If you enjoy running your rig through the best or worst that Mother Nature has to offer in the winter, then the California Four Wheel Drive Association's Winter Fun Festival is the event for you.
The California Four Wheel Drive Association has held this event for the past 23 years in Northern California. The Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, California, has been the main staging area for camping, RV parking, vehicle-safety checks, registration, and food in recent years. The condition of the winter trails for this annual event are dependent on the type of weather Northern California receives before and during the event. This can change the terrain and 'wheeling conditions quickly and dramatically, with little to do other than planning ahead and being prepared.
The event offers easy trails for SUVs, historical winter trail runs, night trail runs, and extreme trails. No matter what the conditions are like for the run you choose to travel, the Winter Fun Festival is bound to test your driving ability and provide entertainment for the whole family from beginning to end.
The 2005 event was held the weekend of January 14-16. Things got underway on Friday afternoon with registration and safety checks. The first trail run of each event is a night snow run, which leaves the staging area on Friday at 9 p.m. After preparing for the run, the group went to the trailhead and 'wheeled throughout the night in the snow. 'Wheeling at night is tough enough, but with snow on the trail and the reflection of the headlight creating deep shadows, the experience is made even more challenging. If you're into adventure, this is a trail run to be remembered. Because of its popularity, participants must register early for this event.
Saturday began with a hot breakfast and the distribution of trail lunches. Afterward, it was time to travel to one of the several trails offered, including the historical and SUV trails. If you were looking for unlimited challenges, the express runs are the best choice. These runs require rigs equipped with lockers and winches and only end when the vehicles are stopped by Mother Nature, or have made it to the end of the trail.
The SUV and historical trails are run through light to moderately deep snow and are open to all four-wheel-drive vehicles. Regardless of your 'wheeling experience or the capabilities of your rig, these are great runs for beginners and life-long 'wheelers alike. Although the historical trail isn't tough on the vehicle or driver, it's heavy on the history of gold mining in the area and how much life has changed since the end of the gold rush.