Anyone go Jeeping Alone?

[west tex]

Am I the only one old enough to remember???

Not hardly! ?

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[Old Jeeper]

IMHO there are pros and cons to wheeling alone. I completely understand the reasoning to many saying one shouldn’t wheel alone. Safety, recovery, and having friends there to spot you or take video/pictures. But there is also benefit of going alone. One learns self-recovery self-reliance. Besides when was the last time you went out with a big group? Always someone late or showing up with a POS you know will break down and everyone will be stopped for a while fixing their crap.
We typically head out wheeling alone. At the trailhead we try to link up with others while airing down. If no one shows up we take off alone. If we run across others we help or they help.

Wheeling alone is NOT for novices. In all my years it's unskilled that has issues and like the eyes bigger than your stomach they will often pick or want to come along on a run that is so over their head in abilities.

I remeber we had a kid that loved Jeeps and would show up and go along with some of the guys and one day he shows in a brand new JKUR...his daddy bought for his HS grad present. We all would meet on Saturdays at Table Mesa and split up into 2 or 3 groups. A FEW us hitting the IRON trails and the rest the easy stuff or just explore around. I would not let him come with my group, told him you don't have the skills to jump into the fire.

Over time of a few months that poor JKUR looked like a beater. Then one dau he stops by my shop with his rig on a flatbed. He wants to know if I can fix his jeep. He got it towed and then wrecker'd out of Table Mesa and took to the Jeep dealer where his dad bought it. Then he got the bad news, NO its not in warranty. Well WTH is wrong with? He shows me the estimate to fix by the Jeep dealer. $25,XXX, Replace Engine, Transmission, ALL electronics,. Does not incl Body estimate!

He had driven it off Dead End Hill. Vertical incline, doable by any Jeep with tires and a rear traction device axle. On top, was a small area were you make a U-turn and go down. Because on the other side, it is a large wet area and it's a drop-off, not drivable. Well, he drove OVER and into that water and the Jeep had water above the hood. And of course, the engine was running and he floored it, engine water locked below up along with everything else.

He did that on his own. They drove by and were having lunch and he decided to go back and drive up the incline.

He had owned the Jeep less than 3 mo.

I done some work on the Jeep some fab work rebuilding his rear bumper. I never he is standing there looking at me and says is there nothing you can do to help me out? He said can I leave it here. No, look I got 6 Jeeps sitting there to be worked on, I don't have room for yours too.

Well, I live at home, what am I going to tell my dad? I don't have 1000 miles on it he going to be pizzed. Most likely. What did you drive before the Jeep? I did not have a car! This is your first car and had less than 3 mo and you have destroyed it!

I never him again he never showed up on Saturdays.

 

[Shibadog]

Wheeling alone is NOT for novices. In all my years it's unskilled that has issues and like the eyes bigger than your stomach they will often pick or want to come along on a run that is so over their head in abilities.

I remeber we had a kid that loved Jeeps and would show up and go along with some of the guys and one day he shows in a brand new JKUR...his daddy bought for his HS grad present. We all would meet on Saturdays at Table Mesa and split up into 2 or 3 groups. A FEW us hitting the IRON trails and the rest the easy stuff or just explore around. I would not let him come with my group, told him you don't have the skills to jump into the fire.

Over time of a few months that poor JKUR looked like a beater. Then one dau he stops by my shop with his rig on a flatbed. He wants to know if I can fix his jeep. He got it towed and then wrecker'd out of Table Mesa and took to the Jeep dealer where his dad bought it. Then he got the bad news, NO its not in warranty. Well WTH is wrong with? He shows me the estimate to fix by the Jeep dealer. $25,XXX, Replace Engine, Transmission, ALL electronics,. Does not incl Body estimate!

He had driven it off Dead End Hill. Vertical incline, doable by any Jeep with tires and a rear traction device axle. On top, was a small area were you make a U-turn and go down. Because on the other side, it is a large wet area and it's a drop-off, not drivable. Well, he drove OVER and into that water and the Jeep had water above the hood. And of course, the engine was running and he floored it, engine water locked below up along with everything else.

