Just about everyone we talk to here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse is crazy about trucks, and fans of trucks love to listen to stories of them faring well on tough terrain. The folks on staff at BostonHerald.com were confident that this was not just the average Silverado, and one that could pretty much “do anything while going anywhere doing it.” The 2-inch lift kid paired with blacked-out 18-inch wheels and Goodyear Wrangler tires is a standout combination for off-road domination.
The place that they went to take the Trailboss to test it was Samuel's Camp, a historic 50-acre hunting camp full of rocky terrain and swampy ravines. Over 60 years ago, there was even an old bus towed up the mountain so there's a camping base to use while mudding and hunting. Located in the upper Catskills of New York south of the Peekamoose Mountain, this is a place that definitely requires a vehicle that has multiple abilities to get there. Many of the locals who attempted the journey simply didn't make it, and the Boston Herald gang called up to get approval and be on their way.
Locked in 4WD and in very low range, they began to slowly crawl up the side of the Peekamoose. They had brought a chainsaw along just in case, a necessity due to the huge branches that are hanging near almost every turn and straightaway. As they lumbered over rocks that were the size of small cows, they at one time only had two wheels on the ground, and admitted they were full of fear on the ascent! According to the campground staff, Jeeps designed specifically for boulder climbing were the only vehicles to make it most of the time.
After about 45 minutes, the group was still intact and made it to Bear Springs, the point at which things get much steeper, narrower, and challenging altogether. They were the first on-road vehicle to make it the whole way! Through challenging streams, over jutted logs and sloped grades, the Trail Boss conquered the journey and they gang pulled in to camp at an elevation of 2,370 feet. Their testing vehicle was equipped with the 5.3-L EcoTec3 V8 engine offering 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. They claimed that this year's 10-speed automatic transmission is much smoother, and the Trail Boss brandishes a towing capacity of 7,000 lbs.
Auto start/stop, hill descent control and auto-locking rear differentials are standard, which were put to the test during most of the trip. These experienced drivers avidly claimed that if the trail is your terrain, you might as well “incorporate the true boss”, and many Missouri-area Ozark enthusiasts will be proud to call this their means of “conquering the off-road beast”!
