Moab questions

[Lake_v2]

I have a strong desire this year to make a moab trip

Questions...
How is the safari? Dates this year are last week of march

Whats best time of year weatherwise to go

[Desert Dog]

Brad hates the Safari, but most people love it.

The vendor show is big and there are smoking deals on gear/parts. Jeep puts more money into supporting this event than all others combined, so they have a huge presence and show off all of their concepts. Even though it is the second biggest off-road event in the world, that is part of the charm; the town is one big party. During that week, law enforcements looks the other way at non-street legal rigs. I do only one of the runs organized by RR4x4 (only to support them), but the rest of the week, I run trails on days when the runs aren't organized, and the trails are completely empty. The last 2 years, JKO did Pritchett runs during EJS and we did not come across 1 other group. I also do a run with JKO and a run with Eaton or Poison Spyder. Vendor's are constantly inviting you to join their runs. The best part about EJS, is the interaction between Jeepers from all over the world. I have made friends at EJS that live across the country that I still talk to regularly - I even became friends with a guy I met at EJS 2 years ago in Florida, who took me mudding when I visited that state this summer! Its awesome to put faces to all of the people you interact with on the net. EJS is perfect for people who don't know the area very well because its so easy to join guided runs. You wont go away from this event disappointed. One thing though; if you really plan on going, reserve your camp spot or hotel NOW - it sells out FAST, and there is nothing for 50 miles if you do it at the last minute. I get a hotel room in town because all of the trails are centered around town and its nice to get a hot shower after a day of playing in all the dirt/mud and go out to dinner and the bars with fellow Jeepers. Its awesome to run a trail in the morning, take a nap, then run another one in the afternoon. Area BFE has the more difficult trails and the only "rock crawling" in the area. March will be very cold in the mornings with the possibility of rain / light-snow throughout the event.

I have also been to Moab in early September and the weather was nice, although it did get in the 90s during the day. The summer is brutally hot In Moab and the Winter is very cold (in the teens). As far as the weather goes, I would say Late May or late September would be the best times to go.

[abendx]

It's true... I dislike crowds.

I am going back to Moab this year with the TBs once again. They are planning on running a week before the NAXJA event and then staying for the event. My plan is to hit the local trails the week before the event and do the non-moab trails during the event.

Last time I stayed at the slickrock campground. To close to the highest for my tastes, but a decent spot for little money. They have tent, rv spots, and cabins... and hot showers!

This will be in the late summer/early fall. Daytime temps can get to 90 and overnight temps in the 50s. Beautiful time of year there.

[Desert Dog]

My moab trips will be very short in the future. lots of people are telling me that the best (most challenging and scenic) trails are in St. George and Cedar City. Thats 4 hours closer!

Richard mentioned that once you run Cedar City, Moab is a huge disappointment!

[abendx]

[quote="Desert Dog"]My moab trips will be very short in the future. lots of people are telling me that the best (most challenging and scenic) trails are in St. George and Cedar City. Thats 4 hours closer!

Richard mentioned that once you run Cedar City, Moab is a huge disappointment![/quote]

Is there more than one trail at Cedar City?

I am going for a long time to try and maximize my expense.... it's about 800 round trip in gas alone, so I want to get as much bang for the buck as possible. This was last years's plan until we had a major injury.

I would love to hit the trail on the side of the freeway up there... Cliff was telling me about the spot and I believe it might be the Cedar City you mentioned? Cliff also told me there were trails to the north and south of Moab, 20 miles or so in either direction that make Moab look light. We will be hitting these trails during the NAXJA event... or so that was the plan discussed over the campfire.


The EJS event surely will be fun as MFD explained and I have a desire to go... but feel like I'd be disappointed with the traffic and crowds.

[Desert Dog]

I wont be able to do Moab in Sept., but would drive out there for a few days just to do Cedar City and St. George with you guys. Im really interested in exploring that area.

[Desert Dog]

St. George, less than 2 hours past vegas!

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[JeremyRowell]

[quote="Desert Dog"]I wont be able to do Moab in Sept., but would drive out there for a few days just to do Cedar City and St. George with you guys. Im really interested in exploring that area.[/quote]
I believe they Have plans to run these at the beginning of the trip. Richard will chime in on this...

