If you want to cruise Colorado’s off-road trails the way God intended – not Colorado’s pop culture – Colorado Spring’s Christian 4 Wheelers (CSC4W) is your best bet. With over 100 families joining in on the fun and rides every year, this club defines family-friendly adventure.
Take club member Michael Cole’s words as proof,
“My favorite part is that it is family-friendly. Drivers are not drinking or smoking weed on the trails all day like a lot of other groups in the area. And you don’t have to worry about what you or your children might see or hear. Everyone is friendly and helpful as well.”
If there was anyone to make the case for CSC4W, Mr. Cole comments did. Experiencing the vast beauty of Colorado’s off-road trails with family-like off-roading enthusiasts becomes a lot more fun with this bunch of God-loving riders.
What the club stands for is all right there in the name!
Anytime you find yourself in Colorado Springs and want to bring your children along on a Jeep trail journey that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon, Colorado Springs Christian 4 Wheelers will be there with open arms! No matter what rig you operate or your experience level, CSC4W welcomes anyone looking to experience Colorado’s natural beauty.
Wholesome Beginnings
It was back in 1992 when a bunch of Christian guys, led by Denny Hage, thought it would be a good idea to form an actual club to help others who had a desire to experience off road driving the way that group did. And so, they created the Colorado Springs Christian 4 Wheelers. Besides their passion for the Lord, the club’s founders shared a passion for off-roading. To be more exact – family-friendly off-roading.
After almost 30 years, this is exactly what the group has evolved to be.
Now, almost 100 families take out their rigs each year on exciting excursions along Colorado’s Jeep trails. Kids, adults, teenagers, and older folks, all have a blast without worrying about anything not being child-friendly.
A Group that Rides, Eats and Prays Together
Based in Colorado Springs, CSC4W welcomes people of all experience levels regardless of what kind of rig they own. If you love God and off-roading, there is a place for you at CSC4W.
While they don’t have a lot of meetings, the group makes it a point to pray together before every event and trail run. This reinforces their belief and reminds everyone in attendance that they are privileged to be able to experience God’s creation.
Every Spring the club hosts a large meeting called the Kickoff to register new members, give trail and activity updates, share a meal, and hand out Door Prizes from their sponsors. Each aspect of this yearly event boasts of their Christian family camaraderie.
Promoting Responsible Off Roading
Associated with Tread Lightly, the Colorado 4WD Association, CORE, and COHVCO, CSC4W is dedicated to safe and responsible off-roading. In fact, the majority of the annual fee is used to enroll members and the club in these associations.
If you’re not yet a member, you can join at their annual Kickoff Meeting or on one of their trail runs. Keep in mind that you do have to sign a waiver before tagging along.
To further ensure safety, the club runs a mix of easy, medium and difficult trails. Typically, riders can choose their difficulty level, which is divided into three groups. Group 1 includes novice riders or riders with stock vehicles. Group 2 includes more challenging trails for modified vehicles. Group 3, on the other hand, is for experienced riders where buggies and crawlers are challenged to their max. However, the vast majority of trail runs are rated Group 1 and Group 2.
Besides weekend runs, the club goes on longer holiday weekend trips to places such as Moab, Utah, and Ouray, among others.
Lending a Helping Hand to Newbies
CSC4W directors are all immensely experienced when it comes to off-roading. Their expertise is not limited to picking the trails and working as guides and spotters. They use their knowledge to train newbies on some of the following trail etiquette, winch recovery techniques, pre-event inspections, and more.
Before every ride, experienced directors assess the rigs to make sure they are capable to handle the trip.
Respecting God’s Creations
Philanthropy
With an agenda to emulate Jesus Christ’s humanity, the club is active in terms of social service. Every year, they hold an event to support the Christmas for Kids organization in Colorado Springs. Members are given a child’s profile for whom they buy and wrap presents. These children belong to families with caseworkers at the El Paso County Department of Human Services.
When winter rolls around, members volunteer to provide transportation for medical staff during inclement weather. If needed, the club is forthcoming in helping its community, ready to pick up and deliver medications to homebound patients.
Trail Service
Being a Christian off-roading club in Colorado, CSC4W’s values cover respecting all of God’s creations. Besides regular clean-up during their trips, the club sponsors the Mount Baldy Trail System.
With the help of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the club holds two cleanup rides to remove trash, abandoned vehicles, and anything else blocking trails. To encourage members to be more conscious about their surroundings, the club collaborates with Focus on the Forest, a local volunteer group that cleans up trash from public lands. The club also preaches the ”Stay the Trail” philosophy.
If you’d like to join them at their Kickoff Meeting or on one of their trail runs, check out their Website or Facebook Page for upcoming events.
