“Hell’s Revenge” is neither a biblical term, nor a bug you catch while traveling to a foreign land. It’s one of Moab’s legendary slickrock trails.
During the annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, Hell’s Revenge is quite the destination trail. Rated a 6 (out of 10) for difficulty, the trail has several extreme events that vehicles can easily bypass. But if you choose to take those events – like the famed “Hell’s Gate” – the trail becomes a whole lot trickier.
First, a word of warning. Trails like Hell’s Revenge are to be navigated by experienced drivers only. Use a spotter when possible, and always proceed with deliberate caution. If you want to avoid a disappointing trip, broken vehicle parts, or worse, take the easy route around an event.
Now, back to the good stuff. For this year’s Moab Easter Jeep Safari (the 47th iteration) we were given the chance to tag along with Jeep® brand employees and the enthusiast community. We were joined on Hell’s Revenge by Dave and Tony, two advanced platform engineers for the Jeep brand, and Tony Pimpo, auto enthusiast and writer for Automoblog (we’ll have more about his experience next week).
Our ride for the day was a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition, with a 2-inch Mopar® lift-kit and 35-inch tires. From afar, the initial feature that brought people over to talk was the special Anvil color, exclusive to the Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Editions.
To our amazement, the normally stout Unlimited (with larger tires and a lift, no less), looked comparatively small next to many of the 35 rigs that joined us on the trails, thanks to the myriad of aftermarket parts and accessories that many of them employed. But it was just as capable, that’s for sure.
The trailhead at “Hell’s Revenge” immediately gives pause to those who’ve never witnessed it. A quick ledge climb leads the driver to a narrow slickrock pass that drops sharply on either side – a sight that becomes familiar as progress is made on the trail. S-Curves, mounds, and domes all require skill and patience to ascend and descend, thanks to extreme angles and steep drops on either side.
Come back on Wednesday for part two of “To Hell’s Gate and Back.”