He did that on his own. They drove by and were having lunch and he decided to go back and drive up the incline.

He had owned the Jeep less than 3 mo.

I done some work on the Jeep some fab work rebuilding his rear bumper. I never he is standing there looking at me and says is there nothing you can do to help me out? He said can I leave it here. No, look I got 6 Jeeps sitting there to be worked on, I don't have room for yours too.

Well, I live at home, what am I going to tell my dad? I don't have 1000 miles on it he going to be pizzed. Most likely. What did you drive before the Jeep? I did not have a car! This is your first car and had less than 3 mo and you have destroyed it!

I never him again he never showed up on Saturdays.

Sadly, you can’t fix stupid. (Ignorance can be fixed with education-stupid can’t) A number of times I’ve ran into folks off road who had NO idea what they were doing, typically in new Jeeps, often with lifts and big tires, who were hung up/stuck because they’d attempted something a more experience driver would likely have avoided to start with. Also, they typically have NO self rescue capability and no survival gear. They have all been victims of the “I’ve got a Jeep, I can go anywhere” mentality.

Many years ago in the 70’s I had an IH Scout. Buddy from work bought a new CJ. He was harder on that poor little Jeep in 5k miles than most folks would be in 100k because he was stupid. Kept getting it buried in mud by trying to go places anybody with sense would avoid?. I wish there was a way that newbies could be educated before they take off on an “adventure. It’d save them a lot of time, trouble, $$$, and possibly their life.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Sadly, you can’t fix stupid. (Ignorance can be fixed with education-stupid can’t) A number of times I’ve ran into folks off road who had NO idea what they were doing, typically in new Jeeps, often with lifts and big tires, who were hung up/stuck because they’d attempted something a more experience driver would likely have avoided to start with. Also, they typically have NO self rescue capability and no survival gear. They have all been victims of the “I’ve got a Jeep, I can go anywhere” mentality.

Many years ago in the 70’s I had an IH Scout. Buddy from work bought a new CJ. He was harder on that poor little Jeep in 5k miles than most folks would be in 100k because he was stupid. Kept getting it buried in mud by trying to go places anybody with sense would avoid?. I wish there was a way that newbies could be educated before they take off on an “adventure. It’d save them a lot of time, trouble, $$$, and possibly their life.

Well stated sums it up perfectly.

 

[jcruse64]

Sadly, you can’t fix stupid. (Ignorance can be fixed with education-stupid can’t) A number of times I’ve ran into folks off road who had NO idea what they were doing, typically in new Jeeps, often with lifts and big tires, who were hung up/stuck because they’d attempted something a more experience driver would likely have avoided to start with. Also, they typically have NO self rescue capability and no survival gear. They have all been victims of the “I’ve got a Jeep, I can go anywhere” mentality.

Many years ago in the 70’s I had an IH Scout. Buddy from work bought a new CJ. He was harder on that poor little Jeep in 5k miles than most folks would be in 100k because he was stupid. Kept getting it buried in mud by trying to go places anybody with sense would avoid?. I wish there was a way that newbies could be educated before they take off on an “adventure. It’d save them a lot of time, trouble, $$$, and possibly their life.

I'm new to Jeep, and in the "Ignorant" category. We are hoping, in the next few years to come, to start wheeling a bit in the western states. When I start lining vacation time up with places, I plan on looking for guides in the area, for our first few road trips. I have zero experience with anything sand or rock, and not a lot with mud. We have no desire to tackle trails rated at 7 and above, but very much want to hit a lot of the "big" destinations throughout WY, SD, ND, CO, UT, AZ, and NM, over the next several years, as we begin to transition into retirement. I am definitely going to look into hooking up with either a guide service or group who we can go with and learn from, so that we can begin going to many of these places solo. We're in our first Jeep, a new, stock Rubi with 33" tires/4:10 axles. I'm probably not going to go anywhere soon with upgrades to this setup, until we've been a couple of places and see what this thing, and I, can do. I think it's foolishness to buy into one of these great vehicles, and NOT try to get some learnin' first, before driving off the cliff.

