[Moab Junky]

There seems to be growing interest in doing this rocky. bumpy, ledge filled trail. It is not one of my favorites, but because of the incredible views (at the end) and the photo op on the rock outcropping it is worth doing, at least once.

EDIT: (7/15/15) Well, 15 rigs went up the trail yesterday as planned. There were some bumps and bruises along the way, but everyone made it to the top and got some great pictures. Well, except Grouper , his camera wasn't working. If any of you have a picture of his rig on the overlook, please post it up so he can see it and perhaps get a copy of it. If you go to page 34 of this thread you will be able to see pictures that were taken on the trail on the 14th. More pics will be added once these Folks return from Ouray. Here is my pic.





We will be meeting at the Dewey Bridge at 8 AM. Thanks for all the replies.

Make sure everyone brings lots of cold drinks and something for lunch. We will spend several hours at the overlook, visiting, eating and shuffling rigs out onto the overlook for photos.

Interested parties: Moab Junky, Velociraptor , Santacruz , Wasp , jeepconvert , axamo , Instigator2100 , magic2119 (- wearin_oakleys) , (-Mad Hatter) (perhaps) plus one Crazynorwegian, FSUgly, Grouper , dockbox and last but not least.....Trailrunner14 also flatlander2 and Lmmmmm, he fell off the right side of the fence. !!!

Back up list: apolkadot , NW FJC . If there is only one peron on the BU list a week before Summit, consider yourself in the group.

Holy COW! Now we're cooking with heat. What an impressive line up we have. I hope you folks are as interesting as your forum names. They almost tell a story.

Moab Junky (MJ) was lost in the desert, suddenly a Velociraptor from Santacruz swooped down and stung him in the ars like a Wasp . Luckily, a Jeepconvert who was now in a more reliable vehicle, (TOYOTA) pulled out his ax and amo. He was the Instigator of 2100 rounds and blows to that dam Velociraptor. He really worked his Magic, like 2119 times. Jeepconvert was so coooooool, he was wearin-oakleys and this madd hat, (plus one size) Out of nowhere, this Crazynorwegian, shows up with this Fsn Ugly, smelly Grouper he found on the dock, it was in a box........He placed it on the trail and the wounded Velociraptor ate it and got a bad case of the runners. 14 days later, MJ, the CrazyNorwegian and the Jeepconvert were saved.

CAMPING: There are now at least 5 people (rigs) interested in camping Tuesday night and running a trail on Wednesday. If you have room to throw in a bundle of wood for a fire, that would be awesome. I may weld up a rack that I can slide in my front receiver to haul wood on, if I get it done I will be able to bring all the wood. I may need help sliding it out and ditching somewhere while we run the trail. I know you folks are driving a long ways and hauling wood is a hassle.

I've never camped down there in July. It may or may not be buggy. Something to think about. Someone mentioned dryer sheets as a mosquito deterrent. Worth a try.


EDIT: I ran this trail today, 6/29/15 on my bike. It was 80 degrees at 7 am and smoking hot by 11. Make certain you, your passengers and your rig is up to the task. Bring lots of extra water. Also, for those of you who are camping Tuesday night, I will be bringing my fire pan so we can grill steaks or whatever you choose to bring. I finished my rack so I will bring enough wood for all, so don't bother bringing any.



EDIT: The group running the Top of the World trail on the 14th has grown to 15 vehicles. In order to complete the trail in a somewhat timely fashion, (no hurries, no worries) I feel that this is "about" where we need to be. Some of these folks may not be able to make it so keep in touch if this is something you would like to do.

Just to reiterate an important piece of information. This trail is not super easy nor is it super difficult. That being said, some lift, some skids, a locking device and a compressor or air tank are some off the tools you will need to get the job done. If you don't have a jack don't worry, I'm sure there will be dozens of them bolted onto most of these rigs.

If any of you guys/gals are bone stock and have no locking devices or traction control please shoot me a PM.

Looking forward to a great day on the trail.




I too want to get a picture of my FJ like this, our 2007 JK, sold in 2014.

The views are outstanding.




