UPDATED! Top 5 Jeep Storage Solutions

It's been five years since I first posted Jeep Momma's Top 5 Storage Tips for the Jeep Wrangler. Now it's time to see if those tips are still working for me.  

As we all know the Jeep Wranglers are notoriously known for their lack of storage space. I have tried several different solutions for storage in my Jeep.  Here is my updated list. 

My favorite storage solution is "My Attic" as I like to call it. It is a steel molle panel shelf above the back seats. Perfect storage for all sorts of items.  Molle Shelf Link 

Next, I would have to say "My Basement" as a storage
solution. An easy simple storage idea for the off-roader with recovery gear. Use the space under your seats for your recovery strap, tree saver, gloves, snatch block and shackles. It allows for quick and easy access on the trail when a recovery is necessary. You don't need to go digging around in the back of your Jeep. 

Of course, I still love my MorRyde Ammo Can Carrier with Molle Panel. This storage solution uses some awkward space really well. As you can see, I have two. They go right over your inner rear fenders in the cargo area. Now instead of the ammo cans I use cloth tool bags. There is also room to attach a molle bag to the panel. Plus a bonus, the space between the molle panel and the inner fender can be used too. 

A Jeep Momma Install - MorRyde Ammo Can Carrier with Molle Panel Install - Click Here 

BlueRidge Overland Gear Molle Seat Back Panel is great if you have younger kids, they can store all their stuff in the molle bags. What I like about this one is you can use it on the front passenger seat or even the rear seats. See my Updated YouTube video for the different locations.  

I still love all my Molle Bags and my Justice Off Road Molle Tailgate Panel. The molle bags come in all sizes and styles. These are great to store all my Jeep gear.  Both Blue Ridge Overland Gear and Justice Off Road carry these bags.

The tailgate panel is perfect for organizing all your off road needs with easy access. It is a simple easy install as well. 

Jeep Momma 

Tailgate Panel Install

However, I struggle with replacing this with a fold down table. I feel that would be perfect for my days and nights on the trail. 

One of my top 5 was the Spiderweb Shade Grab bag Since I started having a passenger it always seemed to get in the way. It was a great item when I was the only one in my Jeep. 

How to Replace Your Jeep's Cabin Filter

Most Jeep Wranglers, like mine, come off the factory line without the cabin filter. My Jeep is a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. In the eight years of owning my Jeep, I never put in a cabin filter. However, earlier this year I installed my first cabin filter.  

It was super easy! 

The cabin filter or A/C air filter is designed to clean the air as it moves through your heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. 

The cabin air filter can also remove allergens like pollen and dust.

The cabin filter is located right behind the glove box in the fresh air inlet. First, open glove box to take it out. 

Sometimes you may have to turn your recirculate knob to get access to the filter. 

Then disengage the two retaining tabs that secure the two air filter access doors to the H-VAC housing. Open the two air filter access doors.

Remove the two particulate air filters from the air inlet housing.  You will need to pull them straight out one at a time.

Obviously skip this step if your Jeep doesn’t have a cabin filter like mine. Make sure you install the cabin filter in the proper direction. There should be an arrow on the filter showing which direction.

Then complete the steps in reverse. Close the access doors and secure the retaining tabs and put back the glove box.

The factory recommendation is to change your cabin filter every 20,000 miles. If you go off road on dusty trails you might want to replace it every 10,000 miles.

Cheyenne Rejuvenates Me!

My life is starting to settle down. I found my new city, a new job
and have my own place. That dark hole I was in, I finally dug my way out. However, I still have moments when all that betrayal and loss overwhelm me. When I feel emotionally overwhelmed, I remind myself what I am grateful for and if that isn’t enough, cold crisp fresh air and exercise does the trick.

Fresh air cleans your lungs, boosts your mood, lowers your heart rate, increases energy levels, and even improves your digestion.

Physical activity can improve your brain health, help manage weight, protect against diseases, reduces feelings of anxiety and depression and so much more.  

Last week was a much-needed reset for me. Just being grateful wasn’t enough, so I headed out for a walk. I live in Cheyenne’s downtown historic district. The walk was a critical component to changing my mindset. I love this town. It is so full of history and energy something I need.

Two hours and thousands of steps later, I felt rejuvenated. I felt energized. I was happy and smiling. There are so many cool little shops and restaurants. The smells of garlic and tomato sauce filled the air. I look forward to this Spring and Summer. 

There will be music concerts in the Depot Plaza just blocks
from my home. Then this summer during Frontier Days the streets will be full of cowboys from all over the country.

I look forward to more shopping, happy hours, tasty food and museum tours. 

Top 5 Tips to Help Protect our Public Lands

Public Lands are a privilege. This privilege comes with a
responsibility. If you are out enjoying these public lands you need to be a good steward of these lands.

