- Joined
- Apr 5, 2021
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 26
- Location
- Cumming, GA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2012 F150, 2023 Wildtrak
- Your Bronco Model
- Wildtrak
Alabama, Town & Country’s next Bronco giveaway!
Sponsored
Sponsored
- First Name
- David
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2020
- Threads
- 27
- Messages
- 380
- Reaction score
- 495
- Location
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Vehicle(s)
- Heritage, Mach E, EV6
- Your Bronco Model
- Heritage
Ya… so a few thoughts- first off I’ve put a fair amount of miles down in this area. That unreal trail network to the west is awesome and has all kinds of slick rock features and play areas. But it’s unforgiving…
You need to have a good grasp of the trail system and solid offline maps to navigate out with. If you’re coming out past sunset you’d better have legit lighting, not OE headlights. Those beams wash out on the desert backdrop in what feels like 50 ft. I really wouldn’t be surprised if they were driving at a reasonable speed and their view of the trail just washed out on them in the low light. Happens ore easily than you’d think when you’re on very poorly defined trails with very little use compared to high use or organized/controlled environments.
Which brings me to my next thought… I’m super glad you and your passengers made it out safely, but in all candor I would personally NEVER have taken a stock Bronco Sport into this area.
Now in fairness it looks like maybe the driver was just dipping his toe in the water so to speak. I hope that’s the case. There are a series of dirt trails like this that stick close to the Mesa top and then a ridge line that takes you down into the actual shit. Looks like he was using some some common sense and trying to just mess around up top…
The off road recovery gang did an awesome job, but that’s a dangerous place for a recovery and if you are ever unable to recover there are in fact professional off road recovery services that will tow your ass out like Matt’s Recovery style that work in this area (for all I know they’re on the FB response team). Hiking for cell service when you’re deep in this area is a different issue altogether…
All that said I’m just glad that they rolled where they rolled. When I saw the post I immediately thought they went over off the main ridge spine coming in/out (if you know, ya know). THAT spot looks like MadMax with about a dozen bullet-riddled vehicles at the bottom of a 50-75ft drop with probably pretty bad survival odds.
Glad everyone was safe in the end. And yes, it is impressive that the car started, but I agree with the other posters that this was certainty a totaled vehicle.
You need to have a good grasp of the trail system and solid offline maps to navigate out with. If you’re coming out past sunset you’d better have legit lighting, not OE headlights. Those beams wash out on the desert backdrop in what feels like 50 ft. I really wouldn’t be surprised if they were driving at a reasonable speed and their view of the trail just washed out on them in the low light. Happens ore easily than you’d think when you’re on very poorly defined trails with very little use compared to high use or organized/controlled environments.
Which brings me to my next thought… I’m super glad you and your passengers made it out safely, but in all candor I would personally NEVER have taken a stock Bronco Sport into this area.
Now in fairness it looks like maybe the driver was just dipping his toe in the water so to speak. I hope that’s the case. There are a series of dirt trails like this that stick close to the Mesa top and then a ridge line that takes you down into the actual shit. Looks like he was using some some common sense and trying to just mess around up top…
The off road recovery gang did an awesome job, but that’s a dangerous place for a recovery and if you are ever unable to recover there are in fact professional off road recovery services that will tow your ass out like Matt’s Recovery style that work in this area (for all I know they’re on the FB response team). Hiking for cell service when you’re deep in this area is a different issue altogether…
All that said I’m just glad that they rolled where they rolled. When I saw the post I immediately thought they went over off the main ridge spine coming in/out (if you know, ya know). THAT spot looks like MadMax with about a dozen bullet-riddled vehicles at the bottom of a 50-75ft drop with probably pretty bad survival odds.
Glad everyone was safe in the end. And yes, it is impressive that the car started, but I agree with the other posters that this was certainty a totaled vehicle.
Sponsored
