by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
They come from anywhere and everywhere. Enthusiasts. Families. Clubs. Friends.
People.
People united by a common desire to reach out and touch nature in an environment filled with so much beauty that it should be illegal.
To challenge themselves physically and mentally though hiking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting and off-road driving. To experience the joy of overcoming and persevering. And succeeding.
Yes, Moab, Utah is a prime destination area for all of this throughout all four seasons. And especially for a full week before Easter Sunday arrives on the calendar.
Beginning on Saturday, April 12, and running through Easter Sunday, April 20, Moab is set to host the 59th edition of a small thing called the Easter Jeep Safari. Small, that is, like the World Series, Stanley Cup or Daytona 500 small.
For just over a week, this small southeastern Utah town headlines the 4x4 world as thousands descend on the area for some of the world’s best off-pavement driving, scenery and just plain fun in the desert. Jeep itself even uses the event annually to springboard several concept vehicles, many of which offer the public sneak glances of future production designs.
The event is currently run by Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc.
But you may not know this area wasn't always known for 4x4 vehicles, trails, and some of the best outdoors this side of, well, anywhere.
For most of its life, Moab was a quiet 'trading-post' type town on the banks of the Colorado River. In the early 1900s, mining became prevalent as uranium and vanadium were discovered. Soon after came potash and manganese, then oil and gas. In the 1950s, Moab became the so-called "Uranium Capital of the World" after a rich deposit of uranium ore was found south of the city. Thus began a population explosion to the area.
However, the city wanted to be known for more than just mining and minerals. Residents wanted to show off the area's beauty to a nation of potential visitors just starting to branch out and travel thanks to new interstate highways.
So they turned to something called 'Behind The Rocks'.
While this probably sounds like it should be some historical cable channel documentary, in reality, it is a challenging Moab-area trail. And in late March 1967, the Moab Chamber of Commerce decided they wanted to organize a new four-wheel drive event the Saturday before Easter on that trail; calling it an ‘experiment in a non-commercial, good-will activity’ which hoped to attract those new visitors.
What resulted, however, far exceeded anyone’s expectations.
The 1967 inaugural trail event drew nearly 150 vehicles out for that ride on the Behind the Rocks trail. When April 12th hits, that ‘experiment’ will now see around 2,000-plus vehicles and upwards of 20,000 or so people converge on Moab. This year’s celebration involves scores of trails from easy to ‘good luck,’ and it takes all kinds of detailed planning by RR4W, which took over the EJS in 1983 when new rules and regulations were enforced, and securing permits was necessary to keep the event moving forward.
Yet for all its size and scope, EJS still maintains its humble roots as everyone associated with the event volunteers their time and talent to make it successful.
"(Taking over the event) transformed the club to what it is today," RR4W says on its website. "We have gone through many changes and added many new members, but we haven't forgotten that the club was formed as a family club to have fun and promote responsible 4-wheeling."
Many who attend EJS are multi-year veterans of the process and pick specific trails they want to conquer or enjoy each day. Others are aftermarket retailers or companies who meet up, choose a trail and talk shop while traversing obstacles. Still, there are plenty of newcomers, and RR4W organizers learned through event feedback years ago that people were picking trails they felt afterward were too difficult or simply didn’t know where to go that matched their ability level.
So a tiered system was devised for those who wanted guesswork taken out of event planning. A 'First Timers', 'Sophomore' and 'Junior' package are now available for drivers looking for something structured to help introduce them to Moab trails. These packages are not required but are customized three-day tours that allow interested riders the ability to stay with the same trail officials all three days and experience carefully selected trails.
While not a ‘Jeeping 101’ class, these trails are selected for scenery and to provide an excellent, stress-free experience on the Moab trail system. Still, participants are expected to know about operating their vehicle in an off-road environment, RR4W said about the packages.
”Scenery will be the emphasis of this package; call it a four-wheel drive tourist experience,” RR4W explained on its site. “We … noted that close to 30 percent of (EJS) participants are here for the first time.”
One more thing about these packages — you don’t need to take them in order, and you can choose which level you feel best fits what you want out of the adventure.
Nearly everyone attending EJS does so for that challenge of riding trails much different than just about anywhere else in the country. However, where there are riders, there also can be trail damage. This is why some volunteers — including Quadratec — team up with Tread Lightly! during one day of EJS week to work a trail maintenance event.
Sometimes, this involves fencing projects to keep people on a specific trail and not tearing up the desert. Others it is clearing out invasive and overgrown vegetation to maintain trail access.
Besides all the trails in and around Moab, life during EJS week doesn’t need total definition from off-pavement adventures. With two nearby national parks — Arches and Canyonlands — it is certainly easy to take a day and explore some interesting and amazing landmarks, as well as to experience a piece of the country’s history.
Additionally, the Colorado River cuts under US HWY 191 just north of town, and there are plenty of whitewater rafting, inner tubing, or canoeing opportunities for an afternoon of fun.
The surrounding area even features plenty of mountain bike and hiking trails if you don’t feel like the four-wheel kind, challenging rock face climbing excursions, the La Sal mountain range loop to drive and gawk at the second highest range in Utah, as well as plenty of historical stuff like dinosaur tracks and Native American petroglyphs to absorb.
So, sure, Moab can be a haven for all those craving a challenge. Or to experience a side of nature you can’t really understand unless you’ve been to the place.
And if EJS is the big draw, then make sure you understand the experience can be so much more.
Moab — come for EJS, stay for the adventure.
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