Off Roading with Care

Enamored by the freedom and capability of a 4x4, you went out and bought an SUV. It looks great and holds everything and everybody you'd ever want to share a drive with. Now you've grown restless with pavement. The only dirt your SUV has seen is from a distance. You crave a new adventure, but have no idea where to begin. You've checked out the off-road magazines and sense the pictured terrain goes beyond the concept of mere adventure. Plus your showroom new ride bears little resemblance to the featured vehicles.

Terraining Wheels
The key to entering this new world is to start easy and build up your skills. You didn't learn to drive in a Ferrari, and the Rubicon should not be your first off-road experience. With the popularity of 4x4 vehicles, many outdoor tourist areas, such as the Eastern Sierra, provide trail maps specifically designed for today's SUVs and less experienced drivers. The alternative for first-time treks is to ask the folks at your local 4x4 shop or known enthusiasts. If you're stuck with alternative two, proceed with caution. One person's "easy" trail may be another's "disaster."


Start this adventure prepared. For advanced off-roading, this could mean carrying a winch, but (for you) a shovel and/or pry bar, and the kind of provisions you'd normally take for a long drive, should suffice. The best-case scenario is to caravan with other SUV drivers, even if it's their first trip as well. The adage about two heads being better than one applies here and, if the worst-case scenario hits, at least you've got a ride home.


Check the local weather reports, especially if you're heading into altitudes or the leeward side of altitudes. One tricky thing about the dry side of a mountain range is that the weather sneaks up on you—you'll be basking in sunshine one minute and in the middle of a storm the next.


So you're prepared, the weather is cooperating and now you're at the trailhead with your front tires tasting real dirt. While many designated SUV trails can be done without four-wheel drive, go ahead and put your vehicle in 4x4 mode. Basically, it's easier to avoid loss of traction by proceeding in the 4x4 mode than it is to get out of a two-wheel drive mess.