Camp Jeep
06-05-2007, 01:46 PM
#21
06-05-2007, 02:53 PM
#22
I have guided the last two Camp Jeeps that were in Virginia. It is a great event for families and people who have never been off road before.
I have guided every level of trail there and have wheeled on every trail (there are only 14 of them). The top two trails have some obstacles on them that can be difficult, but if you listen to your spotters, you will be fine. For Wranglers, it is not an issue really. The trails are on the easy side if you compare them to typical off road destinations and trail networks like some of the off road parks. For Liberties and Grand Cherokees, they will bump and scrape on the difficult trails, but the Wranglers will be fine. However, if it is raining, some of the areas may get sloppy and much harder. At the last one in VA, I had a TJ on 33s, and drove trail 1 in two wheel drive.
Don't go there if all you are interested in is trail rides. You will not be happy. Go for the overall experience and to enjoy some trail rides thrown in there. If you want to try other trails in the area, search out some of the local clubs, or other message forums. I know that people organize rides to George Washington National Forest during that time frame as well.
I had a blast at Camp Jeep. Guiding was hard work, but all the guides come from the VA 4x4 Association and the Mid Atlantic 4wd Association and the clubs that belong to those Associations. The trail rides are not run by DC, but buy a couple who are 'wheelers. They have been doing it for years and they run it very smoothly. The guides are all required to run their trails 4 to 5 time prior, so they know what to expect, and they will help you if you have never been off road.
As a Jeep owner, it is really cool to see every make and model ever made, and some very interesting modifications,a nd some very highly modified jeeps (YJs on 44s, TJs with Rockwell axles and 44s with LS1 engines, rear steer, etc....). The Camp itself is fun with a lot of activities. Talking to engineers is fun as well. There will be many of the concept vehicles there too. They typically have an event for you to drive a Wrangler with reverse steer (turn wheel left to go right-- VERY hard, but fun!) It is a really huge dose of Jeep Cool Aid with the only thing missing is a camp fire for everyone to hold hands and sing around.
I am not going this year for a number of reasons (vacation, number of trails to guide this year was increased, price of gas, not many of my friends going etc....), but it is still an event that I will never speak badly about.
The only place I have ever stayed down there is the Wintergreen ski resort. It was nice to spend the day in the valley where it was hot, then drive to the top of the ski resort where it was much cooler. It is pricey to stay there, but we always had a group of guides who all pitched in their guide pay to rent a big house for the week.
If you have specific questions about what to expect, ask and I will try to answer them.
I have guided every level of trail there and have wheeled on every trail (there are only 14 of them). The top two trails have some obstacles on them that can be difficult, but if you listen to your spotters, you will be fine. For Wranglers, it is not an issue really. The trails are on the easy side if you compare them to typical off road destinations and trail networks like some of the off road parks. For Liberties and Grand Cherokees, they will bump and scrape on the difficult trails, but the Wranglers will be fine. However, if it is raining, some of the areas may get sloppy and much harder. At the last one in VA, I had a TJ on 33s, and drove trail 1 in two wheel drive.
Don't go there if all you are interested in is trail rides. You will not be happy. Go for the overall experience and to enjoy some trail rides thrown in there. If you want to try other trails in the area, search out some of the local clubs, or other message forums. I know that people organize rides to George Washington National Forest during that time frame as well.
I had a blast at Camp Jeep. Guiding was hard work, but all the guides come from the VA 4x4 Association and the Mid Atlantic 4wd Association and the clubs that belong to those Associations. The trail rides are not run by DC, but buy a couple who are 'wheelers. They have been doing it for years and they run it very smoothly. The guides are all required to run their trails 4 to 5 time prior, so they know what to expect, and they will help you if you have never been off road.
