Is Off-Roading Alone SAFE? 

I like that you put the coordinates back again on your adventures.

The fact that you got all these camera angles on your own, plus the amazing editing. You deserve and Oscar sir! Fantastic video!

Great job, love how you narrate. I'm a Scoutmaster and Eagle scout, I've been off roading since 1981. I try not to go solo, but sometimes the stars don't aline in my favor. I always carry as much as I can if solo. WATER, no water, no life. You can survice without food for 3 days, but not water. I carry all the essentials, First Aid kit, MRE's as backup, bailing wire, duct tap, tool kit, tire patch kit,shovel,axe, extra oil,tire inflator,tow strap and rope and a thing us scouts call the 10 essentials. Funny, never owned a winch in 40 years. I do through in a come a long once in a while and my trusty side arm....Thank you again, with all the rain we have had its good to see the canyon not all torn up...Happy Trails!!

Cooking, the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable!! Yes Brad, you were cooking!!

The drone footage is an added dimension to the experience.

Brad your Jeep is so beautifully outfitted. Absolutely love the build!

In the 392 you can use the rear locker in 4h. Turn offroad + on, turn traction control on, but then press and hold traction control for a few seconds turning it off again. You will now be allowed to select to lock the rear in 4h. Super fun in the sand.

Appreciate you running, or rerunning, some local trails for those of us who haven't run them yet!! SOON!! Almost ready!

*Took this trail alone in a stock Lexus GX460 on regular street tires 😅 ... biggest danger out here is exposure in the summer ☀️*

last time I was in California, my older brother lived in Riverside, I think I was laid-off parts shortage from GM, I took my ATV with me from Riverside went to Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead area heard there was a OHV area up there, biggest pine cones I ever saw up there must have been the size of a football, had a great time, miss my Jeeping days have a '51 Willys CJ3a modified, thinking about getting the new 2024 Wrangler Rubicon X with the Warn and 35" tires

at age 59 i bought my first Jeep on Tuesday after spending the weekend at a Gold Prospecting Desert camp outside Barstow. Wife will drive it during the week, and i will use it on weekend expeditions. 2023 Rubicon 4XE. This is my first of your videos i chose to watch. Greetings from the San Francisco Peninsula. So much to learn!

Thanks Brad! Good thoughts to remember!

I was down in Big Bend by myself a couple years back during the polar vortex. I definitely brought out more gear than usual. The entire time i kept think how much of an idiot i was, but damn was it worth it. I look at those pictures of a snow covered Big Bend NP all the time.

Solo explorer here. I love the conversation and that you included a PLB. We hit everything you mentioned but I would add: A handheld GPS and a bug out bag for a hike out. Also, we carry a pistol hoping not to need it. I also carry knifes and carry a bushcraft book for survival reference. Always be prepared. Maintain your vehicle. Know your vehicle. Trust your experience.

Fantastic production quality. Such a pleasure to watch.

Wheeling alone sounds great in theory. But the first time you’re stranded 10 miles out of cell range due to some mechanical issue, it’s a whole different experience. Been there, done that.

My retirement date is nearing brother. I plan on attacking these awesome trails myself soon. Great videos as always!

In sand I always carry a small Danforth anchor to use as a dead man for winching.

Absolutely love this style video! Currently stationed at Camp Pendleton and can’t wait to hit this trail!

I have been wheeling for the past 16 years now and have always run "alone". I am not saying I think it is the right or wrong thing yo do, but I really enjoy being able to set my own schedule and pace. I understand that I have been extremely lucky considering I have run all of the "hardest" trails in the Sierra Nevada (Snake Lake, Fordyce, Rubicon, Dusy and a lot more). I have always communicated where I am going and my time frame so that is covered. Also I don't push the Jeep any harder than needed. If I have to pull line, I pull line. I'd rather pull line than break. That Jeep with the 392 sounds so darn good! Wow, and thanks for all the great content Brad.

Brad, I was inspired by this video and drove up this morning from Chula Vista to pioneertown. Then drove Burns Canyon Rd to Big Bear. Drove up the front of big bear and down the back. Camping in Barton Flats tonight. Such a great route!! Such a great video to set it up. I went solo and will be driving back on pavement but I will be back! Thank you again for the inspiration and detail in all your videos!

I have a case of dehydrated meals, with instant coffee, which I keep in the Jeep along with a Jet Boil type stove. Combined with the comforter/sleeping bags and spare clothes we could make it a week if we got stuck... if our Garmin In Reach satellite communicator failed. Always good to be thinking about basics.

Great relaxed video Brad, I always make sure I’ve got comm’s to reach home or friends with and my pull-pal when solo, so if I gotta winch, I’ve got something I can tie off too. Be safe out there sir!

