Driving on pavement, we became a bit concerned—the tires seemed far too quiet to be worth a darn off the road. Concerns regarding traction were abated, however, as we entered Cinder Hills OHV Area, the tires sinking into the deep, gravel-like ash that coats sections of the area’s 13,000-plus acres. Our trucks were equipped with the “anti-spin” rear axle. Although not a true locker, it did a good job of ensuring that the V-8’s 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque—the same ratings as in the standard 1500—were fed to both rear wheels as they churned through the seemingly limitless supply of volcanic ash. (Fun fact: NASA used sections of the area to simulate, in 1:1 scale, the moon’s surface to prepare and test equipment for the first lunar landing.) When it came time to climb, we shifted into four-wheel drive via the dash-mounted button and proceeded to ascend tight, twisty, not-quite two-tracks with aplomb, kickbacks and driveline binding either nonexistent or masterfully concealed by the power steering. A gravel plateau about halfway up one of the steepest climbs proved to be an excellent playground for whipping up a cloud of “space dust” by spinning wider and wider circles into the ash. Despite our best efforts, the winches on the Power Wagons remained unused.
