Team TeraFlex Trail Run Delta
Team TeraFlex Trail Run – Delta
Where: Delta
When: September 19, 2009 (overnight)
Delta Utah. Talk about the undiscovered country, last year we were impressed with the Chainsaw trail, this year Craig Stumph had another treat in store for us, Desert Mountain. The DM area is out by the power plant about 15-20 miles outside of town. The area is used by rock crawl competitors to train and test their rigs, and I can see why. We had a relatively small group of Jeeps this year, 8 in all. Craig and Al in their buggies, Pete, Gary, Bert and I in our JK’s, all four doors. Dave in his modified unlimited Tj, and Travis and Scott in their well built YJ’s.
Craig Stumph put some serious effort into making a trail that was passable, yet challenging for our group. He spent a full Saturday marking a trail and designing the hardest, and most fun trail I have taken the JK on. We cannot thank Craig enough for his efforts in our behalf.
We parked our trailers at the base of a large set of rocks/mountains and started out with a bang. The trail wound up then dropped off through some very technical ledges and narrow canyons. They seemed very narrow to me as I watched the rocks trying to get a piece of my shiny green paint. The area is open, so when Craig saw a really nasty little gulch with a huge rounded rock at the top, he had to drive it. It’s almost like he has driven his rig before, because he crawled up and out with a little throttle and a good bounce. Al decided to give it a try, and made it clear up to the rock at the top before he got hung up on his control arms. He was looking pretty precarious and called for a winch line. I was the closest so around I went. It’s kinda hard to maneuver the big ole 4 door but we got it up to where Al could hook his winch to my front bumper, and pull sideways. He was dragging hard, I thought he was going to pull me over, but he finally came up out of the hole. We all got turned around and were back on the road.
There were several more side obstacles along the way. I was amazed at how many tried each one. “Not scared” best described the group. We went over, between, down, and though some nasty places. Everyone followed their spotter and there was no damage or breakage, it was great. I went over a hill so steep my trans lost fluid and I quit moving. It took another faster run at it to make it over. I figured no one else would want to try it, boy was I wrong. Gary blasted over it in his JK as did Travis and Al. Yea we were feeling it. Several others gave it a try and did some nice wheel stands and burn outs trying. I can’t even describe the rest of the trail, just one obstacle after another. No rest, full on pay attention or call the insurance company, serious fun (now that I look back on it).
Our next stop on the trail was a gold mine. It never ceases to amaze me how deep they punched holes in the ground, then crawled down ladders, nuts. Craig then took us over to,THE WALL OF DEATH, not something we were interested in trying. Craig gave it a good try, its so steep his sticky BFG’s just spun on it. If you slid back down too fast the dip at the bottom will stop your rig cold and flip you over, nice. The “wall” is at the base of the spot the Hammer Down Video cover was shot, quite a site to look at. When the poster was made, Brandon Gillen had several winches help drag his, (by today’s standards) nearly stock YJ up it. Craig has actually driven it since then in his comp buggy, props dude.
We back tracked a little way and made our way back to the parking lot. I traded Craig rigs so he could experience the ride the new Teraflex Speed Bumps provided the JK. I had been rallying it all day, every chance I could. What a kick, its so smooth… Yea well I kinda wanted to drive his buggy to, its so low and stable I wanted to point it up every hill I went past. The open fender well gave the rocks an excellent opportunity to pelt my head if I went to fast, Its a buggy thing I suppose.
The rest of the ride out was uneventful, just the usual stuff–Travis lost a trailer wheel, tire, brake drum, and bearings to the desert. Never found them, dropped his rig at Craig’s and still made it home for the Brad Paisley concert. All in a days work. Thanks again to Craig Stumph, we had a great time. If you get the chance give Delta a try, you will love it!
Next up Moab Oct 9th-10th. We won’t be able to use the house at the Portal RV this year so make your reservations soon. We will be running trails everyone can do, but a lift and lockers are a big plus–after all it’s Moab. I’m stoked already see you there. Feel free to call me with questions, we will post up more info along the way. Happy trails
Wood out
