So, I was looking for a little expertise......

[FauxLux]

Yeah, I'm a new member here (though not new at overlanding), and a week or so ago I thought I'd post a simple and friendly question regarding pulling off-road trailers downhill on narrow back-country tracks.

I cross-posted this question on both the "trailer" page and on the "southwest" page (as my upcoming trip with a new trailer is in Moab). Though there have been many "reads", I have gotten zero responses (other than a post something along the lines of "you probably can't do that on that trail (White Rim) anyway" (you can).

So, my question is, is this just another one of those online communities that "claim" one thing (shared enjoyment of an activity), but only the "founders" are actually welcome?

The idea that my question would simply be unanswerable to the folks who presumably frequent those pages, seems (very) highly unlikely.

Bummer.

 

[Joey83]

I'm pretty sure everyone is welcome here, remember.. "it doesn't matter what you drive".
I feel welcome and I (used to) drive a lowered convertible.
Welcome MadVdB!

 

[Glenn]

Im not familiar with your other threads with that question but by what you wrote above I don't know that there is really an answer? I am fairly new here as well but my experience with this community thus far has been great. Im sure the reads were out of curiousity and they just had no good input for you.
So... Downhill with a trailer? I would say if your brakes are good and the trail is wide enough, stay in one lower gear...have at it ! Oh...and take video if its scary ! Love me some good trail video !

 

[FauxLux]

Im not familiar with your other threads with that question but by what you wrote above I don't know that there is really an answer? I am fairly new here as well but my experience with this community thus far has been great. Im sure the reads were out of curiousity and they just had no good input for you.
So... Downhill with a trailer? I would say if your brakes are good and the trail is wide enough, stay in one lower gear...have at it ! Oh...and take video if its scary ! Love me some good trail video !

Thanks, my question was about strategies people may use when pulling a trailer down a steep (short) narrow rock track, specifically in the event they meet someone coming up. Drop the trailer at the top and take a passenger down to ask the upward-going Sneeches if they would mind waiting untilI got back down, or just heading down under the presumption that anyone coming up would know that my situation was obviously way more difficult than theirs (unless they are also pulling a trailer) and would back down, even though they have the right of way. I've gotta presume the former, but I figured I'd ask.

Sure seems the folks on the Southwest page (very much about Moab), and on the Trailer page (both of which seem to get a fair amount of traffic), could have offered something by now.

 

[Trailaholic]

I agree with Glenn. I visit plenty of overlanding/offroading/4x4 forums and some of the questions I honestly wish I could answer but I don't have the knowledge. In my mind, why answer if I don't know what I'm talking about?


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[ManWithJeep]

Maybe nobody has a suitable answer, so instead of guessing they decided not to reply.

 

[FauxLux]

I'm pretty sure everyone is welcome here, remember.. "it doesn't matter what you drive".
I feel welcome and I (used to) drive a lowered convertible.
Welcome MadVdB!

Thanks, I appreciate that! I knew about (and fully appreciate/fully agree with) that quote. I guess I was wondering if there was an unspoken extension to that quote along the lines of "..., but it does matter how long you've been here". That kind of dynamic definitely exists on other forums.

 

[Glenn]

Thanks, my question was about strategies people may use when pulling a trailer down a steep (short) narrow rock track, specifically in the event they meet someone coming up. Drop the trailer at the top and take a passenger down to ask the upward-going Sneeches if they would mind waiting untilI got back down, or just heading down under the presumption that anyone coming up would know that my situation was obviously way more difficult than theirs (unless they are also pulling a trailer) and would back down, even though they have the right of way.

I guess that could pose some issues. Personally , I would rather take my chances on traffic and deal with it than to ask my gal if I could drop her off at the bottom and play traffic light. Ohhh I can envision her glaring look now ! LOL
Seriously though that is a tough one too answer since all situations are different. Rig Length, Trail length/width, weather/trail condition, day/night, previous activity in area, (fresh trail tracks)...I mean there are way too many factors. I do know however that I would not drop my trailer unless I needed to prerun the hill for safety first.

 

[FauxLux]

Maybe nobody has a suitable answer, so instead of guessing they decided not to reply.

I appreciate your response. You may very well be right and if that's the case I feel somewhat foolish. It does seem highly counter-intuitive to me though that, particularly on an overlanding Trailer page (on an overloading site), this situation I asked about would *not* be a very well-known possibility, for which strategies/etiquette would have arisen.

 

[FauxLux]

I guess that could pose some issues. Personally , I would rather take my chances on traffic and deal with it than to ask my gal if I could drop her off at the bottom and play traffic light. Ohhh I can envision her glaring look now ! LOL
Seriously though that is a tough one too answer since all situations are different. Rig Length, Trail length/width, weather/trail condition, day/night, previous activity in area, (fresh trail tracks)...I mean there are way too many factors. I do know however that I would not drop my trailer unless I needed to prerun the hill for safety first.

Yes, it's the "many factors" thing I was hoping to parse through (by referring to experienced opinion). Thanks for taking the time to reply! Also, I am aware that some in the community may simply not like trailers on "their" trails and simply didn't want to respond lest they be seen as endorsing that travel-method (towing an off-road trailer). I wouldn't have thought that on the Trailer page though.

 

[FauxLux]

Maybe nobody has a suitable answer, so instead of guessing they decided not to reply.

thanks, yes....that occurred to me but that seemed unlikely given the nature of the question, and the pages to which I posted it. Thanks for your reply!

