Die Trying

[Wally]

WIth all of the talk about Die Trying and Cactus being some of the toughest trails in the state, and montrose only 70 miles south of Grand Junction, it'sa bout damn time i made it down there to see for myself. The usual crew of Josh in his FJ40 buggy and Jeremy in his red Diesel powered CJ headed down this morning to meet up with two Montrose locals, John in his Camo YJ and Rick in his blue CJ-5. These guys run Die Trying and Cactus about as much as we run 21 road and billings, so who better to show us around. I didn't get a lot of pics because no one had a passanger to take any so unfortunately i didn't get any of the real tough spot at the end. I had to winch up the last section of waterfalls because the snow on the trail made it just too greasy for the krawlers to get any traction. After i got up, Jeremy Taco'd the frame on his CJ, so they left it there and ran to town to grab some more steel plate and welding rods to attempt to patch it enough to get out.

I have some side comments about the Krawlers. This was the first REAL trail i took them on, no more than 5 minutes in i blew an inner bead at 8psi :mad: I aired them up to 10psi and continued to spit air out of the inner beads on ALL 4 TIRES, so i aired them up to 12psi, they were STILL chirping air now and again, so at the end of the day i put 15psi in them to keep em from spitting air. I must say at 10-12psi they were hooking up great, but it was MORE than annoying to stop every 20 minutes to put some more air in my beadlocked wheels/tires for fear of loosing another bead. I NEVER EVER had this issue with the TSL SX's and didn't even run beadlocks, so needless to say i'm not really happy with the krawlers at the moment. Anyways, enough rambling, here's the pics

The rest of the album is located HERE (http://phatserver.net/users/wally/list.php?path=Montrose%2FDie+Trying/)

http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0004.JPG
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http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0099.JPG

[Steve]

Dammit I wish I could have gone. :( I flew back into town late this morning tho, so that wasn't possible. Glad you guys had a good time, and nice pics.

Any pics of Jeremy's frame? :eek:

[al24]

Yea those Krawlers just suck.
I'll take 'em off your hands real cheap.:flipoff2:

[Elk]

I can't wait until I can move... :rant:

[al24]

I can't wait until I can move... :rant:
In a full body cast?:D

[josh]

no pics of the frame. half the frame rail on each side was cracked.. 3 batterys, jumper cables some rod and some metal plates and we had it patched up.. we all got up the last part pretty easy with the mud frozen. got off the tail about 6:00

a huge thank you to john and rick for sticking around and helping even though it made them late for their dinner plans

wally just put more air in them those things still flex like mad at 12 psi should try 15

[Cresso]

Mmmmmm, double beadlocks (http://rockstomper.com/images/products/custom/shopjunk/mantis4/IM000291.JPG)

[MountainJeep]

wow, cracked framerails on BOTH sides/

now thats some real talent!!!!!!

[Elk]

In a full body cast?:D
:flipoff2:

[Wally]

I LOVE John's camo YJ, That rig works so damn well, and he just constantly beats on it and on top of it, it still looks way sweet, i guess i just like the full body rigs vs the tube buggies Here's a few more pics

The line up at the begining
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0001.JPG

Josh near the begining
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0018.JPG

John is literally sitting on a rock here, it kicked up under his axle
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0023.JPG

Here's the rock he's on inthe pic above
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0024.JPG

this is the easy line, and remember those are 40" swampers
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0035.JPG

Air time
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0058.JPG

Me flexing through a twisty section
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0067.JPG

John twisting up the front end
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0110.JPG


This shot is about 1/8 of the way up the final exit, it was just one big boulder after another covered in snow, this is where jeremy broke his frame and i started winching, sorry for no pics, we were just BEAT after stacking rocksk and winching for over an hour to get me through
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0119.JPG

[Wally]

I also really liked ricks CJ 5 as well, he had a dodge magnum 360 in it with a 44's front and rear, coils in the back and soa up front, all sitting on 38.5x14.5-15 TSL SX's...it worked REALLY well, and looked sweet. Those montrose guys know how to build a rig :thumbsup:

http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0009.JPG
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Here's a typical shot looking up trail as to what the boulders are like
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0040.JPG

And here's josh going through it with 42" tires making them look small
http://phatserver.net/users/wally/Montrose/Die%20Trying/Nov05_Die_Trying0048.JPG

[Camp]

Great pics. That trail looks like a lot of fun.

As for the Krawlers, nearly anyone running the 39's in comp has to run double beadlocks. I have seen a ton of inner beads blown on them when people don't run the inner locks. For the weight of your vehicle, 10-12 pounds should hook up well with both sides locked. We run mostly around 8 pounds with our buggy but, I would suspect it is a bit lighter than your YJ.

We will have to run that trail this coming summer sometime. :beer:

[89minitruck]

no pics of the frame. half the frame rail on each side was cracked.. 3 batterys, jumper cables some rod and some metal plates and we had it patched up.. we all got up the last part pretty easy with the mud frozen. got off the tail about 6:00

a huge thank you to john and rick for sticking around and helping even though it made them late for their dinner plans


OUCH, Josh take some pix of what the fix looks like. Sounds like you cruised thru with no issues?

It's very cool that John and Rick stayed and help you guys out. That's the sign of REAL wheelers... you never leave somebody on the trail.