For the record, I'm not a professional off road driver. I am not doing this trail for any type of monetary gain. I'm just an old redneck who knows the way and am happy to "help" others get to the end and back safely. Everyone needs to do their part. There are 500 foot drop offs on this trail, if you drive off one of these your airbags are NOT going to save you!!!

I have done this trail in a 2 door Jeep and yesterday my Wife and I made it 2.6 miles in on our dirt bikes, helped a guy in a stock 4 runner for an hour. After stacking countless rocks and burning off lots of tread on his new tires, he turned around. We also turned around. Mom was not enjoying the jarring of all the rock ledges on her bike.

I will make a list of the interested parties so others can see what kind of group is forming. If you decide not to come please let me know and I will delete your name. If you want to join the group let's get your name on the list. Joining the group or Cancelling last minute is no problem at all.

This is not a super easy trail, nor is it all that difficult. Slow going AND PROPER TIRE PLACEMENT WILL GET YOU THROUGH JUST FINE. If you don't have a locker or some kind of electronic traction device I would admonish you to choose another trail. That being said, we will stick together, make it as fun as possible for everyone and honor this motto, "No FJ left behind".

Jeepconvert brought up an important point. He was running a trail and one of the radiators of a trail buddies rig puked. The only water folks had to fill the radiator with was bottled drinking water. Everyone had to sacrifice their water to get this rig moving. Please bring some extra water for emergencies. I for one will bring a nato 5 gallon can full of water. Good tip JC.

We will be meeting at the Dewey Bridge at 8 AM. Thanks for all the replies.


If you are headed North out of Moab, just before you cross the Colorado River bridge you will turn right on Hiway 128. You will follow the river north east for 29 miles. Just before you cross the river you will turn right on a gravel road. From there you will be able to see the remains of the historic Dewey Bridge. Yes, a kid from our town burnt it down. Now it looks exactly like it would have if no one kept restoring it.

Traveling south on hiway 128 you will want to turn left immediately after you cross the Colorado River. Then wait at the first parking lot on your right.

There is a parking lot that has a vault toilet. We will meet in this lot so that folks can air down and mill about until everyone arrives.

Speaking of airing down.... This is almost a must on this trail. I will go down to 18 pounds. I feel that at that level I get a smoother ride, more traction and do not lose too much clearance. There are no gas stations around. You will need to be able to air your tires back up. Please be responsible for airing your own tires back up or make arraignments with a trail buddy prior to the run.

I for one have a small compressor that does a pretty good job. It has alligator clips and I clip them directly to the battery. That being said, I have to wait for it to cool a bit between tires. It's just too small to air up lots of tires. You can get a powertank or buy a small compressor of your own.

Speaking of no gas stations, Again, this trail is 29 miles from Moab. That means 58 miles of pavement. The trail is 9 miles one way. It will be slow going. Bringing extra fuel may or may not be necessary, something to think about.

Hopefully we can get a good sized group together and have a very memorable day together on this trail.

I may camp down there somewhere and be up for another trail in the morning. Perhaps Dome Plateau or even the easier Onion Creek, which takes you up the valley that is shown in the second picture above.

More pics of the so called trail. This picture was taken on the back half of the loop. We can split into two groups after the photo op if there are some who wish to take the more difficult route back. Last week a very built trio of jeeps checked it out and decided NOT to go this route. I'll be returning the same way we came up.


The jeep in front of us just broke a sway bar mount and needs a tug up this ledge.

Our Jeep with three inches of lift and 35's had no issues on this more difficult section of trail. It may be worse now.



Camping might be impossible with the heat. But if it is cooler than normal we will camp. Found some awesome spots along the Little Dolores River, 1.8 miles from the road we will be on.

Mom cooling off by the river. Yes, that is a trail crossing. Not for my FJ.

DON'T FORGET TO THROW IN A BATHING SUIT, THIS WATER WILL BE CRYSTAL CLEAR IN JULY AND VERY REFRESHING!!!

We saw 3 wild turkeys by the river. Pretty cool.

DSC04221.jpg

Nice camp spots with afternoon shade.

