black bear pass roll over

Viewer discretion.  This shows how violent a Jeep rollover on Black Bear Pass can be.

The road is not that technical although it is quite narrow for long sections and will forgive zero errors.

Black Bear Pass can be more deadly than any trail in the San Juans if you don't have full concentration on your driving when moving and a more than competent driver at the wheel.  If you don't KNOW where all four tires are tracking every second, try some lesser dangerous trails first.

You might want to read the "High Mountain Driving" series on this blog before making a trip to the high country.  I can pretty much guarantee you will learn things that you have never heard before about mountain driving.

black bear pass reopening

If you've ever wondered why the county road crews close the Black Bear Pass road while they do maintenance, take a look a this and ask, "Would I want to be below that when it finally rolled down the mountainside?"

Uphill Traffic Has the Right of Way

 

 

United Four Wheel Drive Associations

·  1701 Westwind Drive #108 

·  Bakersfield, CA 93301

·  800-44-UFWDA

    800-448-3932

Website…https://www.facebook.com/united4wd/

FaceBook… https://www.facebook.com/united4wd/

 

 

Uphill Traffic Has the Right of Way

 

By Jerry Smith

 

Director of Environmental Affairs – United Four Wheel Drive Associations

 

 

 

Some thoughts about “Uphill has the right of way”

 

The Law

 

Colorado revised statute. “42-4-711(2) “On narrow mountain highways with turnouts having a grade of six percent or more, ascending vehicles shall have the right-of-way over descending vehicles, except where it is more practicable for the ascending vehicle to return to a turnout."  

 

That this is a law is crazy, but you need to understand lawyers (if that is possible) feel the need to exhibit power over people.”

 

Why is there a law?

 

Answer; It is a safety issue.

 

On any uphill incline on a gravel surface, backing downhill should be your last resort. As you travel backward downhill, the weight of your vehicle shifts toward the rear.  Your rear brakes are the secondary brakes on your vehicle—they are designed that way. That is only a small part of this situation though.

 

The weight transferring to the rear is the major issue. Taking weight off of the front axle reduces the stopping power of your primary brake axle. As you apply more brakes, the front tires will lock and skid on the gravel surface leaving very little stopping ability. For this reason, when backing downhill, you need to keep your speed and momentum very slow and under control.  

 

As you brake under these conditions, there is a tendency for the vehicle to want to turn one way or the other depending on which rear tire has the better traction for the moment. Turning while skidding on a narrow shelf road is NOT recommended. That is why you stay VERY slow while backing.

 

The Rule/Law

 

Now, back to the RULE/Law.

 

When you meet on a hill climb, the first good option is for the downhill traffic to back up to a wide enough place for the uphill traffic to pass SAFELY. 

 

This applies if all things are equal.

 

When multiple vehicles are traveling together, and they meet fewer vehicles coming from the opposite direction, common sense and courtesy MUST be used.

 

Avoidance of the Problem

 

On narrow roads, and ESPECIALLY on steep hills on narrow roads, to lessen this problem in the first place, large groups of vehicles should be spread out so there will be a minimum of 5 or more vehicle lengths between every vehicle. 

 

This way, if the group is stopped (met by opposing traffic), there is a possibility somewhere along the way might be a wide spot that one or more might be able to pull out of the way for others to pass.  

 

There may be times when BOTH directions must give way to the other by having some from each group back to a safe place.  This is not a power struggle.

 

Mental Notes

 

Wise drivers will make mental notes of where there are wide places as they drive by them for if they need them later. When you are stopped because of on-coming traffic, knowing how far you may need to backup helps when deciding which direction of traffic will be backing up.

 

The first option is that downhill traffic will back-up. If it makes better sense for the uphill traffic to back down, a good option is for a spotter to be used to guide the backing vehicle(s).  Keep the speed very slow and the vehicle(s) very much under control.

 

Accidents

 

One other thing needs to be addressed. Under these conditions, it is often necessary to pass the stationary vehicle in extremely close quarters. This is no time to be a bronc buster and blow wildly by. Extreme care must be taken to not trade paint or worse. IF that should happen, the drivers must trade pertinent identification information and insurance contacts. Then, when possible, there should be a report made to the County Sheriff or State Patrol. This is a typical accident report that is required by law. That it happened off-highway is irrelevant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death in the Desert

 

From the Director of Environmental Affairs - United Four Wheel Drive Associations -- Jerry Smith

 

When we of the organized 4-wheeling community try to educate people who are venturing out into the vast public lands, we do it from the standpoint of trying our best to keep you safe and healthy. It is not an ego trip on our part.

