Jeep Adventure Academy

[MrGneissGuy]

Got an email from Jeep Wave today promoting the Jeep Adventure Academy.

"Participants will learn off-roading basics and even more about their legendary off-road capable vehicles, while building confidence and connections within the Jeep® Brand community of adventure seekers...

The Jeep® Adventure Academy will be taught with world class instruction from the experts at Jeep Jamboree – leaders in off road adventure since 1953.

Jeep®4×4 owners will develop skills in areas such as:

• Trail etiquette and safety basics
• How to properly setup your vehicle before venturing off-road
• How to read terrain and safely attempt obstacles
• Proper winching and vehicle recovery techniques
• Locating and connecting with your local Jeep® Brand off-road community
• Eliminating the unknown in question & answer sessions with experts"

Now I live in Indiana, and there isn't anything near what you all have out west for Jeep fun. Therefore I haven't really thought a lot about serious off-roading beyond getting to some more isolated camping areas, maybe pulling a teardrop or something back on forest service roads, or getting through snow in the winter. It's not that I don't want to, just that there isn't much opportunity here that I'm aware of. I would love, if I could take a couple weeks of vacation all at once, to take a trip out to Arizona or someplace to do a little overlanding.

It looks like this is the second time they've done it, and they have a session at an off-road park not too far from me. It sounds like it would be perfect for my first off-road venture...on paper anyway. So with that context, is anyone here familiar with this? Is it any good?

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[BDinTX]

I'm interested if anyone has first hand experience too. I got the email and was considering going to the one out in Indiana (family is out there).

 

[garyji]

I got the email too. I'm going to give it a try.

Mine's at UWHARRIE here in NC.

G.

 

[Gadgettr1]

I'd like to check one out but the closest one to me is the Catskills and it's already booked up. Plus, its the same week as the NJ Jeep Invasion and we're already booked there.

 

[JHTS]

I'm on the wait list for the UWHARRIE, it filled up in 1/2 a day.

 

[garyji]

Waitlist for me too. I can go any day so hoping for the best.

G.

 

[JHTS]

Yep, I'll take any day I can get.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

Well, I signed up. Friday and Saturday were already booked so I took Thursday. It's far enough out that I have time to change my mind (for a small cancellation fee). Guess I'm taking a day off from work.

 

[DaddyEngineer]

We went to the SMORRs one last October. It’s good for people without much experience. We hit the Badge trails there with the staff as spotters. I had fun as I have never been to SMORR before, and I learned a lot of etiquette that I really didn’t know. Some of the people there had really new Wranglers and were complaining the didn’t know they would be taking them out on that type of difficult trail (although I considered them pretty easy trails, especially with the expert spotters - although we were dry and rain could make them more difficult, of course).

Scott

 

[K9-01]

Signed up in Detroit! New owner of a 2021 JLU Willys and will most likely be my first time trying anything off road related. I’m excited!

 

[MRH512]

I'm interested if anyone has first hand experience too. I got the email and was considering going to the one out in Indiana (family is out there).

I attended the one yesterday in Llano. It was a blast.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...tonio-event-at-inks-ranch.69732/#post-1464142

 

[MRH512]

It looks like this is the second time they've done it, and they have a session at an off-road park not too far from me. It sounds like it would be perfect for my first off-road venture...on paper anyway. So with that context, is anyone here familiar with this? Is it any good?

I went to this yesterday in Llano, TX and had a blast. It's definitely geared towards the uninitiated but still worth it if you've experienced but have never been to the place they're holding the event.

Lots of My Photos Here:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...tonio-event-at-inks-ranch.69732/#post-1464142

It started off with an hour-long intro to off-roading with the basic concepts and abilities of the Jeep lineup (they allow non-Wranglers/Gladiators as long as they have the Trailhawk package).

Then we were broken up into two groups of 12 each with each group going to a different trail.

Trail time is about 4 total hours (2 before lunch and 2 after). The instructors are in the lead Gladiator and go over every obstacle first. Then they get out and set up around the obstacle.