 

[Shibadog]

I'm new to Jeep, and in the "Ignorant" category. We are hoping, in the next few years to come, to start wheeling a bit in the western states. When I start lining vacation time up with places, I plan on looking for guides in the area, for our first few road trips. I have zero experience with anything sand or rock, and not a lot with mud. We have no desire to tackle trails rated at 7 and above, but very much want to hit a lot of the "big" destinations throughout WY, SD, ND, CO, UT, AZ, and NM, over the next several years, as we begin to transition into retirement. I am definitely going to look into hooking up with either a guide service or group who we can go with and learn from, so that we can begin going to many of these places solo. We're in our first Jeep, a new, stock Rubi with 33" tires/4:10 axles. I'm probably not going to go anywhere soon with upgrades to this setup, until we've been a couple of places and see what this thing, and I, can do. I think it's foolishness to buy into one of these great vehicles, and NOT try to get some learnin' first, before driving off the cliff.

Solid plan. Really you can do an awful lot of stuff with your Jeep just as it sits. For easy to moderate you’ll be fine on your own. Start with easy trails and gain experience. After you’ve done several easy ones, move up to slightly more difficult. Put yourself together a basic self rescue kit (shovel, come along, snatch strap, small compressor/tire plug kit). And, also put together a basic survival pack (space blankets, high energy food bars, fire starter/matches, long burning emergency candles, a couple bottles of water, a water purification straw, small metal cups, etc. Mine lives in a plastic 50 cal. Ammo can). You more than likely won’t need this, BUT if you do, you’ll need it badly.

Out in remote areas be sure you have a satellite (not cellular) emergency communication device (like a SPOT or similar). So equipped, you can tackle entry level through moderate level trails on your own with confidence and in safety. I’ve ran a winch for many years now because I’m lazy, but a basic come along will save your bacon (it’s not easy, but it beats spending the night in the toolies). Use good old fashioned common sense and you will have a great time exploring our beautiful country. I love going down old roads in the middle of nowhere just to see where they go. Lots of really cool stuff “off the beaten path”

The Jeep life is great and a ton of fun. The folks who get in trouble are typically those who don’t think (or worse “think” there rig is unstoppable). Remember your Rubicon, out of the box, if FAR more capable than the “built” Jeeps of 25 years ago?. Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy yourselves

 

[west tex]

Sadly, you can’t fix stupid.

I recall a favorite Mark Twain quote:

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade a moron."

Some folks are incapable of learning from others. They have to pee on the electric fence to find out if it's live. Nothing you can do to help them. ?

 

[Shibadog]

For those who like to wheel alone where winching points may not be conveniently placed:
https://www.pullpal.com/

Remember, if you’ve got a shovel and a spare tire/wheel you can make a land anchor. It’s not easy, and it’s sure not fun, BUT it will get your butt back home. A nice deep hole, a small trench for the cable and there ya go..

 

[Poordad]

Yep, there is always that if you have a shovel and a spare, which you should. For those that have 300 bucks to spare, there is the pull pal!

 

[Hard Rock Jeep]

I'm new to Jeep, and in the "Ignorant" category. We are hoping, in the next few years to come, to start wheeling a bit in the western states. When I start lining vacation time up with places, I plan on looking for guides in the area, for our first few road trips. I have zero experience with anything sand or rock, and not a lot with mud. We have no desire to tackle trails rated at 7 and above, but very much want to hit a lot of the "big" destinations throughout WY, SD, ND, CO, UT, AZ, and NM, over the next several years, as we begin to transition into retirement. I am definitely going to look into hooking up with either a guide service or group who we can go with and learn from, so that we can begin going to many of these places solo. We're in our first Jeep, a new, stock Rubi with 33" tires/4:10 axles. I'm probably not going to go anywhere soon with upgrades to this setup, until we've been a couple of places and see what this thing, and I, can do. I think it's foolishness to buy into one of these great vehicles, and NOT try to get some learnin' first, before driving off the cliff.

