Eastern Washington Adventures 2012 “Top Member 4×4 Challenge”
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures
Every year we hold a fun snow run event for the dedicated members call the “Top Member Challenge”. We find a good area to line up the 4×4 rigs and let them race to the finish line that is on top of a ridge somewhere. Deeper the snow the better challenge. This year the Top Member Challenge was held at the Ahtanum State Forest up Doe Pocket.
This year’s Top Member 4×4 Challenge give-a-ways were:
The “Top Member” winner gets a Trophy from Eastern Washington Adventures and a EWA t-shirt from Eastern Washington Adventures.
The worse stuck gets a Recovery Strap from 4WheelingPlus.com.
1st person stuck gets a 4WheelingPlus.com t-shirt from 4WheelingPlus.com.
All drivers participating in the 2011 EWA TM 4×4 Challenge get double the EWA discount from 4WheelingPlus.com on any parts they break during the event.
This year’s Top Member competitors were:
Blindpilot……..TJ (33″ Tires, F&R locked, Winch)
Foxracer……..TJ (35″ tires, F&R locked, Winch)
Jeepscum……TJ (33″ Tires, R locked, Winch)
TJ40………….TJ (34″ tires, F&R locked, Winch)
Havo………….Toyota pickup (35″ Tires, F&R locked, Winch)
Craigen……….XJ (35″ tires, R locked)
Guido was the judge and I “Ceg” was the director. CSR came to watch.
About the day of the event:
Around 10 AM Saturday January 21st, 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures members met up at the Tampico Church for the Top Member 4×4 Challenge. I rode with Foxracer in his Rubicon. Once everyone was at Tampico Church, we headed to Nasty Creek Corrals and aired down. We headed up Doe Pocket with Jeepscum leading the way. The roads were icy under the snow making it tough to make the hill climbs. At the Dual Climb everyone had to winch up. Two of the rigs decide to turn around to find other places to snow wheel. Once on top of the ridge it was a lot of fun.
The Top Member challenge started just past the cattle gate. We lined up the rigs and Guido gave the signal to start the challenge. It was a great race all the way to Jackass Road. Everyone was in first place and last place at one time or another. Foxracer got stuck twice and Jeepscum pulled him out. BlindPilot had to winch a few times to push through the deep snow. BlindPilot won the Top Member Challenge for 2012.
At Jackass Road we turned around and back tracked to Nasty Creek Corrals to air up. The views of the city lights were cool as we came down. A few of us met up in Yakima at The Rec Room for dinner and to talk about the fun we had this day.
Below are the pictures of our day:
The group meeting up at the Tampico Church.
We aired down at Nasty Creek Corrals and headed up Doe Pocket.
Craigen pulled off to wait for his dad.
The ice under the snow made it difficult to climb the hills.
The Dual Climbs were iced over so the winching began. The group waiting for BlindPilot to get up the climb.
TJ40 started winching up the other lane.
Jeepscum going for it.
Foxracer starting to winch up.
I believe Foxracer had to winch 6 times to get to the top.
Havo winching up.
Havo’s winch gave out so BlindPilot went down to help.
Havo at the top taking a break.
Just over the hill from the cattle gate we lined up the rigs for the 2012 Top Member 4×4 Challenge.
Guido gave the signal and they were off!
Mad man TJ40 blowing everyone away from the start.
Foxracer taking the pass.
Foxracer took the lead into the tree. BlindPilot took a pass as Foxracer was sliding on the ice.
TJ40 also got ahead.
TJ40 loosing ground.
Foxracer back in second place behind BlindPilot.
Havo make it by a few rigs and pulls into the lead.
TJ40 coming up quick.
Back out in the open the race was on!
The deep stuff stopped all the rigs to moving more than a few feet at a time.
Back in the open moving fast.
Foxracer was doing good until he stuck it.
Everyone passed Foxracer.
Jeepscum came back to give Foxracer and pull.
Out and moving again.
Foxracer trying to pass the pack.
Back toward the rear again.
Foxracer passing the most of the pack. Fighting for the lead with BlindPilot.
BlindPilot gets out in front and has to winch.
On the move again Foxracer tries to pass BlindPilot and get stuck again.
Havo passes.
Jeepscum does too!
Jeepscum decided to give Foxracer another pull.
On the move again. The snow id very deep so it takes some time for BlindPilot to push through.
At the intersection of Jackass Road and A-5000 BlindPilot wins the cup back from Havo.
The three rig out front.
Since Jackass Road is one of the Groom Trails, we turned around and headed back the way we came.
The city lights were cool to see as we headed down the ridge.
At Nasty Creek Corrals airing up to head out.
BlindPilot got a little carnage.
This was a very fun time. This is a great group of guys to be out on the trail with.