Public lands are slowly being taken away. You might ask yourself why or blame the government and land officials. However, we need to take a deeper look. More and more recreational users are using these lands. There are many who do not use them responsibly. 

Officials are starting to close trails and limit use. Here are my Top 5 Tips for you to help protect our off-road trails.

Number One - Educate Yourself

Starting January 1 of this year Utah now requires operators of off-road vehicles like quads, side by sides, high modified 4x4’s and more to take an off highway vehicle education course. LINK for online class

It’s free and only takes about 30 minutes. I took the class and now have my permit. The online class videos are filled with a lot of great information that is very important to help keep our trails from being destroyed. When the trails get destroyed they eventually will close them down.

Number Two - Travel Responsibly Use the tread lightly principals. www.treadlightly.org Travel responsibly by staying on the designated trail as this will keep from widening the trails. You can do this by following the trails signs, get a map app or check with the local agency for maps such as the Forestry Department for paper maps. Don’t go around obstacles go over them. Going around the trail obstacle widens the trails and this magnifies the negative impact on the land. Some of the places we wheel have very sensitive ecosystems.

Number 3 – Pack It In Pack It Out  -  You hear this a lot because it’s very important. Don’t leave your trash on the trail. Take it back out with you and dispose of it properly. Clean up after yourself AND others.

Number 4 - Research Check out the area you are going to wheel ahead of time so you can avoid the sensitive areas. Even when it comes to your footsteps. Up on the mountains above the tree lines even your footstep can destroy the land for decades. In the deserts of Utah they have very delicate desert lands.

Number 5 – Pictures and Videos Only show videos and pictures of responsible behavior on social media. Showing reckless behavior only promotes it.

If we all just do our part we can keep our trails open for future generations to enjoy.

Top 5 Must Do Mods in 2023

Get your Jeep New Year started off on the right foot with my Top 5 Must Do Jeep Mods under $100.

Interior Dome Light to LED for $26

Wild Boar A Pillar Grab Handles - https://amzn.to/3CzTgSP

     Jeep Momma Install Blog Post

Drake Shifter Knob - https://amzn.to/3i0nAPj 
     Jeep Momma's Install Video

Colby Valve 

Discount Code JeepMomma

JK Pockets 

     Jeep Momma Install & Review

     Install Video

Interior Paint  How To from Jeep Momma

Snow Wheeling Tips

Wheeling in the snow can be extremely fun especially on an easy trail you have wheeled many times without snow.  The snow gives added difficulty to the trails and can turn a mild trail to a difficult trail. 

If you are new to snow wheeling the lack of experience in the snow can turn a small mistake into a day of disaster.

I grew up driving in the snow. After years of experiencing snow on the road it becomes second nature on how your vehicle reacts in the snow, then your instinct kicks in.  

There are also different types of snow that takes experience to understand how to maneuver your vehicle through it. However, throw in mountain trails with ledges and trees is a whole other level.

Top 5 Tips when Snow Wheeling in the Mountains

 

Number One Don’t wheel on the snowy mountain trails alone. It is very easy to get your vehicle stuck in the snow. If you get stuck, which the chances are high when you wheel in the snow, you will want to have the option of another vehicle to help you out.

Number Two – Know your limits and your experience. Just like I did on Heart attack hill. I know my Jeep is capable, I know and I have a lot of experience driving in the snow. However, I am not that experienced in the snow on rocky inclines up a mountain trail. I decided to get a little more snow trail driving under my belt first. My Jeep is my daily driver, so I opted for caution. Do what’s best for you and your vehicle. Turns out the bypass was just as challenging.

 Snow Wheeling Tips YouTube Video

Number Three – Knowing when to give it gas and when to take it slow take practice and experience. Practice while on a flat easy part of the trail to see how the snow and your Jeep react to giving it gas then use a little gas pedal finesse and test how your Jeep reacts. The brakes are not your friend in the snow.

Number Four Wheel spinning in the snow is not your friend either. This will just result into digging your Jeep into a deeper hole. Too much spin can melt the top layer of snow which can re-freeze and halt you in your tracks. Instead like in number three… use your finesse and ease up on the throttle. You might need to back up a foot or two before trying to continue. Try different lines to the left or right of where you got stuck.

Number Five  – Learning to read the snow -- One of the most important techniques in snow wheeling. There are many different types of snow. Soft wet snow is different then hard cold snow. There’s crusty snow, powdery snow, slushy snow and all this snow can be in layers. Some of the snow will pack and clog your tires and some you can just easily plow through. Understanding he layers and the dynamics of the snow helps you to make smart decisions while wheeling  

Moody Hill, Northern Colorado

It was so incredible to be off road in my Jeep back in the
Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The mountains are grand and spectacular. The views are breathtaking and awe inspiring. The mountains bring an incredible inner peace to me. 

