Jeep Jamboree hype?

[Jaxmax]

I think the Jamborees are a great idea , like minded people getting together having good times some go trail riding some don’t. The jamborees will make some of the attendees off-roaders. I have not been to one but considered it but they are usually sold out quick. A lot of people have a hard time connecting to the wheeling groups , it’s a step and it’s a step I would take perhaps for kicks. I don’t judge people for doing jamborees like I don’t call out people spending a fortune on their jeeps to never go off road. Face it we are all Jeepers ,all of us and also down to every last one of us there is something wrong with us, which makes us special ! So enjoy life ,it’s too short , do you , and let’s others do what they do , when they do what they do!…..Jack

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[DirkG]

OF has bleachers now?

Yes, coast to coast. From the Dodger bleachers (sit at your own risk, LOL)

To the Bleacher Creatures at Yankee Stadium. Don't wear a Red Sox jersey here. Ha.

 

[Rusty PW]

The Easter Jeep Safari in Moab. For large crowds, they have to get permits from the fed gov't. Those permits are not cheap. We tried to get one for a Power Wagon meet one year in Moab just to be legal. We couldn't get enough people together to afford the permits. So..........we were illegals.

 

[Bigb55]

Both the Jeep Jamboree groups also do a lot to maintain the trail.

The cost depends on how you view it.

You get breakfast for three days, lunch for two days, dinner for two days. Camping spot/permit. Free mechanics and a cache of jeep parts available. They have a helicopter available if needed. Vendors setup at Rubicon springs with freebies and raffles.

Plus there is the Rubicon springs entertainment or the kids camp.

For $850 I can take myself and my young kid and play on the Rubicon Trail for 3 days. And I literally Don't have to worry about anything, just have fun.

A day at Disneyland is anywhere from $400-1000.

 

[Rusty PW]

Both the Jeep Jamboree groups also do a lot to maintain the trail.

The cost depends on how you view it.

You get breakfast for three days, lunch for two days, dinner for two days. Camping spot/permit. Free mechanics and a cache of jeep parts available. They have a helicopter available if needed. Vendors setup at Rubicon springs with freebies and raffles.

Plus there is the Rubicon springs entertainment or the kids camp.

For $850 I can take myself and my young kid and play on the Rubicon Trail for 3 days. And I literally Don't have to worry about anything, just have fun.

A day at Disneyland is anywhere from $400-1000.

........plus a 4 hr wait to ride anything at the Mouse House.

 

[SamO.5]

A friend of mine belongs to a Jeep club, and they sponsor a to-do in the woods once or twice a year. When explaining the modest price to attend, he explained the land has to be obtained legally, usually its the same land owner or owners, and they will donate the area(s), provided it is kept cleaned up of trash, and returned to a reasonable normalcy. A club member has the Dozers, Backhoe, and Tractors they use- in their own spare time- to build the obstacles (the fee helps fuel the tanks). Crossties and other things are brought in by a members dump trucks, tractor-trailers, to build the obstacles. Existing trails are kept up, and categorized for the different groups (experienced/not experienced, factorystock/modified/heavily modified). The club members constantly man the trails those days to help & spot for anyone, also members use their own vehicles to get to these places. Members use their own vehicles to take people on tours, leading a line of visitors vehicles down the trails and back, sometimes adding one member to bring up the rear in the beginners category. Somebody has to cook, and cater food...not cheap. Campgrounds have to be designated, and kept up. Porta potties, showers, obtained from a local Portalet dealer, and maintained, $$$, for the normal campsites. It all sounded reasonable to me, and it was far from the $1000 quoted, I think this was more like $80 a day. I still dont understand who makes a profit in the fee, it appears like it all goes to the services provided.
I cant go, I am a caretaker. While I dont like crowds either, like other comments here, I would try it once, and suggest the same to you....after finding out if it is worth the price asked.

 

[SamO.5]

........plus a 4 hr wait to ride anything at the Mouse House.

Dont tell anyone I told you this......If you take a friend who is in a wheelchair with you, they will open the lines for you, the group/family with the Disabled person goes with the person, ahead of the line.

 

[DirkG]

Dont tell anyone I told you this......If you take a friend who is in a wheelchair with you, they will open the lines for you, the group/family with the Disabled person goes with the person, ahead of the line.

Not anymore. People were taking advantage (shocker) and now Disney treats it like a baby switch. Some of the party stand in line, then when they're ready to get on, the rest of the party with the disabled person joins the group by entering from the exit.

 

[Zachanadandy]

My 1st rubicon trail trip was with the jamboree. Loved the trail and have done it a dozen times since. The crowds not so much. Back then it was only$300/person, but you needed 2 drivers per vehicle. The wife and I each had Jeeps and our son was only 9. There's $1,500 and 2 more people just to go on their trip. Instead we got our own group together every memorial day weekend for a decade. We eat well, but certainly aren't dropping $1,500 in groceries unless I'm eating ribeyes for every meal and washing them down with papi van winkel. Easter Jeep safari is the last week I'd ever do a moab trip. Good for newbs and those afraid to go out without some sort of official support.

 

[kauffmj1]

Okay, not really sure where to post this. I really can't understand why someone would pay $1000+ for a weekend, plus all other normal costs associated with traveling, to a private group that doesn't even own the land they use, or provide any real benefit other than meeting possibly like minded people. To people that don't know what it is, or the detailed facts...it seems like a fraternity/sorority essentially (you pay large amounts to meet other people who pay large amounts, plus everything you normally would in life but with added/new rules (some really silly, others beneficial) and someone gets paid (REALLY well) to organize it).