When the group from Glenwood ran Die Tryin last we had one guy who broke bad. Broken front leaf spring... and before it was over the front axle, locker, hub on both sides, winch cable and frame at the steering box was damaged. The run started at 10-ish in the AM and ended at near 1am. It was painful. Happily, I ran the trail with zero breakage and done at the top of the trail by 6pm. Chris and I walked back down to help and it was alot of winching. Not one of us left until we were all out. It's good to know you are wheelin with guys you can trust. :beer:

Wally, sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with your new rubbers. :eek:

[josh]

heres a few pics of the frame.. if he hadnt noticed it I am sure the front end would have fallen off before we got out of there. the driver side was cracked all the way around except the top and the pass side was cracked on the inside and bottom. I'ts hard to tell in the pics but the frame is way tweaked. the coils used to be perpendicular to the axle.. and the hood closed before

[hvac_man]

Damn. Looks like fun. I haven't wheeled Dye Tryin' since Memorial weekend and looks like I need to go back ;)

[Mr. Gutwrench]

Got to get the buggy done. Tell Jeremy I have some left over tube if he needs it.

[89minitruck]

Holy Moly! That hurts just lookin at it... I'm amazed that didn't come clear apart.

[Murfman]

the lower control arm is bent too, in the first pic!

[josh]

the lower control arm is bent too, in the first pic!


been like that a long time

[Wally]

the lower control arm is bent too, in the first pic!

Wonder if that's still under warranty :spit:

[TerryHowe]

Just a little frame crack...

[JOHN LEU]

What a fun trip. Always a pleasure to wheel with you guys! The pics are great, but never do the trip it's full justice. We will have to do some more trips. Josh, I am still trying to come up with some daycare so I can go to Farmington. Sounds like Rick and Paul are in. I will keep you informed. Jeramy, glad we got you out. Would have been a cold morning if we hadn't. Oh and Josh - Change up the music!!!! Same music as the trip in the spring. You have to get some new tunes!

[Ford Prefect]

Looks like a blast! I would have taken pictures for you!

Cheers
B

[Volcom]

WIth all of the talk about Die Trying and Cactus being some of the toughest trails in the state, and montrose only 70 miles south of Grand Junction, it'sa bout damn time i made it down there to see for myself.

So, was it tougher :D

[1BADCJ8]

Volcom beat me to the question :eek: .

So whatta ya think Wally? Much, much, much harder than 21 or Billings? How would you compare it to Carnage Buena Vista?

In July after we ran Carnage BV some of the guys went and ran, Die Trying, Topless and Calamity... they said they didnt think they were harder than Carnage rather about the same, just different????

Real curious since you just ran it...

[89minitruck]

I think 21 Road is as hard as you make it. Billings is fun, but it stays the same so once you get it figured out. You're good. 21 Road is a drainage ditch so it is always new and some parts of the trail disappearing and soon won't be there period. Thus, the trail will be WAY different.

Die Trying is another animal all together. It isn't one obstacle here and another there like 21 Road... it is relentless sharp rocks on top of sharp rocks and there is no place to rest. A few places, the trail is like straight up. I remember the first time I went there... and I asked "So where's the trail go from here?" They pointed straight up this incline that I couldn't WALK up. "I said, no really." And yeah, that's REALLY where the trail goes. It is only .8 of a mile, but you haven't seen .8 of a mile like this hell before. It really is pretty wicked. :eek: But I would have loved to have gone last weekend, but I had plans with the family. I ran it earlier this year and it was very eventful.

Hope this helps... I'd love to hear what Wally and Josh think.

[Wally]

I think die trying is with out question tougher than billings and 21 road, even BV carnage. The thing that got me on die trying is it's just one big boulder field after another, as 89minitruck said, it's relentless, and just keeps throwing large obstical after another at you. I ran into some trouble near the end because it was snow covered, but other than the exit, it's totaly doable on 37's with a good driver. There are some insane lines just like 21 road that are "optional" Carnage BV and Billings really don't have that option. Those trails are tight and for the most part the guy on 35's is hitting the obstical just the same as the guy on 42's. That's what makes 21 road and die trying different, there are just so many different lines on could take. I did my best to hang with the big boys on die trying, but in some instances my little 37's and full body just couldn't handle the bigger lines.

I'm picking up some 39" TSL's in the next few weeks and can't wait to go back with the bigger meats and see how they do. I never got down to calamity, topless or cactus, but from what i've been told, cactus puts die trying to shame :eek: so i'm a bit aprehensive to give it a shot, but i'm sure josh will get me drunk enough one night to commit to it :D

[al24]

ran into some trouble near the end because it was snow covered, but other than the exit, it's totaly doable on 37's with a good driver.
So who drove it out for you?:flipoff2:

[josh]

So who drove it out for you?:flipoff2:
LOL

[YJgirl]

Wally -
Why was I not invited?!?!
-Alice

[josh]

Wally -
Why was I not invited?!?!
-Alice

I love cheese cake

[T3N5OR]

So who drove it out for you?:flipoff2:
LOL!!!!

[Wally]

So who drove it out for you?:flipoff2:

Some dude named Warn :shrug:

[T3N5OR]

Some dude named Warn :shrug:
double LOL!!!!

[1BADCJ8]

Great description Wally, thanks. That is pretty much what I was looking for. Now its just time to get down that way and run them all. BTW, does Billings have any type of entrance obstacle? If I remember reading correctly it doesn’t. Just curious actually.

[crawlnjeep]

Once some patches were welded on the frame at the bottom of the hill at the end of the trail, I drove out the rest of the trail, without much trouble. I took it easy going up, bumped it in a couple spots and made it out without folding the frame in half...luckily. The frame was definitely on its way out before starting the trail, it just hit its critical turning point in a really inconvenient place unfortunately.

Billings has a bit of an entrance obstacle a little ways down the trail; a boulder was relocated to make it more difficult, so it twists you up a bit, and makes it harder to get through if you don't have a front locker.