As the holiday season comes to an end, off-roading enthusiasts have something to look forward to- the Winter 4×4 Jamboree 2020.
There are few events that we at Dixie 4 Wheel Drive look forward to as much as the Winter 4×4 Jamboree. This annual event draws hordes of people from across the country to come get a taste of the world-class off-roading trails in the southwest.
It goes on for 3 days and it’s a test of man vs. machine to see who has the best driving skills and who knows how to control their vehicle best over different trails. Although this is a non-competitive event, nothing stops successful off-roaders from basking in their achievement having conquered some of the higher-rated and harder trails that are included in the Jamboree.
Going from the turnout over the years, the 2020 Winter 4×4 Jamboree is set to be a huge event, drawing over more than 200 participants. This isn’t something you want to miss if you’re an off-road enthusiast. Not only will you get a chance to pit your rig against some of the most demanding terrain available, but you’ll also be doing it in an incredible environment.
The southwest offers one of the most beautiful environments for such an event, giving people the chance to have an adventure amidst the beautiful red rock and sand capped dunes. You’ll drive up canyons, crawl over rocks, go through narrow passages and hug cliff ledges overlooking precarious drops. Vehicle damage is likely on the tougher trails and rollovers are common so excellent driving skills are required. We also recommend having a winch and spare parts available especially if you’re planning to try out higher-rated trails.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Maybe you’ve never heard of the Winter 4×4 Jamboree and you’d like to know the background and how it all started, why people do it and how to register. We cover all that and more below.
Background Information on the 2020 Winter 4×4 Jamboree
The Winter 4×4 Jamboree is an annual event held in Washington County near Hurricane Utah. This is about a 2-hour drive north of Las Vegas and 4.5 hours south of Salt Lake City, Utah just off the interstate I-15.
The event started small in 2015 with around 200 registered drivers and has grown each year since then, attracting hundreds of avid off-roaders from all around. It’s the single most spectacular non-competitive event in the area on the off-roading calendar designed for high clearance 4x4s.
The Winter Jamboree is organized and run by a team of dedicated volunteers from the Desert Roads & Trails Society (the Desert RATS). All proceeds from the event are donated to local search & rescue as well as land use organizations. The event aims at promoting responsible land use and protecting and defending public land access in Southern Utah.
Some of the organizations that have benefitted from the proceeds of the event include the Utah 4 Wheel Drive Association, Utah Public Lands Alliance and Washington County Search & Rescue, among others. These organizations work tirelessly to ensure public lands remain open for public use and are available for recreational activities like off-roading.
The trails that you’ll be trying out during the Jamboree are rated on a 10 point scale with 1 being graded roads that are easily traveled in most stock cars, to 10 representing extremely challenging trails that are only suitable for buggies. Only those rated 2 to 10 will be used in the 2020 Winter Jamboree and if you’ve taken part in our organized trail rides, you’ll be familiar with some of these trails.
Details on the 2020 Winter 4×4 Jamboree
The Winter 4×4 Jamboree 2020 will be held on Thursday 16th January through to Saturday 18th January. The trails chosen for the event are mostly in the Sand Mountain Special Recreation Management Area, just south of the expansive Sand Hollow State Park. All trail runs are day trips with participants returning to the Washington County Fairgrounds at the end of the day for the vendor show and other activities.
Registration for the event was open from 1st November 2019 to 2nd January 2020. Each participant has to register prior to the event and registration is done on the Winter 4×4 Jamboree website. You’ll be required to register your vehicle giving information about its model, make, license number and any modifications it has. This is to ensure that you’ll be capable of reasonably running the trails you wish to sign up for. After registering on the website, go to the event registration page to select the trails you want to ride.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the 3-day event.
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On Thursday evening after the trial runs, there will be an RC Rock Crawl Competition. Participants in this competition will use identical RC vehicles to complete a timed course. This is meant to showcase the driver’s skill, not the vehicle’s. The winner of this event will go home with a brand new RC Crawlers and the 2nd and 3rd runners up will also win prizes.
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On Friday night, there’s a Vendor Fiesta. The attendees (18 years and above) will receive a card with all the vendors’ logos on it. They’ll need to visit all the vendors’ booths and get a sticker to validate that from the vendor. The cards will then be entered in a draw for valuable prices later on in the evening.
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On Saturday night, there’ll be an evening dinner with a catered banquet for the participants and their families from 6 to 7 pm followed by the Saturday Night Raffle from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.
As you can see, the 2020 Winter 4×4 Jamboree will have lots of activities for you to take part in.
Don’t forget to come and check out the Dixie 4 Wheel Drive vendor stall where you’ll get to interact with our team of mechanics and 4×4 specialists. You’ll also have a chance to check out our range of custom builds and talk shop on the latest 4×4 accessories, mods and upgrades to boost your off-road game. We look forward to meeting you there.