I've also seen people praise the Jamboree like if you can't afford it you don't belong or own a jeep. Some of the rules they make are absurd, like the fact they can cancel at any time for weather and you don't get a refund, or the $500 "admin fee" for canceling/rescheduling? I won't get too into it, but I'm not really seeing this as anything other than a group of people who think they're hot stuff for being able to organize an off-road day on private/state lands. I've seen this type of thing in the motorcycle world more often in the last decade too.

I'm sure I've generalized this more than it should have been, but every time I read the rules/policies of these Jamborees, I'm honestly disgusted at what the enthusiasts seem to think should be normal. I get the joke about J.E.E.P. (Just Empty Every Pocket), but y'all are allowing these companies/groups to raise prices like these trucks are military funded, and it's ruining the culture. Not just Jeep owners either, many brand enthusiasts are ruining automotive/motorcycle culture by ripping people off and creating fake environments for those who really just enjoy being around those who also enjoy the hobby.

Please teach me why this is okay, other than "do you own land to provide these services?". It's early, I haven't slept much, and I'm a bit bored tbh.

There is Jeep Jamboree USA and Jeepers Jamboree. I've done probably 15+ events with Jeep Jamboree USA over the past 10+ years at different locations and enjoyed all but one of them.

Everyone has hit on most of the major points. Where you live can have a big impact on if they make sense for you. I'm in Northeast Ohio. The ability to off-road legally around here less than 6 hours away is NON-EXISTENT. However, Jeep Jamboree has an annual event on private land here in Ohio an hour and a half from home that I could not off-road on just any old time. So for those of us in the midwest or areas without many legal options, something like Jeep Jamboree is a godsend option. If I lived 4 hours from Moab or any Colorado trails, I probably wouldn't do a Jeep Jamboree and just go on my own or with a local club.

Is it expensive? Yep. But what hobby isn't anymore? Contrary to belief, they do a lot of legwork with permits, food, trail plans, trail guides, etc to put these things on and make sure you have a good time regardless of skill level.

If you have access to public land for off-roading, other jeep friends and you've wheeled before; then a jamboree probably doesn't make sense for you in regards to cost or fun. But if you've never been off-roading before or live far away from anywhere legal to offroad, they are a good (but pricey) way to have fun in your jeep.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

There is Jeep Jamboree USA and Jeepers Jamboree. I've done probably 15+ events with Jeep Jamboree USA over the past 10+ years at different locations and enjoyed all but one of them.

Everyone has hit on most of the major points. Where you live can have a big impact on if they make sense for you. I'm in Northeast Ohio. The ability to off-road legally around here less than 6 hours away is NON-EXISTENT. However, Jeep Jamboree has an annual event on private land here in Ohio an hour and a half from home that I could not off-road on just any old time. So for those of us in the midwest or areas without many legal options, something like Jeep Jamboree is a godsend option. If I lived 4 hours from Moab or any Colorado trails, I probably wouldn't do a Jeep Jamboree and just go on my own or with a local club.

Is it expensive? Yep. But what hobby isn't anymore? Contrary to belief, they do a lot of legwork with permits, food, trail plans, trail guides, etc to put these things on and make sure you have a good time regardless of skill level.

If you have access to public land for off-roading, other jeep friends and you've wheeled before; then a jamboree probably doesn't make sense for you in regards to cost or fun. But if you've never been off-roading before or live far away from anywhere legal to offroad, they are a good (but pricey) way to have fun in your jeep.

How far are you from Wellsville or Southington?

 

[kauffmj1]

How far are you from Wellsville or Southington?

Southington is still a decent option, but they recently cut their events down from monthly to only 4-6 events a year. The land owner has been expanding into all sorts of different events there now (I did a Spartan race there last year). I used to love taking newbies there more often. It was a lot more fun and jeep-centric back when it was 'JeepSkool'.

Wellsville is wild, but also has been in a state of "who owns this?" flux for 25+ years now. Lot of fun ATV memories there back in the early 2000s, but I've only done 1-2 Jeep events. Is that place actually legit now? It seems like every few years a new 'owner' pops up until questions start getting asked and then its back to the wild west there. Haha.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Southington is still a decent option, but they recently cut their events down from monthly to only 4-6 events a year. The land owner has been expanding into all sorts of different events there now (I did a Spartan race there last year). I used to love taking newbies there more often. It was a lot more fun and jeep-centric back when it was 'JeepSkool'.

Wellsville is wild, but also has been in a state of "who owns this?" flux for 25+ years now. Lot of fun ATV memories there back in the early 2000s, but I've only done 1-2 Jeep events. Is that place actually legit now? It seems like every few years a new 'owner' pops up until questions start getting asked and then its back to the wild west there. Haha.

Now I'm feeling old. Last time I was at Wellsville was about 20 years ago.

 

[kauffmj1]

Now I'm feeling old. Last time I was at Wellsville was about 20 years ago.

Haha. I'm right there with you. Too many wild stories (and evidence) of burnt vehicles, police incidents and the 'real land owner' running people off for me to want to risk jeeping there anymore. As they say "I'm getting too old for this $hit!". Haha. Would love for it to actually go legit. It had some awesome hill climbs.

 

[insanitize]

I used to go to Jeep Jamborees until they priced me out.
I'm in NY and have gone to Maine and NY Jamborees.
Maine was always great except for the lunches
I can remember waiting by the computer refreshing the page trying to get a spot. NY, Maine, and New Hampshire were usually the first to sell out.
The a few years ago they made it that you had to pay for a minimum of two people per vehicle.
I'm jus one old guy and wasn't going to pay for an empty seat.
The last time I checked NY and Maine no longer sell out in a matter of hours.
I really enjoyed going but I can go other places way cheaper.

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