#4x4play

Took the Jeep out on a mild trail, rated 3/10 on OnX-Trails, in the area that climbs about 2500' in short order to 8600' only to find the trail we wanted to try still gated and closed. Guess another couple weeks till it opens even with it being warmer than normal lately. Still had some fun and figure out some more mods (besides bigger tires, lift and gears) to add to the list

So with the heat last weekend we decided to find a 4x4 trail in the area, if it isn't high in the Wasatch at least we had the AC in the Jeep. Take off and head up toward Francis Peak with the idea of getting to Smith Lake past Mount Big Ballz. The lower section is a dirt highway with a rock or 3 in the road and a few drainage ruts. We get about 3-4 miles past the pavement (~1000' up in elevation, so still hot) and here sits "that guy" with more money than brains pulling a trailer with a 2 wheel drive Escalade up the hill to get his broke down SBS, until a road rock got it's revenge and poked a hole in his oil pan, we followed the liquid line in the middle of the road for about 1.5 miles then that's were we sat, behind 3 or 4 SBSs that couldn't do any thing more than we could behind his trailer until a F350 came down the hill and could pull the id10t out of the way uphill so people could pass. We get up (9300' elevation) to where the tail starts and the gate is closed and locked with snow a foot deep where the mild 4x4 trail starts. There's areas of snow still 7' deep and instead of June 1 that the trail is supposed to open the sign now reads June 30, but at least it's 20° cooler than 4500' lower. Found a slightly more 4x4ish trail in the way down but no mountain fishing as we'd hoped

With the low ceiling at the work parking garage (6'8") I can't jack the JKU to the sky and roll 38s so 34s or 35s will do but instead of a suspension lift I'm starting with fenders to gain clearance. Installed RedRock Aluminum Aggressor Fender Flares and Rough Country Inner Fenders. To help push things down the road I added a Rough Country Cold Air Intake and a Superchips FlashPaq. Gears are 3.73 so I'll wait till I figure out what shoes I put on before regearing.