all in 1 outing.

Depending on my work sched, I might be up for this run!

BTW, bring LOTS of water!!! Moab will often be close to 100* in the summer time. We did this run in August & temps were ~90* which wasn't too bad.

I'll see if I can dig up a really nice website that shlingdawg sent me. It has TONS of info.

EDIT: Here it is, enjoy. http://www.moab-utah.com/

[RipCurl]

We're looking at the week of July 19-27. We'd probably get there on Monday the 21st, and leave Friday the 25th. We'll be camping the whole time. Hotels are expensive... I'll probably be buying $400 worth of replacement spare parts when I get back anyways

[Handlebars]

For the really cush camping go to either Slickrock Campground or Canyonlands Campground. Cabins with a/c are ~30 bucks a night and they have laundry facilities and showers included. Make your reservations now!

[Joe Dillard]

Originally posted by Handlebars
For the really cush camping go to either Slickrock Campground or Canyonlands Campground.

We stayed at Canyonlands. Nicely ran place & has a swimming pool too which my family & I enjoyed.

I had an RV spot which was long enough for the trailer I used too. Price was ~$22 a day & included full hook-ups & cable TV.

TJRON likes to stay at Spanish Trails. It's off the beaten path & not too fancy, but a pleasent place to camp also.

[RipCurl]

Originally posted by Handlebars
Cabins with a/c are ~30 bucks a night and they have laundry facilities and showers included.

Camping?!? Sounds like a resort!

[Handlebars]

Hey- that is one of the things that makes Moab a 4wheeler mecca!

[Stu Olson]

If you have a spare day and want to take in a fun trail that has scenery second to none, do Cliff Hanger. It is on my "do it every year" list of Moab trails.

[Joe Dillard]

Originally posted by RipCurl
We're looking at the week of July 19-27. We'd probably get there on Monday the 21st, and leave Friday the 25th.

Bummer for me. My current work schedule puts me in Japan from 11-26 July. I'll have to bow-out on this one unless something changes.

[TJRON]

Cheap camping can be had at the Sand Flats Recreation area or along the River North of Moab. You'll be paying the Sand Flats fee any how to do Hell's Revenge and Fins and Things.
I would take a day and do Fins and Things and Hell's Revenge for a start. Hack off any tailpipe that can get hung up if you have to back up off a steep fin (slick rock out cropping). This commonly happens and accordians the exhaust system.
The next day I would do Poison Spider/Golden Spike/Gold Bar Rim. This would be a long day.
This two days will give you an idea of the best scenery Moab has to offer. Plenty of challenging obstacles but nothing you can't do. Lots of off trail "extra credits" if you need more challenges.
If these trails go well you might want to up the challenge a bit and do Cliff Hanger. It's beath taking and not really too hard but some obstacles will take a good line to get over.
Don't forget that a drive through Canyon Lands and the Arches is a great way to spend a day on the pavement! Fees of course.
I don't think you can go wrong in Moab. All the trails are fun and the town is a trip in itself!
I wish I could go but I think we will be elsewhere. You never no though!
Have fun,
Ron

[Qubicon]

My suggestion is to get Handlebars on the trail
with you. He is so close now, that all he needs
is an excuse to go I recommend Fins and Things,
Poison Spider/Golden Spike/GoldBar Rim, and Hells
Revenge as must do runs. Hells Revenge has some
optional stuff, like Mickey's HotTub(a personal
favorite) and Hells Gate. On the last run, we had
an unlocked TJ go through these trails with little
trouble. He even crossed the Golden Crack with
only a little spotting,(Good Job John!) and the
view/photo op at the top of Gold Bar Rim makes it
all worthwhile. Let me know when you guys are
going, I need an excuse also. Moab Rim, no matter
how easy people tell me it is, Just scares me! I
will do it, but just haven't yet. Theres just so
much to do there that I could stay a year, and
still have more to see. I'll stop rambling now

[Handlebars]

Originally posted by Qubicon
Moab Rim, no matter
how easy people tell me it is, Just scares me! I
will do it, but just haven't yet

Your butt is MINE, spring of 04!

One cool thing about this board is the edit timer. You have 30 minutes to edit your post, then it stays here FOREVER!

Mua ha ha haaaaaa!

Soooo, can I count you in for next year?

[blkTJ]

2004, Moab rim? I'm in... I'm just to ignorant to know what I'm in for. Hey what's this I hear about the greenies closing down poison spider mesa?

