Dave Dennison was one of the...
Dave Dennison was one of the few drivers we witnessed climb the last wall on Habaero Falls successfully. Even with the right line, it was necessary to fully commit to scale the ledges without going over backward.
Every year you see events like Easter Jeep Safari, All-4-Fun, and the Chile Challenge in Jp and other magazines. Ever wonder why? Because they offer the best wheeling you can find, amazing Jeeps, hard trails, and expert coordination. The Las Cruces 4WD Club has been hosting the Chile Challenge in conjunction with the winter quarterly meeting for the Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association for more than 15 years now. More than 400 participants from all over the country came this year to try their luck in the Robledo Mountains OHV trail system. These trails were developed by the Las Cruces 4WD Club and the BLM and feature rock-filled canyons and dry waterfalls to test the mettle of even the most seasoned Jeep owner.
Those who are less interested in breaking parts and denting sheetmetal can still partake in one of the more scenic runs and enjoy the mild Southwest winter. The proximity of trails also makes it easy to watch the more modified Jeeps attempt obstacles on the harder routes and get ideas for what works and what doesn't on the trails around Las Cruces, New Mexico. If this sounds like your idea of a good time, be sure to sign up for next year's Chile Challenge. Registration generally starts in December and is available on the Las Cruces 4WD Club Web site (www.lascrucesfourwheeldriveclub.com). Funds generated by the Chile Challenge also help keep these trails open for future use.
 Most of the Habaero Falls...  Most of the Habaero Falls trail is a dry wash that would be easily navigated by a stock Jeep, but the seven dry falls that cover 200 yards of the trail are enough to earn Habaero an extreme rating. |  Homer Van Zandt was our trail...  Homer Van Zandt was our trail leader on Habaero Falls. His very clean CJ-5 has a variety of custom tricks, including the coil suspension and lengthened wheelbase. Van Zandt was involved in the opening of many of the trails around Las Cruces, and his knowledge of the area showed at every turn. |  On Friday and Saturday of...  On Friday and Saturday of the event, Patzcuaro's Revenge was more crowded than a David Hasselhoff concert in Germany. The proximity of the trail to town and coverage by the local newspaper resulted in half of Las Cruces showing up. |
 Steve Szanto was one of the...  Steve Szanto was one of the many Albuquerque, New Mexico, wheelers who headed south for the Chile Challenge. Szanto added an Atlas II transfer case, Poison Spyder Customs armor, and Champion bead locks to his TJ in preparation for the Chile Challenge. All the new parts were not enough to get the Wrangler up the huge climb on Patzcuaro's Revenge unassisted. |  Clint Cates stopped worrying...  Clint Cates stopped worrying about the body of his '98 Cherokee a long time ago. Time and energy are instead invested in the drivetrain, which includes an Atlas II transfer case and Dynatrac ProRock Dana 60 axles. |  The stock drivetrain in Scott...  The stock drivetrain in Scott Rush's '03 Rubicon was upgraded with Superior front axleshafts and Alloy USA rear shafts to help keep things together when he spins the 35-inch MT/Rs. |
 Brandon Rickerman's '94 YJ...  Brandon Rickerman's '94 YJ was one of the few vehicles in his group not to break. Brandon's Wrangler runs 36-inch Super Swamper IROKs on the high-pinion Dana 30 and Ford 8.8 axles. Both axles are loaded with alloy axleshafts, lockers, and 4.88 Superior gears. |  The husband and wife team...  The husband and wife team of Artie and Bunny Erfurt skillfully piloted their Rubicon Unlimited through Habaero Falls without incident thanks to a host of aftermarket parts, including an Nth Degree long-arm suspension kit, 37-inch IROK Super Swampers, and custom bumpers and sliders from Quality Ironworks. |  |
How To Build For Las Cruces
The trails of Las Cruces require a certain type of vehicle to conquer the huge dry falls this area is famous for. We noticed the following trends at the '07 Chile Challenge:
Wheelbase: Nearly every Jeep we saw was stretched, sometimes resulting in the rear axle completely behind the tub. This aids in scaling the huge climbs found in Las Cruces.
Width: Although we saw plenty of Jeeps with full-width axles, these were often a hindrance on tight obstacles. Narrower vehicles had better line selection and could turn tighter.
Tire size: Bigger tires make for smaller rocks, and most vehicles running the extreme trails at the Chile Challenge had 42-inch or larger bias-ply tires with heavy sidewalls. The rocks are sharp.
Gearing: Technical sections of the trails required low gearing to keep from slipping off the proper line, particularly when the vehicle was equipped with a manual transmission.
Motor: Even 100:1 gearing won't get you up a dry fall that's taller than your Jeep. In these situations, a little momentum is needed to crest the obstacle, so the quicker you can generate wheelspeed, the better.
Sheetmetal: If you value straight sheetmetal, then Las Cruces is probably not for you. The only vehicles we saw unscathed had liberal body armor from front to back. Most owners just cut off anything deemed unnecessary.