Moab trail difficulty

[Houndoc]

As I sit here on a slow day at work (anyone got a sick dog they can bring in?) I was thinking about the way Wells rates the Moab area trails in his book (easiest to most difficult) and how much the order of difficulty may have changed over the years.

He rates the ten most difficult as
Flat Iron Mesa
Steel Bender
Metal Masher
Poison Spider Mesa
Cliff Hanger
Hell's Revenge
Moab Rim
Golden Spike
Pritchett Canyon
Behind the Rocks.

That was in 2000.

Based on trail conditions the last couple of years, what would be the current list of 10 most difficult?

 

[kgb]

How about the easiest in a list too

 

[Cody]

do we include spur trails that wells didn't know about or BFE?

do stupid bypasses count too? For example, if you take the bypasses around Rocker Knocker and Rock Pile on Pritchett do you still count it as successfully navigating the trail? ( I don't )

 

[ewander]

As I sit here on a slow day at work (anyone got a sick dog they can bring in?) I was thinking about the way Wells rates the Moab area trails in his book (easiest to most difficult) and how much the order of difficulty may have changed over the years.

He rates the ten most difficult as
Flat Iron Mesa
Steel Bender
Metal Masher
Poison Spider Mesa
Cliff Hanger
Hell's Revenge
Moab Rim
Golden Spike
Pritchett Canyon
Behind the Rocks.

That was in 2000.

Based on trail conditions the last couple of years, what would be the current list of 10 most difficult?

The other thing to consider is how your vehicle is set up and driving style. I know guys that are scared of Moab Rim, even though I never spin a tire. Pritchett is a lot harder now than it used to be. I have never thought anything on the Golden Spike was all that hard. Behind the Rocks is harder in my opinion (because of a couple obstacles). There are a lot of variables that must be considered. Area BFE is a lot harder.......

 

[Houndoc]

I would think some trails not in the book would be worth adding to a list. Taking the by-passes wouldn't count (I agree with Cody on that), but nor would an optional obsticle that is not part of the main trail.

Vehicle set-up and driving style we won't really worry about. One person can write a book and determine a list pretty easy since it is one man's opinion. This thread won't be as clear cut, but at the same time probably more fun, too.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I've got a trail database that I have been compiling for the last couple years?? With nearly 100 trails in the greater Moab area (what I call my SouthEast Region), basically from rougly I70 South, everything on the east side of the Colorado/Lake Powell. While some of the ones further south are a 1-2 hour drive from Moab, I would consider tham all doable for a day trip with the exception of Hole In the Rock (EAST) and Rincon (spur trail).

Rating them isn't even something I've really consided yet. Wells is a little more practicle than Massey, and even his are fairly conservative (at the request of his publisher I'm told)

 

[Bart]

According to the RR4W web sight Pritchett is the only 5 rated trail. They only list trails that are organized runs thus no Upper Helldorado or any BFE.
Personally I'd have to say (hardest to easiest, excluding BFE):
Pritchett
Moab Rim
Behind the Rocks (or move up a spot if you include White Knuckle)
Golden Spike
Hell's Revenge (not including Hell's Gate or Escalator)
Poison Spider
Cliff Hanger
Metal Masher (move up 4 if you include Rock Chucker, Widow Maker and MIL)
Kane Creek

 

[Medsker]

I've got a trail database that I have been compiling for the last couple years?? With nearly 100 trails in the greater Moab area (what I call my SouthEast Region), basically from rougly I70 South, everything on the east side of the Colorado/Lake Powell. While some of the ones further south are a 1-2 hour drive from Moab, I would consider tham all doable for a day trip with the exception of Hole In the Rock (EAST) and Rincon (spur trail).

Rating them isn't even something I've really consided yet. Wells is a little more practicle than Massey, and even his are fairly conservative (at the request of his publisher I'm told)

That sounds like something I would love a copy of

do we include spur trails that wells didn't know about or BFE?

do stupid bypasses count too? For example, if you take the bypasses around Rocker Knocker and Rock Pile on Pritchett do you still count it as successfully navigating the trail? ( I don't )

What about if you try an obstacle for a while and then winch up it to lower the risk of broken axles etc. when you are running the trail alone? I have no problem with body damage but I don't like being stranded.

