Moab has some trails that offer white-knuckle, death-defying drops on the thousands of feet scale. Some of the obstacles you will encounter in and around Moab pitch the Jeep toward the seemingly bottomless drop. Devil's Crack on the Moab Rim Trail does have a drop, but it isn't thousands of feet. It is just a couple hundred feet, but that isn't why it is special.
The unique aspect of the Devil's Crack is that you get to it after about half a mile of climbing a ledge above the road that you just drove in on from town, which is right next to the Colorado River. While you are ascending the trail toward the Crack, it can feel as though if you make one wrong move, you'll fall off the ledge, bounce off the road below, and go right into the water. We've never seen or heard of anyone driving off, but we remember the feeling the first time we drove up it.
Then you get to the Devil's Crack.
On its own, it is a simple step up and turn to the right that takes you off the edge of the mountain and farther toward the plateau of the actual Rim. If it were at ground level, you wouldn't think twice about it. But through the crack, you can see the road hundreds of feet below, and the river below that. So you try to stay toward the uphill side, but the uphill side of the Crack is what tends to put Jeeps on their side, falling toward the river.
We've seen plenty of Jeeps flop on this one, but never a complete multiple roll like on Potato Salad.
There are two ways to run this one. Either run up the outside of the crack, closer to the cliff, to keep your Jeep on all four tires; or, depending on your wheelbase, straddle it and have some three-wheeling fun, because you will likely carry a tire up it by taking the latter line. But if you know at what point your Jeep tips, it can be a good time.
GPS Coordinates
N 38.56223 W 109.58055
Nemesis Two
Las Cruces, New Mexico, is known for its tall waterfalls and monster Jeep-sized rocks. Patzacuaro's Revenge is located in the mountains to the west of Las Cruces, and while a relatively short trail, it packs a wallop. A series of V-notches, waterfalls, and stair-steps with very few bypasses mean that you better have all the kinks worked out of your Jeep, not to mention a full supply of spare parts and tools, before you even think about going down this trail.
If you aren't fully armored with corner protection, heavy-duty bumpers, rocker guards, and good under-Jeep skidplating, you shouldn't try to run this trail unless you like body and possible mechanical damage. If you are armored and have a winch, this trail is a great test of your driving skill and your Jeep's mechanical fortitude.
Nemesis is the first obstacle on this trail, and it is the gatekeeper. If you can make it past Nemesis, your Jeep should have what it takes to make it down this canyon. But it isn't Nemesis that we are concerned with here. It is Nemesis Two.
Nemesis Two is just 300 yards around the corner from Nemesis and stands an imposing 12 feet tall. It is the tallest sheer rock climb on Patzacuaro's Revenge, and as you might imagine from a 12-foot, near-vertical climb, wheelbase here is a good thing. We've only seen low-slung trucks, Jeeps, and buggies with at least a 110-inch wheelbase run this obstacle without taking a strap or pulling a winch. For the shorter wheelbase Jeeps, there is a winch point up at the top to keep the front end sucked down and stuck to the rocks.
No matter your wheelbase, the line is the same. Start at the bottom of the climb roughly in the middle and aim toward the right so that when you crest the top, your passenger-side tires are kissing the wall. Then when your front tires get over the edge, steer a little to the driver side to get your Jeep lined back up with the trail at the top of the obstacle.
GPS Coordinates
N 32.27738 W 106.90183
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