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 Safari Park Tough Trial Challenge
At 49 entries, this year's Tough Trail Challenge at the Alberta Safari Park was the largest field of vehicles Lee has ever seen. Lee Shonert operates the Safari Park on his 160 acres just east of Edmonton Alberta. We have been to Lee's in the past and it's always a great event, but this year's field of rigs was impressive not only from the big rigs that came out to play but the wide range of off-roaders in the smaller tire class.
Lee gets creative with his backhoe around the "back yard" and makes the most of the topography of his land. Some sections are cut from the dirt to create endless, twisting trenches, while others are hanging onto the side hills in the tree sections. Beaver Bend is always a wet place and Rocky Canyon is easier for the small rigs than for the big rigs. This year, four of the big rigs broke while virtually all of the small rigs came out unscathed. After the twisting, wet side-hills of Bill's Gate, the group hits the Bunny Hills where two sections now split the big tire rigs from the under-38-inch-tire size as the large holes will pretty much swallow anything smaller than a 44-inch tire. Tracy found out that even 54-inch Boggers can get swallowed in some of the holes and not even a Motown 454 could break that pit open. It took Dave's tractor tires to make the first pass to open up the sludge in the bottom so it was manageable for the big tire rigs.
Roll-overs were less common than the last time I came out and the trails and sections make it fun for any type of rig, not just super hard-core rigs, and that makes for a large turnout each year for competitors and spectators. I stuck with the small tire class for much of the event and with so many in the class, from almost-stock JKs to well-built rock buggies, the class seemed almost more competitive than all the big boys and their huge tires, though it's hard to resist the loud engines and wheel stands from the big tire class!
Lee offers more than just the Tough Trail Challenge on his property. You can book a trip to Lee's with your group or club almost any time of year and there are trails for any type of 4x4 to have some fun in a safe environment. Camping can also be arranged on the property for group events so make sure you call Lee and check out the Safari Park yourself!
Alberta Safari Company
Wheel stands are common in the deep mud pids around Lee's Safari park. The smaller tire classes had different courses as these holes were far to deep for anything but 44 inch tires or bigger
Bills Gate section one had some good action too!
Just resting... Bill's Gate section two has a really good off camber section. That log you see buried in the mud is suppose to stop rigs from sliding off course. Well it did the job - kinda!
You don't have to have a huge rig or a dedicated trail wheeler to have some fun. This near stock JK did excellent in the stock tire class!
Many sections have alternate routes for bonus points. This short hill at the end of the Beaver Bend trail wasn't climbed while I was watching. |
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