DSC04222.jpg

 

[jimmy-buffett]

Cross-posting from the main 2015 Moab thread, I led this trail for the Moab group last year:

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/2015-fjcruiser-summit/393521-moab-before-summit-2015-edition-8.html#post6180409

Traildamage has it as a 3/4 difficulty, which is accurate up until the photo spot. Air down, go slow, couple of optional hard spots but nothing major. Can be done in a stock FJ.

Past the photo spot on the back half of the loop (the loop is typically run counter-clockwise), trail difficulty jumps to a 6-7. I would not advise a stock truck to drive through this area. Lifted helps, if you're not lifted then you'll need armor (one of our group was unlifted/armored and was on his armor a lot). Personally, I wouldn't risk the back half of the loop without lift+armor.

For anyone whose main goal is taking the photo, after the photo spot I'd turn back around and repeat the half of the loop you used to get there. There's no sense risking damage when you've got a whole week of Ouray ahead of you.

There wasn't much traffic on the trail, July is not the peak time for this area :rofl: and you will see temps at 100-105 degrees. Because it's so dry, once you get in the shade you're fine. Bring a hat, sunblock and plenty of water.

Good luck!

 

[MIDSTATESOFFROAD]

Cool, thanks for helping out with this. I've always wanted to wheel Moab and this has to be on the list. Looking forward to it!

:rocker:

 

[Moab Junky]

Cross-posting from the main 2015 Moab thread, I led this trail for the Moab group last year:
Good luck!

Thanks for this info. :rocker:

Cool, thanks for helping out with this. I've always wanted to wheel Moab and this has to be on the list. Looking forward to it!
:rocker:

You bet Sir. Looking forward to meeting up with you.

 

[axamo]

I guess I need to add my name on this thread to get on the list. My wife and will arrive in Moab at some point on Sunday, July 12 and interested in doing this trail, especially if it is done as an overnight.

A little info about us - we are in our mid-50s but very active, and have been hiking, camping and backpacking in N Georgia and the southern Carolinas for almost 20 years. We have all the camping toys, including tents, sleeping bags, backpacking stoves, etc. We have some limited experience with backcountry driving and desert conditions from a couple of trips to Death Valley a few years ago. We have also done some hiking in Mojave National Preserve (but not in the July heat!).

I have a (currently) stock 2012 Silver Fresco with rear lockers and A-TRAC. Between now and Summit, I am planning to install a full set of skids, a 3" lift, and 33s. Skids are on order, and I will probably order the lift soon. Tires will be put on right before Summit (want to get as much mileage as possible out of current set, plus have maximum tread available for Summit).

Very interested in the overnight, so please keep me posted on details.

 

[Moab Junky]

I guess I need to add my name on this thread to get on the list. My wife and will arrive in Moab at some point on Sunday, July 12 and interested in doing this trail, especially if it is done as an overnight.

A little info about us - we are in our mid-50s but very active, and have been hiking, camping and backpacking in N Georgia and the southern Carolinas for almost 20 years. We have all the camping toys, including tents, sleeping bags, backpacking stoves, etc. We have some limited experience with backcountry driving and desert conditions from a couple of trips to Death Valley a few years ago. We have also done some hiking in Mojave National Preserve (but not in the July heat!).

I have a (currently) stock 2012 Silver Fresco with rear lockers and A-TRAC. Between now and Summit, I am planning to install a full set of skids, a 3" lift, and 33s. Skids are on order, and I will probably order the lift soon. Tires will be put on right before Summit (want to get as much mileage as possible out of current set, plus have maximum tread available for Summit).

Very interested in the overnight, so please keep me posted on details.

Welcome aboard. There are a few now who are interested in camping. I know a spot on the river that may be our best choice. At least we can swim before bed to get our core temps down into the mid 100's, lol.

Sounds like your FJ will be in great form for the trip. Nice!!

Which tires are you going with?

 

[axamo]

Which tires are you going with?

Still doing my research - under consideration are Duratrac (of course), BFG KO2, and Cooper ST Maxx. Looking for something in a 285/70 to 295/75 size range (which I know will probably require a BMC - no issues there). Planning to pair these with a Toytec BOSS lift with the light racing UCAs.

