an exciting confusing moab trip

[fuelfox4949]

so i just got the green light and the girlfriend and I are going to Moab to do some badge of honor trails.
as excited as i am it is alot to consider, i ordered the Moab backroads and trails book and read alot of adventures on this forum.
i been Jeeping for 15 years with a jeep XJ and now i have a 21' 2dr Rubicon with 2.5 inch rock krawler lift and 35inch ko2s.
my question is on the badge of honor trails the difficulty is all over the place and the reviews are all over the place for who made it and who bypassed.
i choose to try the obstacle and will only bypass if i think i will roll my jeep.
so far i want to do Hell's gate and fins and things, my girlfriend is new to this and doesnt drive so she will be learning to spot. can you get through alot of moab alone? i know it is not ideal and some people frown upon it however,
i will probably meet people there and tag along with groups but for the most part i want the challenge of the trails and exploring on our own.
so do you think my setup will make it through enough of the trails?
and of course i want to hear everyone's must see trail?

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[Apples491]

Fins and Things and the vast majority of Hells Revenge can be done without a spotter. I suggest you have an experienced spotter for Hells Gate. It's not hard per se but you can easily get off the good line and flop yourself. At that point you need a vehicle at the top to winch you the rest of the way up. No bueno.

There's lots of stuff in Moab you can do on your own. The risk is braking down and then being stuck 10s of miles from the nearest cell reception. The plus is, it's so busy in that town anymore, the likelihood that someone will come across you broken down somewhere relatively quickly is pretty high.

 

[Reinen]

The Moab area is relatively crowded, especially if you stick to the well known trails. It's not like other parts of UT where you may not see anyone for days. You'll definitely find someone to join up with (sometimes whether you like it or not).

Start with Fins & Things and use that as an initial nerve test. It's not all that technically difficult but it can be visually frightening. I've had passengers go into panic attacks over much less than Fins & Things. Then gradually step it up from there as appropriate.

You will find obstacles that can flip you if you don't stick to the right line. It sounds like you have an appropriately cautious attitude so I think you'll be fine. Don't feel bad if you choose to bypass obstacles. You will and I'd do the same thing. No matter who you are, Moab can offer more insanity than you should reasonably attempt. Especially while solo.

So keep stepping it up as much as you're comfortable with along with an appropriate sense of caution and you'll have a great time. Be sure to bring more water than you need in multiple containers, just in case. It is a desert.

Out in this area you may want to consider getting an emergency satellite beacon such as the Garmin InReach. No cell service is the norm outside of larger towns and highways. I'm out there often and I'm much more comfortable knowing that if the worst should happen I can transmit my location and basic text message to an emergency center. At the very least, leave your planned route and expected time of return with someone that can call for help.

 

[jjvincent]

We enjoyed Moab. We probably were the oddballs as we did it in a bone stock 2dr non Rubicon Jeep (seems that every other Jeep is heavily modified). Yes, you start off and get into your comfort zone. no need to hit all of the photo op place that you can post on social media. Moab ain't going anywhere, so you can do it again and up your level of what you want to do.

 

[Chance_P]

As others have said, dont be afraid to take a bypass. If you want other people to hit trails with youll find them there no problem. Fins and hells will both have a ton of traffic.

If your confidence is there after those two trails, try and join a group to do top of the world.

7 mile rim would also be a good one for you to get your feet wet. Id suggest being with some other people for that one as its not as busy as the others.

 

[XtremeRetard]

Ok.. Fins is a good start.

But my wife cant/wont spot, I ask her questions like "how much do I steer to keep away from the edge" she doesn't know what Im asking

However, on the plus side, she is happy to drive. If your GF has driven at all you will be able to spot her through. She can stay in first in 4LO and crawl super slow as long as she can follow your instructions.

Using this method my wife has got through 7 and 8-rated rock crawling where I cant see where Im going and need a spot. So we swap places.

