Jeep Off-Road Adventure

Jeep Off-Road Adventure

by Brad Jeffies

Publication Date: February 1996

As the fog started to clear from the mountain foothills of Central Kentucky, a group of about 30 Jeeps met at the sky-lift parking lot in Slade, Kentucky.

The drivers were talking about the route that would be taken that day by the group of highly modified, hard-core, outback Jeepers. Places like Moonshine Mountain, White's Arch, Blazer Hill, Devil's Brew, Slide Hill and the Wall were the obstacles to be faced that day by both man and machine.

As drivers and passengers entered their vehicles, a quick glance over the group indicated that some old retirees and even children would be along for the adventure. After a last minute check to make sure everything was secure, vehicles lined up, made a left out of the lot and headed for Zachariha, Kentucky. The once laughing and boustorous people were all quiet now with not even a hiss on the C.B. to be heard. Driver's and passenger's minds were concentrating on a mental run down of a check list on their vehicles. Everyone knew that one bolt break could send a Jeep over a 1300 foot drop which could result in a serious injury.

A short ride down a gravel road and all vehicles came to a stop. Jeff Taylor, designated trail leader, announced over the C.B. for everyone to lock hub's in, drain their coffee, and begin to air down (a process where air pressure is released from the tires to as little as 4 psi). As a last minute inspection was taking place, I looked at the line of vehicles and saw Grand Cherokees, Cherokees, Wranglers and CJs were among the group.

At that time, Jeff announced on the C.B. "let's go" and the group moved slowly through a couple of small mud holes and on to the first obstacle. There in front of us was White's Arch, a natural arch with a narrow passage of a series of stair steps with a 700 foot drop off on both sides. A tire in the wrong place and the vehicle would flip back over. However, everyone made it with no close calls. People were buzzing then as they wiped the sweat from their hands and heads.

Moving down Goat Hill (probably named after the best source of transportation to travel this narrow ridge of large rocks) the bangs and crackles from rocks hitting the differentials could be heard. As we ascended to the bottom, an 8 foot, vertical wall faced us.

Only one vehicle at a time could go...too much gas and the Jeep would flip back over. As a C.J. tried, a loud bang came from the rear resulting in a busted axle. A spare axle was installed in the C.J. while several more Jeeps were winched up the wall. Everyone finally made it up with only some minor body damage to a few of the vehicles.

On down the trail to the next stop, Moonshine Mountain (appropriately named for what you need to drink a lot of to get the nerve to go up this hill). It was a rock boulder-type hill that curved to the left, almost straight up, with a 2100 foot drop off to the right that fell into the valley down the side of the mountain. There was no room for a mistake here.

For the next three hours, multiple Jeeps tried with no luck and resulting in broken drive shafts, popped tires, busted front ends and radiators. All Jeeps but four were winched up. Repairs and patches made, and it was on to Devil's Brew (after making it through everything else, Devil's Brew would be his last effort to take us out).

This off camber sand-stone hill leaned to the left with a 600 foot drop into a ravine and a large rock wall on the right. This obstacle had to be driven slowly as most of the time only three tires were on the ground. Too much power or a mistake made in tire placement would have rolled the Jeep. Four Jeeps had made it up when a C.J. 5 started to slide. As the driver cut his wheels to the right, the right rear tire fell off the rock and the left front tire was in the air. At that time the C.J. started to roll. Thanks to a full roll cage, the driver was not hurt and the Jeep was winched back onto four wheels. Luckily, no mechanical damage was done and the body sustained only a few dents. After witnessing the C.J. roll, 15 or 20 vehicles decided to winch up.

As I was the designated "tail gunner" of the group, I had decided to drive up, following a CJ-7. All of a sudden the CJ's tires broke traction and the vehicle came spinning down the hill backwards. As it finally stopped, the left rear tire was hanging over the 600 foot drop with no trees or rocks to stop it. As the driver sat frozen, the Jeep was slowly winched so that all four tires were once again on solid ground.

The group exited the trail area that day with the C.B. buzzing with joking, laughing and many stories how certain group members thought they were gonners!

Obviously, these type of trails are not for stock 500's, but vehicles built tough enough to tackle such obstacles. Attempting these trails with even a highly modified vehicle is taking it to the extreme!