While driving off road in Arizona you are liable to encounter just about every type of condition you can imagine sooner or later. Probably the most frequently encountered obstacle just about anywhere in the state is going to be a sandwash, arroyo, dry river bead, flood channel or whatever you may know it as. They can be hundreds of yards across or just a few feet wide. Most of the time they consist of sand or very loose gravel and all of them can be very easy to get stuck in.

Your best friend while negotiating these obstacles is momentum. By keeping your vehicle speed up you will tend to "float" over the sand. If you happen to be in a four wheel drive vehicle it is usually a good idea to engage it before you get into the sand. If you can help it, do not stop while driving because this is when you usually get stuck. Try not to turn the vehicle around or turn sharp while negotiating this obstacle, your front tires will dig in and slow or stop you. Every time that I have gotten stuck in a wash I have either stopped or tried to turn around and it has always been in a two wheel drive vehicle with skinny street tires. As of yet in my Blazer, that has wide tire (33 12.40x15), I have not been stuck but it weren’t for four wheel drive I would have been stuck in some really deep fine sand. If you try really hard you can get anything stuck.

Remember this -- if it rains, especially if it rains a lot, the wash is where the water goes and you do not want to be caught in that! I have seen full size 4x4 trucks buried so deep in sand all you could see was the roof of the vehicle, so pay attention to the weather reports prior to going out on your adventure.

Ted Scholl
AZOD Off Road Staff Writer