Just recently, Bronco Off-Roadeo Outpost was held locally to me, at Holly Oaks ORV Park, in Holly, Michigan. This was the second set of these training events; the first set happened in Redmond, Oregon on June 30-July 1.
Additional places and dates are coming up fast.
- Rock Run, PA (August 23 and 24)
- Escondido Draw, TX (October 24, 25, and 26)
- Uwharrie National Forest, NC (November 7, 8, and 9)
Bronco Off-Roadeo Outpost | What Is It?
To understand Outpost, you could think of it as the “bring-your-own-Bronco” relative to the Bronco Off-Roadeo experience.
Sign up for one of the classes, which range from off-roading 101s to ladies only, intermediate, and advanced recovery. Then, show up in your own Bronco, hang out with other owners in a small-group setting (approx. 10 vehicles), and learn from and follow Bronco Off-Roadeo Trail Guides over varied terrain.
The price is $595 plus tax (more on that later), which includes you, one guest, lunch on the trail, and expert instruction for 4+ hours. Anyone with a 2021-2024 Bronco can attend, whether or not you've already been to a Bronco Off-Roadeo. All skill levels are welcome, and this does not use up your Off-Roadeo credit.
The Day
We started out with a drivers’ meeting, getting to know our guides Corey Rice (Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee) and Chuck Yarbrough (Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab) as well as each other. We talked over our agenda for the day (trail drive, obstacles, and lunch), and briefly went over G.O.A.T. Modes, transfer case settings, lockers and other vehicle technology, and Tread Lightly! best practices.
The guides answered all questions until everyone felt ready; the owners aired down, and we were off.
In addition to the prep beforehand, Corey and Chuck were just a radio call away for assistance, and when we were out on obstacles, they supplied plenty of personal guidance –– and fist bumps for jobs well done.
My Experience at Outpost | Was It Worth It?
I was able to attend Sunday’s Off-Roading 101 as Bronco Nation member Aly Dubois’ guest and driver, to help as she captured some great shots of the trails and obstacles. See a taste below!
Having been on staff at Bronco Nation since 2021 has given me the opportunity and privilege to attend many Off-Roadeo experiences as well as tail the Off-Roadeo Trail Guides for dozens of hours while at Bronco Nation’s Bronco Basecamps across the country.
Prior to my role here, I’ve soft-roaded in Michigan for about 15 years. And for the last three years, I've been learning to rock crawl, with level 6 trails in Moab being my comfortability limit. At this point, I have a decent amount of experience, and I feel confident in my head knowledge on most excursions.
Even still, I once again found incredible value in attending an Off-Roadeo-adjacent event, cementing tips and use cases in my mind and improving my ability to see things like best tire placement while outside the vehicle as the guides spotted drivers through rock gardens and up Mt. Magna, Holly Oaks’ concrete version of Moab’s hill climbs.
Despite going out on my own and with other owners often, there is always something to work on and perfect, and learning under guides with decades of experience is one of the best ways to practice. I'd LOVE to take the Advanced Off-Road Recovery experience at Rock Run this weekend and get some more hands-on training under my belt.
Would I Go Back Again?
Absolutely. The day was gratifying, filled with sand, dirt, mud, steep inclines and declines, off-camber trails, and water crossings. The time with the community left me happy for the chance to meet more owners and to get to know others better.
If you have the opportunity and ability to get to an Outpost and a desire to hone your skills in your Bronco, go! Pay attention, ask questions, try new approaches, and push your limits under guidance, and you'll be a better off-roader for it.
Do you have questions on Bronco Off-Roadeo Outpost? What have you been working on improving off-road? Talk about it below!
Comments
You must log in or register to post here.