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Another visit to Moab

GATORB8

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We will be there during the same time period as well on our way back to Tucson. Arriving in Moab on August 29th and departing on September 1st. We have a stock JLURD and have trail experience in AZ, NV and UT. Most notably, Rocky Gap Trail, Table Mesa Road and Schnebly Hill Trail. among others. We also completed the Jeep Adventure Academy this March. We'll be avoiding (bypassing) the very difficult rock climbs in Moab. I previously aired down to 16psi but for this trip I'm planning 22psi (per the recommendation from the Jeep academy). I've found our JLURD is very capable off road.

Our travel plans are:
Monday 8/22 - Drive to Ouray / Telluride, Co (10 Hrs.)
Tuesday 8/23 - Ophir Pass Trail
Wednesday 8/24 - Imogene Pass Trail
Thursday 8/25 - Drive to Grand Lake, Co. (6 Hrs.)
Friday 8/26 - Grand Lake, Co.
Saturday 8/27 - Grand Lake, Co.
Sunday 8/28 - Grand Lake, Co.
Monday 8/29 - Drive to Moab, Ut. (7 Hrs.)
Tuesday 8/30 - Fins and Things Trail
Wednesday 8/31 - Hell’s Revenge Trail
Thursday 9/1 - Drive Home (Tucson) (9 Hrs.)
Just got back from a Moab/Telluride/Ouray trip (rental stock JLUR). First glance, unless you only want to spend a couple hours on trail each day, you can fit a lot more in. I'd recommend planning your stays with the trail plan because a lot of the trails loop and connect the cities. All of these were done in a stock JLUR, so you should be fine.

Ophir Pass (BOH):
1. Telluride to Ophir: ~30 mins highway​
2. Ophir to Silverton: ~2-2.5 hrs (Ophir Pass)​
3. Silverton to Ouray: ~30-45 mins Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway)​
OR​
3. Silverton to Alpine Loop (Cinnamon Pass or Engineer on Ouray end): ~30 mins CR 2​

Imogene Pass (BOH):
1. Directly connects Ouray and Telluride​
Not on your list, but recommend considering the Alpine Loop trails to mix and match Both connect Lake City to Ouray (or Silverton via CR 2).
1. Engineer Pass (BOH)​
2. Cinnamon Pass​
Jeep Wrangler JL Another visit to Moab 1657655122967

Filler in Telluride: Last Dollar "Road" (starts at Telluride Airport and heads north)
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GATORB8

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Thanks for the info! I was looking at White Rim not as a Jeep trail but more for the scenery. We love to get out and see the sights in the Southwest.
Good to know about doing both Fins and Hells revenge in the same day as I do want to run seven mile rim too.
I installed ONX, Trails Off-road and have Gaia too. Nice they work with Car play.

can’t wait to get there!
Make sure you play with OnX before you leave. I had issues with it switching over to Offline Maps, and there is very little cell signal in the Moab area.

Like Waze, you may need to kill the app if you leave OnX operating with the Jeep off, it seems to confuse the GPS as it swaps from phone to Jeep.
 
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Go_Galt

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I rolled in a 100% stock JLUR all around Utah last Sept.

White Rim is amazing. Awesome experience and IMO a must-do for anyone that hasn't. It's a 'moderate' in Funtreks, and that's only because of certain sections that are steep/rocky or could hurt anything with low clearance. A Subaru with appropriate tires could legitimately do a good chunk of this trail.

I was aired down to 20 psi and never even needed 4WD or 4low in the JLUR until Murphy's Hogback (roughly the halfway point). Murphy's Hogback is super fun and potentially scary for anyone that isn't an experienced off roader (wives/kids/girlfriends in passenger seat may scream), but most vehicles with a low-range and decent tires will easily crawl up with no drama. Easy and FUN. When I was there, I saw an old, completely stock, 3/4 ton Cummins Dodge Ram make it up with a bunch of rock-stacking. I'll bet that was scary, given the width of that thing vs the trail!