Unfortunately, I can't count Nena Barlow as a friend other than by reputation and from people who know her.  I have great respect for the trained professionals of the International 4-Wheel Drive Trainers Association (I4WDTA). Their knowledge, training, and experience is second to none. I've been around Bill Burke (Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America – since 1986, @4WheelingAmerica, BB4wa.com) enough to know that he's probably forgotten more than I'll ever know.

I've not taken a training course myself, but in the 50+ years of 4-wheeling I've lived, and all the technical recoveries I've either lead or was a part of, I've learned a pile of wisdom and know-how. As a student of Nature and of the trails, there are things I've learned that tell me tons of experience is a good teacher.

This story does not have a happy ending unless you take the outcome and learn from it.

 

Death in the Desert

Expedition Portal Staff / August 16th, 2020

 

By Nena Barlow

One of the best things you can learn how to do is to learn to assess things subjectively and pay attention to the changing conditions around you. These skills are important anywhere, but especially when your party is the only one within an hour or more. The more remote I am, the less likely I am to take chances with bad weather, bad roads, or just some hair-brained idea to try. This storm on the horizon changed my mind about proceeding farther that day into a remote area with otherwise easy roads. 

Last week, one of our guests died. He was found just a half a mile from his Jeep, dead of dehydration and heat-related illness. It was preventable. It was unnecessary. It was the result of bad decisions. I am sharing the details of his story with you, in the hopes that it will help prevent similar tragedies in the future. 

Mr. Jones (not his real name) had never rented from us before, but stated that he had visited and explored the Moab area several times. He reserved the Jeep for a week, and when questioned about his plans, he said he planned to visit Canyonlands National Park, a common destination for our guests, and that he had the necessary permits. 

Upon his arrival to our Jeep rental store, the staff questioned him in more detail about his plans. Our goal is to help our guests choose areas that are likely to fit their interests and level of experience so that we can help them to: 1) avoid things that are likely to cost them Jeep damage fees, and 2) stay safe. 

Sometimes people lie. Some overestimate their capability. Some UNDER-estimate the severity of current conditions. Mr. Jones did all of these things, and, unfortunately, did not live to learn from his mistakes. 

He said he had permits to camp in the Maze District and the White Rim, both in Canyonlands National Park. Both are very remote, with no services, and no cell signal for most of the way. The Maze is infamous for being one of the most remote areas in the country. We told him that it was not a place that we allowed our guests to go alone. He said he was going with a group. He said he had an emergency contact back home whom he planned to contact mid-week, when he would be coming out of the Maze and before he headed out to the White Rim. We did notice that he seemed to have adequate food, water, and other supplies as he loaded up the rental Jeep. That was the last we saw of him, and his last day alive. 

When Mr. Jones did not return the Jeep on time, we contacted the park service to verify his permit dates, and inform them of our concern. Since his last night camping permit put him six to eight hours away from town, the discussion was that he likely miscounted his return date and would be in by the following morning. When he did not return the following morning, we again contacted Canyonlands National Park and Grand County Search and Rescue. The location of the Jeep was identified shortly thereafter at the campground where he had a permit for the first night of his trip. This area is an eight-hour drive from Moab, so a helicopter or a jet boat and a hike up from the river is the fastest way to get there. Search and Rescue arrived about 90 minutes later. 

But, it didn’t matter how fast they got there. 

Mr. Jones was found one-half mile from the Jeep, under a tree, deceased, from apparent dehydration and heat-related illness. He was alone. He had an empty 32-ounce water bottle with him on his apparent hike in 100-degree temperatures. And he had passed away long before it occurred to anyone to even start looking for him.  

We learned during all of this that he was, in fact, alone, and not with a group, as he had told us. His emergency contact back home on the east coast was a casual co-worker who had been too distracted with an incoming hurricane to notice that Mr. Jones hadn’t checked in. And we had no reason to start looking for him until his Jeep was late.

The famous Rubicon Trail lies within the Sierra Nevada Mountains between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Although it doesn’t sound very remote, at an average travel speed of 1 mph over 12 miles to traverse the trail, plus an hour of easy driving on each end to reach anywhere, there is no such thing as a quick change of plans. 

Mr. Jones made a series of bad decisions that led to his demise, even though we asked all the questions to try to help him avoid that. His decisions cost him his life, and impacted the lives of all involved in the search for and recovery of him. 

