PICKLE IN A CRACK Broad Canyon 4WD Trail Las Cruces, New Mexico by Mark Werkmeister

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It was a bright, beautiful winter day in the desert. A perfect day for a little Christmas break 'wheeling! We were camped in Leasburg State Park just north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Our mission for the day was to pre-run the Broad Canyon trail in preparation for the Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association Winter Quarterly Meeting. Broad Canyon is one of five difficult trails that are featured at this annual early spring attraction. Four of the five are canyon bottom crawls through extreme boulders/ledges/etc. and Broad Canyon is typical of the local genre although it is probably the easiest of the four canyon runs.

LP's "Nuclear Pickle" CJ7 (no known film has correctly capture the color yet!) approaching the rock terrace we were trying to climb. There is a huge, gaping hole directly beneath him.

I was looking forward to the run as Broad Canyon as it is difficult enough to be loads of fun but usually doesn't cause an undue amount of stress of the driver. We entered the canyon and took a left downstream to head for the "Test Rock". This little playground is usually used as a means of sorting out who should running the canyon and who doesn't quite have the experience, skill, or mental will. We breezed through the test obstacle and then I remembered an intriguing spot nearby. Last year, I had examined the obstacle at length and came away with the certainty that it could be climbed. Today I happened to be driving my CJ5 and I knew that its length and articulation limits would preclude a successful climb. I looked around and decided to ask fellow New Mexico 4-Wheeler L.P. How if he wanted to try it. Having recently watched L.P.'s CJ7 run the 'Hammers in the Johnson Valley OHV area, I knew it was capable. Sure enough, L.P. was willing to try it.

LP's Jeep poised just moments before the fateful fall. The hole beneath the Jeep is deep enough to stand in without hitting the Jeep.

The Jeep fell sharply to the driver's side when both driver's side tires slipped off the rock. The hole under the Jeep is clearly visible here and those are 35" tires!!!

There it was, poised majestically above a crack large enough to swallow a Jeep whole. Each tire was placed just so on the rocks to prevent the unspeakable from happening. The Jeep crept forward while I gave careful signals to the driver. Just one more step and the Jeep would be on top. Then, in the blink of an eye, it happened. As the front climbed skyward, the rear driver's side tire dropped into the hole. It instantly pulled the front driver's side tire off of the ledge. The Jeep fell 18" to the drivers side and the sheet metal along its entire length disappeared against the rocks below. Oops.....

Oops! The impact crushed the fender, rear quarter panel, and popped the hood open. Subsequent inspection also showed a bent fan, broken fan shroud and numerous other sheet metal ripples including the opposite fender. The paint was less than two months old.

We looked on for a moment in dismay. The paint on LP's "Nuclear Pickle Green" CJ7 was only a month old! Then the process of extricating the Jeep from the clutches of the rocks without further damage commenced. Two winches and lots of patience later, it was free without any further damage. The initial impact was bad enough. The contact with the rocks on the left front fender was hard enough to ripple the sheet metal on the right front fender with lots of other damage in between. After the trip to Johnson Valley last month, I wonder if the body man would be willing to work out some kind of group discount....

Can you say "Awash in a sea of rock"? The two winch cables allowed the Jeep to be extracted without any further damage. We will be back in January and then again in February!

While the Jeep insertion/retraction stunt we just inflicted upon ourselves was not part of the official Broad Canyon trail, it is indicative of the "fun" to be had in the Las Cruces area if you like your rocks hard and your runs challenging. The local area is also chock full of other more moderate runs featuring lots of beautiful desert scenery. The Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association's Winter Quarterly Meeting is being held February 20-23 this year. If you are interested in attending this year's version of the premier early springtime rock crawling event, contact the Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club at 505-524-0334 for more information.

Submitted by Mark Werkmeister

The Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association is organized to promote interest and provide education in organized 4-wheeling and the safe and responsible use of off-highway vehicles; to keep members informed of the needs of vehicular recreationists, and to keep Association members informed of impending legislation and land use matters; to enjoy and protect all local, state, and national resources, and to assist various government agencies in the development of off-road trails and areas; to render aid and assistance as needed; to adhere to the principles and practices of United Four Wheel Drive Associations, and to maintain active membership in UFWDA as an Association.

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