Defenders NW & Northwest Overland Off Road Driver Training & Winter Camp Trip

REMOTE CAMP EVENT in Moab Utah - March 8th - 12th 2021 We are running our late winter training class off-site in conjunction with a follow-me trip in the canyons of SE Utah. This special OR101 training session includes the basic Off-Pavement theory and practical operator training, as well as an introduction to remote winter camping and navigation. Training includes: One-half day of outdoor classroom training with materials One-half day of behind the wheel training with instructors Take-away notes and swag-bag Following the single day course, participants are welcome to follow us along on a week long winter camping trip in the high desert canyon lands of SE Utah. Participants must have a street legal off-pavement capable vehicle with adequate traction tires along with winter camping equipment. A list of minimum requirements and suggested equipment is available on request. Our basic offroad training program focuses on safe and capable operation on poor condition roads & trails, vehicle limitations / condition, self recovery, vehicle equipment preparation, emergency operation, trailside repair techniques, and navigational skills. This is not the advanced expedition course – the focus is on building a foundation of skills in reading terrain and conditions, knowing your vehicle capabilities and limits, risk assessment and its application. Our objective is to teach participants confident and skilled situational assessment skills – knowing what it would take to get through an obstacle, knowing what you and your vehicle can do, analyzing the risks and options in order to make prudent decisions – basic recovery skills are taught so that the planning can take into consideration what would be needed when things don’t go as planned. Unlike recreational “wheeling” this course is not designed to encourage the driver push the vehicle to it’s limits – the training is geared toward learning both the drivers’ and vehicles capabilities and choosing to stay well within the capability zone of both – when traveling overland and an obstacle is encountered a skillful operator will be able to asses the risks in overcoming the obstacle and weigh those risks with the availability of other options. Where there is a low risk work around solution to a moderate or high risk obstacle the overland traveler will protect the integrity of the vehicle and choose the lower impact solution. As such we are teaching and practicing those skills of how to approach and pass-through obstacles one may encounter on a forest road or in areas serviced by non-paved roads of varying conditions. The travel event course is a single day - The classroom session will consist of a day of theory and practical considerations with the instructors in a group class setting to encourage cooperative problem solving and creative analysis. Throughout the course we emphasize safety and situational awareness. Following a lunch break the classroom session has the group perfoming some cone work to emphasize vehicle positioning and capabilities in a controlled setting. Approach angles departure angles break over angles rough ground soft ground up-hill techniques & crossing a ridge down-hill techniques over-obstacle – axle and tire placement sidehill techniques gully or washout techniques wading basic recovery tools & techniques. The course includes a half day of classroom/theory and a half day of applied activities to put the classroom training into practice. Requirements are an approved vehicle (stock 4×4 in trail ready condition is sufficient), current automobile road insurance, appropriate clothing, hand and foot protection, and a readiness to learn while having fun. Participants will need to complete a liability waiver and provide proof of insurance. Class reservation is per individual and space is very limited due to the hands-on nature of the class – additional participant spots are available if they will be riding in the same vehicle. (a couple for example) - these are the Passenger option in the registration drop-down. Passenger participation includes shtraining if driver and passenger arrangement permits - If you are a solo or the primary driver in the course please select the Primary Driver option during registration For a second driver sharing a vehicle please select the Passenger/Driver registration - you must identify your primary driver in order to register as a passenger. For clarity in training and the most effective use of time we request that there be no more than two participants per vehicle.