'96 Winter Meeting SWFWDA 4WD Trails Las Cruces, New Mexico by The Flatlander from video by Ray Bork

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Ray Bork in his Classic Bronco

The challenging 4WD Trails near Las Cruces, New Mexico provide loads of fun and excitement. Pictures are from video taken there during the 1996 SWFWDA Winter Meeting by Ray Bork of the Bighorn 4X4 Club in Colorado. The SWFWDA provides world class rock crawling.

The Guardian

"It has waited....since that long forgotten flood altered the canyon bottom enough to stop the small flat fender Jeeps of yesterday. It has waited...longing for the taste of metal against its rocky jaws and the smell of burning rubber as these vehicles struggle to escape its bite. It has hungered for the sound of metal and fiberglass crushing like paper in its teeth. Over the past few decades more and more of these mechanical morsels have approached its hungering jaws only to retreat in fear. It's wait is over! Although most of the small flatfenders are gone now, they have been replaced by fatter tastier 4x4's with names like Rock 'n horse, Candy Cane, Wobbley, Ol' Red, etc. This new generation of 4x4's does not retreat in fear. They challenge the hungry jaws head on, because they are attracted to it, like a moth to flames!" Fed Huff

"The Guardian gets its name from the fact that it stands like a silent sentinel guarding the upper Robledo canyon, protecting it from those who would take the privilege of driving this trail too lightly. Like any good guard, it only lets those pass with the right credentials, such as lockers front and rear, 33" tires, suspension lift, nerf bars, and nerves of steel. No stock or near stock vehicles. Once past the Guardian, it is no cake walk. This is a trail that does not let up for one instant as rock after rock, ledge after ledge, and climb after climb tries to rip the undercarriage right out of the vehicle. Like an appetizer is the prelude to the meal, the Wolf run was the prelude to the Guardian. Since most obstacles are as yet unnamed, the best we can do is show you pictures of those who have successfully and not so successfully challenged this trail." Fed Huff

The most difficult obstacle and the one that poses the greatest threat to your sheet metal is the "Water Fall" about half way through the trail. Click the image at the right to see a Quicktime Movie (442 KB) of Flatlander totaling his right side rocker panel and door.

How easy is it to roll on this trail? Click the image on the left and watch as Flatlander demonstrates just how quickly and unexpectedly it can happen - Quicktime Movie (326 KB). You don't come any closer than this without ending up on your side or worse!

Broad Canyon

I haven't been on this trail, but Ray has and he got some great shots!

Coyote Canyon

Coyote Canyon is a challenging trail near Alamogordo, NM that is also offered during SWFWDA trail runs. Click the image on the left for what appears to be a "clean" run on the "Water Fall" obstacle there- Quicktime Movie (400 KB). Well, it wasn't really quite as clean and easy as the video clip makes it look but - if you're editing your own run - it's amazing how good you can look! :-)

Check Events below to check on your next chance to join the SWFWDA on these runs.

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