I drive alone. I have a land anchor that I make weight for over a fridge etc…if nothing to winch off of. Sitting in Durango Co figuring my route to WY/MT🤙

I had some much fun running Rattlesnake canyon. Seeing the cows is pretty awesome. I’m glad I didn’t run rattlesnake solo even tho I was really tempted to.

You should reach out to Morrflate 4 tire airdown/up and check out the valve Guage and air compressors.

This was an excellent style of video you've done here Brad. All your different vids and styles are very enjoyable so thank you.

Great video! Sometimes it's great to go alone in nature. I do it often, the last time I even got stuck. LOL But being alone is usually very relaxing.

Great trail. Did it twice during KOH. Once with just me and the wife in the Jeep. Then me on my dirt bike and her in the Jeep. Good times!! If you’re ever in Vegas stop by Vegas 4x4 and off road and say hi.

I agree with everything you point out in this video. A few comments to add: I believe a lot of trails are now tougher than they used to be. Between erosion and a big increase in off-road traffic my opinion is that there is a lot more trail “damage” & rutting than over prior decades. Also many of the newer 4x4 drivers out there think it is fun to tear up trails by spinning tires rather than winching or racing thru in the rain. Honestly concerned about closures because the NFS & BLM can’t do all of the trail repairs. Solo off-roading does require more & shouldn’t be taken lightly. That said I have to admit that about 90% of my trips over the past 40 years have been solo. I am practiced at self recovery & refresh those skills every year. I don’t take it for granted. I have been stuck for many hours after going to far on my own. I learned the hard way but survived. Fortunately that was over 35 years ago! Now I evaluate obstacles & trails as I drive & turn around any time I feel it is sketchy for me, my rig, due to a change in weather, or daylight. Live to fight another day is a good motto to keep in the forefront of your mind when solo trekking. I’ve followed that while solo hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing,snow camping and off-roading. Stay safe & know your limits. Thanks for another fun & informative video Brad.

wow very interesting experience friend

Great video and excellent capturing drone shot while driving and flying at the same time. Well done indeed.

Do a dedicated Burns Canyon trail video, just getting back into the off road scene and I enjoy your trail breakdowns. Some of the trail app ratings are misguiding and to see the trails through your videos really helps in making trail run plans...

Brad, the last time I ran the canyon there were cattle where that spring is.

Communications was my thoughts as you were going along. Depending on where you are if ham radio or GMRS would help. Wish we still had the old 3 watt bag phones and a nice gain antenna. You seem to have it covered pretty well

Are you a HAM radio operator? The wife & I are Extra class and always have some form of communication via repeaters or even HF frequencies. Stay safe buddy, Semper Fi

Great content and topic Brad. Thanks for sharing this trail, i havent been there.....yet👍

i always go solo just because i can never line up my vacations with my overland buds, i just use my head when i go.

Just FYI- As a science teacher, we use those ramen noodles to look at under a microscope. EVERY tiny pressed noodle has pieces of bugs and exoskeletons in it. Every,,, tiny,,, piece. And the exoskeletons pieces of ground bugs are light brown just like cockroaches.

How about an episode showing how you get all those shots? Great video work!

Absolutely great photography.

Glad you touched on coms, I have the Garmin mini with the insurance it covers 50k life flights, it's not cheap but also can save you tens of thousands if you need life fight. I use it to text my wife when in the back country 😊

Excellent topic :)

You are very experienced, however stuff happens. We never go in the AZ desert alone in our SxSs.

The most important thing is knowing weather one is ignorant or confident. One can be comfortable either way. So what is the difference between the two?

Memories...👍

Great looking trail. I would love to take my jk on it!

Hi,please tell me about your camp chair. I like that it's so compact. We have several different types to take camping. Nothing that sturdy though. Thanks, four-wheel camper friend 😊

Instant Ramen, saves!!!

Good video Brad, your drone shots are excellent. I would like to learn more if you are open to that. A how to drone episode of TrailRecon?

Que entretenido me encantó , seguir el relato junto con ver al Jeep pasando por el camino , aunque no es difícil , pensaba , que al estar solo muchas cosas pueden pasar ¿ y si te mordiera una serpiente ?. Pero claro a los que nos gusta la naturaleza y los Jeep no pensamos en eso , hasta que sucede

I noticed you’re not using the Garmin tread. Did it not work for you? I have it on my sxs however, was thinking about getting the tread for overlanding in my jeep.

Great Video!

You will need more than 1 day of water and food. How long will it be till someone will be coming down that trail? Could be a week? Could be a month? How long will it take you to walk out?

Nice to see u back in a real car an not landcruze

I include a couple if days of my prescription meds...just in case

One word. No. Always trail with a buddy in another jeep. I did a lot jeeping in the 80s and we never went alone.

Ramen…fight club food…

How are the new tires performing?

