2002 Chile Challenge South West Four Wheel Drive Club - Las Cruces, New Mexico - Competition - Racing and Rock Crawling

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2002 Chile Challenge South West Four Wheel Drive ClubLas Cruces, New Mexico
Publish date: Apr 1, 2002
By:  ORC STAFF
Source: Competition Rock Crawling on Off-Road.com
  • April 2002
  
2002 Chile Challenge
Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association Winter QuarterlyThe Long Lost Challenge

 by Bill Johnston
  
  • Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association

Jeeps, Toyotas, Suzukis, Rovers, Mercedes and a whole host of others made the trip to scale the rocks of Las Cruces.

Photo Gallery While traveling down the road on a cool dry winter morning, a glance over to the access road revealed a huge group of vehicles. They seemed to be traveling in groups of 15 to 20, streaming out of the local fairgrounds and heading off in an aray of different directions. The vehicles ranged from stock Jeeps to tube chassis rigs that didn't resemble anything on the street today. Who are they? Where did they come from? What are their intentions? These common questions come up every year when the Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club (LCFWDC) launches its annual Chile Challenge event. It started years ago when they agreed to host the Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association Winter Meeting. It grew in popularity and eventually the event had its own name. The SWFWDA meeting is still a major part of the festivities, but four days of wheeling, some of the best trails in the desert southwest really make the event what it is today.

In Beverly Hills, a Defender 90 does little more than cruise through Rodeo. In Las Cruces, it's challenged by the hammering rocks upon its belly pan.
Every morning the rock crawlers line up at the fairgrounds, separated into stages which, differentiate the variuos trail runs. Some of the more popular trails even have multiple departure times so that more folks can play on the trails they want. The trails range from easy to extreme, which allow the participants to challenge their rigs and their driving ability at whatever level they feel they can tackle. Mother Nature has a wonderful (and sometimes frightening) way of changing the trails in the mountains north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Every year the trails are different. Boulders the size of Suzukis are moved, cracked or crumbled and then redistributed somewhere farther down the canyons. Sometimes this makes an obstacle easier, but many times the obstacle needed a whole new perspective to get the right line through it.
This Toyota crawled like a champ.
The Trail Leaders were from the LCFWDC and usually have a good understanding of the trails. They also had a new (and somewhat controversial) trail policy that left a few people lost in the Las Cruces trail system with little help from officials to guide you through. Here is an excerpt of the posted policy."Each driver is expected to be self reliant and prepared to deal with breakdowns. Trail Leaders and LCFWDC are not responsible for participating vehicles. The Trail Leader is there to guide participants and to advise if he/she observes an unsafe practice. Trail Leaders should not leave a vehicle and/or occupants behind in a remote area, but also will not hold up the entire group if a breakdown cannot be repaired in a reasonable time."
The "Big Mog Melt Down!"
At first glance, it was something that we all have said or thought in the past. The controversy involved the definition of "repaired in a reasonable time." There were cases where the Trail Leader took off with the front half of the group while someone in the back half was still changing a drive line, a brake line, or even negotiating a difficult obstacle. In some cases, the Trail Leader wasn't seen by the rest of the group until they got back to the fairgrounds. While this may not be important to some, many of the trails were only accessible through a maze of access trails that could leave you stranded if you didn't know the way back. Moral of the story? If you were in the back half of the group - you made sure there was a 'local wheeler' with you.
Avalanche Engineering didn't make for a big show at the recent RCAA event in Farmington, but this AE-built CJ made up for it down south in Las Cruces. The coil-sprung monster was one of the finer built rigs on the trails.
The gathering area at the fairgrounds had lots of things to keep you busy as you checked out the other rigs. There was an RTI ramp available for those that wished to show off a little. Southwest Propeller had an onsite shop set up to repair thrashed driveline components while you waited. The shop was outfitted to handle just about any kind of material you needed to have welded. The local RV dealer brought down a few 'Toy Boxes' to drool over. These toy boxes allowed you to carry your rig in an enclosed trailer, and then it doubled as a spacious camping trailer once you got to camp and unloaded the rig. Sweet!
Hey, it's our friends at Tiny Bits of Silver!
Many new friendships were made, along with the sharing of tons of new body modifications and suspension tricks. Then on Saturday night after a meal of steak and chicken, the long awaited raffle brought happy faces to many of the participants. They gave away winches, tire certificates and tons of shirts, straps and assorted goodies.

Photo Gallery
 

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Source: Competition Rock Crawling on Off-Road.com, 4/1/2002
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