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Handlebars
Your butt is MINE, spring of 04!

One cool thing about this board is the edit timer. You have 30 minutes to edit your post, then it stays here FOREVER!

Mua ha ha haaaaaa!

Soooo, can I count you in for next year?

You guys should try and make the JU run in the spring. It's very informal and you can form your own groups. There is no JU bull**** to spoil your fun. There's lots of folks with lots of parts, tools, and know how if your Jeep breaks. Support can be nice.
Try it, I think you'll like it!

[Handlebars]

I'd much rather 'wheel with all of my old friends from SoCal in the spring. You, my friend are welcome to join us, though! I need somebody to do Moab Rim and Cliffhanger with anyways.




Brian- get the straight skinny on the Poison Spider "trail closure" here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthrea...&threadid=4356

[Stu Olson]

Given that a goodly number of folks here also frequent JU, that is kind of a hit up side the head. All forums have a place.....if JU didn't exist, maybe they would all be over here. LOL


I've only met a couple of JUers at the annual Moab run that I did not care to share a trail with. That percentage is no less nor more than what I have encountered at the local clubs here in AZ )actually the percentage here is higher!). One thing you are over looking.....the 99.9% of the JUers never make it to Moab (some 40ish people out of how many tens of thousands?) IMO, the ones that show up to wheel at Moab would be there regardless of it being the annual JU run or not. This just gives us an easy schedule by which to all get there during the same week. This year, I had 3 TJs and a YJ from Phoenix go up with my wife and I....none of them are/were JU members. You could ask them if they had a good time! LOL

[TJRON]

I usually wheel at the JU runs with Hans, Boulder Bob, Steve and anyone that wants to join us. None of these guys frequent JU. They're just looking for peopl they know to wheel with.

Linyee too when he shows up.
ScottyY2K too when he shows up.
Jim B too when he shows up.

[Handlebars]

Stu and Ron- I'm not knocking the JU people, I just like having the chance to spend the week with all of my old friends that I now only see once a year, and best of all I don't have to set foot in Los Angeles to do it.

Sooooo... how about that fall Monument Valley trip to spend some time with my new friends?

[Stu Olson]

A Monument Valley run.....am I correct in assuming that these are the permitted runs that require the presence of a local gude and such?

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Handlebars
I just like having the chance to spend the week with all of my old friends that I now only see once a year, and best of all I don't have to set foot in Los Angeles to do it.

I think Stu would agree, that's exactly what we are doing.

Some I see twice a year.

[Handlebars]

Originally posted by Stu Olson
A Monument Valley run.....am I correct in assuming that these are the permitted runs that require the presence of a local gude and such?

Yes, maybe Robert or Ron can give more details?

[Qubicon]

So does that mean that you dont want to run it
with the NAXJA guys this fall? I have a feeling
that I will be there for the weekend. Its so much
easier commuting to the trails in the Jeep that
the drive to Moab isn't such an obstacle anymore.
Oh yeah, there's a big sale going on at the
Ontario Convention center this weekend. I am
most likely going to increase my elevation.
Any opinions on the Skyjacker 8" with 35's or 37's
I am used to 33's and was about to take
my old Mint Julip to the next level, so why not
just do the Jeep once.

[blkTJ]

Dave, you may want to post that question in the Jeep Friends forum as it's own thread.

see ya tonight.

Brian.

[Robert J. Yates]

I see Monument Valley mentioned. I want to do it and maybe hit Canyon De Chelle too. Why don't we talk about some dates and then see where it goes. I am up for something in mid/late October - seems to me thats when it will cool down a bit during the day but not be to terribly cold at night.

BTW, Alex, while backing away from your slap on the JU folks you managed to get one in on us LA flatlanders (as TJRon calls us) - somebody ought to hand you some boot sole to chew on

[Scratch]

I may be in for a monument valley run. It sounds like fun.
Bob

[slander]

thanks for hijacking my thread. So whos coming to moab with us midwesterners. Thanks for the helpful info guys.

[Handlebars]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates

BTW, Alex, while backing away from your slap on the JU folks you managed to get one in on us LA flatlanders (as TJRon calls us) - somebody ought to hand you some boot sole to chew on

Hey, all of my best friends are from LA! The only problem is the 18 million other people I have to wade through to get to them. It's a much better deal (for me) to see them in Moab. A big plus- there is a lot more 'wheeling in Moab than in Los Angeles!

Sorry Slander, uhhhh BTT!