These are circumstances that our Search and Rescue teams encounter day after day. Often, SAR team members activate in response to an emergency call and swoop in, preventing tragedy, but at the expense of fatigue and dehydration to themselves. They sign up for this, but still, so many people could avoid these types of emergencies with just a few simple precautions.

What can you do to avoid the result Mr. Jones had? 

1.   Heed the warnings about hiking in extreme heat or cold. Choose more temperate seasons or times of day. Check the hourly weather forecast. 

2.   Carry plenty of food and water. A simple rule is 12 ounces of water per mile hiking, plus electrolytes and sugary and salty snacks. 

3.   Listen to the seasoned rangers and local outfitters who are counseling you on what you should and shouldn’t do. 

4.   The more remote the location, the more backup you need—multiple vehicles and people are far more likely to be able to handle the myriad of possible issues that arise when you are hours from any outside help. Don’t go alone. 

5.   Know your own limitations. If you can walk 12 miles (20 kilometers) on good ground before getting tired, cut that in half over rough ground. If you are visiting an elevation more than 1,000 meters higher than you are used to, cut that number in half again. If you are hiking in temperatures below 45ºF (7ºC) or above 85ºF (30ºC), cut that number in half AGAIN. Have you had any recent medical conditions or medication changes? Might need to cut that IN HALF AGAIN. See where I am going with this? 

6.   Even satellite signal doesn’t guarantee you will reach anyone or that anyone can get to you in time in an emergency. Remote means you need to be prepared to rescue yourself, and take even fewer risky chances.

 ********************

There is one more thing Mr. Jones did wrong.  If you ever become stranded as in this story, DO NOT LEAVE THE VEHICLE!!  Rescue teams can find a vehicle far easier than a human body.  Whether you have water, food, and other survival gear with you is now up to YOU!!

 

Stranded on Imogene Pass for 3-Days

The following story provides proof that what we have written about high country weather being very dangerous.  You really never know when a deluge of cold rain will come down and fill all dry washes and streams.  

Snow storms in late spring or early in the fall can shut down many of the roads and trails we drive in the summer.  If you happen to be in the wrong place, you may become part of the white landscape as happened in the story below.

When we tell you to "Go Prepared", it comes from many years of high mountain experience.  PLEASE take this advice extremely seriously.  Your life may depend on it!!

From the PostIndependent

Serving Glenwood Springs and Garfield County, CO

Floridians stranded for three days on Imogene Pass

September 14, 2003

Heather McGregor
GSPI Managing Editor

In late August, part-time Glenwood Springs residents Don and Nan Seaton took a fun trip in their Land Rover over Ophir and Imogene passes in the San Juan Mountains.

So when their son and Danish daughter-in-law, Daryl and Jane Seaton, came for a visit from Florida last week, Don and Nan encouraged them to take the same excursion.

Caught by a massive cold front and snowstorm that pummeled all of western Colorado, Daryl and Jane spent three days and two nights trapped just below the 13,120-foot summit of Imogene Pass between Telluride and Ouray.

A rescue helicopter pulled them from the mountain midday Thursday and flew them down to Telluride, where Don and Nan were waiting.

“It’s kind of amazing what you can accomplish when you have to,” Daryl Seaton said Saturday, speaking by cell phone while waiting at Denver International Airport to catch a flight back to Florida. “You just look back and go, `Wow.'”

For his mom, the waiting without knowing was the hardest part.

“You want to help, but you can’t,” said Nan Seaton, who had high praise for the search and rescue crews and sheriff’s offices in Telluride and Ouray.

Don and Nan are former owners of the Caravan Inn in Glenwood Springs. They now own the four Sea Wake Resorts on the Gulf coast of Florida and divide their time between Glenwood Springs and Florida. Daryl and Jane, married 23 years, live at Oldsmar, Fla., and manage one of the resorts.

Nan said Daryl and Jane (pronounced ya-NAY) drove to Ouray and then over Ophir Pass to Telluride on Monday, Sept. 8. They called from Telluride Tuesday morning, and said they’d call again when they got down to Ouray that afternoon.

“Then we never heard from them,” Nan said. “So about 7 p.m., we called the sheriff’s offices in Ouray and Telluride.”

A search and rescue crew set out from Ouray that evening, but couldn’t even get halfway up the pass because of blowing and drifting snow. Searchers tried again on Wednesday, coming from both side of the pass. They got very close but couldn’t find the car in the raging blizzard.

Meanwhile, Daryl, 43, and Jane, 42, huddled in the Land Rover, a soft-topped 1994 Defender 90 model. Luckily, Nan had stocked the car with blankets, boots, down jackets and hot packs, and Daryl and Jane were wearing wool clothing.

