Jeep® and Jeep Jamboree are commemorating 70 years of extreme off-roading excitement this summer. Since 1953, the Rubicon Trail has been a lifestyle symbol for Jeep 4×4 off-road adventurers. It is known as one of the most challenging off-road trails globally and has been a favorite among the Jeep community for decades. This summer, 450 Jeep enthusiasts, their loved ones, and friends, drove 125 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators to celebrate the Rubicon Trail’s seven-decade milestone. They enjoyed a special event and lived their off-road dreams, proving that their stock Jeep vehicles are capable of conquering the impossible, driving off the trail, and safely returning home.
“For more than 80 years, the Jeep brand community has defined the Jeep brand and, for 70 of those years, the Rubicon Trail has been heralded by the community as one of the toughest off-road trails in the world, which combined with its beauty has put the Rubicon Trail on every Jeep 4×4 customer’s bucket list,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Conquering the Rubicon Trail is tangible proof that these Jeep vehicles can literally go anywhere and do anything. As you can see in the video, Jeep 4xe vehicles demonstrate how we continue to push the envelope as we develop our next generation of electrified Jeep 4xe vehicles that can take 4×4 capability to the next level and conquer the seemingly impossible.”
The Rubicon Trail, a renowned off-road destination, can be found in northern California near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This 4×4 playground spans 22 miles of the toughest terrain on the planet, which Jeep Trail Rated 4×4 vehicles are specifically designed to conquer. The Jeep Jamboree covers 17.5 miles of the most challenging terrain on its trail rides. Elevations on the trail range from approximately 5,400 feet to over 7,000 feet (1,646 meters to over 2,134 meters). Today, the Rubicon Trail is considered the top off-road vehicle route in the United States.
“In 1953, when Mark Smith organized the first Jeep Jamboree with 55 Willys and voyaged across the Sierra Nevada Mountains by way of the Rubicon Trail, off-road recreation was born,” said Pearse Umlauf, president and CEO of Jeep Jamboree. “The following year, Willys Motors — then manufacturer of Jeep vehicles — became involved with the adventure, and Jeep Jamborees have been an off-road tradition ever since and continue to grow. Most recently, we’ve seen a huge surge of interest, especially after the COVID pandemic, with a tremendous demand from people who want to experience their Jeep vehicles in open-air freedom.”
The Rubicon Trail has always been a testing ground for Jeep engineers to develop their most capable SUVs, such as the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler Rubicon, which debuted in 2002, was a game-changer in the industry. It was named after the legendary Rubicon Trail and was made available for purchase from the factory, complete with a warranty. The Rubicon model boasted features that were previously unheard of, such as Dana 44 axles, front and rear lockers, disconnecting sway bar, rock rails, oversized 31-inch mud-terrain tires, and wheel flares. These features took off-roading to the next level, and the Rubicon model has continued to be a “proof of concept” for the Jeep brand. Feedback from enthusiasts and loyalists, as well as lessons learned from iconic off-road locations like Rubicon Trail, continue to inspire the Jeep brand and push the entire lineup forward. Recently, the Jeep brand celebrated the Rubicon model’s 20th Anniversary with a special edition revealed at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show.