Attend a few Moab Easter Jeep Safaris and sign up for their packages for first timers (they have 3 levels). You will learn a lot that will give you skills and confidence going forward.

 

[jcruse64]

Attend a few Moab Easter Jeep Safaris and sign up for their packages for first timers (they have 3 levels). You will learn a lot that will give you skills and confidence going forward.

Is their a minimum on how the Jeep is equipped? I've seen a couple of group runs where 37" tires are a minimum. Not doing that at this stage.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I'm new to Jeep, and in the "Ignorant" category. We are hoping, in the next few years to come, to start wheeling a bit in the western states. When I start lining vacation time up with places, I plan on looking for guides in the area, for our first few road trips. I have zero experience with anything sand or rock, and not a lot with mud. We have no desire to tackle trails rated at 7 and above, but very much want to hit a lot of the "big" destinations throughout WY, SD, ND, CO, UT, AZ, and NM, over the next several years, as we begin to transition into retirement. I am definitely going to look into hooking up with either a guide service or group who we can go with and learn from, so that we can begin going to many of these places solo. We're in our first Jeep, a new, stock Rubi with 33" tires/4:10 axles. I'm probably not going to go anywhere soon with upgrades to this setup, until we've been a couple of places and see what this thing, and I, can do. I think it's foolishness to buy into one of these great vehicles, and NOT try to get some learnin' first, before driving off the cliff.

My advice to you:

MOAB! Moab is rocks, they are known as "Slick Rock" and Slick Rock ITS NOT! SInce you are going to ask. Why do they call it slick rock? Because the rocks weather and a thin fungs like coating gets on them and it shines when wet.

Why Moab? It will give you a good trip with some miles from where you live. The trails are progressive, from 1s to 10s and everything in between. So you can start out slow and easy with little off-camber or vertical challenges. Also, the chances of damage are minor.

KEY: You have a Rubicon. The Rubicon was engineered by a few Jeepers who worked for Jeep Wrangler division. They wanted to improve on off-road performance. and there needed to be a metric by which improvement could be measured. The metric was the Rubicon Trail and a jeep needed to transverse the trail in OEM BOX STOCK form. The Rubicon trail is a tough cookie for sure. The engineers added a 4:1 transfer case, 4:10 axles with lockers and a few other things and thus the Rubicon was born. So you can go to Moab and learn.

You need to add or modify nothing to do 98% of all the marked trails in the US.

Moab on Main Street there is a Grocery store and the parking lot is the defacto meeting place for Jeepers. drive-in, and look at the Jeeps gathered and pick a group. Tell them you are a newbie and box stock and you are there to learn to drive. I assure you there are lots of people that will be glad to work with you. I have taught MANY wheeling, winching and how to work on their Jeeps over the years I have been Jeeping.

Whatever you do, do not jeep ALONE!!!

If it's your daily driver then you may not want to make many mods. I would start with 35" tires which would be the most bang for buck. Beyond that wait till you become confident about your abilities before you start adding lifts other DoDah.

Ask before you jump LOTS of folks on here are knowledgeable and willing to help.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Is their a minimum on how the Jeep is equipped? I've seen a couple of group runs where 37" tires are a minimum. Not doing that at this stage.

That is based upon the level of Trails to be run.

I led runs in Moab and the only trails we did were 7+ you must have 3+ in lift and 37 tires, Lockers F/R, if you did not have that you did not go on my run.

 

[jcruse64]

Thank you, Moab is actually a place we both would really like to try early, and I'd read that there were many trails of varying difficulty there, so that we could get our feet wet (or dusty).

 

[jcruse64]

That is based upon the level of Trails to be run.

I led runs in Moab and the only trails we did were 7+ you must have 3+ in lift and 37 tires, Lockers F/R, if you did not have that you did not go on my run.

Understood, and agree with that, we are just looking to start out stock, and work our way up, and the only way you'll catch me on anything like that is if I made a wrong turn, lol. Appreciate the advice.

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