Of course, Id like to drive those bits too. But actually spotting someone through is kind of just as fun as driving as you are the one in control still

 

[Zandcwhite]

We’ve been to Moab twice and wheeled alone both times. 2” spacer lift and 37’s. Ran fins and hell’s revenge 1st, took a break and got some food. Ran top of the world after that. Ran poison spider through gold bar and out day 2. Day 3 we just cruised around on some easy dirt roads. The next trip we ran steel bender and metal masher day 1. Cliffhanger day 2, that is the 1st trail I’d suggest not running alone. Huge ledges and lots of potential for flops or breakage. It’s an amazing place and I can’t wait to go back.

 

[fuelfox4949]

so just a update went to Moab august 14 - 20 and had a amazing week! i am already planning to go back asap.
the girlfriend and i were lucky enough to meet another couple in there 4 door bronco that were alone so i told them to tag along and we ended up meeting everyday at the different trails and hitting them together.
day 1 was fins and things and hells revenge and hells gate. all was easy but i did need a spotter for hells gate... wow pictures do not do that hill justice.
day 2 top of the world, it was a really cool scenic drive out there and i was a bit surprised because i got to the top using 2wd for almost the whole trail, however coming down the hard side looked very difficult and the couple i was with did not want to try it so we turned around and went down the way we came up.
day 3 poison spider, that trail was alot of fun and pig rock was epic, playing in the sand was new and exciting. the only challenges were coming out on some of the trails. i was with a 4 door bronco and it did great but i had to spot him alot so he did not bang up the rockers and skids to bad.
day 4 was arches national park and the off road trails in there, it was fun playing on back dirt and sand roads and scenic.
day 5 was Gemini bridges and the trails in that area. was not as much fun because it was raining really hard and obviously not scenic with rain and lightening.
i got home a week ago and i am in the process to get my jeep regeared and then i hope to get back in late October or maybe early November otherwise we will go again next summer.
the area is so much fun and just a large playground for us grown up kids playing with our jeeps!

 

[AcesandEights]

What gearing are you going with?

 

[fuelfox4949]

What gearing are you going with?

I'm at 4.10 I'm going to 4.88

 

[Murphydog]

Check out Elephant Hill in the Needles District of Canyonlands NP. We did it in a stock Rubicon, and no spotter. Should be easier with your lift.

Stunning scenery, but find a friend to go with just in case. We went solo and didn’t see a soul the entire day. In hindsight that was a bad plan.

 

[fuelfox4949]

Check out Elephant Hill in the Needles District of Canyonlands NP. We did it in a stock Rubicon, and no spotter. Should be easier with your lift.

Stunning scenery, but find a friend to go with just in case. We went solo and didn’t see a soul the entire day. In hindsight that was a bad plan.

Yeah were thinking of going back in November.
Aiming for the shafer trail and white rim trail first then open to other trails.
I know it's bad to go out alone but sometimes you got no option.
I do try to find others in the area or on the forums.
We met a couple in a 4 door bronco and they ended up hanging with us all week so that was fun and lucky.
His bronco kept up great but i did spot for him a bit so he wouldn't scrap to bad.

 

[Chance_P]

Yeah were thinking of going back in November.
Aiming for the shafer trail and white rim trail first then open to other trails.
I know it's bad to go out alone but sometimes you got no option.
I do try to find others in the area or on the forums.
We met a couple in a 4 door bronco and they ended up hanging with us all week so that was fun and lucky.
His bronco kept up great but i did spot for him a bit so he wouldn't scrap to bad.

I live close to Moab and will be finished with my axle swap by then. Reach out as it gets closer.

 

[fuelfox4949]

I live close to Moab and will be finished with my axle swap by then. Reach out as it gets closer.

when will you be done?
I have a appointment for my gears on Oct 3 but I am going to drop it off this week cause they may get to them sooner.
then I plan on the first weekend i get the jeep back, driving all over to get them broke in and checked out/oil change.
then we are aiming for end of October or early November before the snow flies to get back to Moab for a week.

 

[Chance_P]

when will you be done?
I have a appointment for my gears on Oct 3 but I am going to drop it off this week cause they may get to them sooner.
then I plan on the first weekend i get the jeep back, driving all over to get them broke in and checked out/oil change.
then we are aiming for end of October or early November before the snow flies to get back to Moab for a week.

Id guess mid october ill be finished up.

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