The adventure continued farther south, crossing into Utah and to the Little Sahara OHV area west of Interstate 15. The Little Sahara is a 120-square-mile BLM-managed area in the Sevier Desert open to off-road vehicle use. This area gave me the chance to test the truck's performance in deep sand and dune climbing. Even without airing the tires down, I knew the 4Runner was going to rule the sand. The good weight distribution, five-speed automatic, and 235hp V8 made for a great dune runner. In 4-Hi with the CDL locked (which disabled the Vehicle Stability Control), driving the dunes was easy. Plenty of torque and a low center of gravity allowed the SUV to carve the bowls and make all of the climbs I encountered.
The Little Sahara also gave me the chance to test the new Xjack exhaust jack from ARB. This unit uses exhaust pressure to fill a large rubber chamber, distributing the vehicle's weight across the sand or mud and lifting an entire side to allow for recovery or changing a tire. The unit worked well, lifting the 4Runner in less than a minute. The bag has 30 inches of lifting height and can support 8,800 pounds.
After leaving the Sevier Desert, my route took me high into the mountains north of Minersville and the deep snow of the winter storms. Snow and ice is a challenging environment for any vehicle, but it does favor a longer wheelbase and good weight distribution. The trail started wide and smooth, with long stretches of ice and compacted snow. With the 4Runner in 4-Hi and the CDL unlocked, progress was easy, with little understeer or sliding. Having all of the differentials open and the electronic traction and stability control available was the perfect combination for this environment.
Leaving the main trail onto a snowpacked two-track, I engaged Low range and CDL and allowed the traction control to work, maximizing steering control. However, the trail conditions continued to deteriorate as I gained elevation, encountering several cross-axle, snow-filled ditches. At this point, I locked the rear Air Locker and applied additional throttle to keep momentum and limit the chance of sliding off the trail. Near the high point of the trail, the snow was almost 2 feet deep, and a washout cambered the trail near the hillside. I engaged both Air Lockers and eased the 4Runner through the washout. The front end pulled straight and clawed over the lip as the rear started to slide toward the ditch. I dipped farther into the throttle and the V8 responded, allowing the tires to dig and pull to the top. That portion of the trail was very technical, with extremely loose and slick surface conditions, yet the winch line remained spooled, and I grew even more confident in the Toyota. By the time I reached the southern slopes, it was dark. It wasn't dark for long though, as I fired up all nine IPF lights: two foglamps in the Bull Bar, a driving and spot mounted to the bumper, and a combination of five more on the rack. The light output was incredible, making higher-speed travel at night a safe option.
The final adventure with the 4Runner was a 200-plus-mile expedition across southern Arizona, traversing the infamous El Camino del Diablo. This route is one of the harshest environments in the Southwest, with deep silt, miles of heavy corrugations, and extreme temperatures. The 4Runner never complained, and the ARB accessories improved on this already great package, making this Toyota a fantastic solution for the overland explorer.