Imagine your first time behind the wheel of a truck isn't on a paved road but navigating rock obstacles and steep grades in the heart of a canyon.
That is the challenging starting point for the latest episode of our new series, "Chasing Off-Road Confidence." As part of our new collaboration with onX, the series pairs off-road enthusiast Chase Gentry with Ford fans across America looking to grow their off-roading skills and discover the fun of going off pavement in a Ford vehicle.1
In Utah, Chase meets seasoned Bronco off-roader Nataliya Zasadko in the San Rafael Swell to tackle Black Dragon Wash — a trail rated “moderate” difficulty in the onX Offroad app, with unique terrain that changes after each major storm.
As an adventurer, Nataliya decides to swap her Bronco SUV for the F-150 Tremor truck, but as they get going, she drops a bombshell: She’s a total first-timer when it comes to trucks. She’s never sat in a truck before, driven one, or taken one off-road. Chase serves as a coach every step of the way to help inspire confidence and to teach new skills using a truck to off-road.
With the help of the downloaded maps from the onX Offroad app, displayed onto the in-vehicle screen with Apple CarPlay, the duo navigated through rough terrain and descended rock steps slowly and steadily.
In addition to driving a truck for the first time, the “wow moment” for Nataliya was learning how to handle steep grades. Chase explains, “When we go up this hill, we are just looking at the sky… we are driving into the sky today!”
Chase coached Nataliya throughout. He explained to go up the hill you need to press the Rock Crawl mode button to maximize torque at low speeds. The front-facing camera view will automatically appear on the in-vehicle screen to help with visibility on the ground in front of the vehicle because otherwise all you will see is sky — so this is very important.
Coming down the grade, Nataliya exclaimed, “This is better than a roller coaster!”
After driving through the canyon, they enjoyed the beauty of the Petroglyphs, ancient images etched into the rock surfaces. Pro tip from Chase: Leave no trace and take a selfie.
It is rewarding to see owners like Nataliya and Chase learning from each other and exploring the world of off-roading.
Uncover Trails Across America and Download onX
Tune into our series as Chase travels across America to explore and uncover trails with varying difficulty from beginner to expert, and shares tips about navigating off pavement with the help of the onX Offroad app.
Eligible Ford owners can now enjoy the onX apps for one year complimentary to help them master the trails and fully utilize their vehicle’s off-road capabilities.2 To learn more, open your Ford app3 or visit onxmaps.com/ford.
Mike Aragon is president of Integrated Services.
1Always consult the Owner’s Manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear.
2Offer ends 12/22/2028 and applies to new onX Offroad, Hunt, Backcountry, and Fish Midwest app memberships. Credit card activation is required, and memberships will automatically renew until cancelled. Must be an eligible owner of 2017 and newer Ford vehicles equipped with an activated modem. Customers who had an onX Elite Offroad, Hunt, Backcountry, or Fish Midwest membership in the 12 months prior to activation are not eligible for a complimentary membership on the same onX app. onX Backcountry not available via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. See onX terms for complete offer details
3Customers need a Ford app login. Ford app, formerly known as the FordPass® app, compatible with select smartphone platforms, is available via a download. Message and data rates may apply. Terms and conditions apply. Visit ford.com for our privacy notice.
Android Auto is a trademark of Google LLC. Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
