Lockhart Basin North to South - Nissan Frontier

[projected]

Love the truck. Are you ever worried about blowing the front differential?

I have thought about it and I may Titan Swap the front end at some point, I would like the extra wheel travel the Titan UCA/LCA provide. If I do Titan swap I'm going to ARB lock the front at the same time so I might as well put a Titan diff in while I'm at it.

I really think that most of the blown R180's are due to people being aggressive with the gas pedal, spinning, then violently getting traction. I rarely spin a wheel, if I spin I know I've taken the wrong line and adjust accordingly. Obviously sometimes you can't help but spin but I really think that most of the people who damage their R180's are driving with a different style than I do.

I ride dirt bikes and mountain bikes and I notice some people are just really hard on things (rims, pinch flats, etc.) and it has nothing to do with who is fast and who is slow. Some people are smooth, some people are not. I like to be smooth :sombrero:

 

[projected]

You nailed it when you said pics can't accurately describe the steepness of some of the obstacles you showed, hope you don't mind , here's a few pics that show the steepness going up that worst obstacle, and the rockiness...

Loved the trip report...

Thanks v_man, I don't mind your pics at all, the more pics the better!

 

[mtaylor]

That's a fun trail. I'll see if I can find the pictures of me struggling my way through it in a pretty well stock sv.

 

[Silversurferyyc]

Amazing photos!!!

 

[unkamonkey]

Good to know. I loved this road, Moab was very busy when we passed through yet we hardly saw a soul on this remote drive even though it is so close town.

Although me posting about the trip online probably isn't the best way to keep it a low traffic experience. But I'm confident that the average person on this site is a good ambassador of off road driving and are people I would enjoy coming across on the trail. Plus most people don't want to commit the time involved to navigate this long trail.

There is a few trails out there I don't tell people about. The trips we did lately, Lockhart Basin, Elephant Hill to the confluence overlook and Top of the World. We were the only group on the trails that I saw. Fins 'n Things on the other hand...

 

[GR8ADV]

Did this in the moto earlier this year. It is now one of my favorite rides. I wonder if I could manage most of it, with the exception of a couple notches in my big *** Fuso. It is such an awesome place it would be fun to take the beast out there and hang for a few days. You are right, with the exception of a few local fwd day rigs it is pretty quiet. Thanks for sharing.

 

[unkamonkey]

Did this in the moto earlier this year. It is now one of my favorite rides. I wonder if I could manage most of it, with the exception of a couple notches in my big *** Fuso. It is such an awesome place it would be fun to take the beast out there and hang for a few days. You are right, with the exception of a few local fwd day rigs it is pretty quiet. Thanks for sharing.

I just tow my Jeep out there with the Mitso Fuso. I dont believe I would want to do the chute on the North end of the Lockhart basin road. Even though we got the F350 crew cab long bed 4X4 over the whole road. It sort of sucked to follow him. I have to give him credit, the trip was his fathers High School graduation gift and Daniel insisted that he drive the truck instead of his fathers Jeep. Later he admitted that the truck wasn't the best idea.
Back then I used to carry a Yamaha XT 550 on the back of the Mitsu. It would have an easy trip on the bike.

 

[RSWiser]

Lockhart Basin Fun

20 Years ago as a Scout Master I took the boys Mountain Biking North to South in the Lockhart Basin.
I had asked around for a good spot for a Bike Trip. We had done White Rim a few times and wanted something different. Our support vehicle was my Dodge Ram pickup loaded with gear for the 16 of us. My friend was driving up through the canyon climb when we tore a sidewall on my new tire. Oh well, it was a great trip.

Thanks for the photos and the memories.

RSWiser

 

[Ace Brown]

Did Lockhart in late October with Frenchie heading south to north. Camped on the trail so we had two days enroute. Going down the canyon made it easier but still plenty challenging. Good report.

 

[1leglance]

great write up, love that area and agree that my pics when I got home didn't match my memory

Really looking forward to seeing more reports especially when you get your new setup and can offer thoughts on each style, tent, roof tent, slide in

Keep the reports coming and thanks for taking us along

 

[inv3ctiv3]

Very cool I ran it the other way this summer and loved it.

 

[Larry]

That is a nice little Frontier! Looks tastefully done. You will love the creature comforts of a popup camper when you get there. Don't get the idea you will miss out on trails like Lockhart once you get one though. A group of us spend a week in Canyonlands doing WRT, Lockhart and a few others while everybody was getting drenched at OX15. We got a lot of rain up in Canyonlands that week too.

Lockhart is a fun trail for sure. We took 4 big rigs (2 of which had popup campers) and 2 small rigs over it. The trail will hold your attention but I thought the Top of the World trail was a little more technical. I guess it all depends when you go and what recent weather had done to the trail.

My spotter ran me into a hole I wasn't prepared for at 7:44. I was prepared to go over the obstacle like I spotted him through. Not sure why he ran me on the low side. Then forgot to put it in 4wd at 10:10 :coffeedrink: All in all, the big trucks did pretty well

 

[calicamper]

There are jerks everywhere and every activity.

I have learned over the years, it is not the vehicle, it is the driver and their experience and abilities.

It seams that what ever a person owns, they think it is the best. They are correct, CORRECT in that it may be the best for their abilities and what they do. The same vehicle may not be the best for what others do.

The other side of the coin. He may have been trying to be nice and save you from some damage to your vehicle. I did not hear the way that person was talking, and know how they meant for it to come across.

But!!! From what you said he did as he turned around he probably was a Jerk and did not know how to drive or was ticked off from what he had already done.

We do have our macho group! Soooo as owner of many Jeeps over the years. I am very sorry that the person has reflected bad on Jeep drivers, not all of us are that way.

As a side note I've found its not uncommon to cross paths with people operating under the influence out on the trails. Plenty of people take on the mean pissy drunk persona after a couple of refreshments, best to just limit your interaction and words with those types given they typically dont back down and want the last word. Stay safe, have fun.

 

[20DYNAMITE07]

That is a nice little Frontier! Looks tastefully done. You will love the creature comforts of a popup camper when you get there. Don't get the idea you will miss out on trails like Lockhart once you get one though. A group of us spend a week in Canyonlands doing WRT, Lockhart and a few others while everybody was getting drenched at OX15. We got a lot of rain up in Canyonlands that week too.

Lockhart is a fun trail for sure. We took 4 big rigs (2 of which had popup campers) and 2 small rigs over it. The trail will hold your attention but I thought the Top of the World trail was a little more technical. I guess it all depends when you go and what recent weather had done to the trail.

My spotter ran me into a hole I wasn't prepared for at 7:44. I was prepared to go over the obstacle like I spotted him through. Not sure why he ran me on the low side. Then forgot to put it in 4wd at 10:10 :coffeedrink: All in all, the big trucks did pretty well

Just gotta say it...
I freak'n love your truck. :Wow1:

 

[projected]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

Larry I like your video. Lately I'm thinking F350 extended cab 6' bed, 6.2L gas engine, 4.30 gears w/factory locker, on 35's with the stock lift (probably level the front), and a FWC Hawk in the back. Out on the trails in AZ, CO, and UT I've seen some full size trucks in places I would never imagine they could go, your video is an example. I thought this trial would be nearly impossible in a full size but obviously not.