Easter in Moab is to 'wheelers what Daytona Speed Week is to race fans or the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is to bikers. It's more than just a destination for challenging 'wheeling on some truly legendary trails-it's a lifestyle event.
Here's something you may not know: The Easter Jeep Safari was created by the Moab Chamber of Commerce way back in 1967. In those days, the Safari was only a one-day event that took a small number of jeepers over just one Moab trail. In 1982, the Moab-based Red Rock 4-Wheelers took the helm of what was growing into a supertanker of an event. Since then, the Easter Jeep Safari has ballooned to span a full nine days.
If you're unfamiliar with...
If you're unfamiliar with the small town of Moab, you'll be pleased to know that it has most of the services of a major metropolitan city, including legal counsel in case that campfire axle debate turns ugly.
The sum of all of this change is that the Easter Jeep Safari is now a major player in the 'wheeling world and it draws vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket suppliers, and four-wheelers from all over North America and beyond. It's kind of like the Vegas SEMA show, only better because you get to 'wheel and you don't have to wear a suit. It's also interesting to note that a large percentage of the 'wheelers in Moab during the Easter Jeep Safari aren't actually registered participants of the Red Rock 4-Wheelers' Easter Jeep Safari proper. Nonetheless, the Red Rock 4-Wheelers have earned street cred because they're the folks tirelessly working behind the scenes (and fighting the battles) to keep the Easter festivities in Moab alive.
If you haven't been to Moab: plan on it. If you have been, you know what we're talking about.
For more info on Moab and the Easter Jeep Safari, visit the Red Rock 4-Wheeler Web site (www.rr4w.com) or Discover Moab (www.discovermoab.com).
 Like we said, the Jeep Safari...  Like we said, the Jeep Safari has attracted the attention of the vehicle manufacturers. In an exciting move, Jeep Corporation unveiled the new Wrangler four-door in Moab at the same time it was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. In addition, Toyota had a huge presence in Moab with the new FJ Cruiser. |  The Moab Rim Trail is one...  The Moab Rim Trail is one of the favorites of most Moab-goers. This trail offers stunning views of the Colorado River on the way up to the Moab Rim, and at the top it offers awesome views of Moab. The first major obstacle, Devil's Crack (shown), is a good one. One false move, and you could slide off the cliff, get electrocuted by power lines, fall onto Kane Creek Canyon Road and then bounce into the Colorado River. But hey, no pressure. |  We love a party, so we threw...  We love a party, so we threw one at the Area BFE Off-Road Park. It was actually sponsored by our parent company Primedia, and it featured a day of 'wheeling on a variety of trails. In between denting sheetmetal and breaking sector shafts we fired up the grill for a lunchtime cookout and everyone chowed burgers while soaking up the view of the spectacular La Sal Mountains. |
 Who 'wheels a fullsize van...  Who 'wheels a fullsize van on terrain like this? Is this guy nuts? Actually, it's just the guys from Quigley 4x4 demonstrating their product's versatility. We 'wheeled with these guys on the Green Day Trail at the Area BFE Off-Road Park south of Moab, and we now have a newfound respect for fullsize trail vans. |  We're just as susceptible...  We're just as susceptible to Moab's call as everyone else. Almost the entire staff made the trip, and we brought almost every project vehicle in the fold. In addition to Projects Frontier Nismo and RangeRunner (pictured) we also brought Teal-J and Mega-Titan. We'll admit that we're enthralled with the scenic Kane Creek Canyon trail. We love the shelf road that looks down over a 1,000-foot canyon, its scores of water crossings (one of which is shown) and its spectacular scenery. Most of the Wilshire Thugboyz, our "Week of 'Wheeling in Moab 2006" award winners David Smith and Deb Dutton, Dan McKeag and his son Mark of Burnsville Off Road, and other friends of Four Wheeler spent Wednesday exploring the trail. | |
This year two individuals got together and spearheaded a grassroots effort to help keep Moab clean. Avid four-wheeler Jeff Knoll and recycling advocate Sara Melnicoff were both very frustrated about the amount of trash left behind at Potato Salad Hill-one of Moab's more popular hot spots. Rather than complaining or placing blame, they decided to make a difference. Luckily, information about this effort spread quickly via the pirate4x4.com Web site. This turned into a weeklong challenge to clean up Moab's trails. The effort attracted many individuals, families, pro rockcrawling teams, and even some major aftermarket manufacturers. Plans are currently underway to expand this cleanup for next year's Safari. For information, visit www.moab-solutions.org or see the official Pirate 4x4 thread (MOAB EJS Challenge) at www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=450779. Get involved and help keep trails open!-Robin Stover