Day 3
We went to the carwash to clean the oil off Eric’s Jeep, then headed up Gemini Bridges to Metal Masher. Being a Saturday there was some traffic on the trail but not that bad.
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We made good time up to Rock Chucker; both Aaron and Eric gave it a shot but it’s super dug out and they couldn’t climb the final ledge. I didn’t even try with the lack of a transfer case skid plate.
It was a beautiful day!
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We continued on to the overlook where we had lunch and I flew the Phantom around. Then we continued on our way. Aaron wanted to give Widow Maker a try, so Aaron and Eric headed that direction while Rick, Drake and myself ran around the exit of Widow Marker so I could winch them up if needed. Turns out there is a newly installed winch anchor at the top, but it was still a fun detour.
Aaron tried several lines, but it was just too dug out to make it up. You pretty much need a buggy (or at least some sticky tires) to get up. Aaron ended up winching and Eric followed shortly after.
Day 4
It was Sunday and Aaron had to head home, we all got packed up and ready to go. The plan was to run Hell’s Revenge that morning, then head up to Top of the World. Drake decided to ride his trials bike instead of taking the Comanche, so it was just Rick, Eric and myself in vehicles. As we started up the trail we saw a large line of vehicles waiting at the gate to get inside Sand Flats, so we headed directly towards Hell’s Gate.
Rick decided to skip Hell’s Gate (I don’t blame him), so he stayed at the top while Eric and myself dropped down the entrance that leads to the bottom. I’ve always wanted to get aerial footage of how steep it really is, so I broke out the Phantom and got it hovering in a good spot then drove up. At the top I was able to catch Eric driving up, it was an amazing shot! Unfortunately when I got home and looked at the footage it had stopped recording part way through. It was having a lot of magnetic interference being down inside the canyon walls, so that might have been the problem, or the controller might have gotten bumped inside the truck. I’m going to give it another shot next time I’m out there and the trail isn’t so busy.
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And here is a screen shot right before the Phantom stopped recording, Rick is in the blue shirt on the right side of the screen.
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Getting out of the Hell’s Gate/Colorado River Overlook spur proved to be a small challenge with all the traffic (we probably spent 20 minutes waiting for all the vehicles and UTV’s to pass by), but once we got past them we pretty much had the rest of the trail to ourselves. Eric wanted to try Escalator, so we broke out the camera’s and watched the show! He drove it without any assistance, but had to adjust his line a couple times.
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Tip over Challenge
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