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[abendx]

[quote="Desert Dog"]St. George, less than 2 hours past vegas![/quote]

Ummm... wow!

I think my buddy Eric said he wheeled that for Southwestern Crawl or something like that? Although I am pretty sure those are optional lines.

[quote="JeremyRowell"]I believe they Have plans to run these at the beginning of the trip. Richard will chime in on this.[/quote]

Ummm... double WOW! I wonder if my junk will be running after that... that shit looks like roll over city!

Thank you Jeremy!


Chris, I guess we are hitting that shit... you plan to bring the JK or the buggy for that?

[Lake_v2]

Great info thanks all i think i will wait and budget fot the tb run sounds fun

So what are the dated

[Goatman]

Moab is the coolest wheeling place anywhere. I don't go there for the hardcore wheeling, I can drive to JV or Ridgecrest and get all of that I want. I like Moab for the incredible scenery combined with very fun wheeling. It's a great combination of fun wheeling, hard optional obstacles, and breathtaking scenery. Plus, you can't beat staying in a campground in town with grocery store, restaurants, gas and parts houses close by. The Cherokee XJ 30th Anniversary Celebration is Oct 8-12, 2013. I plan on going as early as I can get away, at least by Fri the 4th. It's always tempting to stop and run Ash Creek on the way, which is between St George and Cedar City, one of my all time favorite trails. You have to bypass the first half of the trail just to finish it in one day with a group of buggies. Some of the hardest pure rock crawling obstacles you'll ever encounter.

Plans for this trip will firm up as we get closer. I'm not retired yet, so I can't take two weeks off. I'm organizing the event so I have to be there for that week. There will be plenty of wheeling opportunity both before and during the event, with some fun activities. Whether or not I have time to hit Ash Creek on the way out or not sort of depends on how early others go who want to do it. I'd be up for a 4 day long weekend trip up there some other time. I've run trails around Cedar City, and trails around Delta, but I haven't run trails around St George. I'd get in touch with Dean Bulloch, who lives in Cedar City, to go out with us and lead the trails. Dean's the one who's taken us to the stuff we've run over there.

[Goatman]

Here are a few pics from Ash Creek:


[img]http://www.fototime.com/4360BCC04F3D353/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/530F45CF20E3A7E/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/00AEB56B1A40560/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/8DD732B1808D622/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/2DF2DE91582B350/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/8C2019C7BB84E7B/standard.jpg[/img]

[abendx]

Richard.... I think this is the trail Cliff was talking about. Does it run parallel to the freeway?

Looks like fun!! We are going to have a blast!!

[Goatman]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/80F5A1380D0F517/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/E6CD5F77016C972/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/38F0ECBC876D059/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/579B57C95EDD39A/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/4EDBE8C5C0E4D24/standard.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.fototime.com/3FFEE7E669477C7/standard.jpg[/img]

[Goatman]

[quote="abendx"]Richard.... I think this is the trail Cliff was talking about. Does it run parallel to the freeway?

Looks like fun!! We are going to have a blast!![/quote]



Yeah, it's right next to I15.

Fun stuff.

[abendx]

[quote="Goatman"]
Yeah, it's right next to I15.

Fun stuff. [/quote]


Bad ass!

[Uncle Cracker]

wow!!!!! i think i'd like to run st. george, but i'd have to sell a kidney
to make it to moab

but i am playing the lotto

[abendx]

[quote="Uncle Cracker"]wow!!!!! i think i'd like to run st. george, but i'd have to sell a kidney
to make it to moab

but i am playing the lotto [/quote]

Roger.... it's not [i]that[/i] much further. Maybe you can convince someone with a extra long trailer (Richard, AJ (not ours), or ???) to split the fuel on the Moab trip? If I had a long enough trailer, I would totally be down to split that shit.

[Uncle Cracker]

we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it

[REDxj5150]

That's exactly the spot where I thought ash creek was richard. I can see the gorge that you can see from the freeway in one of your pictures.

Man... I'm sorry guys, but if I find a well paying job in southern Utah I'm gonna have to split.... It is so beautiful there.

LOL I like how clean the buggy is even with muddy tires in that one picture.