Stock or Not, Adventure is Calling

There’s a First Time for Everything

There I was, sitting on top of the summit of Imogene Pass, somewhere in between Ouray and Telluride in Colorado. Threatening storm clouds created an ominous vibe, the crisp windy air begging us to wear a jacket in the middle of summer, and the scale of such a dramatic landscape keeping my mind in awe. How did I get to such a wonderful place, 13,000 feet above sea level, when there isn’t even a paved road to get here? Surely I must have assembled a monster rig with huge knobby tires, heavy-duty body armor, and a beefy, lifted suspension? Nope. None of the above. I borrowed a stock F-150 and made this perilous journey to what Wikipedia identifies as “the highest mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains, and the second highest vehicular mountain crossing in Colorado.” The article goes on to say, “The road is accessible by four wheel drive vehicles, and is not for the novice driver.” Oops… This was my first off-road driving experience ever.

So how did it go?

Well… it went. To be totally honest, it was stressful and challenging, but also fun and rewarding. And while you’d be better off preparing the vehicle a little more than I did, the point remains: You can safely off-road a stock truck. That’s all there is to it, you have permission to go get out there.

Obviously if you’re stock, you can’t just compete with the big boys, “Safety first” still stands: don’t drive outside your skill level, match the difficulty level of the trail to your vehicle, and don’t go at it alone. Fortunately for me, I have hours and hours of seat time off-roading, just not from the driver’s seat… I’m usually riding shotgun on photo duty. On top of that, I’m already comfortable driving large vehicles. And it might seem counterintuitive, but having driven a lowered vehicle for years, I’ve gotten used to avoiding and traversing obstacles where ground clearance is an issue. With my base experience and the occasional spotter, I was pretty safe.

And how was the truck?

Part of the challenge here was definitely the fact that this truck, while 4x4 equipped, was not really set up for any off-roading. A few small changes would have really upped my confidence.

First and foremost: rubber. Thankfully, the truck was sitting on brand-new tires. There was only one problem; They were generic street tires - adequate for the road and not much else. We did air down the tires to give us some extra traction and grip over the rocky trail surface, but knobby treads and stiffer sidewalls would definitely ease the mind when navigating over the rough stuff.

The other minor change that would have removed some worries while crawling over obstacles would have been to remove some of the ground-clearance killing items hanging off the bottom of the truck. Namely, the large lower air dam protruding from the front bumper and the truck bed side steps that dangled in front of the rear wheels. These two items would have been best left at home. The good news is, if they got damaged, it would have been simply cosmetic versus the more significant concern with protecting the oil pan and crankcases. Thankfully, the truck made it out unscathed, but the frame may have said “hi” to a rock or two along the way.

So what’s the verdict?

I learned a lot on my first wheeling adventure. I finally got firsthand experience navigating loose shifting rocks, stairstep-style rock obstacles, and tight switchbacks, some of which were situated on top of some gnarly drop offs. There was some breath holding and some bullet sweating and I may have sprouted a grey hair or two, but I learned a ton and I can’t wait to wheel again… if not more prepared this time.

So many great adventures, camping spots, and altogether gorgeous outdoor experiences can be had when you leave the pavement, and it takes a lot less gear than you might think. There are tons of spots accessible via basic fire roads. These roads may prohibit the average passenger car, but are definitely open season for any vehicle with a little bit of ground clearance and a 4x4 drivetrain. The solitude, serenity, and beauty of these harder-to-reach locations are definitely worth the effort. My bone-stock truck may not have been as instagram-worthy as the other rigs in our crew, but the thrill of the ride was shared by all.