A Dana 35 rear combined with a Dana 30 front and big Boggers proved not to be a good combination for this Las Vegas-based Jeep; it broke two front axles on the trail. A rear axleshaft also broke when the Jeep attempted to pull out a wounded Toyota. Luckily the owner came prepared with plenty of spare parts and tools. |
Mitch Guthrie and his family drove out from their hometown of Glendora, California, to have some fun on the new trail. Mitch&8217s 1970 FJ-40 is equipped with an Alcan spring-over, Rancho RS 9012s, and 38-inch Swampers. A 300hp Chevy 350 powers the big Cruiser, which shows off some flex in this photo. |
Tony Bothwell brought out his 1995 Wrangler YJ and almost rolled it as he came off a ledge a little faster than he intended. Tony&8217s heart was definitely beating a little faster too. |
The Toyota 4Runner from All-Pro Offroad shows off some of its articulation through the use of Alcan springs and extended shock mounts. Dual Marlin Crawler boxes, 4.88 gears, and 36-inch Swampers helped to propel it over obstacles without any problem. |
A Willys Wagon painted in School Bus yellow was one of the larger vehicles on the trail, but it succesfully tackled the rocks, due mostly to its flex-happy suspension. |
Brad Kilby had plenty of fun putting his 1997 TJ through its paces on the trails. It showed good articulation through the use of a modified Rubicon Express 4-1/2-inch lift kit. Dana 44s front and rear kept parts from breaking, and 35-inch BFGs supplied traction.1 |
Descending a rock waterfall requires careful placement of ones tires because there was really only one line down on the majority of the falls. This Jeep cautiously approaches a one of them. |
Having to use a tow strap to get the wounded Toyota out often resulted in getting the truck into some sticky situations. Some extra weight on the rear in the form of a couple of spectators kept the Toy from incurring major body damage. |
Tony Bothwell’s Jeep, seen here posing for the camera, is a 1995 YJ with a Dana 44 front (open) and a Dana 60 rear with a Detroit Locker. A spring-over conversion was performed to provide enough clearance for 35s. It did well, but Tony plans to install a locker in the front for next time. |
You just can't keep a good trail down. When environmentalists succeeded in shutting down the Santiago's Revenge Trail because it turned out to be a habitat for an endangered species of frog, many 'wheelers were at a loss. Perhaps hardest hit were the good people at High Desert Four Wheelers who loved and maintained the trail. Not ones to sit around and cry, the High Desert Four Wheelers went out looking for a new trail and wound up finding one that many considered to be an improvement over the original. Even better was that the new trail was on private property, and the generous owner was willing to let people have some fun on his land!
What's the new trail like? Less than 1/2 mile long, it can definitely be described as short but sweet. Rock waterfalls make up the majority of the obstacles. Going down these steep descents gives plenty of opportunity to roll one's vehicle. A couple of interesting climbs at the beginning of the trail also provide plenty of entertainment.
Where is it? The new trail is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the old trail, which puts it roughly 65 miles north of Los Angeles. Whats it called? The trail is so new its name hasnt yet been etched in rock, but who cares about a name? Its a great, challenging, new trail. If you are interested in running it next year, contact the High Desert Four Wheelers, Dept. 4WOR, 5711 W. Ave. M, No. 41, Quartz Hills, CA 93536, 805/943-9744.