However, I never take the Rockies for granted because even though these mountains are amazing they can quickly turn on you. You need to be prepared in several areas. 

My Top 5 Tips when wheeling in the Colorado Rockies - YouTube Video 

My first trail back after a year's hiatus was Moody Hill in Northern Colorado. The trail is an intermediate trail with a rocky climb at the beginning of the trail. This trail leads you to a quarry which is only for the serious rock buggy off roaders. 

Moody Hill is in the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest in the Front Range Mountain Range. The longest mountain range in Colorado. This range stretches about 180 miles North to South from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Pueblo, Colorado.

Once off the trail we took one of Colorado's many scenic by-ways.

Scenic By-Ways Colorado

Epic Adventure Grand Canyon Day 5

Our last day on the Arizona Strip was fabulous. Bob ad the crew filled our bellies with the best breakfast yet, Waffle Egg Bake. It was like a Quiche from a Dutch Oven.

A few last views of the Colorado River and we were back on the trail. Bob with 4Xploring had a few more surprises left for us before we made it back to civilization.

Our first stop was the Nampaweap Petroglyphs. Nampaweap is site of several petroglyph's. Petroglyph's are rock carvings made by using a stone chisel or rock hammer.

Our next stop was a random cave on the strip full of rare color pictographs. Then the long trek back to civilization.

The adventure on the Arizona strip was amazing. The meals were delicious and the nights by the campfires gazing at the black dark sky with millions of twinkling stars was awe-inspiring.

YouTube Videos

What is 4Xploring

Overland Cooking Tips with Bob

Epic Adventure Day One

Epic Adventure Day Two

Epic Adventure Day Three

Epic Adventure Day Four

Epic Adveture Day Five

Epic Adventure Grand Canyon Day 4

After our tasty breakfast of blueberry pancakes and sausage plus the spectacular sunrise at Kelly point it was back to wheeling. 

We headed back out the 27 miles from the point to the Waring Ranch, then on to our next location point overlooking the Colorado River with views that will take your breath away. 

Our group was on an adventure of a lifetime with 4xploring. We were on an overland adventure along the northwestern rim Grand Canyon. Our overnight camping stops were overlooks located in Parashant National Monument including some of the most remote locations in the continental United States. 

It definitely was an adventure of a lifetime with amazing views, delicious dutch oven meals and meeting new Jeepers that are now life long friends.  

YouTube Videos

What is 4Xploring

Overland Cooking Tips with Bob

Epic Adventure Day One

Epic Adventure Day Two

Epic Adventure Day Three

Epic Adventure Day Four

Epic Adventure Grand Canyon Day 3

Day 3 of the 4Xploring trip along the Northern Rim of the
Grand Canyon on the Arizona Strip started with a hearty breakfast of sausage and egg pinwheels. Another Yummy breakfast from Bob and the crew that did not disappoint.  

We spent the night at Twin Point Overlook with the  most spectacular views. Day 3's journey was leading us to Kelly Point for another night of camping 

YouTube Videos

What is 4Xploring

Overland Cooking Tips with Bob

Epic Adventure Day One

Epic Adventure Day Two

Epic Adventure Day Three

The road to Kelly Point leads to amazing views but the road is only for those with the fortitude to withstand 4-5 hours of bouncing around in your 4x4 vehicle. It is one of the roughest and slowest roads in the National Parachant Monument.  

Right before the rough road began we made a pit stop at the Waring Ranch.  A remote homestead and ranch established by Jonathan Deyo Waring in 1925. 

The site has cabins, corrals, fence lines, water tanks, and two holding ponds. Cattle ranching back in the day was the main economic activity for the settlers in this remote arid land. 

Jonathan Waring grew up in New York State, however, he admired Teddy Roosevelt and the ment of the Rough Riders. Waring was intrigued by the cowboys, miners, hunters and gamblers so he headed West to Phoenix. Later his adventures lead him to the Arizona Strip via Grand Gulch Mine. Something about the strip called to him and he began acquiring government land.  

Preston Nutter, an Arizona Strip cattle baron, was a rival of Waring's.  Both ran cattle at the same time and both believed they owned a certain parcel of land at the rim of the Grand Canyon. When Nutter built a fence around the contested parcel,  Waring retaliated by burning it down. 

Later ironically Waring was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve during World War I. He ended up in the in the Argonne Forest trenches of France, fighting in the largest offensive in United States Military history. 

He later returned to the Arizona Strip to acquire more land and cattle eventual selling his land to the National Park Service. The Waring Ranch is now a historic National monument.

Back into our Jeeps it was time for the bouncy four hours to our next stop. Then Bob and his crew whipped up some Hungarian Goulash while Mary baked us some tasty beer bread. Then topped off with hot fudge brownie and ice cream.