- One at the beginning to ask you "How would you approach this if I weren't here?" and answer any questions

- One to be your spotter through the obstacle

- One on the other side of the obstacle to give you feedback on how you handled it and answer any questions

This leads to a lot of sitting and waiting. But, if you have a passenger (who can attend for free) and/or some good scenery, you can use this time to get some good photos or watch other Jeeps who are behind you.

They also encourage you to interact with the spotters to learn how to be a good spotter.

Then comes lunch followed by a sales pitch from the sponsors (Warn, ArmorLite, and BestTop) followed by a winching demonstration and informal Q&A about recovery products.

Then another 2hr trail ride on the other trail. Then back to the tent for any last questions and your Badge of Honor.

You get a Jeep Adventure Academy binder with a book on the basics and a notepad in it. Each attendee also gets a free hat (which is easily Top 3 among the most comfortable hats I've ever worn...).

The instructors were of two kinds. They either work for Jeep and most of them are testers who try to break anything the engineers design and give them feedback on it or they were members of the local Jeep Club that helps maintain the trails at the event location. They were all very knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help in any way. They even offer to drive your rig over anything you're not comfortable doing.

We had mostly stock Rubicons (all JLs/JTs), a couple on 35s, a couple on 37s, one bare-bones Sport S and one Grand Cherokee.

Everyone got through undamaged and with minimal scraping.

 

[MRH512]

Oh, and added perk is attending a Jeep Academy event gets you on the Platinum list for the Jeep Jamboree events. This means you get a chance to buy Jamboree tickets one week prior to the general public.

 

[jludave]

What sucks is that they only allow for a driver and 1 passenger.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

I went to this yesterday in Llano, TX and had a blast. It's definitely geared towards the uninitiated but still worth it if you've experienced but have never been to the place they're holding the event.

Lots of My Photos Here:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...tonio-event-at-inks-ranch.69732/#post-1464142

It started off with an hour-long intro to off-roading with the basic concepts and abilities of the Jeep lineup (they allow non-Wranglers/Gladiators as long as they have the Trailhawk package).

Then we were broken up into two groups of 12 each with each group going to a different trail.

Trail time is about 4 total hours (2 before lunch and 2 after). The instructors are in the lead Gladiator and go over every obstacle first. Then they get out and set up around the obstacle.

- One at the beginning to ask you "How would you approach this if I weren't here?" and answer any questions

- One to be your spotter through the obstacle

- One on the other side of the obstacle to give you feedback on how you handled it and answer any questions

This leads to a lot of sitting and waiting. But, if you have a passenger (who can attend for free) and/or some good scenery, you can use this time to get some good photos or watch other Jeeps who are behind you.

They also encourage you to interact with the spotters to learn how to be a good spotter.

Then comes lunch followed by a sales pitch from the sponsors (Warn, ArmorLite, and BestTop) followed by a winching demonstration and informal Q&A about recovery products.

Then another 2hr trail ride on the other trail. Then back to the tent for any last questions and your Badge of Honor.

You get a Jeep Adventure Academy binder with a book on the basics and a notepad in it. Each attendee also gets a free hat (which is easily Top 3 among the most comfortable hats I've ever worn...).

The instructors were of two kinds. They either work for Jeep and most of them are testers who try to break anything the engineers design and give them feedback on it or they were members of the local Jeep Club that helps maintain the trails at the event location. They were all very knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help in any way. They even offer to drive your rig over anything you're not comfortable doing.

We had mostly stock Rubicons (all JLs/JTs), a couple on 35s, a couple on 37s, one bare-bones Sport S and one Grand Cherokee.

Everyone got through undamaged and with minimal scraping.

Thanks for the rundown. Good information, and nice pictures. I'm stock Sport S, and frankly a bit worried having seen some YouTube videos of the park where mine is. But they said it was for beginners and any trail rated Jeep will work.

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