[Thisisnotmee]

@Rossetti1223 @daytona125 @Alfrik @dmaker @Craigman TH @Thisisnotmee @bvardy

Anybody else we should tag go ahead, it'd be nice to have a bit of KL representation there, I'm not rolling into that event alone lol

You can count me in, should be fun.

 

[Go_Habs]

Buddy from Peterborough is coming down this weekend, gonna see if we can set that weekend up keep you guys posted

 

[ptrudel]

Sounds like this might work. Registration opens up to the public on the 15th of February. I'll be registering first thing that morning to guarantee a spot, hope others can make it!

Also, my gf would be very happy to not be the only female hanging out, so if that's a pitch to your wives you can use it lol

Another edit to add, sounds like @Craigman TH plays the guitar, so entertainment for the fire is taken care of :grin:

 

[Craigman TH]

Sounds like this might work. Registration opens up to the public on the 15th of February. I'll be registering first thing that morning to guarantee a spot, hope others can make it!

Also, my gf would be very happy to not be the only female hanging out, so if that's a pitch to your wives you can use it lol

Another edit to add, sounds like @Craigman TH plays the guitar, so entertainment for the fire is taken care of :grin:

Oh Christ, I ain't that good, and don't have an acoustic, Invite @Dunx then we will be on a roll! Still thinking of a way to smooth it over with the old lady here.

 

[Dunx]

Oh Christ, I ain't that good, and don't have an acoustic, Invite @Dunx then we will be on a roll! Still thinking of a way to smooth it over with the old lady here.

This would be fun for sure....I'll keep it in mind as the date gets closer, we're usually at a cottage that weekend though...

 

[ptrudel]

Still thinking of a way to smooth it over with the old lady here.

It's a good way of makin' new friends! I was surprised at how little convincing it took to get my gf to agree, especially on a long weekend. If we can work getting her a new vehicle as we buy a new house, she might be wheeling on her own, she wants her own Jeep too.

 

[ptrudel]

Alright, just got an email back from the organizers finally, I'm getting the vibe they don't want TH's showing up there...I answered a few of their questions and I'll let you all know what they say...Wrangler drivers don't want the risk of being shown up I think...

 

[ptrudel]

Ok here we go, we've got this cleared up lol..we're more than welcome to go to the event. Sounds like it'll be a good time. I hope some of you can join me in going, I think it'll be an awesome experience. Here's the emails I've had back and forth with Angie.

Good morning,

I’m interested in attending trailfest this year, and may be able to bring a small group with me. My question is, we’d all be coming in the new Cherokee Trailhawk, and I want to make sure that there are trails that aren’t going to be killer on the daily drivers.

According to your required specs, we’d be ok. I know it’s not the “typical” Jeep, but still a very capable vehicle. There aren’t many options for rides like this in Ontario, and I’m sure we’d all enjoy the event.

Look forward to you input!

Hey Patrick,
So I won’t lie, a few of the trails will definitely put those Trailhawks through their paces. Are you guys somewhat experienced wheelers or would you be starting out? Is everyone bone-stock? Even our simpler trails are designed for stock wrangler clearance - so rocker panels will take a massive beating. We have gotten stock cherokees through, but that came with some running board/rocker damage. I can try and give you a better idea if you let me know more about the vehicles.

Thanks!!
Angie

Thanks for the reply Angie.

Most guys would be bone stock…There isn’t much of an aftermarket yet for these, if anything I’ll be the only one with upgraded tires. As far as experience, limited at best…

Stock Wranglers (in the sport/willy’s trim) have less ground clearance than the Trailhawk does. Trailhawk also comes with the rear locker/low range and a limited slip front diff, as well as skid plates standard.

What kinds of obstacles are to be expected? A bit of everything I’m assuming (logs/rocks/mud/water etc)

Obviously no want wants to wreck their vehicles, so if you truly feel we’d be out of our element that’s fine, that’s why I’m emailing you ahead of registrations opening up.

Thanks,
Pat

Alright, I just hit up the google image gallery and feel so much better about life - I also apologize, I had the Renegade in my mind’s eye, not the Cherokee Trailhawk. So I don’t know if you took a peek at this part of the website - http://trailfest.ca/index.php/trails where the trails are listed. A more aggressive lug of tire will DEFINITELY help navigate the terrain but I would say that Timberbear and Rathwell would be navigable with no major hassles, if among you, there are people who are less familiar with their vehicles and the technicalities of offloading the Bumps & Bruises trail on Saturday would be a huge benefit. There’s a short information/explanation session that talks about both the vehicle, and the drivers, in terms of strategies and trail manners that every novice driver can benefit from, then there’s a little obstacle specific part where people practice things like lining up 2 tires and driving with one side of their jeep on a log, and some practice with short steep climbs and descents - then there’s a whole trail that they do. For the more adventurous among you, the only thing you’d likely ever damage on the vehicle is the thing that’s not a rock rail on a unibody. LOL. Rocker panel I guess you would call it. Big likeliness of scratching it, less likely to crack it. But of the body damage I’ve seen over the past few years, that’s usually it. If anyone has upgraded to a metal rock rail or solid steel running bar, then I’d also unleash them on Dewdney without too much concern. The trails we run were once logging trails but have been mostly cut and maintained and jeep trails, so there’s also the leaf/branch/rub scuff marks that can happen on the doors, Lots of rocks, some stumps and fallen trees, a bit of mud, but no deep/troublesome water. As a rule we are all there to have a good time, make sure our participants don’t get in over their heads, and make sure that everyone is able to drive home on Monday.