As a Jeep owner, it is really cool to see every make and model ever made, and some very interesting modifications,a nd some very highly modified jeeps (YJs on 44s, TJs with Rockwell axles and 44s with LS1 engines, rear steer, etc....). The Camp itself is fun with a lot of activities. Talking to engineers is fun as well. There will be many of the concept vehicles there too. They typically have an event for you to drive a Wrangler with reverse steer (turn wheel left to go right-- VERY hard, but fun!) It is a really huge dose of Jeep Cool Aid with the only thing missing is a camp fire for everyone to hold hands and sing around.
I am not going this year for a number of reasons (vacation, number of trails to guide this year was increased, price of gas, not many of my friends going etc....), but it is still an event that I will never speak badly about.
The only place I have ever stayed down there is the Wintergreen ski resort. It was nice to spend the day in the valley where it was hot, then drive to the top of the ski resort where it was much cooler. It is pricey to stay there, but we always had a group of guides who all pitched in their guide pay to rent a big house for the week.
If you have specific questions about what to expect, ask and I will try to answer them.
06-05-2007, 04:52 PM
#23
JK Enthusiast
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Never been to a Camp Jeep before. Since we will be in the area returning from visiting friends in PA, we decided to give it a try. Bet it will be fun. Staying in a B&B 19 miles away. I got an email the other day from Jeep pointing me to a website that let me sign up for different events. We are signed up for several different things each day: trail rides, roundtables, playground, dinner, concerts. We then received a confirmation email listing all the events we signed up for.
06-05-2007, 07:14 PM
#25
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Me neither. Seriously thinking of backing out. Ther'es a Jamboree at the same place every year, that wouldn't be nearly as busy. I think I'll just go the previous week to some of the trails in the area.
06-05-2007, 08:30 PM
#26
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My first jeep, my first Camp Jeep and my first time Offroad. Am looking forward to it. Registered around 3 weeks ago and signed up for activities about a week ago. 2 Trails, 1 playground and dinner. Dont really know what to expect, but we'll see. Any ideas/suggestions from veterans?
06-06-2007, 04:21 AM
#27
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My first jeep, my first Camp Jeep and my first time Offroad. Am looking forward to it. Registered around 3 weeks ago and signed up for activities about a week ago. 2 Trails, 1 playground and dinner. Dont really know what to expect, but we'll see. Any ideas/suggestions from veterans?
you want to do first thing Thursday morning. Take a folding chair for the
concerts. It's kind of on a hill and the ground is uneven. Sometimes the dinner
is a box lunch thing but last year you fixed your own plate. Something to think
about before you volunteer to go get all the food for everyone else in your
group. Never been on a trail ride at Virginia so can't help ya there.
I allways had a blast at Camp Jeep. Wish I was going but looks like it's
not going to happen.
Last edited by JKRubi07; 06-06-2007 at 05:23 AM.
06-06-2007, 04:32 AM
#28
06-06-2007, 04:43 AM
#29
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ok I have a question...why do events fillup?? Like the Jeep playground?? It seems like they overbook the whole thing- as currently- due to the Jeeps peoples error- I cannot register for anything but trail rides...thats all thats left- so according to you-- trail rides are not where its at...I wanted to geocache, and do the playground- hubbo wanted the round table thing with the engineers...so what are we paying the 245.00 for?? i think it will be over crowded and poorly planned...so far that is the gist I have gotten.... I call customer service and they plain don't care....
As frustrating as you may be right now, once you get there, they will do EVERYTHING possible to make sure you have a great time. The people on site are there for you, and they bend over backwards. Most are Jeep owners who are working the event, and are getting paid, so they are HAPPY! The people on the phone, well, they are just a call center so I would not get too upset about it, just go and it will work out.
06-06-2007, 04:46 AM
#30
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DO NOT try to do the trails at the Camp Jeep site. The land owners open the land to CJ, a Jamboree and for some work events, and they track the people on the land very closely. If you tresspass, they will put you in jail.
There are a ton of other places in the area. THere is a local club, NOVA Jeeps and Off Camber Crawlers, who go to George Washington National Forest often, and their website and forum has a ton of information.