The Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club (LCFWDC) hosted another successful Chile Challenge four-wheel-drive event in the mysterious Chihuahuan Desert. The event was held in the meandering rocky canyons that surrounded the quaint little southwestern town of Las Cruces, New Mexico. This exciting and challenging four-day trail event offers participants more than 18 challenging trails, which the club rates from extreme to easy. Enhancing the trail experience, millions of years of geological upheaval have created some extremely interesting-looking rock formations and demanding trail obstacles.
The 2004 Chile Challenge saw 336 registered vehicles loaded with 500 participants. The rigs consisted mostly of Jeeps and custom-built 'crawlers. Headquarters for the event was located at the Las Cruces fairgrounds, which offered camping and a vendors area for participants. This occasion has been held for quite a few years, but for the last seven, it has been named the Chile Challenge. The event coincides with the Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association's quarterly winter meeting, which also hosted this year's Saturday evening raffle, giving away some awesome prizes. Both organizations vigorously promote and support safe and responsible four-wheeling and keep its members aware of legislative land-use issues that affect our sport.
Each morning of the four-day event, the participants lined up at the fairgrounds, just itching to hit the challenging trails. The extreme trails are steep-walled gorges filled with large rock, huge boulders, and waterfalls created by the Earth's ever-changing geography. Some of the obstacles are just down-right treacherous, requiring a great deal of skill and careful spotting to conquer. The geological features in the canyons are extremely interesting and, of course, challenging. This area is a geologist's heaven. If you have a keen eye and know what to look for, you just might find some fossils embedded in the rocky structures.
The four most extreme trails of the Chile Challenge are Habanero Falls, Patzucuaro's Revenge, Rocotillo Rapids, and Tabasco Twister. If you enjoy technical off-camber 'wheeling, then these are the trails for you. We rode along on these trails with the participants to witness the action and carnage. The obstacles were truly impressive, as was the competent 'wheeling abilities of the drivers. Watching a vehicle make short work of a challenging rock waterfall is great fun. It's always a great day out on the trail with well-organized events and friendly participants.
For more information on next year's Chile Challenge, contact: Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club, www.lascrucesfourwheeldriveclub.com; Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association, www.swfwda.org.