harold Charles Off Weve Lost A Legend - jeep Wranglers - Photo 36098779

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October 2, 2011, dawned a beautifully warm day in Farmington, New Mexico. By 9 a.m. a large group of Harold Off’s family, friends, and admirers gathered at the head of Chokecherry Canyon to be led to the trailhead of Harold’s Highway. There, a dedication of the trail was held. Then the Rat Pack tried out the new trail for the first time, followed by anyone else who felt up to it.

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October 2, 2011, dawned a beautifully warm day in Farmington, New Mexico. By 9 a.m. a large group of Harold Off’s family, friends, and admirers gathered at the head of Chokecherry Canyon to be led to the trailhead of Harold’s Highway. There, a dedication of the trail was held. Then the Rat Pack tried out the new trail for the first time, followed by anyone else who felt up to it.

At the trailhead, a very cool plaque has been erected to mark the trail, and also to memorialize Harold Off. It is powdercoated in Harold’s signature colors of pink and white. Hopefully it will stand unmolested for years to come, reminding ’wheelers of the man who so loved the awesome ’wheeling in this area. Seen here with the plaque are (left to right) Stanley Steele, Jerry Edgar, and Jim Petersen, the three members of the Cliffhangers 4X4 club mainly responsible for creating “Harold’s Highway.”

The Rat Pack is a tight knit group of about 15 couples from all over the country. They were some of Harold’s closest friends both on and off the trail. These hard core ’wheelers were asked to come to Farmington and officially open Harold’s Highway after the dedication ceremony. Shown standing (left to right) is Frank Bartlett, John Bundy, Doug McBurney, Morris Hansen, Walker Evans, Steve Williams, and Jim Sims. Seated (left to right) is Mo McBurney, Phyllis Off, Gail Sims, and Camille Williams.

Rat Packer Morris Hansen drops Harold’s Scrambler No. 3 off the initial ledge that marks the beginning of Harold’s Highway.

Harold’s three pink Jeep Scramblers were all driven out to the trailhead and parked with the plaque. On the right is the first one he built sometime in the early1990s from a wreck that came to his salvage yard. Harold liked Scramblers from the first time he saw them because he knew its longer wheelbase would work well on Farmington’s steep climbs. This thinking came from back in the days when we didn’t even think of changing a 94-inch wheelbase CJ-7 to 109 inches or more! Jeep modifying has come a long way. This 401 V-8 powered Scrambler was used as the prototype Jeep for Warn’s Black Diamond Suspension system that put the aftermarket suspension industry on its ear back in the late 1990s. Harold competed with this rig in several early rock crawling competitions. In the middle is Scrambler #2, which was built by Joe Brown at Off Again around 2001. It features a JP aluminum body and a tube frame with a 4.3L V-6. It was arguably Harold’s most favorite rig to compete with. On the left is the most radical Scramble

After an official start with one of Harold’s rigs leading, Jerry Edgar took over lead dog duties in his four-wheel-steer buggy and led the seven Rat Pack rigs present down the new trail to the first of 28 obstacles.

The Farmington terrain consists of huge rock formations that sport many steep ledges and cliffs. ’Wheeling in Farmington is not for the faint hearted or the beginner. Pick a slightly wrong line and you can get hurt in a hurry.

This was just a taster of what was to come. Morris Hansen, looking very much like Harold with the hat and white t-shirt, pilots Scrambler #3 up one of the smaller ledges on the trail.

Rat Pack member Walker Evans, doing his signature arm dangle, pilots his Shannon Campbell-built “Jeep” along Harold’s Highway. Walker and Harold became good friends when they were both competing in the early rock crawling competitions.

Doug McBurney points “Bubba” up one of the ‘Highway’s steep ledge climbs while Jerry Edgar looks on. Homebuilt Bubba sports a narrowed YJ body on a semi-tubed frame with a Cadillac Short Star V-6 for motivation of the Currie axles. Note the pink paper cage wrap the Rat Packers applied to their rigs to honor Harold’s favorite Jeep color.

This notch was christened “Bundy’s Notch” after John’s red rig refused to climb it despite numerous different approaches and attempts, including low level flying!

The low level flying did not work and the Jeep wound up on its side with its broken windshield being the first carnage of the day.

The Cliffhangers have included everything on Harold’s Highway. They must have known that “Bundy’s Notch” would become a winch hill for some. Poor John became the first to use this cool pink winch anchor, strategically placed by the club for just such a hapless victim.

Steve Williams' homebuilt buggy isn't very photogenic but it sure works well. Here it blocks an otherwise nice view of the New Mexico countryside! Steve runs a Chevy V-8 and Turbo 400/Atlas combo spinning Currie axles. The rig goes effortlessly everywhere it is pointed, making crazy obstacles look easy.

Did we mention Farmington has some steep ledges? Jim Sims switches to three-wheel-drive while attempting this yet unnamed obstacle about half way through the ‘Highway.

Rachel Off seems to find Walker Evan's company amusing.

Looking somewhat like a prehistoric blue insect, Frank Bartlett’s Jimmy’s-built buggy climbs up out of nowhere and crawls over the rather rough “pavement” of Harold’s Highway.

The ‘Highway has a bunch of rocky notches that must be negotiated. Doug McBurney and “Bubba” take the left line while a hovering Pointing Head (far right) seems to think he should go right!

Harold’s granddaughter Brandon Staley rode with Doug McBurney all day but she seems a bit apprehensive about his line, too. Or did she just see the Pointing Head hovering in the tree?

Jim Sims heads over the top while wife Gail opts to watch from below. This obstacle became known as “cooler hill” shortly after Jim’s climb when Steve Williams’ coldies tumbled out of the back of his buggy thanks to a rather vertical situation.

This was about the wildest and most technical obstacle on Harold’s Highway. A picture just doesn’t do it justice. You enter from the top where Steve’s buggy waits. You turn down the hill towards a 15-foot vertical drop-off. Next you do a rear-dig while backing up in 2WD steering your wheels to the right (that is where all the rubber is in the foreground). Then you drive the side hill (where Walker is) for about 50 feet. Finally, you do a front-dig to point your nose straight downhill so you can drive off the 15-foot ledge (where Doug is) to level ground! All the Rat Packers did it without a hitch but they all commented that Harold wouldn’t have liked this obstacle. Seems he didn’t care for down hills too much, despite his love of going up hills.

Not all of the ‘Highway is solid rock. This little climb was dubbed the “Dirt Pile” as it required throwing a bit of it to surmount it. Here, John Bundy gives us a fine demonstration.

Did we mention that Farmington has some steep climbs? This is steep! The camera is not tilted. Stanley Steele looks on as Frank Bartlett does what looks impossible.