Influencer II
- 1,988
- First Name
- Peter
- Last Name
- Dougherty
- Member #
-
28487
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W2IRT
Anybody up for some wheeling and overlanding in the San Juans, along the Rimrocker Trail, and some of the more famous trails in Moab? Ideally I'm looking to partner up with one or two OB community members with some serious experience, since I'm extremely new to Overlanding in a way beyond simple weekend car camping situations. I'm comfortable off-road and primitive camping, and my Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is very well equipped and ready. But to be honest, I don't have the experience and skills to pull this off solo, and it's a very hard no from my wife to doing this on our own.
I've watched a ton of videos, and we've been to Ouray a few years ago—and as passengers down Black Bear Pass and across Imogene and Yankee Boy, but I never drove those roads on my own and it's one of my life's ambitions to do so. So basically I have a very good idea of what I'm getting into and I know I'd be comfortable doing it, but to have one or two more experienced folks around in case we get in over our heads is the missing piece that I'm looking for.
I can go anytime in August, but we must be back home in New Jersey by 8/30 for an immovable Jury Duty summons for my wife.
My goals for this trip are to do Engineer Pass, Ophir, the Alpine Loop, Imogene, Poughkeepsie (or as much of it as my rig can handle), maybe Black Bear (only if I can go out with a highly experienced guide/spotter), and maybe some of the other lesser-known but equally scenic trails. I'm thinking 4 or 5 days, maybe? I'm good camping out or going back to a motel/hotel in the Ouray area for this. Next up, the Rimrocker Trail, east to west, with one or two nights overlanding, taking it slow and doing it right.
And finally Moab, and this is the part of the trip I'm least knowledgeable about. Hell's Revenge for sure, maybe Top Of The World, but I don't know what else a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk can do out there without risking severe damage and five-figure recovery bills. It's very capable, but it's no Rubicon. And like in the Ouray area, any less intense but equally stunning overlanding trails that we can spend some time falling in love with. I'm thinking 7 days give or take to do this area justice. This is bucket-list territory for me so if there's any way I can make this happen I want to do it. I'm quite flexible about the order we do this, and my only requirement is that our vehicle can be driven back home under its own power at the end of the journey.
I've watched a ton of videos, and we've been to Ouray a few years ago—and as passengers down Black Bear Pass and across Imogene and Yankee Boy, but I never drove those roads on my own and it's one of my life's ambitions to do so. So basically I have a very good idea of what I'm getting into and I know I'd be comfortable doing it, but to have one or two more experienced folks around in case we get in over our heads is the missing piece that I'm looking for.
I can go anytime in August, but we must be back home in New Jersey by 8/30 for an immovable Jury Duty summons for my wife.
My goals for this trip are to do Engineer Pass, Ophir, the Alpine Loop, Imogene, Poughkeepsie (or as much of it as my rig can handle), maybe Black Bear (only if I can go out with a highly experienced guide/spotter), and maybe some of the other lesser-known but equally scenic trails. I'm thinking 4 or 5 days, maybe? I'm good camping out or going back to a motel/hotel in the Ouray area for this. Next up, the Rimrocker Trail, east to west, with one or two nights overlanding, taking it slow and doing it right.
And finally Moab, and this is the part of the trip I'm least knowledgeable about. Hell's Revenge for sure, maybe Top Of The World, but I don't know what else a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk can do out there without risking severe damage and five-figure recovery bills. It's very capable, but it's no Rubicon. And like in the Ouray area, any less intense but equally stunning overlanding trails that we can spend some time falling in love with. I'm thinking 7 days give or take to do this area justice. This is bucket-list territory for me so if there's any way I can make this happen I want to do it. I'm quite flexible about the order we do this, and my only requirement is that our vehicle can be driven back home under its own power at the end of the journey.
