WooHoo! I'm an off-road 4x4 driver!! - Montana Owners Club

sreigle · 03-31-2006, 08:31 AM

Well, that's probably very relative. We don't do the really serious 4x4 roads but got ourselves into a couple of them recently that are labeled "moderate" in the guidebooks. One of them is a 4 on some scale that ranks from 1 to 8.

On this one I wasn't sure our pure stock Ford would handle it but four wheel low climbed right over this with no protest at all. By the way, this picture makes it look a lot easier than it actually was...

That, above, is Willow Flats Road, which starts in Arches National Park. This part is the higher rated part and is outside (west of) the park.

The following is Shafer Trail, which starts near the entrance to Canyonlands National park. These switchbacks (no duallies here!) go for four miles and drop 2400 feet to the canyon floor where it continues to a total of 18 miles and is a 4x4 only road. We averaged 6 mph on this one. We also stood on the spot where the Thunderbird shoots off the cliff in the movie Thelma and Louise. It's below Dead Horse Point. This is all in Utah.

Yeah, I know. None of this qualifies me as an off-road 4x4 driver but it was a lot of fun.

jrgwdenner · 03-31-2006, 08:45 AM

Remember your advanced age...... How did your passenger like the ride? You're having way too much fun.

OntMont · 03-31-2006, 08:45 AM

That looks like fun, Steve! How did Vicki take to it?

Did you get to flash lights at many Montanas on those routes?

John & Donna.

steves · 03-31-2006, 08:56 AM

WOW! If we ever get out in that area we will definitely have to try that trail.....quite impressive pictures.

vickir · 03-31-2006, 09:35 AM

I LOVED IT!!!

jrgwdenner · 03-31-2006, 09:39 AM

What a gal!

Parrothead · 03-31-2006, 09:42 AM

Looks like a lot of fun guys. Beautiful country. We didn't get to 4x4 when we were there. Almost makes one want a 4x4.
Happy trails.........................

sreigle · 03-31-2006, 09:48 AM

I'll tell you, they have some VERY serious 4x4 roads out here. Some of them go along little ledges where if you slip you fall many, many feet. Some, according to the book, say traction climbing the slickrock surface may be a problem. Those, friends, I'll just watch. Or maybe ride with someone who knows what they're doing and has the right equipment.

They have Hummer tours here so you can do those roads with the above criteria met. And they have Jeep rental places as well as ATV's. You should see all the ATV's and dirt bikes that come in here on the weekends. We're talking serious toy haulers coming into this rv park. And we've seen many older 4x4's all scratched up that are obviously weekend toys.

When we retire from fulltiming some day I'm going to have to seriously consider getting one of those toys.

Last week we did the La Sal Mountains Loop Road. This one is mostly paved but there was snow up there! The La Sal mountains go to almost 13,000 feet. We were probably at about 8500, maybe 9000 feet. The roads were plowed but were down to one lane. I remember telling Vicki if someone comes the other way we'll back to a wide spot because no way can I pull over. The road drops straight down from the edge but the snowplows piled snow on the edge and I can't tell where that edge is. Helen and Bill (Adelmoll) know about this road. Beautiful drive, though. At one point on this road there is a plaque. It points out dinosaur tracks in the area. I had a hard time telling the tracks from regular indentations in the rock, though.

edited - re-reading this, I better clarify. The dinosaur tracks are on the Willow Flats road, not the La Sal Mountain Loop road.

Mac · 03-31-2006, 09:58 AM

Steve,

How'd the Monty pull over those roads???

mac

CountryGuy · 03-31-2006, 11:23 AM

Steve, you answered my question before I got to ask it,. We will rent a 4 X 4 whenever we get the chance to get out there. That way Big Butt can sit safe and sound and we can still see the sights! More than one way to skin a cat, errrrrrrrrrrrrr, see the sights!

Joyce H · 03-31-2006, 11:58 AM

Steve & Vicki, Thanks so much for sharing your exciting adventure with us here on the forum! We will be in touch after our stay in St. Augustine,

Montana_5036 · 03-31-2006, 12:13 PM

Great shots and it always looks easier on pictures. Sue and I are serious 4 wheelers and have been down there two times doing some of the more serious trails. We did'nt roll, but one jeep with us went over backwards and rolled end over end three times down about 100 ft. No one hurt (we have full roll cages) except it totaled the jeep. If you are ever down there go to the Market parking lot in Moab first thing in the morning and you can hook up with folks that know the area. It can be easy to get lost on some of the trail.

Montana_2913 · 03-31-2006, 01:16 PM

Those are beautiful pictures. My boys are standing behind me and noticing you mentioned ATV's......now they are drooling

Camping and ATV riding are our 2 favorite sports! Getting too hot here in Florida to ride though. Once the temps start hitting the mid 80's it is too hot for a helmut.
Looks like you are having a blast!

sreigle · 03-31-2006, 01:34 PM

Mac - funny guy!