 

[stoney126]

First welcome aboard if I havent greeted you yet. There isn't alot of traffic through those areas on the forums. The amount of people running trailers crossed with the people that have run the area that would insightful input is kind of small. I could be wrong but it seems your taking it a bit personal, which I can assure is not the case. Talking out of your butt when it comes to advise on trails can lead to a poor or possibly dangerous experience, which in turn lends to ......chirp chirp chirp

You may be the lead guy now when it comes to trailer use on whiterim...I mean someone's got to go first...right?

 

[UnderPressure]

Seems FB is much more populated w/answers on whatever forum your a part of. Seems like your question is more along the lines of trail etiquette. That's how I read it. My thought is, the larger/ loaded machine has right of way, Rig w/trailer should,in my opinion, go first upon meeting in your example. If both rigs are equal, then it's a chance to get out and meet w/ a fellow and talk about what's next. It would be really helpful if all over landers had at least a CB and we have an agreed upon channel like truckers do. Then while we are out landing we could monitor the radio for things. Just like on the highway.


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[RyanC]

Speaking with no applicable experience, I would definitely want a spotter outside of the vehicle. If you can't be seen from the bottom of the hill and you have an extra person who can go to the bottom of the hill and stop upward traffic that is probably a good idea. And I found a YouTube video that might be relevant.
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[FauxLux]

First welcome aboard if I havent greeted you yet. There isn't alot of traffic through those areas on the forums. The amount of people running trailers crossed with the people that have run the area that would insightful input is kind of small. I could be wrong but it seems your taking it a bit personal, which I can assure is not the case. Talking out of your butt when it comes to advise on trails can lead to a poor or possibly dangerous experience, which in turn lends to ......chirp chirp chirp

You may be the lead guy now when it comes to trailer use on whiterim...I mean someone's got to go first...right?

Thanks very much for your thoughtful reply. I will definitely share whatever experiences I have in overlanding with a trailer but I would be uncomfortable being taken for an "expert" by virtue of having done that; I just finished my trailer! Thanks again! And yes, in retrospect I probably was being a bit thin-skinned there. When I go into information-gathering mode, I get a bit obsessed. Thanks for the reminder.


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[FauxLux]

Speaking with no applicable experience, I would definitely want a spotter outside of the vehicle. If you can't be seen from the bottom of the hill and you have an extra person who can go to the bottom of the hill and stop upward traffic that is probably a good idea. And I found a YouTube video that might be relevant.
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Excellent. Thanks very much!



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[Vyscera]

I'm rusty on this since I've been in the flats for so long, but doesn't the downhill driver have ROW? However, trailering in general is something I do a lot, from 12' to 44'. My opinion is that you shouldn't go anywhere you're not comfortable with your trailer. Practice tight maneuvers before you're on the trail, it will save a lot of headache. On a trail you never know when you might approach an impassible obstacle and have to back track. I agree that most people would see your trailer and give you the road out of courtesy. Which is really the biggest rule on being on the trail. I wouldn't want to have to travel a steep slope 3 times to drop trailer, drop off passenger and go back for trailer. Just be really polite if you do run into someone else on the trail.

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Yeah, I'm a new member here (though not new at overlanding), and a week or so ago I thought I'd post a simple and friendly question regarding pulling off-road trailers downhill on narrow back-country tracks.

I cross-posted this question on both the "trailer" page and on the "southwest" page (as my upcoming trip with a new trailer is in Moab). Though there have been many "reads", I have gotten zero responses (other than a post something along the lines of "you probably can't do that on that trail (White Rim) anyway" (you can).

So, my question is, is this just another one of those online communities that "claim" one thing (shared enjoyment of an activity), but only the "founders" are actually welcome?

The idea that my question would simply be unanswerable to the folks who presumably frequent those pages, seems (very) highly unlikely.

Bummer.

Hey man...I apologize no one responded to you. It is nothing personal, I am sure. It was probably over-looked or the people who read, didn't have the answers so chose not to reply. We try to not respond with assumptions to peoples questions around here, it can lead someone down the wrong path. But, we are always more than happy to have new members and everyone is welcome! Every member matters, no one member is more important than the other. Welcome and we are happy to have you!!

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Thanks, my question was about strategies people may use when pulling a trailer down a steep (short) narrow rock track, specifically in the event they meet someone coming up. Drop the trailer at the top and take a passenger down to ask the upward-going Sneeches if they would mind waiting untilI got back down, or just heading down under the presumption that anyone coming up would know that my situation was obviously way more difficult than theirs (unless they are also pulling a trailer) and would back down, even though they have the right of way. I've gotta presume the former, but I figured I'd ask.

Sure seems the folks on the Southwest page (very much about Moab), and on the Trailer page (both of which seem to get a fair amount of traffic), could have offered something by now.

I have pulled trailers numerous times and will say my opinion on the matter.. I would say, send someone down ahead of the trail to warn that a rig pulling a trailer is coming down and request that they wait. Most people would be waaayyy happier that you did that rather than assuming they would just know. Just my two cents.. I would be happier if i was headed up the trail to be warned rather than dealing with the hassle of turning around.

 

[FauxLux]

I have pulled trailers numerous times and will say my opinion on the matter.. I would say, send someone down ahead of the trail to warn that a rig pulling a trailer is coming down and request that they wait. Most people would be waaayyy happier that you did that rather than assuming they would just know. Just my two cents.. I would be happier if i was headed up the trail to be warned rather than dealing with the hassle of turning around.

Thanks! That's what my intuition told me, but I was looking for first-hand experience. I appreciate it!



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