I spent yesterday reminiscing with Steve Nance, owner of Moab 4x4 Outpost. Steve brought his Jeep, "Brownie," so I could photograph it for a feature in 4Wheel Drive.
It was great remembering almost two decades of four wheeling adventures with Steve. Brownie was originally a rental Jeep and was the the CJ7 (it's now completely changed with a YJ frame, etc.) I used to develop Helldorado. Remember, our 4x4s go many places, but rentals go everywhere.
After eating lunch one day below the start of Upper Helldorado, I decided to drive the canyon that opened right in front of us. Brownie led the way as Kevin Hawkins keyed his CB and asked, "Where are we going?" I replied that this looked like an interesting canyon for a trail. After a few days of work, Shaft Snapper Canyon trail was born.
I called it Shaft Snapper Canyon because Brownie's front axle shaft broke on that first day, so I removed it and stuck it in the ground at the entrance. Some of you may remember that axle shaft at the beginning of Lower Helldorado. Lower Helldorado? Once I figured out that it didn't take all that long to run both trails, I dropped Shaft Snapper Canyon and called it Helldorado, too. After a while, it morphed into Lower Helldorado.
Brownie had plenty of adventures over the years and it was great to see it again, rebuilt into a competent hard core trail outfit. It's fitted with a complete line of outstanding Moab 4x4 Outpost (M4O) parts.
Look for it soon in 4WheelDrive Magazine.