Here are the pics from last year’s trailfest, they’ll definitely give you an idea about all kinds of terrain (if it looks terrifying, we won’t send you there!) Trailfest Gallery
Hope this helps

Angie

 

[ptrudel]

Just another addition, if a few of us go, it may not be bad to do the Bumps & Bruises beginner course that involves the Wheeling 101 portion before we do trails, help get some confidence into us and a bit of technical information into our brains.

They also require everyone have an FRS radio at minimum, or a CB...I have a couple FRS radios I'll be bringing along if someone needs to borrow one from me.

 

[imthatguy]

Just another addition, if a few of us go, it may not be bad to do the Bumps & Bruises beginner course that involves the Wheeling 101 portion before we do trails, help get some confidence into us and a bit of technical information into our brains.

They also require everyone have an FRS radio at minimum, or a CB...I have a couple FRS radios I'll be bringing along if someone needs to borrow one from me.

LOL, looking at the gallery, if a Compass can handle it, I'm pretty sure we'll be okay!

I'm heading to Rausch Creek at some point this Spring, so after getting my Badge of Honour, and doing the Beginner courses there, I'd be down for a refresher in London.

 

[ptrudel]

LOL, looking at the gallery, if a Compass can handle it, I'm pretty sure we'll be okay!

I'm heading to Rausch Creek at some point this Spring, so after getting my Badge of Honour, and doing the Beginner courses there, I'd be down for a refresher in London.

haha that was my thinking too...When her first email was basically a no I just summed it up to wrangler owners not wanting us there, but we got it all figured out.

Lucky guy doing Rausch Creek! Super jealous

 

[Alfrik]

Just another addition, if a few of us go, it may not be bad to do the Bumps & Bruises beginner course that involves the Wheeling 101 portion before we do trails, help get some confidence into us and a bit of technical information into our brains.

They also require everyone have an FRS radio at minimum, or a CB...I have a couple FRS radios I'll be bringing along if someone needs to borrow one from me.

Well, I've got FRS, and I intended on doing the Bumps and Bruises to get myself up to speed and settled into wheeling the TH. At best my Patriot got to soft road it, and anything prior was a good decade or so ago in my '49 Fargo. Surprisingly capable for RWD, 50 year old .gov beast.

 

[ptrudel]

Here's one last email from the coordinator:

There’s a drop down menu on the sign up sheet that asks what size of camping space you’ll need just so we can kinda group tents with tents and get trailers to electricity. We don’t necessarily assign spots.... “Trailfest Camping” could be it’s own event….. an absolute logistical nightmare LOL. The camping is to be paid cash, at the event, so you don’t pay for it when you sign up. Also, just a little tip to you guys since you’re new. ADDING PASSENGERS is easy peasy up until July- so if people are on the fence about who they’re bringing, just tell them to sign the jeep and driver up, and then extra people and shirts and stuff can be sorted out later. Once the vehicle spots are gone (115 vehicles or so) they have to sit on the waiting list until people cancel. But if the jeep is in, adding more people to a jeep is simple

I think that’s about it for tips.

 

[Craigman TH]

I just threw it by my wife tonight for a test run, and believe it or not SHE IS IN!!! She really wants to get pics and video of the TH off roading, but I personally think she is looking forward more to the scenery and the parties at night! Either way, I should be signing us up in 30 days. I have a Masters grad gift to pay for first.

 

[ptrudel]

Awesome! Registration only opens on the 15th to the public, I guess they only take about 115 or so vehicles, then you land on a waiting list. Hope we can all squeeze in, it'll be a great time!

 

[Craigman TH]

I think the first trail would be the best option. But I'm tossed up between the second or third for the second day. The third seems more fun, more scenic, and wider so we don't absolutely destroy or THs.

 

[ptrudel]

I think all of us.doing the bumps and bruises to start the day is a good idea...from there the organizers will tell us what they think we should tackle or not. They seem to have a good base of their trails so I'd be ok with trusting their judgement!

 

[Craigman TH]

Me as well, Just watch out for my semi professional photographer wife, she wants to do a full video/still package of the whole event....even the partying!

 

[Wobbie]

I'm in. My TH and my friends wrangler, so two spots for us please.

 

[Thisisnotmee]

I will bring my quadcopter and get pictures and video from above (where possible). I took my TH on Wrangler trails at an offroad park in Florida last summer and it did keep up with the Wranglers, it is very capable.