I use my FJ as a DD, so need good road performance. Off-road, what we deal with around here is gravel and larger/loose stones on top of our famous Georgia red clay. Most of the local OHV trails are hard packed clay that will turn into a sticky morass when it rains, so good performance in that is important. I don't plan to do much bouldering or ice/snow driving (hey I'm from Atlanta - don't be a hater, LOL), so those issues are less important to me.

Right now the front runner is the Cooper, but I am still reading reviews and getting advice from our local FJ experts. I'm planning to start a build thread once I get going - probably in the next couple of weeks after my Red Eye bumper comes in. Feel free to offer any recommendations or advice!

 

[Moab Junky]

Still doing my research - under consideration are Duratrac (of course), BFG KO2, and Cooper ST Maxx. Looking for something in a 285/70 to 295/75 size range (which I know will probably require a BMC - no issues there). Planning to pair these with a Toytec BOSS lift with the light racing UCAs.

I use my FJ as a DD, so need good road performance. Off-road, what we deal with around here is gravel and larger/loose stones on top of our famous Georgia red clay. Most of the local OHV trails are hard packed clay that will turn into a sticky morass when it rains, so good performance in that is important. I don't plan to do much bouldering or ice/snow driving (hey I'm from Atlanta - don't be a hater, LOL), so those issues are less important to me.

Right now the front runner is the Cooper, but I am still reading reviews and getting advice from our local FJ experts. I'm planning to start a build thread once I get going - probably in the next couple of weeks after my Red Eye bumper comes in. Feel free to offer any recommendations or advice!

Cool, I'll check out your build when you get your thread up.

As far as tires go, I know these BFGs of mine suck in that wet gumbo clay. Can't say for the Coops or Duratracs. We have a lot of rocks over here in the "Rocky Mtns", therefore I always try to get the best sidewall possible. I feel the KO2 sidewalls are pretty hard to beat.

Look at the tire bruise on my KO here.


I love the tread pattern of the D tracs, but the sidewalls in those sizes (unless they improved them) are not 3 ply, a deal breaker for me.

We run Coopers on the company truck. They are a great all around tire. 3 ply to boot.

Good luck on you decision, ahhhhh, life without snow would be amazing!!!

 

[axamo]

I love the tread pattern of the D tracs, but the sidewalls in those sizes (unless they improved them) are not 3 ply, a deal breaker for me.

Those are my concerns with the Duratracs as well - the 285/70R17s are only listed as being available in a load range D. We don't do a lot of airing down on our local trails, but obviously if I plan to run them at Summit then that will need to be a consideration. And as you noted, the BFGs are not known historically for good performance in sticky clay.

Which is why I keep coming back to the Coopers. I've run Cooper LT tires on my previous vehicle (an E150 van) and was happy with those. However the ST Maxx is only available in a 295/70R17, which is a little taller than I wanted. They are actually quite a bit cheaper than the GY or BFG tires, which makes me a little nervous for some reason (always wonder why they are cheaper). The tread (and the sidewalls in particular) is very aggressive though.

I'll probably go with the Coopers eventually, just want to make sure they are the best choice. I'm in no rush, so plenty of time to be sure.

 

[Lmmmmm]

I have Duratracs 285/70-17 and have run Moab for 4 years without issue aired down to 18.

They got me through Cliffhanger and my FJ body took the most damage and my tires were fine.

TOTW has some obstacles but stock tires could do it.

Dont be afraid of Duratracs. They are an outstanding all around tire.

 

[axamo]

Dont be afraid of Duratracs. They are an outstanding all around tire.

Based on what I have read, I would agree. Several folks in our local FJ group are running them and are extremely pleased. However, the Coopers are available in my area for about $40-50 less per tire - that kind of savings is hard to ignore, since I would be buying a full set. Absent a GY sale of some kind ("buy 3, get 4th free", etc), the Cooper is the current front-runner.

Just want to make sure I wind up with a tire that suits my needs and the type of driving I do, plus gives me the best value for my money.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Very interesting about this TOTW. After reading a lot about this trail and seeing that spot where people take pics of their rigs, I just am thinking I would love to get to that same spot myself. I really don't know if I can make it, but I hope I can make it. We shall see. I hope there is always a spot where if I give up, I can turn around or backup.

