Winterfest History

emptypockets86

emptypockets86

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Sedona, AZ
I was reading a thread about the history of the PNW wheeling community on another board and that got me thinking about our own history in the MWC in regards to Winterfest. I did a little poking around in the events archives, but thought it'd be cool for some of you to share your stories about Winterfest, especially you oldins. Maybe a story about your first WF, our a particular event at WF, favorite pic or video... Let's hear 'em!
 
I was hoping that someone would of posted something, lol! I guess I'll just post something myself.

My first Winterfest was 2011. I had picked up my first XJ near the end of 2010 and I stumbled across the article in Four Wheeler about Winterfest. I was pretty fascinated by the whole thing, so I decided that I was going to go for 2011. It was pretty close to the event and I scrambled to get a little 2" lift on my rig, some beefy 29" mud tires, and everything I needed to pass tech. With everything done, I headed off to the Badlands for Saturday.

The club was trying a sort of big brother program, where a newb is teamed up with a more experienced person. Wheeler Dan was my big bro and I was looking forward to hanging out with him. So off I go early Saturday morning, a little bit of a late start, but totally going to make it on time! Well, little did I realize the time change, so instead of being on time, I was an hour late. I missed the trail rides and putted around the park like a scared little pup, lol.

I finally met up with everyone in the quarry for the group pic and got to meet up with some great people. The moment that solidified my journey with my XJ though, was watching Dan take Out of Misery up a steep waterfall after the group photo. I had never seen someone do that before and it was just the most awe inspiring thing I had seen at that time.

8525330971_bf45b1b115_z.jpg


My second year of WF, was the year that actually pushed me. I hadn't gone wheeling since the last WF and I was still unsure what my XJ could do. I did green trail with Austin and he really opened my eyes to what my XJ could do. That was the game changer year.

8919972845_c9edb4809a_z.jpg


I have made so many awesome friends and met so many great people because of this one event. If you're reading this and are on the fence about attending, I really invite you to come out.
 
The first winterfest was in 2000.

I had read about NAXJA from an article in a late 1999 issue of FourWheeler magazine. The magazine printed the NAXJA web address and the dates for winterfest. I checked out NAXJA and did a little snooping around. I wasn't sure if I wanted to join a Jeep club or not.

Me and a couple buddies, including Rosco, came to Attica the weekend of the first winterfest. We had been to the Badlands a couple times in 1999, and two times in 2000 before winterfest in February of 2000.

I was sporting my 95 XJ with 31s and a 3 inch JCWhitney lift. I ran into some NAXJA guys on the orange trail (Beezil, Scotty Mac, and NateMJ - not manche). We chatted there and then again at the end of the day in the parking lot with them and others.

Those guys camped at the Badlands and slept in their Jeeps. In those days there was no raffle, or dinner, or pre-registration. You just said you were coming on the NAXJA web page and showed up.

The following year, I stayed at Nate's apartment in Lafayette. We got back from wheeling at winterfest on Sunday to his apartment. His roommates told us that Dale Earnhardt had died at the Dayton 500...

I think this is a pic from the first winterfest.



Over the years I have attended everyone Winterfest held at the Badlands. If I get a moment I'll post some more pics.

mac 'going way back' gyvr
 
I have no pics of me at my first, but it was in 01, I think. I had attended the Cherokee Crawl in Telico the previous year and was hooked.

I remember the first raffle we had, it was held in the quarry with the 8 or 10 rigs that attended.

There was no banquet, no special giveaways, just people I met in the Internet that have become life friends.

I missed a few Winterfest events in the mid 2000's due to life dragging me down, but I can't imagine missing anymore.
 
My first year to attend WF was OH10 ( 2010). I found out about NAXJA while looking on the web for help installing my first of many lifts on our 2000 XJ. I do not really have any picture from that event we came down on Saturday morning to line up for the trails not really knowing that we should stay for the dinner and should have come down Friday. Any way after lining up Beergoggles ( Jim) lines up behind me and I think what the hell have I gotten myself and our rig we have to drive 4 hours home into.


She was cute....
The second year 2011 we had the game down and came for the whole weekend.

And this wonderful event happened

I did not even know Mac or Grace then and we have since become great friends and wheel together all year.
We also camped this year. First WF camping for us.

Looks nice right? We woke up to 3 inches of rain in the tent...come prepared

We have attended every WF since the first one we went to in 2010..Plenty more pictures .......

This one is heading to WF 2011 or 2013......
 
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I was going to attend WF07, but for whatever reason I didn't. Maybe that was the year it was in MO, I don't remember. My first was WF08. Showed up on Friday and promptly locked my keys in the Jeep, with it running. JIM got it open with a coat hanger and I had a blast the rest of the weekend.

wf08.jpg


I kept building that Jeep and eventually sold it in 2010 or 2011. Which was dumb.


'13 was the year of the ZJs for Brad and I...

Photo0033.jpg



'14 I was back in a XJ, which I actually still own (for those that know me it is shocking)

33894D84-3032-410C-8E7D-92D4F2C9EBA8_zpsf4hshd9o.jpg


Since 08 I have attended every WF and had helped out with the event in some way every year. I have showed up in at least 4 different Jeeps and I rode shotgun for a couple years too. It's not about the wheeling really, it's about the friendships made.

Oh yeah, and one year Brendan got a wicked rope burn....
 
NateMJ and I preran for Winterfest 2001. I was in charge organizing the trail runs that year. I was also the event coordinator for the National NAXJA BOD (a now defunct position). Anyways, we pre-ran the trails and found what was called the sniper trap at the time. Nate got into it, but couldn't get out, so he backed out...and well...told me to take a pic before I pulled him back over.


Nate was never really nice with that MJ. 4 cylinder would light it up tho.


This was the first time I met Bob Loose...who proceeded to school us all on rock face with 31 ats. Still to this day, one of the best climbs up rock face I've ever seen. Rosco seen here telling him good job.


Rusty's Off road made the trip in 2001 as well.


I was on 33s...and had a snorkel.


JeffV, one of the first NAXJA admins made the trip down from WI.


KYchris was also there.


And Chark...who on 35s, had a BIG jeep for the time.


And of course Beezil was there...in his CJ-6 with XJ drivetrain.


mac 'all pics from my top of the line 1.3 megapixel camera at the time' gyvr
 
This pic also happened in 2001.

Fourwheeler Magazine was there. Ken Brubaker rode along with me that year. My Jeep was in the magazine.

One of my favorite all time pics.


mac 'sexy' gyvr
 
In 2002 we were still healing from 9/11.

I was still on 33s, but had done a rear coil conversion. I had hand cut and plated the uniframe front to back. It's a lot easier to do today. My XJ was little more beat and showing a little patriotism. I had also rolled mine in April of 2001.



Chark's XJ was still a beast!


Beezil's rig was still a CJ-6


We met John Bjorm...before he had an LS1 in his XJ...rocking the hellcats!


Some guy named Trailblazer...


This was part of a group that ran together that day.


And you might have caught it in the pic just before this one, but we met this guy. He might say 2001 was his first winterfest...but it wasn't, it was 2002. You might recognize this hillbilly way of transporting a Jeep.


mac 'back in da day' gyvr
 
I don't remember what year we started having a raffle. But the first raffle was in the quarry, at lunch time, under the hatch of my XJ. Scotty Mac had got most of the items from the badlands. You're number was drawn out of a hat by Dan's daughter...somewhat referred to earlier in this thread...I think we had 8 prizes.

I really want to say it was in 2002...but it might have been 03 or later.

mac 'pre-MWC era' gyvr
 
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