While they were driving up the pass on Tuesday, it started to sprinkle snow. They drove over the summit and got about four minutes down the east side before getting blasted by the storm.

“It was a total white-out, winds blowing 50 to 60 mph,” Daryl said. “I got out and tried to guide the car down the road, when it slid down the hill. That was it. We were done. We were going to wait for them to come get us.”

The couple stuffed underwear and paper towels into the cracks of the soft top and settled in for the night, thinking they would be rescued the next day.

“I can’t explain how bad it was,” Daryl said. “It sounded like a freight train. It would go dead calm for about 30 seconds, then you could hear it coming like a train and it would hit us.”

High winds rocked the car, and they worried that it would be blown off the road. In fact, blowing snow packed in around the Land Rover, but it shook with every gust, he said.

Don and Nan headed over to Ouray Wednesday morning, and hung out at the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office while search and rescue crews made their second attempt at finding the stranded couple.

“I cannot tell you how good they were,” Nan said. “They kept us informed. They said, `Good or bad, we’re going to tell you everything.'”

On the mountain, Daryl and Jane realized their rescue would take longer.

“It never cleared up. It was a grueling day, mentally. The gusts of wind never stopped, and we knew they weren’t coming,” he said.

From the sheriff’s office, Don and Nan could hear about the rough weather conditions searchers were dealing with: high winds, deep snow and visibility of no more than 10 feet. The searchers gave up, and planned to try again Thursday.

On Thursday morning, with the temperature in the Land Rover hovering at 18 degrees, Daryl saw an opening in the storm. But his cell phone battery was dead.

He first tried to charge it up from the car battery, using turn signal wires from the dashboard. Then he took a close look at the battery, and saw that it was a 3.7-volt type. The car’s 12-volt battery wouldn’t work.

“Then I saw my camera. I had just bought a new battery, and it was a 3-volt.”

Using Band-Aids from his parents’ survival kit, he taped the signal wires onto the two batteries, and the cell phone immediately began to charge up.

“We were pretty excited,” Daryl said.

He waited a half hour for it to charge, put on boots and hiked back up to the summit in hopes of getting a signal.

From the car, Jane heard Daryl say, “Dad! Dad!”

At the Ouray sheriff’s office, Nan heard her husband’s cell phone ring. It was Daryl.

Two days of tension and worry dissolved into whoops and tears.

From Telluride, the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office sent a rescue helicopter up to Imogene Pass, while Don and Nan drove around from Ouray.

Because Seaton had a fishing license, there will be no bill for his rescue, said Jennifer Smith, spokeswoman for the San Miguel County sheriff’s office.

Daryl and Jane were taken to the Telluride Medical Center, where Daryl was treated for frostbite and his Jane was treated for exhaustion.

Then the family drove back to Glenwood Springs, where Daryl and Jane recuperated Friday before leaving for Denver Saturday morning. On their way to the airport, they drove through another snowstorm.

The Land Rover is still parked in the snow on Imogene Pass, but the staff at the Glenwood Springs Land Rover Centre is itching for a chance to go retrieve it.

Daryl said San Miguel sheriff’s deputies told him that if the vehicle stays on the pass until next summer, marmots will eat all the soft materials – the soft top, the seats, steering wheel and wires in the engine.

Mvcvccc9iDon is coordinating a plan with the Ouray County Sheriff, Nan said. They think there’s a good chance the weather will lift, and the snow will melt enough to drive the vehicle off the mountain, she said.

“We’ve got to have a break in the weather. But if it’s accessible, we’ll go get it,” said Randy Tuggle, manager of the dealership.

“That vehicle can be driven down on its own. It’s a matter of getting the right equipment up there to make a path, things like snow ladders and tire chains,” he said.

“It’s up to Don and the sheriff’s department,” Tuggle said. “We don’t want to jeopardize anyone’s safety, but the majority of my staff are trained in extreme off-roading and recovery. That’s something the manufacturer does for us. As for volunteers, we are more than willing to attack the task.”

Contact Heather McGregor: 945-8515, ext. 517

hmcgregor@postindependent.com

 

 

High Mountain Driving – part 5

High Mountain Driving – part 5

By Jerry Smith

Director of Environmental Affairs for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations

Wrong Interpretations of Trail Difficulty

Many trails have been described hundreds of times in many places.  Trail information is on Facebook, the Wells’ books, people you talk to, and a ton of other places.  What they don’t describe is the commenter’s experience level and competence behind the wheel.

