Moab Trip (May 15-18)

[rpontbriand]

ive found my wife has more confidence in my 4runner and my driving than I do. But then, I'm a chicken.

Really for my truck, the driver is the limiting factor at this point...

I do fine with the off road stuff and I tend to scare my wife. What you can't get from any picture or video is how steep hell's gate is. When you are at the bottom its quite f'd! The guy that took me up the run does it with ease and without a spotter. Crazy. Very impressed with anyone who does that run themselves especially in a new ride.

 

[Jimmy_D]

What you can't get from any picture or video is how steep hell's gate is

I think I've posted this picture before but it does do a pretty good job of illustrating how steep it is:

 

[3wbdriver]

I think I've posted this picture before but it does do a pretty good job of illustrating how steep it is:

I'm not going there. If one thing scares the bejesus out of me it is climbing steep hills off road. :faint2:

 

[rpontbriand]

That pic is actually one of the better ones that I have seen. By far, the scariest run I have ever been on. Again, I was just a passenger in that case. One thing is for sure, everything in Moab is cranked to "11."

My 4 year old son and myself had to convince my wife to stay in the Jeep and not walk up hells gate. Just showed her this pic and she shook her head and walked off. LOL.

 

[STX4Runner]

I think I've posted this picture before but it does do a pretty good job of illustrating how steep it is:

Yeah, and that FJ should have gone just a little more driver and he'd probably be ok. It looks like he's about to flop.

 

[jbstrd]

Impressive! I have been lucky enough to do that run with Moab legend Dan Mick several times and its a rush in someone else rig as a passenger. To chicken to do it myself!

It is an amazing rush for sure. This is my 3rd year running Hell's Gate, but the first time with the 4R. As I have mentioned, my usual wheeling rig is a '98 Tacoma extra cab. The difference in vehicle dynamics, especially on Hell's Gate is crazy. I was very nervous the first time up Hells Gate in my truck, but once I did it, I was driving up it needing very little help from a spotter. The thing about the long wheelbase trucks is that all of the weight is in the front. There is a lot of room for error since it is hard to lift a tire in truck. You definitely have to know the proper line with the shorter SUVs where all of the weight is biased towards the rear.

ive found my wife has more confidence in my 4runner and my driving than I do. But then, I'm a chicken.

Really for my truck, the driver is the limiting factor at this point...

My wife has confidence in my driving, she just did not want to see our rig topple to the bottom of the ravine.

I do fine with the off road stuff and I tend to scare my wife. What you can't get from any picture or video is how steep hell's gate is. When you are at the bottom its quite f'd! The guy that took me up the run does it with ease and without a spotter. Crazy. Very impressed with anyone who does that run themselves especially in a new ride.

Yea, Hell's Gate, or all of Hell's Revenge for that matter, needs to be seen in person to truly appreciate. It is still my favorite trail in Moab for sure.

I think I've posted this picture before but it does do a pretty good job of illustrating how steep it is:

Jim, that does capture the perspective pretty well. It sucks how the pics and video take the reality out of it quite a bit.

 

[Jimmy_D]

This is what can happen on the Gate if you make a mistake (a wheeling buddy who came up it right after I did it and used a little too much throttle.......and yes, this is the exact same spot we've been discussing):

 

[jbstrd]

This is what can happen on the Gate if you make a mistake (a wheeling buddy who came up it right after I did it and used a little too much throttle.......and yes, this is the exact same spot we've been discussing):

Yea, that hole where the drivers tire sits is the problem.

Here are a couple vids of my truck coming up. Not near as eventful.

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00015_zps0096dde0.mp4

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00023_zps653966ec.mp4

 

[rpontbriand]

Yea, that hole where the drivers tire sits is the problem.

Here are a couple vids of my truck coming up. Not near as eventful.

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00015_zps0096dde0.mp4

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00023_zps653966ec.mp4

That spot is brutal. The guy ahead of us tipped his truck almost straight up and knocked out his left rear lights. He was able to come back down on all fours and take a better line. Right there I thought ... Gosh I hope the guy taking me up this thing knows what he is doing!

 

[stickw]

Yea, that hole where the drivers tire sits is the problem.

Here are a couple vids of my truck coming up. Not near as eventful.

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00015_zps0096dde0.mp4

http://vid589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/jbshummer/VID00023_zps653966ec.mp4

That's crazy. At least you use a consistent spotter you trust.... The million dollar question I have is which vehicle is making the next trip to Moab?

 

[jbstrd]

That's crazy. At least you use a consistent spotter you trust.... The million dollar question I have is which vehicle is making the next trip to Moab?

Yea, I haven't decided yet. I have a year to decide though. Until next year....

 

[stickw]

Fins N Things Pics

Here are some more pics of Fins. Great day. Amazingly, my steps escaped both days unscathed.

 

[stickw]

Hells Revenge

This first pic is a bad a$$ rig. Tried to get a trade worked out with Jason....

 

[jbstrd]

Great pics Nick! I love the black and white pics. That last one is epic too. Good work.

 

[Jim82]

Great pictures and videos Jason. Maybe I'll try to make it down with y'all next year...

 

[jbstrd]

Great pictures and videos Jason. Maybe I'll try to make it down with y'all next year...

Thanks man. Nick's pictures are obviously wayyyy better than my very professional iPhone pics, but it's the thought that counts right?

 

[Bighead2001]

This is what can happen on the Gate if you make a mistake (a wheeling buddy who came up it right after I did it and used a little too much throttle.......and yes, this is the exact same spot we've been discussing):

That picture brings back some memories. That was a bad day.