Well, I will be in MOAB in about a week. And plan to go and do the first half until the photo shoot spot and then make a uturn.

Wish me luck... I am all stock.

 

[Moab Junky]

Do you have lockers or any electric traction control devices? The trail isn't all that difficult in a lifted FJ. W/o skids you will need to have a spotter in many places and make sure you don't rupture anything. W/O any lift it will take a lot more rock stacking to get there unscathed. That front bumper, air dam and exhaust may look a bit different at the end of the day.

Please take pics and may the force be with you.

No problem turning around on the trail.

 

[RoverGGM]

Really? You're planning on taking that Armada to the poser spot on TOTW?

Please take a lot of pics after. I would remove my bumpers, running boards, last part of the exhaust system, insurance deductible, etc...

That's gonna be a long day for some spotter :surprise

 

[Bar3K]

Well, I will be in MOAB in about a week. And plan to go and do the first half until the photo shoot spot and then make a uturn.

Wish me luck... I am all stock.

We will wish you luck but your running boards/side steps will not make the return trip.....

Take pictures>

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Do you have lockers or any electric traction control devices? The trail isn't all that difficult in a lifted FJ. W/o skids you will need to have a spotter in many places and make sure you don't rupture anything. W/O any lift it will take a lot more rock stacking to get there unscathed. That front bumper, air dam and exhaust may look a bit different at the end of the day.

Please take pics and may the force be with you.

No problem turning around on the trail.

Unfortunately, this humble Armada does not have any lockers nor electronic traction control devices, except the VDC is one, lol.

Well, I hope I can find a spotter to help me. Till then, I know I may be doing some rock stacking. So, I decided to try something. This MAY not work, but I don;t have anything else, but to take it with me in cae I need it. If I do not use it, it is ok, but it may just turn out to be useful to do the steps.

I bought 2 pairs of ramps. I thought it may be thinking out of the box. But hey, if it is not needed or does not work, no problem. I will give up where I think I may truly damage something on this Armada. but I am poised to park my car on the TOP OF THE WORLD.

Oh, trust me when it comes to pics. I will take some. More like tons.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Really? You're planning on taking that Armada to the poser spot on TOTW?

Please take a lot of pics after. I would remove my bumpers, running boards, last part of the exhaust system, insurance deductible, etc...

That's gonna be a long day for some spotter :surprise

Yes, I am really taking my Armada on TOTW. And yes, I will take pics if I hopefully make it.

LOL, unfortunately, I will not be taking off anything. It is like undressing her and leaving her naked. She will not like that. She wants to brave this AS IS and give up where she feels it is too much pain for her to bear.

Well, I just bought something to help with the spotting. The ramps. I thing they may work. But if they are useless, no harm done. I will bring them with me on this trip as I have too much room in the Armada that I can take anything I want on this trip. If I do not use it, I bring it back. It will just be riding in the trunk.

She is READY. I take off in 3 days.

2010 Nissan Maxima SE, Houston, TX - Page 28 - Nissan Armada Forum: Armada & Infiniti QX56 Forums

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

We will wish you luck but your running boards/side steps will not make the return trip.....

Take pictures>

Thanks for the goodluck wish.

Well, that would really hurt if I do lose my running boards/side steps. I am hoping it doesn't happen or I do not push the Armada more than it can take.

Rest assured I will have pics to share. And maybe even a video, if I finally learn how to make a video out of my gopro. I will definitely use my gopro 3+ black on this trip.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Based on recommendations from 2 members on here, I bought these 2 books to help me with my choices of trails and to easily know what I can do and cannot do in my fully loaded and armored STOCK Armada with its best attributes being its stock skid plate, VDC, 4hi and 4lo.

Thanks... @tlcntx @jimmy-buffett

 

[jimmy-buffett]

Well, that would really hurt if I do lose my running boards/side steps. I am hoping it doesn't happen or I do not push the Armada more than it can take.

Last time I'll suggest it: take them off. There's absolutely no reason to have them on. They offer zero protection, and having them on could potentially cost many thousands more in damage when you hit them -- the body mounts plus the bottoms of the doors -- than what it costs just to replace them.

Good luck :bigthumb: