Feature > Events/Trail Rides
Cruise Moab
TLCA Shows The Way
story & photos by Harry Wagner
With tires aired down and hubs locked, anticipation was high. There are few things better than a beautiful day on the trail with a group of friends. Photo by Jerry Suplemento
Cruise Moab is the Toyota Land Cruiser Association’s (TLCA) version of Easter Jeep Safari... except that it is not Easter... and the vehicles are not Jeeps... but it is in Moab! The differences can be beneficial for a number of reasons. For one, the town of Moab does not suffer as much from the “spring break” atmosphere at the end of April. Secondly, the “Toyota only” aspect means that there are fewer Jeeps present to break down on the trails. (Jeep owners, please send your hate mail to Harry Wagner, c/o Off Road Adventures magazine). All kidding aside, Cruise Moab is a premiere event that is open to all TLCA members and features breathtaking scenery, excellent organization, a friendly staff and participants. More and more groups are starting to hold vehicle specific runs in Moab, including the Zukfari (Suzukis), ‘Zu Zoo (Isuzus), and XJ Fest (Jeep Cherokees).
ARB locking differentials and low air pressure in the Goodyear MT/R tires allow Bill Morgan to climb this near vertical face on Steel Bender without even chirping a tire.
Bob Anderson’s ’85 Toyota pickup runs a relatively stock drivetrain, with the addition of lockers and low gears. The exotic part of the truck consists of the tubular bed and rear quarter elliptical suspension.
Denver-based, TLCA-affiliated Rising Sun 4x4 club starts off Cruise Moab with a thorough tech inspection to determine what trails each rig is capable of. Standard equipment like tow hooks, a spare tire, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit are necessary for all participants. Hardware such as low gears, lockers, and big tires will up the ante to the more difficult trails. One might think that there would be logistics problems with a club hosting an event several hundred miles from home. Cruise Moab, now in its seventh year, did not seem to suffer from any of these problems. Part of the smoothness with which Cruise Moab is run can be attributed to the 125 vehicle limit for the event and the 20 vehicle limitation for each trail ride. The smaller trail rides minimize backups while grouping vehicles and drivers with similar capabilities. The entire event was well organized and trail runs regularly left and returned on schedule. This was in spite of some last minute trail changes necessitated by inclement weather.
David Conners was our trail leader for Steel Bender. He is a Salt Lake City resident who has spent an abundance of time exploring Moab’s backroads. David kept the group entertained all day with wheels up antics, such as those shown here.
Desmond Caravella’s ’89 Toyota pickup boasts a 4.3L Chevrolet motor and one ton axles turning 44” Super Swampers. The most unique feature of the rig though is the driver controlled airbag suspension.
When we arrived in Moab on Thursday night, one day after the event was in full swing, we were greeted by rain. The precipitation remained sporadically through Friday afternoon.
Many of the Cruise Moab participants had traveled great distances for the event, and arrived much earlier in the week to take full advantage of the red rock wonderland. License plates from British Columbia, Mexico, Texas, Ohio, and Georgia were spotted in the Slickrock Campground, which served as the base of operations for Cruise Moab. Fifteen trails were run during the official event, ranging from the scenic Porcupine Rim to the axle snapping Pritchett Canyon. Vehicles seen at the event were equally diverse, ranging from stock Land Cruiser wagons to full tube buggies.
Numerous “hot tubs” can be found throughout the Moab area. These sandstone depressions often fill with water, making traction the limiting factor when trying to climb out of the holes. Photo by Jerry Suplemento
Jeremiah Proffitt was our trail leader on Cliffhanger in his larger than life FJ-45. This rig features a ram jet 350, TH350 transmission, and Atlas II transfer case splitting power to steering Rockwell axles fitted with 44” Super Swampers. Bigger tires make for smaller rocks.
After seeing all of the carnage that had already been incurred by others during the week, we decided to spend Friday on Steel Bender trail. Despite the name, the trail is rated a three and a half (out of five) with bypasses for most of the difficult obstacles, and no steel was bent on this particular day. Steel Bender is a historic wagon trail featuring creek crossings and breathtaking views. As an added treat, the desert cactus found along side of the trail was in full bloom during our visit to Moab. Progress was slow and steady, with 9.5 miles covered in approximately five hours. This included a lunch stop at the bottom of Dragon’s Tail, the most difficult obstacle found on Steel Bender.
Dragon’s Tail is the most formidable obstacle on the Steel Bender trail. It consists of a steep ledge followed by a sharp left turn that is littered with several strategically placed boulders.
Friday night brought all of the participants together for dinner at the Bar M Ranch. The Cruise Moab raffle followed the dinner and was full of excellent prizes, including an on board camera system from Proffitt’s Cruisers, a Warn winch, and a set of BFGoodrich tires. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves at the raffle and emcee Dave Brown knew most all of the winners on a first name basis, an indication of the congenial atmosphere at Cruise Moab. Money raised from the event is donated to the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Utah Shared Access Alliance, and to help restore the devastation caused by the 2002 Hayman forest fire outside of Denver.
Saturday we met up with trail leader Jeremiah Proffitt to run Cliffhanger trail. If Steel Bender was misnamed, Cliffhanger definitely was not. The main obstacle on this trail is a four foot high ledge that under normal circumstances would not be overly difficult. Add in a 400 foot drop into Jackson Hole only a few feet from the edge of the trail, and you have a situation that will cause even the most hardened rock junkie to pucker in his seat.
Mark Hatton piloted Proffitt’s Cruisers latest creation, dubbed “Tigger.” This rig utilized quarter elliptical suspension and a steering Rockwell axle at each end, capped by 44” Super Swamper tires. Cliffhanger trail offered little in the way of challenges for this awesome rig, but Mark still looked a little nervous with a 1,200 foot drop only a few feet off the trail.
If you are afraid of heights, consider skipping Cliffhanger (and Moab Rim) for some of the area’s other offerings. There is no shortage of trails in the Moab area, ensuring something for every interest and skill level.
We are getting ahead of ourselves though. Before one even has the opportunity to hug the cliff side, it is necessary to cross Kane Springs Canyon and navigate a number of large ledges. The weather on Saturday was warm and clear, and we were joined on the popular Cliffhanger trail by a number of mountain bikers and motorcyclists. After traveling 2.6 miles along a dirt road scattered with boulders and ledges, we arrived at the cliff side. Slowly, each vehicle passed over the obstacle, clinging to the side of the mountain. Another 1.7 miles brought us to the end of the trail, overlooking the Colorado River far below. The snow capped La Salle Mountain Range could be seen in the distance, highlighting the dramatic difference in weather from the previous day.
This photo illustrates the potential consequences of an error on Cliffhanger. Fortunately a wide track width, flexible coilover
suspension, and nerves of steel allowed Charles Kim to traverse the obstacle unscathed.
Spotter Mark "Blind Man" Hatton watches passively as Shaun Veatch pitches further and further until the vehicle comes to rest on its side. Damage was minimal and with a few strong backs, Shaun was back on all fours.
After a relaxing lunch at the scenic vista, it was time to travel back along the side of the cliff the way we came. Once again, each rig inched up the boulders in their lowest gear, hugging the wall of the mountain. Progress was swift on the return trip, with occasional stops to allow oncoming traffic to pass. Trail leader Proffitt kept the group entertained by taking the most difficult lines imaginable in his four wheel steering, Rockwell axle’d FJ-45.
No trailer queen here. The drive to Moab from Jim Brantley’s Pismo Beach, CA home must have seemed short compared to past excursions that he has taken to Alaska. Though not shod with the biggest tires, sturdy bumpers keep dents to a minimum.
Once back to camp, we made dinner arrangements with our new friends before packing up. Sunday morning came far too soon, as it was time to bid farewell to Moab and another successful Cruise Moab event.
Contacts:
- Rising Sun 4WD Club
- www.risingsun4x4club.org
- PO Box 260175
- Lakewood, CO 80226
- Telephone: 303-838-7723
- Toyota Land Cruiser Association
- www.tlca.org
- PO Box 1357
- Rapid City, SD 57709
- Telephone: 605-388-TLCA