24 Hour Hell and Back Trail Challenge – Red River Gorge, KY


12 vehicles, 12 trails, 24hours ⛰⏱☠️

24 Hour Hell and Back Trail Challenge is the ultimate test of endurance for both man and machine. Watch Parts 1 & 2 now below.

An “off-road Ironman” – consisting of hardcore 4wheeling, team work, camaraderie and adventure.

Participants were chosen from Florida, New York, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and from other states across the nation to meet at Hollerwood Off-Road Park located in Stanton, Kentucky also known as Slade.

Every driver received a Flex, Rocks & Rollovers / 24 Hell and Back branded Rockwelll Watch with a timer that was pre-set to 24 hours that could not be stopped until the event was finished.

Trails:

  1. Cathead hill
  2. Cable hill
  3. No man’s land overlook
  4. Attention getter
  5. Hairpin
  6. Jimmy’s bend
  7. Little widow maker
  8. Widow maker
  9. Shotgun
  10. Tipsy overlook
  11. Casey’s climb
  12. Lower staircase

The first half of the day was set up to ward off anyone who was prepared to make it through the second half of the event. Cable Hill and Hairpin took out two participants with broken axle shafts and bent tie rods.

The second half of the day pitted participants against themselves with double diamond obstacles, long and scenic rides through the valleys forcing them to stay awake until the next obstacle started. River crossing and nighttime exploration in a rock cave on the side of a mountain.

When nightfall finally set in, participants entered the hardest part of the challenge fighting off fatigue from the earlier part of the day.

By initial sunrise the next morning, you could feel that participants had initially underestimated the challenge.
Passengers who were not driving were found sleeping in passenger sections of some vehicles. Others decided to quit the challenge or resting back at the trailhead.

Capping the event off with a frantic ride to the top of a mountain to watch the sunrise and relax for a moment before we ended the 24 hours with climbing “lower staircase” – a very technical obstacle – especially after 23 hours of wheeling!

Part 1:


The epic finale – Part 2:


Special thanks to BFGoodrich Tires, Powertank, Tom Wood’s Driveshafts & RockwellWatches