Most every off-road enthusiast is at least vaguely familiar with Moab, Utah. There are trails galore in this 4x4 heaven, and Pritchett Canyon is one of the more challenging routes. Generally speaking, even experienced off-roaders only tackle this trail with a modestly built rig.
Pro drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. decided to try it in a stock Ford Bronco First Edition. And spoiler alert – he freaking made it.
Admittedly, some might question the definition of stock in this case. The factory wheels and tires are swapped out for Center Line beadlocks and Nittos, but the tires are still the Sasquatch-standard 35-inch size. Aftermarket rock rails offer better protection for the undercarriage. And as you can clearly see, everything Ford advertises as removable without too much effort is gone. That includes the doors, roof, and fenders, but that's part of the Bronco's standard-issue off-road playbook. Aside from the rubber and rails, this is a showroom stock machine. And being a First Edition model, it's nicely equipped to boot.
The adventure begins in the early morning hours, as a trip down Pritchett Canyon generally takes a day. Joining the Gittin Jr. in the Bronco is Loren Healy, an off-road veteran with considerable experience on the trail. They were accompanied by a veritable fleet of vehicles to offer assistance, as everyone expected the Bronco to struggle in a few particularly difficult sections of the trail. However, after clearing some early obstacles with surprisingly little effort, there was optimism that just maybe, the Bronco could make it to the end on its own.
In fact, it did complete the entire run without a single winch being used. Moreover, it survived the trek with surprisingly little damage. Had the fenders been installed there could've been some ugly scuffs, but at the end of the day, the Bronco suffered some scuffs on the bumpers and two busted taillights.
Considering this was a pre-production model that was originally destined for Ford's crusher, we'd say these few battle scars aren't scars at all, but a source of pride.
