West Rim Lite - Lady Drivers
West Rim is one of the most popular trails offered at Winter 4x4 Jamboree. Groups with wide ranges of vehicles can tour it together, with challenges for all. There are many optional obstacles of various difficulty, with the main trail close by to observe the action . It is a perfect trail for the Ladies run, offering the opportunity for improving driving skills on sand and slick-rock. Most of all, meeting and having fun with other women who love 4x4.
Staging for the West Rim Ladies Run is located at the Washington Dam Road staging area. The run begins ascending the Ridgeline trail, which snakes its way up and over the top of the ridge to connect with other trails. The first slickrock obstacle, "The Steps" is a set of ledges with a variety of lines from easy to difficult, guaranteed to test your suspension and driving ability. From here, the "Funnel" obstacle will amaze newer drivers in their vehicle's ability to climb over the slick rock. After The Funnel, there are many more obstacles, such as "Toll Booth #3" and "Waterfall" that are optional with easy bypasses.
Lunch is usually held in, appropriately enough, the "Lunch Room." It is set in an Alcove surrounded on three sides by tall rock walls, with a spectacular view of the Warner Valley below and Arizona Strip in the distance. From the Lunch Room, the route exits through a narrow slot, the "Squeeze", where your mirrors will be folded in to avoid scraping the walls. Several more obstacles await, until you reach the "Rock Garden" which is a fun area to play on some steep slick rock, v-notches, and enjoy great views. Leaving the Rock Garden, you descend the Hurricane Sand Dunes. This will be a day to remember!
Lunch is usually held in, appropriately enough, the "Lunch Room." It is set in an Alcove surrounded on three sides by tall rock walls, with a spectacular view of the Warner Valley below and Arizona Strip in the distance. From the Lunch Room, the route exits through a narrow slot, the "Squeeze", where your mirrors will be folded in to avoid scraping the walls. Several more obstacles await, until you reach the "Rock Garden" which is a fun area to play on some steep slick rock, v-notches, and enjoy great views. Leaving the Rock Garden, you descend the Hurricane Sand Dunes. This will be a day to remember!
Scenery
Incredible 360 degree vistas of Sand Hollow Reservoir, Zion Park, Pine Valley Mountains (usually snow capped for Winter 4x4 Jamboree), Warner Valley, the Arizona Strip, Hurricane Cliffs, and Hurricane Sand dunes.
Surface
Sandy roads, slickrock ledges, and two-track rocky roads.
Trail Details
There a many obstacles on this 4-rated trail, with twice as many optionals just off the trail. The trail starts with a climb from Warner Valley on the newly completed "Ridgeline" trail. From the Ridgeline, you come to "The Steps" (slickrock ledges) and then to "The Funnel" (a rounded 30" step that requires stacking rocks for stock vehicles). From there, the climb is up a couple more steps to the "West Rim Boulevard", which is a rocky road that feeds several other trails. After turning down onto West Rim, the trail travels along the rim on an alternately rocky and sandy road that is on the rim. You leave the rim to travle between a set of evenly spaced pinnacles, called the "Toll Booths" that tower above the trail and have a ledge that can challenge stock rigs.An optional pullout called the "Scenic Loop" has beautiful views of St. George and the airport, and can be a challenge for stock rigs on it's entry steps and a short climb out on dirt with a couple of ledges. From there, the challenges are various, winding through a rock-walled labyrinth until you reach the Lunch Room. Great views from here, surrounded by rock walls.
There are several challenging optional obstacles after the Lunch Room, starting with "The Squeeze" that can leave a rock rash on wide vehicles. The trail ends in an area called the "Rock Garden." This area has many various obstacles surrounding an open natural courtyard, allowing spectators to walk from one show to the next. After leaving the trail, the way back is down the Hurricane Sand Dunes, affording a chance to increase the pace and blow out the dust.