Doing half, starting at the Schaefer switchbacks, climbing Murphy's Hogback, and then returning is a good plan. I did the East side of the trail, climbed Murphy's, and then returned. Plan on it taking a lot of time. I think it may have taken us 7-8 hours to do that, though we stopped a lot, and did a lot a photography (which you'll probably want to do because the views are consistently awesome!) Photo ops everywhere. Really a photographer's dream for people with real camera setups and skills, especially at sunrise/sunset. Just plan on it being a whole day thing.

Fins and Things is ridiculously fun. Must do. A great mix of 100% stock-vehicle-capable plus scary for anyone that isn't used to super steep climbs. Wives/girlfriends in the passenger seat may also get stressed out and scream on this.

I ran 20 psi in the stock K02s for everything I did, and that was mostly for comfort and tire protection. 20 psi was super comfortable and compliant everywhere. Obviously I never needed more grip than that. These vehicles on these trails are legitimate superheroes, so there's no real reason to go lower than 20, IMO. Just titrate tire pressure to comfort. If it feels like washboard roads are shaking you to death and vibrating your fillings out, go lower.

I had a hardtop and just had the freedom tops off at the start of most days. Once we started getting hot/ sunburned/ tired/ ornery it was nice to put them back on and get some shade and AC.
 
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GATORB8

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I rolled in a 100% stock JLUR all around Utah last Sept.

White Rim is amazing. Awesome experience and IMO a must-do for anyone that hasn't. It's a 'moderate' in Funtreks, and that's only because of certain sections that are steep/rocky or could hurt anything with low clearance. A Subaru with appropriate tires could legitimately do a good chunk of this trail.

I was aired down to 20 psi and never even needed 4WD in the JLUR until Murphy's Hogback (roughly the halfway point). Murphy's Hogback is super fun and potentially scary for anyone that isn't an experienced off roader (wives/kids/girlfriends in passenger seat may scream), but most vehicles with a low-range and decent tires will easily crawl up with no drama. Easy and FUN. When I was there, I saw an old, completely stock, 3/4 ton Cummins Dodge Ram make it up with a bunch of rock-stacking. I'll bet that was scary, given the width of that thing vs the trail!

Doing half, starting at the Schaefer switchbacks, climbing Murphy's Hogback, and then returning is a good plan. I did the East side of the trail, climbed Murphy's, and then returned. Plan on it taking a lot of time. I think it may have taken us 7-8 hours to do that, though we stopped a lot, and did a lot a photography (which you'll probably want to do because the views are consistently awesome!) Photo ops everywhere. Really a photographer's dream for people with real camera setups and skills, especially at sunrise/sunset. Just plan on it being a whole day thing.

Fins and Things is ridiculously fun. Must do. A great mix of 100% stock-vehicle-capable plus scary for anyone that isn't used to super steep climbs. Wives/girlfriends in the passenger seat may also get stressed out and scream on this.

I ran 20 psi in the stock K02s for everything I did, and that was mostly for comfort and tire protection. 20 psi was super comfortable and compliant everywhere. Obviously I never needed more grip than that. These vehicles on these trails are legitimate superheroes, so there's no real reason to go lower than 20, IMO. Just titrate tire pressure to comfort. If it feels like washboard roads are shaking you to death and vibrating your fillings out, go lower.

I had a hardtop and just had the freedom tops off at the start of most days. Once we started getting hot/ sunburned/ tired/ ornery it was nice to put them back on and get some shade and AC.
I agree 20 is a solid balance on the stock KO2s. The slick rock has grip for days, any lower and your sacrificing ground clearance and tearing up sidewalls/lugs.
 

Go_Galt

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Also I forgot to add- be respectful of the cryptobiotic soil in White Rim.

It's a two-way trail, so be continuously mindful of other vehicles, dirt bikers, and bicyclists. If you see oncoming traffic and you're close to a wide area where you can pull off and allow passing without disturbing the biome, do that. Don't pull your vehicle off the trail onto the soil/crust.

