Logan off-roaders pass their time in the mud
Cache Valley is home to many four-wheel drive enthusiasts and offers many opportunities to build and test their vehicles in a mountain setting.
“Providence Canyon is probably the hottest spot in the valley,” said Allan Wolford, owner of Wolford Collision Repair.
It is also the most extreme trail Cache Valley has to offer, he said.
Wolford said on Moab’s scale of one to five, five being the most difficult, Providence Canyon is a three. This means in order to make it through without banging around or scratching a vehicle, off-road enthusiasts need a four-inch lift kit and at least one locker, which provides a no-slip or posi-traction axle.
Providence Canyon has an old rock quarry with many solid rock hill sides and obstacles, which provides a place to play around without causing erosion, Wolford said.
“It is probably the funnest place to go test a Jeep,” he said.
Wolford said Millville Canyon is another excellent canyon.
Mount Logan is a popular destination from these trails, he said. There are also trails in Logan and Blacksmith Canyons which provide easy access to some interesting sites, such as Old Ephraim’s Grave in Long Hollow between Right-hand Fork and Temple Fork.
Wolford is a lifelong Jeep enthusiast. His uncle, Lehi Davis, had one of the first four-wheel drives in the valley, and riding around in the mountains with his uncle got him hooked.
He said he bought his first Jeep when he was 17, and has owned at least 15 since. He currently owns two.
Ryan Cottle, parts manager at Mount Logan Off-Road, said Wolford is one of the most avid off-roaders around.
“Al goes every spare chance he gets,” Cottle said.
Cottle said Wolford has a bigger personal shop at his house than Mount Logan Off-Road.
Wolford said the trails have stayed the same over the years, but the equipment has advanced and become more dependable.
Fuel injection was a big deal in 1991, and limited-slip differentials were a great help, he said. Jeep now makes the TJ model which sports coil springs rather than leaf springs, making it the best Jeep in his opinion.
Cottle said Wranglers, CJs, Scouts and old-model Broncos are other popular vehicles to build up for extreme off-road use.
He said when doing extreme rock crawling it is beneficial to have fewer body panels and to build a narrower vehicle.
Wolford said people need to learn about the sport before they spend money.
“If you want to get into jeeping but don’t have a vehicle, you have to decide how far into it you want to go and how much you want to spend before you can know what to buy,” he said.
Wolford said good equipment always makes things easier, but there are many skills one must learn in order to survive.
The most important skill is common sense, he said. It is not just “pedal to the metal,” it requires a finesse.
It is getting the right angle and knowing how to bump up over it just right, Cottle said. It is knowing when to ease into it and when to “give it the onion” or “hammer down.”
Wolford said people should know where the tires are on the vehicle, the road ahead and where the obstacles are when the vehicle gets to them.
“After hours of practice it becomes second nature,” Wolford said.
Cottle said, “You can get a stock Wrangler up most trails if you know how to drive it.”
Wolford said jeeping is a form of outdoor recreation that helps take the mind off of the everyday stress of life. There are also competitive events held across the country.
“It is a chance to have fun with friends and relax after work,” Cottle said.
Whenever going out jeeping, it is important to be prepared.
Wolford said people should be prepared for the weather and terrain, take chains if needed and have emergency equipment. People should stay on trails and not explore, he said.
“Respect where you can go, and respect those around you,” Wolford said.
He said it is important to be considerate. Pull off the trail and kill the engine when encountering horses, and keep the dust down around hikers and bikes.
“We want to be there when we are 90, we want our kids up there in the future,” Wolford said.
Wolford has a son who is handicapped, and he takes him out in the mountains every Christmas.
“There is nothing he loves more than going in Daddy’s Jeep,” Wolford said.
There are often conflicts between environmentalists and off-roaders, Wolford said. Common slang terms are passed back and forth such as “tree-hugger” or “motor-head.”
“But I don’t believe they go out and hug trees, and we don’t have motors for heads,” Wolford said.
He said four-wheel drive vehicle owners should visit the Forest Service office at the mouth of Logan Canyon and get a map of all the trails and other off-road information. There are also local residents who go every weekend and people can find a group of off-roaders hanging out at Mount Logan Off-Road or Wolford Collision Repair who would be willing to take others along.
Cottle said Utah State University even had an off-road club at one time.
For people fleeing Logan for the summer, Moab is always open as well.
“Moab is the Jeep Mecca of the world, and people come from Germany, England and Europe for the Easter Jeep Safari,” Wolford said.