The Southwest is a dream come true for off-roading enthusiasts who love getting into their 4×4 and enjoy the best that their 4-wheel drive vehicles have to offer. So, if you’re looking for fantastic views of nature, Summit 4×4 Club will take you from the red rocks of Sedona to pine trees and canyons in Williams and Flagstaff, and even the desert in the Table Mesa area.
Summit 4×4 Club and its sister club, Summit 4×4 Girls Tribe are both based in Prescott, AZ. They have been doing amazing work by building a community of off-roading enthusiasts who know how to have fun and help the community at the same time.
As David Blackman puts it,
“Summit 4×4 Club is not a big city club. We all know our way around city life, but that is not us. We aren’t rubes but we are rural. Our leadership started with a vision of building a community of off-roading fun and skill-building that is in service of the civic communities where we live. We continue to do that all year long thru various fund-raising events and community service events. Everyone supports each other and no one gets left behind on the trail. No matter what. Also, we have loads of fun and we laugh a lot!”
Sure, many off-road Jeep clubs have a reputation for being tight-knit families of friends with a shared passion for off-roading, but Summit 4×4 Club and Summit 4×4 Girls Tribe embody the whole culture of inclusiveness, fun, and giving back to the communities they come from.
If you’re looking to become a part of a 4×4 club, learn about off-roading in a safe and supportive environment, and go on off-roading adventures with one of the best 4×4 clubs in the Southwest, this off-road club in Prescott, AZ, will welcome you with doors wide open!
How The Club Started
There was never a shortage of off-road lovers and 4×4 owners in the area, but there wasn’t anything that brought all of them together. 2018 saw the owner of Summit 4×4 Business, Jesse Wasil partnering up with George McClenahan, longtime friends and off-roaders, to create the Summit 4×4 Club. A year later, the Summit 4×4 Girls Tribe was created and Laurie Cwikla leads the Tribe.
Of course, these weren’t going to be any average off-road clubs that just meet for monthly runs. The founders created the Summit 4×4 Clubs with the vision of a more inclusive and community-oriented organization that welcomed new people with open arms and worked together to give back to the community.
Summit 4×4 welcomes all people who live full-time or even part-time in Arizona, provided they have a vehicle fit to go along on the trails. Many off-road clubs offer training to new members, but Summit 4×4 has a very impressive range of “How-to Clinics” that really takes things up a notch.
Training and Safety with “How To Clinics”
Everyone from the clubs presidents to experienced members are there for the new members. They take the time to teach newbies everything they need to know when they get started, understand how things work, making sure that everyone has fun and stays safe.
Their quarterly “How-to Clinics” are very helpful for people who recently joined the club and are new to off-road driving. You get to learn everything from how to use a winch safely to how to properly change a tire when on the trail, use the GPS, and even off-road etiquette. Safety and training are a major priority for the club, as well as making sure that everybody feels welcome and has fun.
Jason Shaver said,
“The group is wide in ability from beginners to experienced trail enthusiasts to rock crawlers.
The admins from the president down always meet and talk with you. They put on events from getting to know your ride, how to use recovery equipment and when to do what on trails. They volunteer their time to build a group of knowledge, respect, and etiquette for rigs, wildlife, community. They have found wonderful sponsors to feed us at events and runs. Good causes to donate to with runs and raffles. My summit 4×4 club is family….”
Giving Back To The Community
Summit 4×4 Club and Summit 4×4 Girls Tribe are big on giving back to the community. The club organizes fundraisers throughout the year to help those in need.
- Trails 4 Tatas is their biggest annual fundraiser that benefits the Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s BreastCare Center.
2021 will be Trail 4 Tatas third year raising money for the YRMC Foundation who allocates the money to the BreastCare Center for patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer for items and services that they might not be able to afford so they can concentrate on their recovery.
- Dawgin & Crawlin is an ongoing fundraiser which benefits the Prescott Police Department K-9’s.
The city of Prescott does not pay for the food and health care of the K-9’s in their department. The handlers rely on grants and donations to offset the cost of food and vet care for their dogs. The Summit 4×4 Club, The Girls Tribe and Summit 4×4 Business hold fundraisers to raise money for Cooper and Benny, Prescott’s K-9’s
Organizations they also help:
- Agape House of Prescott provides long-term transitional housing for families who are currently without a home.
- The Chino Valley High School Girls Athletics Pay to Play Program supports low-income female athletes in the community. Their aim is to develop a student athlete with an improved self-image, the ability to learn a new skill, and an intrinsic motivation for growth and development.
Pristine and Beautiful Trails
Both Summit 4×4 Clubs go on runs on a variety of trails from easy and scenic to difficult and challenging trails around Prescott, Sedona, Williams, Table Mesa near Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tonto Basin, Colorado, California, and Utah.
They not only have annual rides and fundraisers they also play their part in minimizing their impact on the environment and organize cleanup and maintenance rides, picking up trash they find on the trails. The clubs also participated in the Save Our Public Lands Coalition, working with PTR Prescott Trail Riders to keep trails accessible and open.
PTR Prescott Trail Riders is a non-profit group, working closely with the Prescott National Forest Department, to advocate the appropriate use of approved trails, maintain existing trails and to build new ones.
Both club presidents are certified by Tread Lightly and follow Tread Lightly environmental guidelines because it is important to train new off-roaders how to respect and protect the trails.
Two Clubs Working Together As One
The Girls Tribe and Summit 4×4 Club are the perfect examples of two clubs working as one. Summit 4×4 Club welcomes everyone and the Girls Tribe “allows boys to come, but girls have to drive”. Unlike most other clubs that have a women’s trail ride as part of the men’s main event, the Girls Tribe is a separate 4×4 club and hold their own runs and events.
The two Summit 4×4 Clubs meet twice a month, go on runs once a month, and organize several Meet & Greet events throughout the year. Check out their Facebook Events Page to find events to attend.
You are Welcome to Check Us Out
Message from the Club – “Off-roading brings everyone together – young and old, rich and poor, experienced wheelers and newbies. Our club is no different, we have gone from being just two clubs to being a family. As a “family”, we not only help out each other but help out the community as well.”
Feel free to join them and check out the Facebook pages for Summit 4×4 Club and Summit 4×4 Girls Tribe.
Don’t forget to checkout their Facebook events page for upcoming events.
Ed,
Thank you for the article! Your group did an excellent job of capturing the essence of our clubs.
It was great working and writing about your club.
Ed
Hi; Laurie, I will be joining your tour tour on Feb 12. Looking forward to being
part of this tribe!!!!
l
I forwarded your information to Laurie.
She said she will email you.
Ed