Trail Dificulty ratings

[jesse05lj]

Trail Difficulty Levels...
Level 1:

Very easy! You can drive it with a Honda Accord.

Level 2:

Easy. High clearance vehicles recommended.

Level 3:

Leave the Accord at home! This trail may require the use of 4WD (AWD is not 4WD for all intent and purposes).

Level 4:

4WD vehicles with a lift (http://www.hcp4x4.com/Products/tabid/54/List/0/CategoryID/100/Level/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName) and larger tires (http://www.hcp4x4.com/Products/tabid/54/CategoryID/138/Category2ID/0/List/0/Level/3/productid/2450/Default.aspx?Category3=Toyo+Tires&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) may be necessary.

Level 5:

Half-way through our rating system! A level 5 trail is moderate. 33" tires, traction aided differentials and a winch are recommended.

Level 6:

An experienced driver with 33s will be appluaded! Front and rear differential lockers should be considered. A winch (http://www.hcp4x4.com/Products/tabid/54/CategoryID/144/Category2ID/0/List/0/Level/3/productid/2225/Default.aspx?Category3=Bull+Dog+Winch&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) is mandatory. Vehicles without armor and skid plates will probably be damaged.

Level 7:

Trade in the 33s for 35s. Lockers (http://www.hcp4x4.com/Products/tabid/54/List/0/CategoryID/5/Category2ID/88/Category3/ARB/Level/3/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) are a must. Where is your winch? This trail is difficult!

Level 8:

A well equipped vehicle and driver are strongly recommended. If you are unsure about taking on a level 8 trail, you and your vehicle are probably not ready. Stick to the lower level trails!

Level 9:

This trail is very difficult. Vehicles with 37" or larger tires, Dana 60 or stronger axles and experienced drivers are a must! Expect to winch and get damage!

Level 10:

This trail is extremely difficult! Purpose built vehicles (buggies and Tube Cars) with experienced drivers may not even complete a level 10 trail! Very few of these trails exist. If you think you're on one, you're probably trespassing.

Disclaimer:

HCP4X4's Trail Difficulty Levels are only intended to be as a reference guide. Trail and weather conditions can change at any time. Please use common sense and be safe! Always remember to "Stay The Trail" (http://staythetrail.org/) and "treadlightly!" (http://www.treadlightly.org/) Have Fun!

[ColoJeeper]

Remember that trail conditions change drastically based on weather conditions.

[jesse05lj]

Sure do! : )

[SCRubicon]

I'd love to see the ratings they give to specific trails so I can laugh a little more about their fairly worthless list...:lmao:

[jesse05lj]

I know traildamage.com rates the trail on the view in edition to difficulty so there trail ratings suck in my opinion

[SCRubicon]

They are all (all meaning pretty much every rating I've come across - Traildamage, Wells, other stuff online...etc) mostly crap. If I viewed trail ratings as gospel truth I probably never would have wheeled my stock height JK through Poison Spider, Golden Spike and Gold Bar.

[jesse05lj]

ya can't let ratings stop you from having fun :)

[Chris]

Ratings are very inconsistent and not to be considered gospel by any means. Wells rates anything with a steep drop as difficult because lots of people get freaked out on something like Mt. Antero when they realize nothing is seperating them from a 2,000 ft drop. Depends on who the list is aimed at - the typical wells book owner and the typical HC4x4 customer are probably far from the same.

[shadyjk]

I think most ratings are on the "safe" side. If they're not you'd have people going where their vehicle/driving skills are not up to par. For example I consider PS Mesa, GB Rim, Golden Spike, a 3. The hardest part of that day is sitting in the vehicle for that long.

[otisdog]

I thought I'd try this one next weekend on my 33's. Anybody wanna go?
I borrowed these pics from someone else. [tjeeper01 on co4x4]
Jim

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/otisdog4/Other%20Stuff/bou1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/otisdog4/Other%20Stuff/bou2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/otisdog4/Other%20Stuff/bou3.jpg

[Brody]

Trail ratings are much like rock/ice climbing ratings. They are different from state to state and area to area. They also vary a lot depending on who wrote the guide book. For instance in Eldorado Canyon (and other areas), climbs are mostly rated by the hardest SINGLE move. In other words, on a 600' climb there may be a short section of 5.10, with almost the entire 590' of the climb being 5.9 and under. Devil's Tower, Zion, Yosemite, Canyonlands, a 600' climb rated 5.10, you better get ready for 590' or so of 5.10 or damn close to it. HUGE difference, although the climbs are rated the same. I prefer the latter to the former, because if you hit a harder section after climbing a bunch of hard stuff, you are in a better mental state to deal with it. The same is true for trails. I would rather do a hard trail with harder sections than something like Kelly Flats where 99% of the trail (miles, actually) are easy, then if you want to do the really BS little 200'- section of the Chutes (actually 20' of hard obstacle), you have to readjust your whole perspective...

All ratings do is get you in the ballpark

[jesse05lj]

That would make sense. And it's good to see you on FR Brady:)

[shadyjk]

That would make sense. And it's good to see you on FR Brady:)

Thanks dude! I've been spying over here for a while and decided to join. I like that it's small and friendly.

[mattzj98]

Thanks dude! I've been spying over here for a while and decided to join. I like that it's small and friendly.

Creeper! Haha

Glad you made it on here, that's great!