Widow maker on Metal Masher (Moab)

[4-rocks]

OK folks, help me out please. How many of you have made it up Widow maker out in Moab? After I crashed into the rock on the left side I decided to have the strap and about 5 guys hold my front tires on the ground, climbed right up. Same with an XJ that came along. Has anyone in the last year climbed that thing un-aided. I think I got a little throttle happy, my front tires were pretty light before my rear tires started up. I was to the left where there is about a 20" vertical climb that you hit with your LR tire. I'm thinking I should have used momentum then let up on the gas just before I hit the rock with my rear tires. I think that would have pinned the front long enough to get them up over the break. The climb is now at about 110 inches. I wish I would have had an angle finder. It's steep with a bump at the bottom. It is getting harder every year because the dirt is being dug out and then blown away. In the mid 90's it was only about 4 feet high. Now it is almost twice that high. It looks like the rock is curving back under making an undercut. Anyhow, I'm curious what you drove and how you did it.

[isotel]

I was there for EJS and the only way we got my buddies Scrambler up it w/39.5 irocks is with 2 guys on a rope tuggin the front end.. everyone elce winched up.. I bet with the right tires, Moons in alignment and a low center of gravity with some gas you could make it with a short wheelbase, but it aint called widowmaker for nothing

[mygreenjeep]

We were there a year ago an it looked about the same. There was a really long wheel base truck in front of our group that made it up. But if I remember right, he had to work at it. Once he made it up, he just tugged our trail leader up and then we just tugged everybody else up after that. There was a winch point in the rocks there a few weeks ago, but I wouldn't use it to winch up a tricycle. The stake in the rocks is pretty good, but the ring needs to be much bigger. Just my .02 about the obstacle.

[OffroadGirl]

I thought it was interesting that this exact same subject came up in 2002: http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=5476

I guess it's been like that for awhile. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to get a good, strong winch point up there. We had someone stuck on it a couple weeks ago and it took us 30 minutes to go around and take the bypass to get to the top and winch him up. That's what makes it such a challenge I guess -- you gotta pay to play.

[MonsterZ]

I was up it in June and the line is more to the right than you would think. Jeeps seem to have a harder time than most other rigs because they unload so easily on the frontend. I've seen a 93" early Bronco walk right up it.

The real thrill is going back down!

[Rock Kitty]

Our group did it last May and we put straps on the front just to keep the front ends from unloading - then we were able to walk right up it. All Jeeps, by the way. Friends of ours have a Disco, but they didn't try it cause we knew the longer wheelbase would dramatically drag the bumper just to get the front wheels on the rock. Was thrilling and took your breath away to climb it!:bounce2:

[Hippie]

edit - RK beat me to it.

[Digger]

I watched Redbull do it 2 years ago, unaided, in his XJ on 33s... I tried and pussed out.

[Lars915]

I was watching some old EJS videos from the mid-90's and the Jeeps were all walking right over this obstacle. I was wondering why everyone thought it was so tough. Sounds like it just keeps getting harder.

[Rock Kitty]

Lars 915 - Where the rock meets the dirt has been VERY dug out since the 90s.

Digger - Just WHAT is your avatar?????:shrug:

[69commando]

We did that obstacle in May with 8 other Commandos we only had two make it up with out help on guy walked up it never spun a tire and me it took me three try's tranny was slipping not enough fluid at that angle 2 quarts later and I made it that mother is steep I bet that is a good 6 to 8 ft straight up. the only way we made it is having 38 and 39.5 tires to keep the rear from draging. The guy with 38's just walked it i couldn't belive it totally crazy. It was my first time making it without a strap the tires was the only reason why.

[gmule]

I was able to walk that obstacle a couple of weeks ago in my Ramcharger.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid190/p84d9478db9923913cab321123bf7eff5/f2002b46.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p7bd9b977d2e7549f98db52c95f6802dd/f1d8a6b1.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/pd155085d5d778f3d5bdc83b4543fdafb/f1d8a66c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p29d77a08502b98eb2023ebba96a0864f/f1d8a669.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p3a5583e82bf764036e108f2d908030d5/f1d8a5da.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/pd8ecdc4349f8f269b722d89dfff8b454/f1d8a5d2.jpg

I also walked Rock Chucker

[4-rocks]

I'm impressed! How long is the wheelbase on a Ramcharger? It looks like your tires are MTR's, I was the only rig running a different tire. I have PJ dirt Grips. I thought at times the MTR's just worked better on the red sand stone.

[1sicbronconut]

Walked it in the 73' bronco last May :) . 102" wheelbase and 37" MTR's

[jjunk]

It definately has to do with the longer wheel base. We tried it the week before ejs with just about every jeep made and even with my longer wheel base grand cherokee I still needed the front held down. even with 35 and arb lockers it still walked off the rock.

