2016 Rock Therapy: Trails

I haz raffle goodies for youz guyz... I'll unload them on you when I get there.

 

Hey Joe was on my short list of easier trails, too, but I scratched it for a couple reasons... first, everything that I read said that the tamarisk is thick along the river sections and you can expect your paint to get torn up (I'm picturing Kane Creek type of brush)... and second, the main attraction / destination of that trail is an abandoned mine site at the top of Hey Joe Canyon that used to have an open mine adit where you could enter and explore the mine shafts (and see sulfur and uranium veins), as well as a bunch of abandoned equipment. The equipment is still there, but they have since closed the entrance to the mine to prevent entry.

 

Up Rose Garden.

 

Been following the conversations and was wondering what your guys rigs are like or what the trail rating was for TOTW!? From what I have seen this being my first trip to Moab, the videos and pictures make that run a MUST for me!! I've got a winch if I need to limp up or over something to make it to the top....... haha, this bitch of mine doesn't have a choice! (My tuck, not women..... but I guess at times I might get them confused haha)

 

I always thought wheeling rig and good paint were mutually exclusive.

I have no concern about pin striping, but did read about not being able to explore the mine anymore.

In.

 

@bigbirch887 this will be my first time to moab for off roading as well so TOTW is a must for me, my rig is mildly built, i could probably handle a lot of the harder stuff but with this being my first trip i want to ease into it. I have a link in my sig for my build. I think @bigfella13 if comparable to my rig

 

Need redemption for this mess.

 

What about redemption for this mess?

 

I will be redeemed if I keep it all together this year. But, I could be persuaded to take another go at it.

 

We went 2 years ago with my buddy in his 2 door JK. I couldn't make it past the washouts so I ended up parking and riding with him. He made it through 2 of them barely... Breaking his tire carrier off in the process. Then the brush got so thick is tore his softtop. We walked the rest of the way. You wouldn't be able to avoid scratches on a dirtbike. The old equipment was cool but man it stunk up there. Found some old grouding wires but no mine entrances. I heard of people getting uranium poisoning (lockjaw) from visiting the mines... not sure how true that is. My buddy said it happened to his brother the year previous.

 

Trails I would like to do:
Hell's Revenge (I think I'm ready to try the gate)
Elephant Hill
Rest of Trifecta (golden spike & gold bar rim)
7 Mile Rim
Maybe a forested trail?
Cliffhanger sounds terrifying...

 

Sound like fun


But seriously, wonder why the conflicting information. FunTreks books has it as difficult. Trail Damage is 3-4. Both says the vegitation change year to year, but I really couldn't care less about my paint. Only one way to find out I guess....

 

Let me get in here..My truck I'm pretty sure has the most scratches and more coming. As for trails I'm fairly open but would like to mix it up with some new faces. We did only the first part of behind the rocks last year, I'd like to complete that trail. Moab rim is a great trail, exposure and angle is great and several spots to increase your challenge. Flat iron mesa is a good one but I led us astray and we missed a few obstacles last year. Fins at night seams like the trail to defer to bc its a no brainer,,,maybe Strike ravine at night?? Some snow may sound good after a couiple 90 degree days.

Edit...I prefer to climb things too rather than big drops as an obstacle.

 

I'd be game for that... could get interesting.

They pretty much are, however if I'm going to give my paint a thrashing, I'd like there to be a fair reward on the other end. I've seen rusty graders and old trucks before, and I've seen more than my share of mining equipment in CO.

Thanks for the first hand report. That lockjaw thing sounds a little unsettling.

I think NYCO was saying earlier that a portion of Fins is closed at night.

 

From what I understand totw isn't too bad if you take it easy and drive with a head on your shoulders. If it's ur first time, I'd highly recommend hells revenge or fins and things to get used to wheeling in moab. Opens your eyes up big

I think it'll be fun man!

 

TOTW isn't a bad trail at all... I ran it by myself the last time I was out there for RT.

The trail splits into two sides near the top, though, forming a loop... the right side (going up, would be the left side coming down, west side) is pretty mellow, but the left side (going up, would be the right side coming down, east side) is nasty. I went up the west side of the loop and back down the east side of the loop. The ledges on the east side of the loop are big and I hit my rear bumper hard coming down nearly every one of them, as well as my sliders several times.

The easiest possible run would be up and down all all the west side of the loop... the hardest would be up and down all on the east side of the loop. You could mix it up as you see fit to do something in between.

 

I'm looking forward to any trail ride I can jump on and get to know the area like you said. Usually just exploring the woods up here in WA. I will have to keep an eye out for some of your trucks and maybe link up and hit some trails together. My truck is mildly built also and it has gotten me some places....... just missing some skids which would prob slow me down a little bit this trip. Thanks for the input guys!

 

I'm comparable. Except I have 4 banger power to leave you all in the dust

 

My plan is get there Thursday and maybe do a night run depending on the plan, TOTW on Friday, Fins on Sat (maybe cliffhanger if I have the right group and have the balls), possible a short trail Sunday morn before i head back home

 

It is interesting. The drive down there was awesome! Sweet views. Get to see a crushed truck at the bottom and old recovery cables anchored at the top.

Right. He said it lasted almost a week. freaky stuff.

On the way down from TOTW I smashed my bumper and skids so much more as well... Funny how that works