Lee's Tough Trail Challenge 2011

by Albert Vandervelde

            Edmonton, Alberta’s, Alberta Safari Park is open for trail rides all summer long, with Lee’s Tough Trail Challenge (in the area for 9 years now)  getting bigger annually – along with the rigs that participate! Everything from stock JKs, to 54+ inch tractor tire monsters take on the courses laid out around the property. This year Lee wasn’t able to “wet up” some of the holes, but that didn’t mean that they were any easier. This was the first time that I’ve attended two years in a row, but it can be hard to catch all of the action in one year, as the groups are split into two. It was so worth a trip back.

            The smaller tire classes include 31-35 inch and 36-41 inch, while the larger classes include 42-47 inch tires as well as an over 48 inch category: they place them on opposite ends of the property to spread out the vehicles. Last year I followed the small rigs, so this years’ action covers the big boys.

            For two years straight, Dave Green in his diesel powered, agro-tire equipped machine has taken the overall standings, and he was back again to defend his title. Not only does Dave compete, but he’s more than accommodating when it comes time to haul out anyone who finds themselves stuck - he also tends to get tagged as first into any of the big holes. Those things considered, it makes it an even bigger feat for him to win the overall title, for two consecutive years.

            The big trucks started in Bill’s Gates (A and B) then worked through the twists and side hills.  For the most part, drama was minimal, except when a few of the small rigs slid off into the trees which made for some delicate recovery work – but even the big dogs have to warm up somewhere. After Bill’s Gate’s, the Hot Tubs were next, with the large class split into two routes: up to 47s and over 47s, as one of the routes had a major hole that swallows up all but the biggest tractor tire-equipped rigs. Again Dave Green was first into the Hot Tubs to chew his way through. Even the “easy” route for the 44 inch tire rigs engulfed many, and by the end of the run for this class through the Hot Tubs, no one was making it through. Lots of wheel stands, a few (almost) roll overs - lots of tugging was needed to get everyone completed.

            From there the group worked its way to Gas Alley, which consists of a series of frame twisting trenches filled with Lee’s classic clay/mud. The turns are sharp and the trenches are narrow, so most rigs end up twisted from one side angle to the other as they try and squeeze their big sizes through the narrow trenches.

            Next: the Ant Hills. The hills themselves are not huge, but a tight uphill 90 degree turn at the end gets slick from the last deep hole at the end, and becomes a challenge to make in one swipe. The trick to this turn and climb is to turn hard, nose part way up the hill, and mash the throttle. This gives your rig a spin in the wet clay, and if you get it right, it pivots you perfectly around to climb the hill – it‘s pretty cool to watch when it‘s done just right.

            This wrapped up the front section, and with the small rigs progressing up the trails at the rear of the property, the group moved over to Rocky Canyon. The section starts with a pile of rocks that can grab the diffs even with 44 inch tires, then comes a hard side hill twist into a trench and a nice wet patch right before another hard 90 turn with a tree - just where you don’t want it. The big rigs made short work of this section, then headed into the back where “Three Hills” (Widow Hill, Middle Hill, Lee‘s Loss) greeted the competitors. For years the hard right-line called Lee’s Loss had a bounty on the climb, but because the rigs have gotten better and more have made the climb, the bounty has been claimed. That’s not to say it didn‘t have its victims this year. Lee’s Loss claimed a couple of rigs, leaving with broken axles, engines that just could not stay running on the steep climb, plus a roll over for the all-female crew of the big Yellow Ford Bronco. That’s not to say the smaller hills are easy either, but those who had not broken at this point made it up one of the hills for the drive around to Beaver Bend.

            Beaver Bend offers two routes, one worth more points than the other, due to its steep climb out of a deep mud hole. From the top looking down, as a spectator, they look pretty doable - but at the bottom is a classic Lee’s Clay Pit: 3 feet deep (ask me, I had to step into it… it’s bad) that slicks up the tires right before climbing a near-vertical ledge. After the event, I drove my TJ back to the pit to bring back a tire to the last competitor (who tore a valve stem off). After driving down into the pit, I had to hook onto one of the competitors trucks to get my TJ back out - and that’s with 39s!

            Some tried the hard route, though very few made it up. The rest took the easiest way out. As everyone got their rigs back out into the field and started scraping the mounds of clay goo off of their rigs (and themselves), I was able to catch a bit of the end action of the smaller tire classes. Then, as always at the end of day, Lee tried to kill us all with steaks big enough to feed a small family, then dove into the prizes.

            The big question of the event was whether or not Dave Green had won his three-peat.  It sure looked like it from my day with the group, but this was an overall award that included the smaller tire group as well. As it turned out, Dave lost to Richie Trembly, with only a few points separating them. Dave was the first to congratulate him on his win. Hey! There’s always next year to redeem yourself, Dave! Every class winner got a winch, and over 12,000 in total prizes were handed out, so no one really walked away empty handed.

            Lee’s Tough Trail Challenge takes place the third weekend of August each year. Check out the web site, and make sure to mark it on your calendars for next year. Next years’ event being the 10th anniversary, Lee plans on a special prize for the over-all winner – but you’ll have to show up to get a chance at it!

www.safarioffroadpark.ca

Check out all the whole story and photos in Volume 13 Issue 6