Carol, there are plenty of places big butt can go that you can enjoy. But renting a jeep for the others would be a lot of fun.

Joyce, looking forward to it!

Badgoat, would that be the City Market parking lot? The grocery store? I think I would enjoy doing what you folks do, assuming I had the experience and the right equipment. Since I have your attention, do you think my Stock F250 crewcab shortbed with 4x4 and Off Road package (meaning a bit more clearance and skid plates) could handle the Chicken Corners Trail? How about Gemini Bridges? I get differing opinions in the different books I've read. Oh, factor in my novice status, too. I'm sure you folks would find the roads we did very tame but for us it was exciting!

Sixcampers, thanks for comments on the pictures. Unfortunately, to keep size down for posting here I had to cut quality to 50%. There are ATV's all over this place. Every day we're in town we see several flatbed trailers with at least four SERIOUS ATV's onboard coming through. If you like to ATV, this is a good place for it.

Sunshine · 03-31-2006, 01:39 PM

You are a brave man, Steve. A few years ago we went to Moab when hubby's son lived there and was guiding. We had our Jeep Wrangler and he drove us on the road (I'm being generous - it seemed more like a goat trail) that goes over Halelujia Pass (I had another name for it) and down into the valley through which the Colorado River runs and where the camel ranch is located. This area is visible from Dead Horse Point and the Canyonlands area. The scenery was beautiful, and the experience a once in a lifetime thing for me. Ever since that trip I have a serious problem with mountain roads, and hubby says I look like a monkey hanging from the chicken handles in the truck whenever we travel one!!!

We do want to return to the Moab area one day though and see more of the sight. One of the things we enjoyed was seeing all the dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs and watching the rock climbers.

bob n pam · 03-31-2006, 01:41 PM

We took a jeep tour when we were in Moab many years ago and it was teeth jarring, but I loved it. Got to see some really beautiful sights. I love that area. The breeze across your face almost feels like a caress it has so much life to it.

adelmoll · 03-31-2006, 01:54 PM

So glad to hear you are enjoying the area as much as we did. Have you been to Dead Horse State Park yet. That is another beautiful place. It made me cry when I learned the story. Helen

vickir · 03-31-2006, 02:09 PM

Karen ... was the road you're describing the Chicken Corners trail, that begins on Kane Creek Road? Steve thinks that's the one that goes through the Hallelujah Pass. We're thinking about taking this drive, but we may want to re-think it.

We love watching the rock climbers too. In fact, yesterday when we were coming home from the Devil's Garden area we saw four climbers on top of the Three Gossips. We sat and watched them with our binoculars for quite awhile as two of them went across on a line between pillars. What was kind of cool was when Steve was "processing" my pictures for the day, he noticed on the pictures I took of the Three Gossips during our lunch break (we were parked at the LaSal Mountain Viewpoint), you could see the climbers on top! And we hadn't noticed them during our lunch.

Moab is great ... I highly recommend it!

sreigle · 04-01-2006, 04:30 AM

Helen, yes, Dead Horse Point State Park was one of our first forays outside of Arches. What a gorgeous place! We also were saddened to learn how it got its name but at least it wasn't as bad as I surmised.

We have been here 2 1/2 weeks and have less than 2 weeks left here. I know we're going to have to come back some day. Next up is Cannonville, UT, near Bryce Canyon. We'll have a month there and really look forward to seeing that national park as well as the Escalante Grand Staircase area. No doubt there is much more in that area we're not yet aware of. We'll take two days to get there, taking time to stop and enjoy the scenic turnouts as well as do a short tour of the Natural Bridges National Monument. The park assures me it's no problem towing the Montana on that loop road and that we can see nearly everything from the road pullouts since we will only be there a short time.

Karen, I'm not sure 'brave' is the right adjective. "Dumb" and "nuts" come to mind.

Every time I see a post from you folks I remember the rodeos. Hope you are continuing to enjoy them.

Sunshine · 04-01-2006, 04:49 AM

Vickie, I'm not sure what the name of the road/trail is that we were on, but it wound up the sides of some of the mesas, over the pass, then down into the valley. I was elated when we got over the pass and down the other side 'cause I thought we would just go out another way. Wrong! The only way out was the way we came in.

Virgil's son did guiding there in Moab and the outfitters take bigger vehicles on that trail. You might want to check with some locals before starting out.

Steve, I think brave covers it - and adventurous. That country down there is so beautiful, and there is so much to see, that's why we need to go back. You will enjoy Bryce and Zion too. We're hoping to see Escalante Grand Staircase and more of the natural wonders in that part of Utah/AZ either this fall or next spring. We haven't been to any bull riding events yet this year - will attend one in Nampa, ID the end of April - probably our only live event this season - too many other places to take the Montana! Looking forward to seeing you folks in Mt. Shasta - you'll be there, won't you? Safe travels.

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