And to think it all started in a chat room...a slew of Jeep Grand Cherokee owners sick and tired of "grocery-getters" and "soccer mom" comments that, believe it or not, were oftentimes coming from other Jeep brethren. Having carved their own niche within the forum discussion boards at www.jeepsunlimited.com, it was 1998 when a group of Grand owners from the western United States banded together to celebrate their vehicles with a weekend of 'wheeling in Moab. Since then, the event has continued to grow, as has the availability of aftermarket parts for these vehicles, providing for more capable vehicles and tougher trails. This year's Grand Slam West was no exception.
With Grand owners traveling from as far away as New York, 38 Grandys descended upon Aspen, Colorado, for a taste of Rocky Mountain trail action. One of the coolest aspects of the event is that it's a freebie. No pay to play. It's just a bunch of 4x4 enthusiasts getting together and going 'wheeling, with the majority of them knowing each other solely by online screen names. The Grandys took to the trails without incident, tackling such extreme obstacles as Holy Cross Trail early in the week and moving on to milder trails as the weekend came to a close. We caught up with the group on the final day, ready to climb over Pearl Pass to Crested Butte, Colorado, and then return to Aspen via Scofield Pass. Both trails exist as old mining trails and are maintained by local 4x4 clubs. Though much of the path was easily navigated by the band of Grands, there were a handful of gotcha spots to test each driver's ability and to reassure them that purchasing that locking diff and extra suspension components were well worth the money.
For more information about next year's Grand Slam West and other Grand Slam events held across the States, log on to www.jeepsunlimited.com and pop in to the Grand Cherokee forum. At the very least, you'll meet some good folks to talk about Grands with. At best, you'll get your Grand off the pavement and on the trail and start using it for what it was built. It is a Jeep, after all. Why not start treating it like one?