The differences between one description and another can be the difference between driving a Mini Cooper and flying a 747.

Like I said before, each of us has a level of expertise that we will achieve for learned skills.  It’s like being a carpenter.  Most of us can drive a nail with a hammer, but most of us could not build a house to code.  There are differing levels of being an expert carpenter.

Because there are so many descriptions of the same trail, my recommendation is to take the worst level of difficulty you hear and the easiest level of difficulty you hear and consider somewhere in the middle a fair assessment.  Having done that, take into consideration your off-highway driving experience and the capability of the vehicle you will be driving.  One last thing is to apply your level of fear of heights or if you have passengers often, their fears and trepidation.

Now you may have some idea of whether a certain trail is within your capability or not.  Asking people who know the trails well and you are familiar with their wheeling expertise can also be a confidence booster.

I have known drivers for years that I swear haven’t improved their abilities in the slightest.  They just show up and drive like it was another Sunday going to the mall.  Others I have watched began as total newbies and within two or three trips you start seeing them learning and excelling.  One I can think of is very quick at picking up on little things to improve on her driving.

People like me are probably too anal about the tiniest little things.  We mentally measure every rock on the road.  We observe the air pressure in someone’s tires and how the particular tire works in different situations and on the various terrains.  How a driver works the throttle or responds to a spotter are other little things we scrutinize.  There is nothing that isn’t important.

I admit to being in the super anal driving clan.  On the one hand, it’s a good thing to be aware.  On the other hand, let’s just say people like me need to know when to hold their tongue and keep their advice to themselves.  It can be easy to insult others telling them every move to make.

One Last Thing

The “Rule of Thumb” you’ll hear a lot about in wheeling the backcountry is that uphill traffic has the right-of-way. Though that is the rule, rules can be and are broken all the time.  There will be times when meeting others on a narrow trail that breaking this rule makes far more sense.

Let’s say you are alone climbing a long, steep, narrow stretch of road and encounter two or more vehicles coming down.  There is no room to pass and they say there were no wide spots behind them for a long distance and there was one behind you not too far down the road.  Do you insist that they back up for a long-distance or give in and back downhill to the wide area?

In most instances, you should be the one in reverse.

Now comes some advice you really need to know, so please pay attention.  There are plenty of people who will tell you all kinds of reasons you don’t want to back downhill.  99% of those reasons are BS!!

The reason is that while backing downhill, stopping can be very difficult and unpredictable. The weight transfer causes the braking to be mostly on the rear axle and it is designed to be the secondary braking axle. The weight on the front axle will unload and lose traction (steering AND braking ability) and the vehicle may turn uncontrollably. On a steep, narrow gravel road, that is about as dangerous as it gets.

Even with all that, there are times when backing down to yield the right of way is the prudent thing to do. In that case, back down VERRRRY slowly. Maintain control so you may stop safely at a very short distance.  You may hear some derogatory jeers about your speed but ignore them.  Keep your vehicle under control… period!!  It will be no hair off them if you go over the side.

There you have it.  I hope I have made a strong impact on your thinking about mountain driving being just like any other.  There are other things I could add, but if you understand what has been said here and try your best to use this knowledge, chances are you will do well in our Rocky Mountain High Country. 

Many Happy Trails to you and never forget what Yogi Berra said; “When you come to a fork in the road… take it!”

High Mountain Driving – part 4

High Mountain Driving – part 4

By Jerry Smith

Director of Environmental Affairs for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations

Some of the Hazards

In the mountains, you are going to encounter a few obstacles and situations that are seldom seen in other areas.

The Weather

At the higher elevations, the weather is a very, very, fickle thing.  You may begin your day as a bluebird sunny day with the top down and the doors off.  You’ll be thoroughly enjoying your day when over the mountain top comes a rain or snowstorm.  Unless you’ve experienced a mountain deluge, you don’t know diddly about how cold rain can be. 

Even just a misty rain can soak you in minutes and you can suffer hypothermia in a very short time if you don’t find or make shelter and get dry and warm.  Find yourself in a soaking rain, and this all happens even faster. 

Then there are the storms that run inches of water down the road in just a few minutes.  Yes, flash floods can happen on the road surface and can wash away the road right before your eyes.

Figure 1 Flash floods can do enough damage to stop you from getting to camp.

I have seen 3” to 4” of water RUSHING down a steep mountain road.  Let me tell you, when you start thinking about the fact that you and that water are going the same direction, and as you go more water will be joining what’s in front of you already making washed out roads and bridges a distinct possibility.