[gmule]

The wheel base on the Ramcharger is 106" and I am running 35" BFG Mudders.

[CAMPERO]

Widowmaker is getting dug out, it's been pretty bad for more than 5-years. But, I've seen Jeep YJ's on 33" tires, 4" lift suspension lift, and only a lunch box locker in the Dana 35, climb widowmaker . . . only hesitating for a second to shift into low range!

[69commando]

I think once you break that 100 inch wheel base it's makes obstacles so much easier I'm at 104'' we had 6 other vechicles under 100'' and nobody made the left side. How the heck do you get to post the pic's I tried to post but it wouldn't let me.

_________________________________________________________________
69 Commando 360 turbo 400 on propane 44's arb front & full spool rear 5:89 gears 39.5 X13.50 X15 Irocs.

[MrK5-Scott]

Long wheelbases seem to work real well in Moab.

At this year's Blazer Bash, this guy made everything look easy:

http://www.scbd.org/phpBB2/modules/gallery/albums/album97/IMG_2610.jpg

This started life as a long bed Chevy 3/4ton with 4 doors. It has since be shortened, but it still has a long wheelbase.

[MagicClaw]

This started life as a long bed Chevy 3/4ton with 4 doors. It has since be shortened, but it still has a long wheelbase.

...and a helluva lot of skid plating on the center. wow.


I ran it with OffRoadGirl and MyGreenJeep a couple weeks ago, and gave it a heck of a shot, no pussing out like last year. Got the tires smoking on the rocks trying to get 'em sticky enough to make it up (how we saw the guy make it up the previous year we were there), but it was really dark and the rocks were really cold already too. I wish I would've gotten a chance to try with just a couple people pulling a strap in the front...probably would've made it then. I eventually started trying to walk side-to-side on it while my tires were spinning, but my rear right tire got hung on the rock near the bottom right, and I started falling over toward the driver side. That's when they had to go around the bypass route to let me winch up. By that time I wasn't in the mood to back back down and give it a shot with people holding a tow strap.

And as for how tall it is? I can stand at the base, lean against it, and stretch my arms above my head as far as possible, and my finger tips are still a few inches from the top. And I'm 6'5"...so that makes it about 8+ feet in "length"...probably just shy of 8 feet tall vertically though since no, it isn't vertical, as much as it might feel like it when you're on it ;).

It was definitely fun to give it a real try though. Doesn't seem to be too much risk of it dumping you on your but as long as you're not too crazy (like bouncing and risking driveline breakage crazy). Maybe next year I'll make it up. I'm not giving up yet!

[Explo]

I was damn close to making it by myself, but the group I was with decided to strap everyone

[jeepinwelch]

I was able to walk that obstacle a couple of weeks ago in my Ramcharger.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid190/p84d9478db9923913cab321123bf7eff5/f2002b46.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p7bd9b977d2e7549f98db52c95f6802dd/f1d8a6b1.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/pd155085d5d778f3d5bdc83b4543fdafb/f1d8a66c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p29d77a08502b98eb2023ebba96a0864f/f1d8a669.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p3a5583e82bf764036e108f2d908030d5/f1d8a5da.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/pd8ecdc4349f8f269b722d89dfff8b454/f1d8a5d2.jpg

I also walked Rock Chucker
We've taken a cj5 with 1 locker up Rock Chucker no problem. Widowmaker is another story. Strap anyone? :rolleyes:

[JeffW]

I know that some Xterras have done it with 3" lift and 33s. I've never done it and it scares the sh!t outta me looking at it. :crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby:

[RufftyTuffty]

Our small group of 2 jeeps & 1 buggy with WB's ranging from 104-108 all went straight up last week...u gotta luv slickrock :D

~Mike

[Joe Dillard]

A group of us had a little fun on it last May "with a strap attached just in case." :D

http://www.fototime.com/8CC5A09E68F25BB/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/0BF955C5D537EC3/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/A7334EDFBD173E8/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/9DA1CF5901F7B8C/standard.jpg

[BrownCJ]

Heres my pictures from labor day,it's all about wheelbase and hp.The first time I tried this (5 years ago)I was stock wheelbase and I could not do it. Now Im at 103, what a difference!My rig is the CJ






http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BrownCJ/DSCF0325.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BrownCJ/DSCF0326.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BrownCJ/DSCF0327.jpg

[Franky The Hammer]

It was too easy! The red TJ crawled without spinning a tire.

[BrownCJ]

Did it crawl this?







http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BrownCJ/Frankonthewall.jpg

[VIRGIL]

Hey Cj Looks Like Upper Cactus.gnarly Trail Made It No Problem In My Fj40 Got It On Video. The Real Question Is Did You Crawl It?

[BrownCJ]

That day I did not, but last year I did. It's definetly one of the toughest trails in the state!