There are a limited number of passes given per day, and it's a long 71 miles, but you'll definitely still be encountering other oncoming vehicles.

Also important when you're on the Schaefer switchbacks. Passing can be hairy at a lot of places here, so think ahead and if you see oncoming vehicles, pull off into a wide spot/turnaround if you have the opportunity, and let them pass. Ideally everyone will be doing the same for you, but not everyone has good trail etiquette.
 
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I'm going to be in that area during the latter half of that week. Doing some Ouray trails earlier in the week. I'm not sure what all trails we will be doing in Moab but Hell's Revenge is likely on the list.

I've done that trail in an XJ Cherokee on 32" tires and no lockers. I did take several of the bypasses.

I'm sure our group wouldn't mind meeting up and running the trail together.
 
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I'm going to be in that area during the latter half of that week. Doing some Ouray trails earlier in the week. I'm not sure what all trails we will be doing in Moab but Hell's Revenge is likely on the list.

I've done that trail in an XJ Cherokee on 32" tires and no lockers. I did take several of the bypasses.

I'm sure our group wouldn't mind meeting up and running the trail together.
Hells Revenge and Fins are on the for sure list likely Tuesday August 30th, but could move that around to join up with others. I want to try Top of the Wold and am considering Elephant Hill. For sure want to spend a day in Canyonlands up at island in the sky
 

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GATORB8

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Look great, and thank you for sharing
FYI, Onion Creek Trail was connected to top of the world by Rose Garden Hill, may help complete the day for you up in that area. The drive up from Moab to that area is along the Colorado river and is pretty scenic as well. IIRC Trail Recon on YouTube did the combo in one video a few years back in his UT/Colorado adventure series.
 
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Murphydog

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Got one more goodie box today. Warn epic medium recovery kit. One nice touch is there is room in the top of the back pack for the winch controller too. I know, I know other cheaper options, but I liked the one.
Now I gotta dig out the GoPro, charge the batteries and clear the memory cards, @GATORB8 i will do my best to post some good videos too. 😜

Jeep Wrangler JL Another visit to Moab A55B27B2-AB5F-4682-899C-57137F7C860C
 
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Murphydog

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Today I tried out the Boulder Tools tire deflators and the Viair air compressor

  • Boulder tools - super easy to use and dropped from 35 to ~ 20 in just a few moments. I had the Jeep on and was watching the TPMS values. The numbers dropped quickly and if I locked em right I should be set to 20-22 PSI. The TPMS was spot on and matched my digital gage as well
  • Viair - I was please with how nice this little compressor works. From the rubber isolations on the foot, to the well designed air hose it was great. For me, I hooked up a tire, turned on and watched the TPMS number (sure wish the 21 Rubicon still had the select tire fill alert!) change. My target was 35 PSI and when the dash read 34 I would wait a beat or 2, turn off and disconnect the compressor and check with my digital gage - 35 PSI on all of em first try!
Needless to say, I can't wait to get to Moab know how easy and well both these items work.

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Make sure you get tickets for Arches. They're required now.

If you don't have tickets there's always a "Jeep entrance" near Willow Springs dinosaur tracks. The dinosaur tracks are nothing like those at Comanche National Grasslands, but they're decent.
 

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You also have to make reservations for Canyonlands, Elephant Hill, 25 passes per day, reserve in advance. It’s also an hour drive from Moab.

sorry but, what’s this talk of AC on trails? Soft top not ok on highway? Dirt/dust on trails? I’ve only run safari mode in Moad, no other way to do it. My hard top has been hanging in the garage for multiple years going to Moab with the Bestop sun rider, soft top, no issues with road noise. Dirt/dust is part of the experience, who goes off-roading to stay clean? Yes, I have to clean the jeep when I get back from Moab, but what fun thing doesn’t require some work?
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