Trip Report Daytrip to Moab; 7 Mile Rim, Monitor & Merrimack Buttes, Wipeout Hill

[Greg]

I wanted to get to Moab while the weather was still decent and yesterday was perfect for that. I was on my own, so I opted for a more mild trail. I hoped that the recent rain & cold weather had driven the crowds away, but that wasn't the case. I can't believe how crowded the trails and town are these days. I miss the old Moab...

Started with Seven Mile Rim, found the overlooks and a few fun challenges on the trail. Then bombed across the sandy 2-tracks to Monitor & Merrimack Buttes, around the backside to Wipeout Hill. There were quite a few people watching the hill (50+ people, all SxS folks & dirt bikes), a dirtbike had wiped out and broken something midway and was blocking the trail. Aftet a bit, they dragged the bike off the obstacle, so others could play.

With quite a crowd, I didn't have a chance to setup a camera, so no footage of my trip. Going down was easy enough, coming back up wasn't bad ether, but I did scrape the hitch a little as well as the frame... but not enough to get hung up. The crowd enjoyed the show, it's easy to please the SxS folks with a LWB Jeep on 37's.

I should have taken more scenery pics, it's beautiful out there. But most pics are with the Gladiator in the way.

 

[RustEoldtrux]

You went in the back way of the Metal Masher trail to the Widowmaker, and then went down the Widowmaker from the top? I've never seen anyone attempt that before, huge cred for that.

 

[Greg]

You went in the back way of the Metal Masher trail to the Widowmaker, and then went down the Widowmaker from the top? I've never seen anyone attempt that before, huge cred for that.

I had my obstacles mixed up, I meant Wipeout Hill, not Widowmaker.

 

[RustEoldtrux]

Ok, makes sense to me now. Going down Widowmaker is pretty much a major train wreck, something you're very familiar with.

 

[Herzog]

This motivated me to get out today for a couple hours into the mountains since I couldn't meet up with you this weekend. Awesome photos and vids, Greg. Looks like it was a good time.

 

[zmotorsports]

Great pictures and thanks for the primer Greg. Looks like a fun trip and Seven-Mile Rim is one of our favorites. JT is looking good on the rocks.

I know what you mean about hoping the crowds will be less this time of year. We moved our annual trip to Moab from May to October about 10 years ago and there was hardly anyone there the latter half of October back then. Over the past 6 or so years we've seen the invasion during October increase dramatically. Last year the only trail we ran to the north of town was Seven-Mile Rim, all others we ran south of town.

We will be heading there in a few days to meet up with our RV/Jeep club who many have been there all month. Looking forward to it as the weather is supposed to be fantastic.

Mike