The Gauntlet
“The Gauntlet went from hard to extreme in the past 20 years.”
-Brian
Rated: 10 (Closed-ish)
- Trail Length: 1.6 miles if you enter at the beginning of the trail
- Elevation: From 4462 to 4964 feet
- Terrain Type: Sandy bottom arroyo, ledges, narrow passageway, and rocks
- Major Obstacles: Ledges over 6 feet tall and a 4 foot deep narrow trench
- Technical Ability: Extreme!!!
- Vehicle Recommendations: The biggest baddest rear steer buggy you can find.
- Elevated Hazard: Summer Monsoon season, rains can cause flash flooding, be extra careful in the summer. Rolling over into a hole filled with water, major body damage and breakage. Not getting out.
- Comment: The Gauntlet was our go to hard trail some 20+ years age, but the water running thru it has made it a completely different trail. I’m not sure if a rear steer buggy could make it thru or not, but I would love to see one or two try. Ledges and water holes are what this trail is about, some ledges over 6 feet tall. Then there’s the trench, which use to be about a foot deep, it is now somewhere around 3 to 4 feet deep. Then while you’re in the trench you hit the wall, I couldn’t even climb it when we walked up it a while back. I’m sure the rest of it is just as bad after the wall, might have to drop in above the wall and walk the rest this year. The pics of vehicles are from 20+ years ago.
General Information:
- This trail is located in Coyote Canyon, just north of Tularosa.
- Meet up location is in the empty lot next to Dollar General at the Y intersection of highway 54 and 70.
- There is an air-down and parking area on the side of the highway 54 before you get to the overpass.
- If you ever think about running this one have a recovery team standing by.
- Would love to watch someone attempt this one, I’ll be there to film and help recover when needed.