Jeep JK Videos

Episode 3 of the Project-JK Moab Experience is the final chapter in this three part series. In it, you will see highlights from one of the largest gathering of Jeep JK Wranglers ever – the 2009 Mega Meet which took place at Area BFE, and you will get to see an excursion we did out to Arches National Monument where we took in the breath taking beauty of Park Avenue and hiked up to the Tower Arch. Last but not least, you will get to see some serious carnage we had out on the Metal Masher Jeep Trail and what it took to get us rolling again.

In this episode of Project-JK’s, The Moab Experience, we pick things back up right after JeepCacher breaks his rear drive shaft on the Steel Bender trail. With a big thanks to Northridge4x4, we’re able to get the drive shaft replaced and continue our way to the end of the trail and well into the dark.

There is a place that every Jeeper feels a calling to. It is a place of amazing beauty and formidable challenges – a place we must all travel to at least once in our life and this place is called, Moab! Once every spring, thousands of Jeepers from all over the world make their way to this promised land to be a part of an annual event that has been going on for decades and is known as, The Easter Jeep Safari.

Back in September of 2009, Cindy and I were invited to head up to the Rubicon with Mel Wade of Off Road Evolution and Ali Mansour of Petersen’s 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road and be witness to what would be the first ever run through the Little Sluice Box in a Jeep JK Wrangler. Two attempts were required to complete this extremely challenging section of trail but, Mel was able to conquer it and, you can see how he did it in this short video.

Sidewinder is a short, fun but difficult rated trail that is situated within the Corral Canyon OHV area which is located just south of I-8 near to the town of Alpine. Sidewinder is known for is it’s large granite slabs you get to traverse and steep unforgiving ledges you get to climb and descend.

The Slickrock Jeep Trail is located about two hours south of South Lake Tahoe, just off HWY 4 and near to the town of Bear Valley. Starting at Lake Alpine, Slickrock makes its way across the Stanislaus National Forest and ends over at the beautiful Utica Reservoir.

The Black Mountain Wilderness is by far one of our most favorite destinations in the Mojave Desert as it is both beautiful and filled with rich history. During the late 1800’s, travelers would pass through the Black Mountains and make an overnight stop at Black Canyon Well on their way to the Panamint Range carrying needed provisions or back to Los Angeles with cargo of valuable silver ore. One of these travelers left his mark on several of the black volcanic rock faces indicating that he was “J. & A. Tillman” and that he was in this area on “Sep 3, 1874 San Francisco Cal”. Of course, well before the miners, Native Americans spent a vast amount of time in this area and left a stunning array of petroglyphs into the rock faces and some of which depict a herd of big horn sheep.

In addition to the countless boulders, ledges, trees, water crossings, mud, tippy rock faces and tight squeezes that you you have to tackle along the 17 mile length of trail known as the Rubicon, there are still plenty of optional obstacles that you can take on as well and one of the more famous ones is known as the “Soup Bowl”.

Approximately 31 mile in length, the Dusy Ershim is a hell of a trail that cuts through the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and straddles the John Muir and Dinky Lakes Wilderness. More than any rock garden to cross or ledge to climg, its excruciating length and slow going pace is truly what makes this a difficult trail.

The Dusy Ershim is a 31 mile long trail that cuts through the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and straddles the John Muir and Dinky Lakes Wilderness. It is an excruciatingly long trail that isn’t so much as difficult as it is relentless. In fact, in addition to the beauty you will find, one of the things that makes the Dusy so famous is the mile after arduous mile of squeezing your Jeep between closely planted trees. Now, I had always been told that a long wheel base vehicle couldn’t do this trail and from experience, I can tell you that nothing could be further than the truth. While length will make things more challenging, it is the width of your vehicle that’ll make it really tough.

Like many of the trails in Moab, Steel Bender is one that is rated “difficult” and is one that offers a lot of tough ledges to climb. In this Project-JK YouTube Video Highlight, you will see a few short clips that show a series of Jeep JK Wranglers (both 2-Door and 4-Door) climbing up a large optional ledge close to the beginning of the trail. This ledge is not only big but it’s also one that has soft sand at its base and does a fine job of kicking things up a notch. Lockers definitely help here but knowing how to “bump” your way up and maintain good throttle control sure makes a big difference as well.