Medsker

 

[cruiseroutfit]

That sounds like something I would love a copy of

Its a small part of a much larger project... I'll let you know when its up and running, in the meantime its in line behind some other projects

 

[Medsker]

Its a small part of a much larger project... I'll let you know when its up and running, in the meantime its in line behind some other projects

I understand...I think we all have those "line" of projects we wish would magically be done so we could go wheeling

 

[yellowbronco]

For example, if you take the bypasses around Rocker Knocker and Rock Pile on Pritchett do you still count it as successfully navigating the trail? ( I don't )

Or Rusty Nail.

 

[DevinB]

Almost all of those trails can be done with 33's and one locker, maybe even no locker if you're a good driver. My list would be:

Pritchett (definitely need two lockers and 35's to do all the obstacles)
Behind the Rocks backwards (good luck going UP White Knuckle with anything less than 37s and lots of wheelbase)
Metal Masher if you do all the optional obstacles
The rest are a wash.

 

[Houndoc]

Fun thoughts. Having only driven Poision Spider Mesa and Kane Creek of that list, gives some idea of comparision (since I am on 32s and open difs).

 

[ZUKEYPR]

CLiff hanger wouldn't even be in the equation. I see folks complete that all the time with 31s" and no lockers, same goes with Flat Iron Mesa, not to mention the fact that trail is boring as hell.. I'd add Kanes Creek to the mix. Then if you included trails that were not orginally in his book a whole other can of worms are opened. You'd have to include all of BFE, Rusty Nail, Killer Kane.

 

[Cody]

That sounds like something I would love a copy of



What about if you try an obstacle for a while and then winch up it to lower the risk of broken axles etc. when you are running the trail alone? I have no problem with body damage but I don't like being stranded.

Medsker

I would probably say that if you are on a trail that is difficult enough that you are concerned about drivetrain damage unless you start pulling a winch, then you shouldn't be on that trail alone

I just think it's funny when people will say they've done Pritchett or Rusty Nail but they take all the bypasses or winch over the small number of truly difficult spots.

I hiked up Upper Proving Grounds but never drove it--does that count as doing it? (I did do the first obstacle--but that is only 1/5 of the trail).

 

[Medsker]

I would probably say that if you are on a trail that is difficult enough that you are concerned about drivetrain damage unless you start pulling a winch, then you shouldn't be on that trail alone

I just think it's funny when people will say they've done Pritchett or Rusty Nail but they take all the bypasses or winch over the small number of truly difficult spots.

I hiked up Upper Proving Grounds but never drove it--does that count as doing it? (I did do the first obstacle--but that is only 1/5 of the trail).

That makes sense to me...so for the record I haven't done Pritchett and I still haven't been able to find Rusty Nail or BFE. I heading down next month with a group so I'll do Pritchett then.

 

[Brett]

But.....then I haven't "done" Rusty Nail

 

[timpanogos]

I just think it's funny when people will say they've done Pritchett or Rusty Nail but they take all the bypasses or winch over the small number of truly difficult spots.

I hiked up Upper Proving Grounds but never drove it--does that count as doing it? (I did do the first obstacle--but that is only 1/5 of the trail).

If someone reads a trip report, at least looks at the pretty pictures, then they have succesfully "Web Wheeled" the trails.

Those with pictures and stories (i.e. the actual participants), rather they finished via strap or on their own have actually been out wheeling and hence have done the trail.

 

[benjy]

I just think it's funny when people will say they've done Pritchett or Rusty Nail but they take all the bypasses or winch over the small number of truly difficult spots.

I winched at the eagles nest, guess I haven't "ran" constrictor yet

 

[DevinB]

...Killer Kane.

Haven't heard of this one. Details?

I just think it's funny when people will say they've done Pritchett or Rusty Nail but they take all the bypasses or winch over the small number of truly difficult spots.

If I run a hard trail and have to bypass/accept assistance over the hard stuff, I'll say right out that I've done that trail, except the obstacle I didn't do. So I've run most of Pritchett, up to Rocker Knocker where we turned around because of a bad t-case. People can say they've run the hard stuff all they want, but most of the time you know if they actually "ran" the trail.