One thing my iPhone 14 has is a satellite SOS service. Do you know of anyone that has used this and if it works?

Shovel, axe, gas can, toilet paper, food And water

Just wonderin' if you have ever seen any rattlesnakes in the canyon? 😁

I love trails alone - whether in my Jeep or on my horse...aptly named Solitude. Someone always knows where I've gone, and when to expect me to check in upon my return. There is something about being alone in nature that is unlike anything else in our over-connected world. One item I always carry with me, in addition to all of the supplies you list, is a good pistol. Believe it or not, I have run into some straaaaange people out in the wild. There are meth labs and pot farms up in the San Gabriels...and the people who "staff" them don't like people coming by.

Outstanding scoring, Brad. Only people who edit understand how much time and effort it takes to choose the right music to support the visuals and marry the two seamlessly. There's some real artistry evident in this video. Keep it up, man.

Being solo in the backcountry is definitely a unique experience. But what I think is even more intriguing is camping alone in remote areas. I've gone camping in the backcountry dozens of times over the past 15 years. But it's only about the past year and a half or so that I've began doing some solo camping and that first night I spent out in a remote area of Big Bend National Park, alone, was a mentally challenging one and something I did not expect. When I was pre-occupied, I was fine. It's once the sun went down and I finished washing dishes and putting things away that all the "what if's" started to whisper in my head. It probably doesn't help that it was in the winter and the sun had set pretty early. As you probably know from being there yourself, no campfires are allowed at Big Bend and I did not have any sort of propane portable camp fire to keep my mind pre-occupied. I knew I was totally fine. Had enough food, water, satellite communicator (I even text my wife a couple times) but I did not expect the anxiety I began experiencing. I almost had like an instinctive fight or flight response and part of me just wanted to pack up and drive to somewhere there was people. It was then that I realized just how dependent upon others we actually are. Eventually I just went on to bed pretty early and eventually fell asleep. In the morning the rising sun had never felt so inviting and comforting. I no longer felt like I was alone. It was a surreal experience and one that I've been chasing ever since.

One piece of gear I usually carry is a water filter. A pump style using a ceramic cartridge can keep more than one person supplied with water in really serious circumstances. I started carrying one after a single individual put an entire field crew at hazard because he refused to carry sufficient water in 100 deg. F. plus weather. We were working in very steep canyon country. There were traces of water in the local stream, and with a filter, he could have refilled his canteen, even from a really bad looking water source. As it was, the rest of the crew scrounged together enough water to supply him with a small amount, and we called it a half day. As it was, two of us still found ourselves helping him out of the canyon. The crew chief explained to him later that if he ever did anything that stupid again, no one was going to endanger themselves to help him.

This is the kind of content i like from you, exploring the back country in our backyards. Everyone has their level of comfort going alone and as long as you have an expected timeframe to check in your good. Garmin that does sms is key fpr emergencies. Trail on.

After working with the sheriff dept. in 4X4 search and rescue, for 8 years, I rarely travel back country alone. Regardless how well one vehicle is equipped an individual can have serious health issues which can inhibit communication . Even a second person can save your life.

Outstanding stuff! I'm curious, for a trail that normally takes 2.5-3 hrs, how long does it take when you include all those amazing shots and drone footage? Further, taking epic drone footage all while driving solo, mind blown! Keep up the stellar work Brad!

When the only option you have is to travel solo, you get good at it.

I like that you put the coordinates back again on your adventures.

One of the thing(s) that I would never hit the trail without is a personal defense firearm. It doesn't matter if I'm alone or with my family, there is ALWAYS at least one equalizer present and in the hands of a proficient person. There are legal ways for all of us (with the exception of prohibited persons) to transport firearms in our vehicles for personal defense. We should all be UNASHAMED and UN-AFRAID to exercise our 2A rights for the purposes of self preservation and the safety of others.

I've almost always 'wheeled alone. Not necessarily by choice, but I don't have any friends who 'wheel, and my wife doesn't want to do big organized runs. So for me it's solo or don't go. I've built my own vehicles, so I'm very familiar with them. I'm pretty conservative, growing my skills very slowly rather than pushing my limits. And I go on established trails where I'm not likely to be completely by myself. I might only see a handfull of people all day, but it's not like I'm unlikely to see anyone else if I break down.

HI Brad, I’ve been scrolling through the comments on some of your awesome videos and I don’t see an answer to - what navigation / trail app are you using on your tablet in the video? Thanks!

I’m roughly 70% alone. Always give a general area to someone when out. At least what state I’ll be in!

I always have one of those small lithium jump starter packs with me.

We went on this trail last weekend and it was an absolutely fun trip. The weather changed from sunny to thunderstorms on Saturday (9/10/23). Before the trip, we informed someone outside our group of our destination and made sure our radios (HAM, GMRS) worked and offline maps were loaded on our phones.

