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Utah and Colorado off road trails ? can the Avalanche handle?

half-breed

Charter Member
Full Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
1,131
Location
Chicago (Woodstock) area
Bad news and good news:

Bad news - the facility I work at is closing in the near future ? was announced last December.

Good news ? if I do not find a job I will take a trip out west with my two sons (we live in the Chicago area).

In addition to the Badlands, Black Hills, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons I am looking at a number of places in Utah and Colorado. Can the Avalanche handle these? I have a 2002 Z71 completely stock, with the stock running boards, locking rear diff, currently the stock Goodyear Wrangler ATS tires (looking at the Silent armor or Duratracs). In addition, if you are familiar with any of these can you provide comments and/or ratings?  Many indicate high clearance, which I would interpret as lifted. If I can only do one third of these I am trying to figure out what ones to do and what ones to skip.

Utah:
Mexican Hat
Gooseneck SP
Monument Valley
Valley of the Gods
Muley Point
Moki Dugway
Willow Flats Road
4 WD Road
Tower Arch 4WD Road
Salt Valley Road
Arches NP
Fisher Towers
Professor Valley
Anticline Overlook Road
Needles Overlook
Island in the Sky
Upheaval Dome
Green River Overlook
Buck Canyon Overlook
White Rim Overlook
Grandview Point Overlook
Dead Horse SP
Shaffer Trail
Lathrop Canyon
White Rim Trail
Mineral Road (Horsethief Trail)
Canyonlands NP
Capital Reef Road
Cathedral Valley
Harnet Road
Caineville Wash Road
South Draw Road
Capital Reef NP
Burr Trail
Road Draw Road
Griffin Road
Hells Backbone Road
Hole in the Rock Trail
Kodachrome SP
Cottonwood Canyon Road
Escalante
Kenab, Utah
Bryce Canyon
Zion NP
Kolob Canyon

Colorado:
Imugene Pass
Bridal Veil Falls
Ophir Pass
Last Dollar Road
Clear Lake Trail
Million Dollar Highway
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Cottonwood Pass
Independence Pass
Great Sand Dunes NP
Medano Pass
Pass Creek Pass
Royal Gorge
Shelf Road
Phantom Canyon Road
Guanella Pass
Pikes Peak
Garden of the Gods
Rampart Range Road
Rocky Mountain NP


Thanks
 
A stock AV can handle the easy and even some intermediate trails.  Problem is less ground clearance than turning radius.  So many of the trails are designed for short wheelbase Jeeps - lost of 5 point turns in the AV.  Forget about anything advanced.

That being said, even just leveling the AV would help allot.  Front suspension is lower than the rear so bringing the front up 1 to 1-1/2" would help.  You can do that by just turning the torsion bars or replacing the keys (search here for info).
 
I took a trip for a couple weeks to colorado and it was a blast. I have a truxx leveling kit and 33 grabber at2 on a base 4x4 not a z71. The sand dunes park is way fun but i wouldnt take a stock avy down it, i lost my trailer hith bouncing around that trail. Pikes peak is just a straight drive on some dirt so thats no problem. Rocky mountain is pretty gnarly in some spots, high clearance is your friend there. Garden of the gods is a cool drive, not much as far as trails but great views and excellent rock climbing if your into that.
 
if you look at traildamage.com they have rating 1-10 all based a a 2 door tj with a 2 inch lift my avy stock can handled a 6 with a good set of at tires
 
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