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I've been in Moab, Utah this week. On Wednesday, May 21, our group of six Jeeps began a two day run along the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park. We started on the Green River end of the trail:
We took a side trail to visit the rock formation known as Zeus and Moses:
We continued along the White Rim trail:
The Charles Wells Guide warns that the section just before and after Murphy's Camp is DANGEROUS when wet. We had intermittent rain during the afternoon:
I was only about a hundred feet from the crest of Murphy's Hogback hill when my engine stalled. I started to roll back and I stepped on the brakes and tried to restart the engine and shift into reverse to regain control, but instead of stopping, all four wheels locked up and I skidded slowly back down the trail and off the edge, back first. I slid about 50 feet down the hill and stopped against a bush. At the left edge of this picture, you can see the tire marks where my Jeep left the trail:
Here's a picture showing how far down I COULD have gone:
The Jeep came to rest on its left side. The engine was still running (I don't remember, but I guess I managed to restart it). I was uninjured. There were no fluid leaks, and the steering appears to be OK. The only visible damage was a bent rear bumper and a flat front left tire. I got out of my Jeep and climbed back up to the trail.
Although our group was well equipped with winches and recovery gear, I decided not to risk more damage to my Jeep or to the recovery vehicles considering the bad weather and trail conditions. Instead, I have arranged for a professional recovery service to go out to the site when the weather improves (probably in a day or two).
In hindsight, I wish I had remembered to PUMP THE BRAKES instead of letting them lock up. I would have regained control and I wouldn't have to write this post.
We took a side trail to visit the rock formation known as Zeus and Moses:
We continued along the White Rim trail:
The Charles Wells Guide warns that the section just before and after Murphy's Camp is DANGEROUS when wet. We had intermittent rain during the afternoon:
I was only about a hundred feet from the crest of Murphy's Hogback hill when my engine stalled. I started to roll back and I stepped on the brakes and tried to restart the engine and shift into reverse to regain control, but instead of stopping, all four wheels locked up and I skidded slowly back down the trail and off the edge, back first. I slid about 50 feet down the hill and stopped against a bush. At the left edge of this picture, you can see the tire marks where my Jeep left the trail:
Here's a picture showing how far down I COULD have gone:
The Jeep came to rest on its left side. The engine was still running (I don't remember, but I guess I managed to restart it). I was uninjured. There were no fluid leaks, and the steering appears to be OK. The only visible damage was a bent rear bumper and a flat front left tire. I got out of my Jeep and climbed back up to the trail.
Although our group was well equipped with winches and recovery gear, I decided not to risk more damage to my Jeep or to the recovery vehicles considering the bad weather and trail conditions. Instead, I have arranged for a professional recovery service to go out to the site when the weather improves (probably in a day or two).
In hindsight, I wish I had remembered to PUMP THE BRAKES instead of letting them lock up. I would have regained control and I wouldn't have to write this post.
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