Hey guys, if this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move. A few members of our club up in VA, are looking to go to Moab next year. Seeing as some of you all have been before, what is the best/easiest way to get a group out there. Mind you that these people don't have tow rigs. Hot shots are a logistical nightmare as far as picking up/loading /unloading, but they aren't out if the realm of possibility either. Just looking for an experience you guys have had (positive please if any) with getting a small group (7 to 10) rigs out there... shop numbers, shippers, haulers, anything that could be of usefulness please. Thanks!
There's a dude on here with an 03 Cummings that's close to being your guy
Kidding aside
We got a few members out there in 2017
We all towed our junk out there though.
@Jason W.@josh$$@Joe J. Juerez and a few others have driven their junk out there before too.
I've looked at shipping, hot shot, doubles....you name it. BEFORE COVID, it would cost less in the long run, to buy a truck and trailer, haul, then sell said truck and trailer when you returned than ship/hot shot. But now...that's even too stupid to do.
If you HAVE to have YOUR rig...you're gonna pay thru the nose to get it out there. Personally I won't drag my junk out there again. Way too many rentals and airfare is cheap
I have looked at it many different ways. Got a quote this year to ship 3 rigs out, $2000 ONE WAY!
Best bet is find a car hauler or hot shot that would like to tag along for the trip, pay him, fly out, take him wheeling and fly back. But I had no luck finding that either.
I even joined a hot shot FB page and asked around and everyone wanted roughly $1500-$2200 one way and wasn’t interested in a mini vacation while also getting paid. I get it though, they need the truck moving to make money so if they don’t wanna wheel, they’re not interested in sitting around waiting for you to be done and ship them back.
I settled on the same as Troy, time and money really was better flying and renting.
We drove to Moab twice and Leadville, CO once. Took about a week and a half... left on Thursday, arrived on Saturday, left on Friday, home on Sunday. Lost a swamper in TN once and an alternator bracket in MO, but no real problems other than that. Trips with tow rigs and trailers were more problematic in comparison.
Like Troy said, unless you feel you have to have your rig, just fly out and rent a Jeep. It's generally around $300 a day for a Rubicon on 37's. If you have never traveled out west at all, it is worth it to drive at least once for the views.
This is especially true if you can plan a trip in late summer that includes the interior of Colorado. As cool as Moab is, wheeling in Colorado is WAY better.
Also, note that the Jeeps you're renting in Moab are basically stock Rubicons, so you'll only be able to do mild stuff. I'm pretty sure they prohibit the rentals on most of the difficult trails.
Thanks. The hot shot route is what my club WAS looking into but it's way too pricey for them. I have a truck and trailer and am actually making the drive out there Friday to wheel. But at most I can only haul two on my gooseneck. So... we will continue to look into it after I get back. Thanks for the replies.
WHY OUR JEEPS ROCK!Twisted Jeeps prides itself on having the nicest fleet of rental 4x4s in Moab.At Twisted Jeeps, we pride ourselves on having the most equipped Jeeps for optimal performance and safety. Whether you are a beginner or a Moab vet, our Jeeps are easy to operate for any off road...
WHY OUR JEEPS ROCK!Twisted Jeeps prides itself on having the nicest fleet of rental 4x4s in Moab.At Twisted Jeeps, we pride ourselves on having the most equipped Jeeps for optimal performance and safety. Whether you are a beginner or a Moab vet, our Jeeps are easy to operate for any off road...
Fly out and rent something. Views are better than the trails. I’ll never take a rock donkey rig back out there. Side by side or air conditioned jeep from now on. East coast rigs on 40”+ stickies are way overkill. Just my .02.
Another vote for fly out and rent from Twisted Jeeps. Wife and I went at the first of September and had a great time. No, you can't take the rental on some of the trails but we had never been before so it was still an awesome experience for us. We rode Fins & Things and Hell's Revenge the first day and Sevenmile Rim and a couple other trails the second day.
Fly in to SLC, rent a cheap car to drive to Moab then pick up the Jeep. Just have to decide how many days you want to stay out there.
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These people are pretty good too. They are a little more restrictive than Twisted Jeeps, but not much.
We have pulled our rigs out there 4 times and always have a blast. We would drive straight through to get out and back (were younger back then). Last time we went out a couple years ago with a group, Flew to direct to Denver, rented a car and drove to Moab. We rented a 4 door Rubicon on 37's from Twisted Jeeps. Hands down the BEST trip in all I have made to Moab. Left at 7am on Friday and got to Moab by 2pm. Picked up Jeep at 5pm and wheeled with out whole group all week and followed them everywhere they went. You can also( at least could) get waivers of most of the no trails by letting them know you are a seasoned off roader with years of experience. It was great not having to depart early and dreading that LONG drive back home that starts to hit towards weeks end. We left Moab The following Saturday morning and where home by 7pm that evening. Had all day Sunday to chill and unwind. Only way I would pull a rig out there was if it was behind our RV and I had a full 2 weeks to make the trip.
I would mention the vendors in my adds as well if they were supplying parts with deep discounts to me for part on a lot of Jeeps each year. Either way, they are a company to rent from.
I know I am almost raising a dead thread here,
But given the problems they are having on I70 with mud slides you might want to consider as an option transporting to Denver and driving through Colorado to Moab, depends on the rigs you are taking out there of course.
Ouray and Moab are only 3 hours apart, even if only a day trip from Moab its worth it.
My best road trip was spending the night in Walsenburg, going over Medano Pass (GSDNP) to Gunnison for the next night.
Gunnison to Lake City then over Engineer pass for a night in Ouray.
Then through Paradox Valley to Moab.
All of that you could to in a stock JL or 4x4 if you rent that in Denver. Medano Pass has a lot of creek crossings (bottom one can get deep) and some pretty deep sand at the end. There is a station for pumping up your tires at the end of the trail in the NP.
Engineer pass is also ok for stock if you go out to Silverton from Animas Forks. Going out through Silverton also puts you on the best part of the million dollar highway.
That was all labor day week. I think Ouray can be closed through July on some of their trails...
I also had a good experience with twisted jeeps, we rented a taco and spent the night at airport campground on the white rim. Last trip for the Labor Day campout we stayed in the yurts at Dead Horse Point.. both of those fill up early...
If you do drive out 70 from Denver, drop down 128. If follows the colorado river and is a great route in and out of Moab.
I also always get a Avocado BLT at Milt's Stop & Eat , seems to be a tradition for Moab.
And of course had to drive back to Denver through South Park just to annoy my wife, for some reason she does not seem to appreciate that show.
