We ended up on the tail end of Golden Spike after running Rusty Nail, which dumps you right off near the Golden Crack. I was surprised by several things when we got to the crack. First of all, it didn't seem that big at first glance, but after driving through it and back and watching others drive through it, you can see how it can be as tough or easy as you make it. It would definitely be harder without being locked at both ends, and you can always take a line through a deeper part of the crack. Second, I always imagined the area as pretty flat, but the crack is on a wide-open slab of sandstone that slopes fairly dramatically to the south with great views of the Colorado.

When we first showed up there were only a few of us. Mil spotted me through a very good line and I barely hit my rear bumper. The whole thing is scarred with these deep gouges from vehicles that drag a bumper getting across. I dropped into it pretty much straight on and made it easily (though very slowly!) across. No drama, very little air under the tires. Others, like Grant's wife Carole, got some pretty good air! Sean Rose let his mom drive across the crack and she made it look easy (though with 38's and monster flex, it should be easy!)

A small group of us elected to tag along with the other group that had come up Gold Bar rather than waiting for the rest of the pack to make it up from Rusty Nail. On the way out we passed Double Whammy, Body Snatcher, and a few other fun little ledge climbs. Jesse and I stopped at the top of the rim on Gold Bar for the usual scenic pictures sitting right on the edge. The weather was great and the sky so clear you could see all the way to the Book Cliffs east of Green River and probably some of the mountains just over the border in Colorado. Unfortunately we missed seeing the rest of the group tackle Double Whammy. I've never seen an XJ do it but the wheelbase is probably pretty well suited to the two ledges. Later in the day at least one member of NAXJA broke pretty good on this obstacle and had to leave his truck on the trail for a few days while spare parts were retrieved.

Gold Bar is a fun trail that I've run several times in the past and would highly reccommend to anyone who's never done it. I did it for the first time in the mostly stock Hedgegog with about 3" of lift, 31" tires, and open front and rear, and it was challenging in places but not too tough. The views all along Gold Bar are spectacular as well.