Thinking about my impending trip to Moab has me musing about which trails I’d like to drive this time.
The last time I showed up in Moab, I was driving an FJ Cruiser on 35’s with All-Pro front and rear bumpers, a Warn winch, and All-Pro rock sliders. The FJ also had a factory rear locker. It made short work of Hell’s Revenge, the trail to Tower Arch, and a few sections of Fins & Things.
This time, my 2004 4Runner will be on 33’s with a Total Chaos long-travel kit in front used with a pair of Sway-A-Way coilovers, and a Sway-A-Way coil-and-shock kit in the rear. I still need to figure out a front bumper and a set of rock sliders. The 4Runner has the factory electronic traction control which actually works well, but I don’t have the same confidence with this as I do with a real locker. The bottom line is that I should be able to do many of the same things with the 4Runner as I was able to do in the FJ Cruiser.
I’ve been reading the Charles A. Wells Guide to Moab, an excellent reference that I’d recommend. The Wells book is available in a new spiral-bound version that is very driver-friendly, as it’s easier to keep the guide open to the page you want.
Several routes seem like good candidates. Sevenmile Rim was a lot of fun from the passenger’s seat a few years ago, so I’d like to go back and try it from the driver’s seat. I’ve been up part of Poison Spider and the rest of that trail is calling my name. I cut out early off of Fins & Things, so that’s on the list, too.
It’s also time to make a foray into Canyonlands National Park. I’ve visited Arches a few times, but never gone into Canyonlands, which is right next door. It’s time.
That’s my list. It’s not set in stone. We’ll see what happens.