Moab's -Pritchett Canyon 4WD Trail

by Marc Bryson

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Here's a Map [right] that I acquired (from our friends at yahoo.com) to document the entry to Pritchett Canyon. Hopefully the red highlighter will get you on the trail. There is a $2 fee to run this trail as it's entrance is controlled by private property. This is a long and tough trail (current Red Rock 4 Wheeler's rating is '5').

I'll just try and take you through the trail with some photo's that I have....

The entry to the trail is a very steep downhill. If you have any reservations about taking this drop off, turn around! It only get's worse. Now that we've sorted out the men from the boys, let's get on with things. I don't have any pictures of the entry, but just after that you're in for this [left]. Rare for this trail, there is a bypass just over by Brent's green XJ. This rig is a guy named Jason's. It's running 36" Swamps for perspective on the obstacle. The taller guy on the right, is about my height (6') and that could also give you some perspective.

The next parts of the trail are just broken washes such as pictured above with optional obstacles to test your skill. Each time I've been through this area, the erosion is incredible. Some of those rocks aren't even there anymore, or they move from year to year. You'll see them further down the canyon.

After running the washy area for a while, you'll come up on the right edge of the canyon with some somewhat tricky spots cut right out of the canyon wall. There's a mudhole and some other things up there, but nothing too significant. You then come down off of the canyon wall right here. Notice the ledges and the cool background. As you come through the bottom of the canyon there are a couple of ledges that you will need to climb. You can pick lines here as well, but they aren't real tough obstacles (unless you make them that way!).

There's some fun places in this area of sandstone 'slickrock' to flex your vehicle out on and test your mettle. Jason is just coming out of a deep wash [above right] (deeper than a Cherokee) and showing off his front flex.

The mighty Rocker Knocker obstacle. Not as easy as everyone makes it out to be, and it seems to get worse every year, as well. You now have a third ledge right at the entry. The only possible line for someone not locked up, is to take this obstacle WAY to the right and get right on top of the second ledge. It's a pretty risky line (if you can even get up there) and you would want spotters on both sides. I intend to try it open diffed, and see if that line will work at all, otherwise I expect the strap, here.

Just after Rocker Knocker, you get a breather to cut back out of that fork of the canyon and go back into the main canyon. Don't rest too long, because you're almost through with the trail, but some of the toughest spots remain. There's a couple of semi-tricky, narrow spots leading up to the Rockpile, but you shouldn't have much trouble through there if have made it this far. There is a line for SWB vehicles on the right of this slab. The 'cliff' isn't quite as sharp, but you still have a pretty steep climb over there. I haven't seen anything longer than a CJ-7 over there, and it could be that anything longer than that, can't position itself to make it up over there.

The mighty rockpile. Dual lockers are REQUIRED here, or you will get the strap. Even with the locked axles, you might not make the hill. I'm not sure what the good line is, just gas and luck seem to be right combination.

The edge of the rock off of Brent's front bumper is the exit from the canyon that leads out to fireroad type trails to Pritchet Arch and other various places (or you can drive out real fast and do Helldorado on the other side of the highway!!!!!!!!).

To Home of Marc Bryson's Off-Road Ramblings

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