Each year thousands of Jeep enthusiasts gather in Moab, Utah, for the much-anticipated Easter Jeep Safari (EJS) event. Hosted by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers club, this annual week-long affair tests drivers and their machines against the town’s numerous famous slick rock trails. From mild to massive, this southeastern high-desert region showcases a wide variety of challenging and scenic trails. From orange-hued dirt and stunning sand dunes to cliff-hugging vistas, red rock faces, and winch-ready routes like Cliffhanger and Widow Maker, Jeepers and outdoor adventurers come together to celebrate Moab’s remote surroundings.
Warn Industries’ Growing Portfolio
Warn Industries has hosted media trail rides for decades at Easter Jeep Safari. The Oregon-based company says it’s a great way to get different members of the off-road media out onto the trails and show them their products in action. “We always tell participants that it’s OK to winch on the trail—after all, we’re a winch company!” However, it’s not just winches they showcase anymore; they now have an array of products to let Jeepers—and overlanders—get the most out of their adventure rigs.
Warn Industries now owns Fab Fours, which produces durable bumpers and accessories. While best known for the polarizing Grumper bumpers, they offer more mainstream products, too. Warn recently required Fabtech, a company that manufactures high-performance suspension systems, such as the high-end Dirt Logic coilover setup. Finally, Warn Industries also owns Factor 55 (showcasing premium closed-system winching and rigging products), which is a true fit as both companies offer premium products for the winching market. Many overlanders are familiar with these names; it was natural to combine each entity into a one-stop shop for premium aftermarket accessories.
The Easter Jeep Safari Warn Run
Known as the only vehicle route onto Amasa Back, an isolated area flanked by Kane Springs Canyon, Hurrah Pass, and a large loop of the Colorado River, the difficult-rated Cliffhanger trail presents multiple challenges throughout its approximate four-mile passage. Not long after off-roaders leave a flat county road, vehicles start undulating and twisting their way through jagged, boulder-filled sections. The rock-laden trail traverses several sandstone sections, dirt-filled dips, and even a low-slung water crossing.
As each custom-built Jeep climbs the trail, sheer cliff walls accent one side, whereas tight cliff-side ledges command the other. Note: Stock rigs are not recommended for this trail. Cliffhanger isn’t for the faint of heart. Many enthusiasts hop out and walk the narrow, rocky chute and uneven ledges that incessantly beg for long-travel suspension and careful tire placement. Signs of early visitation and petroglyphs are said to be found throughout the trail, but our time was spent on focused driving and sure-footed walking.
Cliffhanger requires solid ground clearance and strong knowledge of off-road driving in tight, off-camber situations. Multiple sections give way to spotters and winching opportunities, perfect for Warn and subsidiary companies Fabtech, Factor 55, and Fab Fours to showcase their wares and help others navigate tricky spots successfully. Mountain bikers blend into the background as vehicles are winching up and over gnarly obstacles and stairstep situations.
However, the end point is worth the effort. It awards finishers an expansive view of the valley floor, including the Colorado River and a nearby potash mine. Additionally, the snow-capped La Sal Mountains offer the perfect, distant frame to cap off one heck of an adventure before the trail is driven in reverse to find the county road and head back into town.
Warn Industries helps overlanders “go farther and go prepared for whatever lies ahead, whether they’re out for the weekend or living full-time on the road.” As evidenced by the 2022 Easter Jeep Safari media run, the company continually promotes safe vehicle recovery techniques, especially when it’s on a challenging trail like Moab’s famed Cliffhanger.
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