O' Schmidt

O’ Schmidt is widely regarded as the most extreme obstacle in the entire park. Situated at the northern edge just behind the office, this straight-through trail may start tame, but quickly drops drivers into the deep end. It begins with a steep, loose, multi-ledged waterfall descent into a rocky creek bed, followed by an immediate climb up and over a sharply pitched ridgeline, where you’ll face a choice between the main obstacle or a challenging bypass. The main O’ Schmidt climb stretches roughly 30 yards up a near-vertical hillside, starting with 15 yards of loose dirt and rolling rocks before transitioning to slick, polished limestone ledges where traction is nearly nonexistent. The bypass offers no easy escape, featuring an equally steep, shorter ascent littered with deep holes, sizable ledges, and unstable terrain. Both routes converge for a hair-raising descent down a smooth slab that feels more like a porcelain slide than a rock face. The trail then follows the creek bed to the base of the Screendoor obstacle and the Onion Patch, wrapping up one of the park’s most intense, technical challenges.

This trail should only be attempted by the most extreme vehicles and skilled drivers.