Don’t forget about lightning.  It often accompanies these violent storms.  You haven’t seen hell’s fury until you’ve been through a high-country lightning storm.  It is best to stay in your vehicle in one of these, but it is a very good idea to find something taller than your vehicle to park under or near (not the only tree for miles).  A low gully is good, but don’t get caught in a flash flood.

Other weather you may encounter will be thicker than the rain.  Every kind of white precipitation known can occur, sometimes all in one storm.  These storms can happen at ANY time of year, so foul weather gear is mandatory, not optional.  If you happen to be in the wrong place at the right time, heavy wet snows are common.

High winds can be a problem too. They come from nowhere and can carry limbs and even trees from the forest to the road.  Usually, these heavy blows will be brief, but don’t count on that.  High winds and rains can even trigger rockfalls that can be dangerous. 

I have driven roads in a deluge of wind and rain in steep mountains and have seen rocks the size of large beach balls come tumbling down the mountainside, bounce on the road, and continue over the roadside.  If one were to hit your vehicle, you could be severely damaged and/or hurt.

Another hazard in that kind of storm is falling trees.  You never know when a tree will reach its final ability to stand up in high winds.  We’ve all seen the damage a falling tree can do.  All you can do is be where they don’t fall.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is a phenomenon that most people don’t give a thought, yet it is very real at the altitudes you will find yourself driving in the Colorado high country.

e

Admittedly, I have no reason to think this accident happened due to altitude sickness.  There is a slight possibility that it may have had a part though.

Altitude sickness is a sneaky thing that slowly begins taking away your ability to focus.  Then you may have a dull headache that keeps intensifying.  Nausea may accompany the headache as well.  If you allow this to continue, there is a chance you may pass out.  If you are alone, there is a chance you may die. 

If you are driving, your concentration may begin failing and you could drift off the road or hit something without knowing how.

About the only thing you can do is to quickly drop down in altitude significantly.  Try to breathe deeper than you normally would.  This is difficult to maintain because it is not normal, and your concentration is compromised.

Altitude sickness is nothing to ignore.  In fact, you’ve been warned about it now.  Pay attention to what your body is telling you.  Remember, high country roads are unforgiving of small lapses of concentration.

Soft Road Shoulders

On steep mountainsides where roads have been cut into the mountain (shelf roads or dugways), the outside road shoulders are often soft and unstable.

I often kid people I see who tightly hug the uphill side of the road in narrow sections as “amateurs” or inexperienced.  Truth be told, they are taking a prudent course for their level of expertise.

With over 50-years of mountain driving behind me, I have a bad habit of riding the outside bank of many mountain roads for the “better view”.  I do this with total concentration to the “look” of the roadside to keep from “finding” that soft place unexpectedly. 

If you pay close attention; it is easy to see potential soft roadsides.  When the road is being bladed, the operator will be pushing whatever loose material out and over the side.  This soil will require several very wet storms or snowmelt to “firm-up” before driving on them will be safe. 

I have learned to “read” the outside bank with nearly 100% accuracy and because I constantly practice tire tracking of all 4-tires, I will chance the possibility of hitting a soft shoulder for the closer view of the valleys below.  I do NOT recommend this practice!!!  It takes years of experience and a good knowledge of soil compaction to pull this off.

YOUR best bet is to stay in the middle of the two-tracks on most roads to be safe.  Being safe on mountain roads should be your first priority.  Few people will take the time to learn critical tire tracking on Jeep roads.  They only want to enjoy a day on the trail.  That is a very good choice.

It is fairly common for mountain roads to have soft shoulders due to the amount of rains and snowmelt found in the high country.  As rain and snowmelt accumulate on a road surface, it will increase in volume and velocity until it finds a place to exit the side of the road.  At those points, there is often a “V”-notch carved into the side of the road.  These “V”-notches are dangerous and should be avoided.  The other thing is that they sneak up on you.  Many are difficult to see from very far, so you are surprised by them often.

In my younger years, I would stop and throw rocks and other stabilizing debris into the deeper “V”-notches to keep the roadside from excessive erosion.  If you catch them before they are too big, they don’t require too much work.  Allow them to grow and soon the trail will not exist.

When I reopened the Pace Lake Jeep trail back in 2008, I worked a whole afternoon filling a 3-foot deep and 3 to 4-foot wide trench of about 75-yards length to re-establish a passable road base.

Let’s resume this on part 5.

Happy Trails.