Nothing Special's Moab trip, 2019

[Gary Lewis]

.... But the one on Hell's Revenge is scary. No way I'm going to get into that kind of climb - in anything. That rollover was awful to watch. And his position didn't seem that bad until it rolled. So the others may have been close to rolling as well.

Did I miss something? I don't recall a rollover in the

video I linked. And I just scanned through it again and didn't see a rollover. At what point in the video did you see it? Or are you thinking back to the "

" video I linked earlier?

Apparently I let it roll over, pun intended, to Heart Attack Hill as I just watched Hell's Revenge again and it isn't there.

What I saw was an orange jeep with a good-sized guy go over in the background of a video. They'd put a bright spot on him in the background so your attention was taken there. And then they used one Jeep below to pull him back over and three above to stead him.

So, Hell's Revenge isn't too bad. I think I could do that.

[Nothing Special]

.... So, Hell's Revenge isn't too bad. I think I could do that.

It looks like the Hell's Revenge video "rolls over" (groan) to a NotaRubicon video of a trail called "

" in the Johnson Valley OHV area in California. I haven't watched that video recently, but I took a quick look now and it does have the orange Jeep, highlighted, rolling in the background.

I've never been to Johnson Valley, but I've read about it in magazines pretty frequently, and have watched videos (but not recently). My impression is that most, if not all of the trails there are well above my pay grade! So no, I'm not recommending that for you!

And as I noted, 'most everything after about 5:30 in the Hell's Revenge video shows optional harder lines, or even side trails. I didn't do any of them, and I'm not recommending them to you either! But the first 5 minutes shows mostly what it's really like, and like you, I think you could do it. But right away in the video is the fin that's right at the start of the trail. That's the one that, from my trail report, you thought Janey might veto. I think the video shows that pretty well. It's not difficult, but there's definitely some "pucker factor" to it!

 

[Gary Lewis]

.... So, Hell's Revenge isn't too bad. I think I could do that.

It looks like the Hell's Revenge video "rolls over" (groan) to a NotaRubicon video of a trail called "

" in the Johnson Valley OHV area in California. I haven't watched that video recently, but I took a quick look now and it does have the orange Jeep, highlighted, rolling in the background.I've never been to Johnson Valley, but I've read about it in magazines pretty frequently, and have watched videos (but not recently). My impression is that most, if not all of the trails there are well above my pay grade! So no, I'm not recommending that for you!And as I noted, 'most everything after about 5:30 in the Hell's Revenge video shows optional harder lines, or even side trails. I didn't do any of them, and I'm not recommending them to you either! But the first 5 minutes shows mostly what it's really like, and like you, I think you could do it. But right away in the video is the fin that's right at the start of the trail. That's the one that, from my trail report, you thought Janey might veto. I think the video shows that pretty well. It's not difficult, but there's definitely some "pucker factor" to it!

Yes, that's the one! (And for anyone else looking, I'm embedding it below and starting it at the point we are talking about.) That stuff is WELL above my or Big Blue's pay grade.

 

As for Hell's Revenge, the fin isn't quite so bad when you see it in the larger context. At least, it doesn't look so bad on a computer screen. But through the windshield.... Perhaps on Day 3 or so of a trip.

 

[Nothing Special]

Yes, that's the one! (And for anyone else looking, I'm embedding it below and starting it at the point we are talking about.) That stuff is WELL above my or Big Blue's pay grade.

 

As for Hell's Revenge, the fin isn't quite so bad when you see it in the larger context. At least, it doesn't look so bad on a computer screen. But through the windshield.... Perhaps on Day 3 or so of a trip.

 

I finally started a YouTube channel so now I can post videos of the 'wheeling trips I've been taking. I'll edit the videos in back in this thread where they fit for anyone going through the thread in the future, but I'll also post them here so people don't have to go back through the whole thread now to see them.We didn't get any video of Hell's Revenge on day 1, or our brief attempt at Poison Spider on day 2. But here's a little video of Fins N Things on day 2 (and here's the discussion of day 2 back in this thread)It starts with a steep optional climb about halfway through the trail, and ends with what's probably the scariest part of the trail that doesn't have a bypass. It's a steep descent that makes you drop one front tire well before the other, which feels really spooky.About the hardest thing about 'wheeling on this trail is getting confidence in the traction you get on slickrock. It seems like there's no way you could go up that hill, but when you actually do it turns out to be pretty easy.Next is Top of the World. This video starts with the hill that I ended up needing to winch on. There's not a lot showing my trying to drive up it, but you can see that even with the front locker engaged it wasn't going to be easy. Again, the steepness doesn't show very well, but when the Bronco started hopping it was pretty spooky, so I really didn't try too much before rigging the winch.There are a number of places that show the value of a front locker. One is at about 2:40 where I couldn't make it at first, but did get up with the locker engaged. Shortly after that is a demonstration of the technique of "bumping it" to get the back tires up. Interestingly, I had made it up that ledge easily just before when Lesley had the still camera. Then I backed down to get video of going up. I must have been on a slightly different line this time.Then from about 6:45 to the end of the video I'm going down the alternative to the hill I winched on on the way up. As you are coming up on this it looks like the left route is a bypass, but it's just easier at first with the steep climb with a ledge at the top. When I did stop and winch I was pretty sure I'd have been able to make it up the side I eventually went down. But I didn't really relish the idea of backing down from where I was, and I did have a winch... (and here's the post on Top of the World from this thread)This last video is from our last day, Sevenmile Rim. This was a relatively easy trail. I'm not saying it's just a dirt road, but we were ready to not be pushing ourselves now at the end of the trip. The last scene in this video is driving down a steep hill to get to Uranium Arch where we had lunch. In the still at the very end you can see the arch as we drive by above it. (and here's the post on Sevenmile Rim)

