California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc.
8120 36th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824-2304
916-381-8300

Contact: Jack Raudy
530/389-9154 jraudy@foothill.net

Friday, Jan. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005

GRASS VALLEY (Nov.12, 2004) –The 23^rd annual Winter Fun Festival, a major four-wheel drive event hosted by the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, has been scheduled for Friday, Jan. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

Oly Olson, this year’s event chairman, explained that the 2005 Winter Fun Festival offers three different historical and narrated sport utility vehicle (SUV) trips and 10 separate four-wheel drive runs in the high Sierra for experienced drivers. Olson said the Frostbite Extreme trip, added last year, is set up for those seeking an experience in the deep snow.

"We fully expect that we will have more than 600 participants joining us this year," said Olson, "so we highly recommend that people register as early as possible. In addition to the various trips in the snow, we will provide great meals beginning with Friday dinner through lunch on Sunday. In our Main Street Hall at the fairgrounds, we will feature indoor entertainment and recreation for adults and children, to include a kid’s corner, videos, music and evening games."

Olson said that he has two historical SUV trips scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15 and one additional SUV trip on Sunday, Jan. 16. Additionally, the event features a Friday night moderately difficult run that begins after dinner and nine other snow runs on Saturday, Jan. 15 that range from the Blizzard Brigade in moderately deep snow to the Frostbite Express.

SUV owners will not require any special equipment and stock vehicles should have no difficulty in the snow using four-wheel drive, low range. "Our experienced trail guides have selected routes that are historical significant, interesting, scenic and very safe for all makes and models of SUVs and four-wheel drive pickups," Olson said.

The Saturday Historical Tour will take participants to a number of significant locations in Grass Valley, through the town of Rough and Ready to the famous Bridgeport covered bridge, and tour the historic towns of Goodyears Bar and Alleghany. Another Saturday historical SUV trip affords participants the opportunity to learn about the famous Empire Mine, tour several old hydraulic mining sites, dine at the historic Washington Hotel and the tour ends at the Malakoff Diggins State Historical Park.

Sunday’s SUV trip permits participants to explore the middle fork of the Yuba River, visit the historic town of Alleghany, and ends at the Graniteville Road.

Citizens Band (CB) or family channel radios are encouraged, but are not mandatory.

Cost for any of the SUV or other four-wheel drive trips is $70 for adults, $40 for children age eight through 14 and children seven years of age and under are admitted free. The cost includes all meals beginning with the Friday dinner through Sunday lunch.

Camping facilities with RV hookups and hot showers are available at the fairgrounds. Motels and hotels are available throughout Grass Valley and Nevada City.

To obtain a registration package or for more information, contact Oly or Kate Olson at (530) 622-1117 or olyo@canvsnowmobile.com or Pat or Mike Bashore at (530) 878-1414 patnmikeb@inreach.com.

###

(Note to Editors: For a JPEG photo of four-wheelers participating in Winter Fun Festival, contact Jack Raudy at (530) 389-9154 or email jraudy@foothill.net).

We do not sanction, endorse or guarantee any events, groups, or individuals
who post events or services on this site or link to or from it.
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs Inc
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs Inc.Conservation & Education Foundation

CA4WDC, INC.
8120 36th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824-2304
800 - 4x4-Funn
Any Comments E-Mail Web Master@cal4wheel.com