Hey, I’m Ben
Wootten.

I fell in love with 4x4 driving more than twenty years ago. What started as a way to find better mountain bike trailheads and campsites pretty quickly became a passion.

I learned how to drive off-road the hard way - with no cell phones and no flashy recovery gear! It taught me how to read terrain and understand the physics of picking proper lines and vehicle recovery.

I then spent fourteen years as a Land Rover Experience Lead Driving Instructor, learning the ins & outs of some of the world’s best off-road technologies.

That means my instruction teaches you the best of both worlds: off roading fundamentals along with when and how to use the technologies available to your vehicle.

Teaching Philosophies

DO MORE WITH LESS.

While there are often several ways to achieve a goal, there is usually one correct way and everything else is a compromise. I don’t discount clever and creative solutions, and compromise is often necessary, but I feel it is best to use the correct method as a starting point.

Remember, the best method does not equate to the most expensive equipment.

Frequently Asked Questions

I primarily use two properties for training. Penmerryl Farm in Greenville, VA is a beautiful horse farm and bed and breakfast bordering the George Washington National forest. I have a purpose built training ground and there are trails on site, as well as a great public access trail very close by.
I also use a property in Cosby TN that has camping and some more advanced trails. For guided trips I can literally go anywhere, but REALLY enjoy the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway and have a private property on the route for camping.
The focus of Off-road 101 is to familiarize you with the technologies that are available to you in your own vehicle and how to get the most out of what you already own.
For Winch and Recovery training all of the necessary equipment is provided including a winch equipped vehicle. This is an excellent opportunity to “try before you buy” expensive equipment, often saving you significant money from making poorly informed purchases.
As long as your vehicle has a 2 speed transfer case ( low range ), then we can “run what ya’ brung!”
One of the things that sets Classic 4x4 apart is understanding the technologies that different manufacturers use and helping you understand how to get the most out of them. This type of training can actually save loads of money by allowing you to make more informed purchases and potentially avoiding costly mistakes.
For Winch and Recovery training all recovery equipment is provided, or you are welcome to use what you already have. Stock or modified, we got ya’ covered.
Please do! Everyone can benefit from learning to be a better spotter, and if you don’t get pictures did it really happen anyway? I limit classes to a maximum of 5 vehicles. This provides an excellent trainer to student ratio, and helps to keep the flow going while out on the trails.
If your four legged friend likes trail riding then by all means bring them. Penmerryl is a dog friendly property but for anything else, the pups will need to be leashed or stay in the vehicle.
As long as the kiddos are out of a car seat and happy to be there, by all means bring them. My daughter has been my little helper on several trips and learned to drive off-road before she got her license. While on private property we can even get your teenager behind the wheel.
Classes & Sessions
These are full weekend packages. The cost is $700 per vehicle with a 50% deposit required to secure your spot. Note that this price is per vehicle, so bring a friend / photographer / spotter at no extra cost!
Guided Trips & Private Training
These are priced according to several factors ( location, number of vehicles, etc) so give us a call and let’s discuss what you have in mind.