[Gary Lewis]

I finally started a YouTube channel so now I can post videos of the 'wheeling trips I've been taking. I'll edit the videos in back in this thread where they fit for anyone going through the thread in the future, but I'll also post them here so people don't have to go back through the whole thread now to see them.

We didn't get any video of Hell's Revenge on day 1, or our brief attempt at Poison Spider on day 2. But here's a little video of Fins N Things on day 2 (and here's the discussion of day 2 back in this thread)

It starts with a steep optional climb about halfway through the trail, and ends with what's probably the scariest part of the trail that doesn't have a bypass. It's a steep descent that makes you drop one front tire well before the other, which feels really spooky.

About the hardest thing about 'wheeling on this trail is getting confidence in the traction you get on slickrock. It seems like there's no way you could go up that hill, but when you actually do it turns out to be pretty easy.

Next is Top of the World. This video starts with the hill that I ended up needing to winch on. There's not a lot showing my trying to drive up it, but you can see that even with the front locker engaged it wasn't going to be easy. Again, the steepness doesn't show very well, but when the Bronco started hopping it was pretty spooky, so I really didn't try too much before rigging the winch.

There are a number of places that show the value of a front locker. One is at about 2:40 where I couldn't make it at first, but did get up with the locker engaged. Shortly after that is a demonstration of the technique of "bumping it" to get the back tires up. Interestingly, I had made it up that ledge easily just before when Lesley had the still camera. Then I backed down to get video of going up. I must have been on a slightly different line this time.

Then from about 6:45 to the end of the video I'm going down the alternative to the hill I winched on on the way up. As you are coming up on this it looks like the left route is a bypass, but it's just easier at first with the steep climb with a ledge at the top. When I did stop and winch I was pretty sure I'd have been able to make it up the side I eventually went down. But I didn't really relish the idea of backing down from where I was, and I did have a winch... (and here's the post on Top of the World from this thread)

This last video is from our last day, Sevenmile Rim. This was a relatively easy trail. I'm not saying it's just a dirt road, but we were ready to not be pushing ourselves now at the end of the trip. The last scene in this video is driving down a steep hill to get to Uranium Arch where we had lunch. In the still at the very end you can see the arch as we drive by above it. (and here's the post on Sevenmile Rim)

I appreciate the videos on Moab. I'm really interested in going there, and being able to watch your videos helps me a bunch.

• Fins N Things: You make it look easy! Apparently it is steep, although not all that rocky, but the stone gives the tires plenty of traction? Looking like something Big Blue could do?

• Top Of The World: There are a number of steps in this that make it seem very hard. You have enough approach angle to handle it, but it is still tough to get up over. But even the down sections are STEEP.

• Sevenmile Rim: No, that isn't a dirt road. There are some really steep sections in there. And several large steps. But the Bronco just motors on up, or down as the case may be.

[Nothing Special]

I appreciate the videos on Moab. I'm really interested in going there, and being able to watch your videos helps me a bunch.

• Fins N Things: You make it look easy! Apparently it is steep, although not all that rocky, but the stone gives the tires plenty of traction? Looking like something Big Blue could do?

• Top Of The World: There are a number of steps in this that make it seem very hard. You have enough approach angle to handle it, but it is still tough to get up over. But even the down sections are STEEP.

• Sevenmile Rim: No, that isn't a dirt road. There are some really steep sections in there. And several large steps. But the Bronco just motors on up, or down as the case may be.

Fins N Things - For the most part this trail is pretty big and open and wouldn't be any trouble for Big Blue. There are some places where break-over angle might bite you, and a lot of places where departure angle might. But those aren't deal-breaking problems. Not saying you'll definitely be able to get by everything, but keeping in mind my mantra of keeping it fun and living to 'wheel another day, I think it's a trail you could reliably get off in one piece.

It will be spooky at times though! Especially the fins at the end. Those are optional, you drive out into them a ways and then come back to where you started. Also as you come off each fin you typically have the option of turning back at that point. But there are a number of places there where you very well might decide to leave them for another trip.

Top of the World - I don't think Big Blue's approach angle will be a big hindrance here. His approach angle isn't bad and I think most of the ledges are low enough his front bumper will clear anyway. He might drag his tail a bit coming back down. Anyway, look back in what I said about it earlier in this thread when it was still fresh in my mind.

Sevenmile Rim - This was definitely the easiest trail we were on, but it was still a legitimate trail. However it wasn't very tight so it would be easy to turn back any time you felt you should. Maybe the biggest issue was that it was in a big maze of trails, so finding your way back out could be an issue. Some sort of mapping GPS or app helps a lot here.