You still think it's important/necessary gmrs or ham radio equipment or not anymore? In australia saw use it a lot to comunicate and enjoy travel with Patriot creator

Warm clothing and blankets in case stranded over night

Nice video! Something I never thought of mentioning before was that your choice of background music, in my opinion, is just right. Non-offensive and easy to listen to. The music does not overwhelm. Welcome home from Down Under! Andy McKane, Maunaloa, Molokai.

Extra long rope 50' And 100' for recovery

Thanks for sharing, I did Rattlesnake Cyn. A year ago in a 1958 VW Bus, SoLo. BTW the covid lockdown I watched your Saturday morning Coffee and when you would sneak out with your buddy’s on little local trips. 😊 You saved me! Thanks for that! 🤙

Great risk assessment advice when you need that solo time whether it’s off-roading or kayaking, Thanks for sharing Sir.

Another great video, Brad. Thanks for sharing all the adventures!

How is the filming done if your out there alone?

FUEL!!! Can't believe you didn't mention fuel. I also have the "thirsty beast" and I'm considering carrying extra fuel on that same roof rack. What is your extra fuel setup... without your trailer? Nicely done Brad... your photography and videos are the Best. Thanks...

Big red 392 looking good, Brad. Do I spy a dual muffler skid plate under there? The Lonely Overlander

Off-roading is one of those things that you shouldn't do alone unless you have a lot of experience and a capable vehicle. With that said, it's awesome to be alone sometimes. You can go where you want and do what you want on your schedule. If you want to stop, you stop. If you want to take a detour, you detour. I like moving the lightbar further back on the roof. It looks rally-ish and will hopefully keep the lights from lighting up the hood like it's a stadium. To me, lights mounted high up are for shooting further down the road. You have fog lights and headlights and ditch lights if you need to see what's in front of your bumper.

Oh, great vids also👍👍 Lake Havasu 🌞 Az

I also bring my Ham radio. With very few exceptions, there is usually a repeater in range. If heading far in the backcountry, a portable HF band radio. Yes, very expensive but makes up for the monthy cost of the GPS devices. Also, gives me something to do out in the wild - seek some portable DX contacts.

As someone just getting into the hobby after buying an older jeep jk, I've heard to "never wheel alone" but I don't have any buddies or a group to go with so I end up going by myself anyway. But I did make sure to get a winch, recovery gear, and a Garmin InReach as a way to get a hold of someone in an emergency.

I overland solo, most of the time, albeit with my 2 dogs - they bring such joy to the adventure, never complain and are always up for the challenges. They offer a bit safety too, especially at night if any predators approach camp. I always have my pocket knife (army issue that my son carried in Afghanistan), a bottle/floor jack, recovery tools and satellite communication.

Love the footage and been following you for years. Im just getting into drone flying. Are you part 107 certified? Just don’t want you to get into trouble with the FAA. Also, be careful…I was going to fly up in Rattlesnake but that area appears to be BLM wilderness and drones are prohibited according to Aloft. Again, just be careful. FAA fines aren’t fun.

Great video. Really enjoy your videos of that general area. Especially this one as I am local in Landers. My question is what is your opinion of a stock Tacoma Off Road making it up this trail. My concern is the clearance over the rocks. I would really like to try this trail. Off course I would bring along my buddy with his Jeep.

If I was going here alone. I would bring my mountain bike. Not just for advanced exploring, but as a last resort to get out to find help. Most of my life I've hiked, mountain biked and off-road motorcycled alone for a long time. Mostly because I have a lot of free time and I like to go spontaneously. Now that I'm over 60, I'm more inclined to go with at least one other person especially if it's far from help. I tend to be safe with my risk taking and knowing my limits when alone and have wonderful memories of wildlife seen, difficult challenges and lessons learned. No doubt I was lucky. I could never imagine dealing with something like Between A Rock And A Hardplace.

We recently purchased our first ever Jeep Wrangler, every since then I’ve been watching your videos and I am so impressed with everything that you do and how prepared you are. It really speaks to my heart! Can’t wait to start getting our set up soon.😊

Coming from a guy that love’s through hiking. I Definitely like those back pack butane cookers . What chair is that you are using Brad? I like how compact it is. My family and I enjoy your videos.

Hey Brad….I’m in Mtn Rescue…I don’t go out climbing w/o being able to spend the night same for my 392….I also bring a hike out pack…just in case

As I'm watching your video tonight here in texas, I'm wondering and want to ask what drone you are flying and what model you are using? Love the footage... La coste,Tx

I aways bring my recovery bag which has pretty much everything, bottle jack, recovery boards, tool roll, Zoleo, axe, and Sig 9. Maybe I am a little paranoid 😊