OFF ROADING
(Courtesy of Greg Zduniak)

The Durango Owners Club fully endorses the U.S. Forest Service's “Tread Lightly” program and encourages members to observe the following:

  • Travel only where motorized vehicles are permitted.

  • Respect the rights of others to enjoy their outdoor activities.

  • Educate yourself by obtaining pertinent area maps and regulations from appropriate public agencies, comply with signs and barriers and ask for owner's permission to cross private property before doing so.

  • Avoid deep streams, sensitive lake shores, meadows, extremely muddy trails, very steep hillsides and wildlife areas.

  • Drive responsibly to always protect the environment.

  • Know your vehicle. Learn its dimensions, ground clearance, approach and departure angles, etc. and be familiar with your 4WD system and its limitations before going off road.

  • Thoroughly check the condition of your vehicle, with particular attention to its braking and cooling system, and make sure all periodic maintenance has been performed.

  • Beginners, as well as seasoned 4 wheelers attempting difficult and/or unfamiliar trails, should always travel at least in pairs of vehicles.

  • Have a co-pilot who can spot for you in difficult traverses.

  • Make sure someone in the group has a basic tool kit including a tow line, a first aid kit and emergency equipment for removing stuck vehicles.

  • Carry sufficient food and water for all occupants.

  • Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the area you plan to explore. Get detailed maps and check with other 4 wheelers for their opinion of the area.

  • Leave your departure time, return time, travel routes and destinations with someone at home.

  • On the trail, drive carefully, skillfully and with finesse. Always drive as slowly as possible and as fast as necessary to allow time to adjust for unforeseen circumstances.

  • Do not exceed your abilities.

  • Keep thumbs on the steering wheel, not wrapped around it. Steering wheel kickback in rough terrain can cause serious injuries.

  • Keep to the right of the trail and slow down when approaching other vehicles.

  • When encountering oncoming traffic, the vehicle going uphill has the right-of-way. However, logic, tradition and circumstances dictate that the vehicle that can most easily pull over do so.

  • Respect others on the trail. Always give non-motorized traffic the right-of-way.

  • When parking, pull far enough off the trail so as not to impede access to the trail and try to avoid parking in passing points.

  • Do not drive into, through or over areas where you cannot see the ground from inside your vehicle such as tall grasses, weeds, brush or rampovers. Be sure you know what is on the other side of a steep climb or descent. Use a spotter to guide you through rough terrain. Check difficult terrain yourself for the best traverse. Remember, when in doubt, get out!

  • On steep climbs or descents, use the proper gearing to ensure sustained momentum going uphill and engine braking when descending. Too low a gear going uphill will cause wheel spin and too high a gear will not provide the power needed.  Too high a gear when descending will not provide sufficient engine braking.

  • Always climb straight up a steep slope and descend straight down. Do not traverse a slope sideways as you can quickly exceed the rollover angle of your vehicle. If you cannot successfully negotiate a grade, back your vehicle straight down. Do not attempt to turn around on a slope.

  • When descending a steep slope, use first gear and low range to avoid overuse of brakes. Keep your vehicle headed straight down to prevent getting sideways on the slope and exceeding you rollover angle.

  • When driving on soft ground conditions (sand, snow, mud, etc.), use steady momentum to carry you through.  When wheels lose traction and start to spin, ease off the throttle to allow them to regain traction.  In entirely muddy areas, it is usually best to travel in established ruts unless they lead to an area of even greater difficulty.

  • When encountering obstructions such as logs, ditches, ruts or rocks, approach at an angle so that at least 3 wheels are always able to carry you over or through the obstacle.

  • Straddle wide ruts so that your vehicle stays as level as possible.

  • Drive over large rocks with the tires to avoid undercarriage damage.

  • When in a convoy, keep the vehicle ahead of you in sight at all times.  If you're the lead vehicle, only drive as fast as the vehicle behind you.  If you encounter a problem, flash your lights at the vehicle ahead of you. Each vehicle should relay this signal to the vehicle in front until the lead vehicle pulls over and stops. CB radios are extremely handy for this.

  • Always maintain safe separation distances when on the highway.  The 3-second rule should be applied. You should not pass a fixed object any sooner than 3 seconds after the vehicle in front of your has passed the same object.

  • Off road conditions will dictate safe separation distances but should be carefully established, especially when traversing up or down steep terrain.
    •  The above guidelines are presented only for familiarization with off road etiquette and technique. They are not intended as, nor do they replace an actual course in off roading or 4 wheeling.  Beginners and novices should always seek the advice and company of seasoned, experienced and trusted off roaders before embarking on any course of action that is unfamiliar to them.

    © 1999 - The Durango Owners Club
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