Jeep lovers are getting ready to rev up those engines and explore the beautiful Allegheny Highlands during this year’s 28th annual Penn’s Woods Jeep Jamboree, which begins Friday. There will be 350 participants in 180 Jeeps taking part in this year’s event. They will be carefully coached through the route’s obstacles by 40 dedicated trail guide volunteers.

The Jeeps assemble at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, which serves as the event’s base of operations. Many people arrived Thursday to register and have their vehicle inspected.

“We inspect each vehicle for safety and if they have something incorrect, wrong or broken they get flagged and can’t drive on the trail,” said Jason Campogiani. “We also have winching and strapping demonstrations for first timers.”

Jason and his wife, Lynette, have been involved in Penn’s Woods Jeep Jamboree weekend for more than a decade. They are one of 10 local guides who come together to make this event happen. The other guides all travel to be here for the Jamboree.

“We have about 30 people who drive in or trailer their Jeeps and come up for the week just to lend a hand,” said Lynette. “They are so dedicated.”

The guides help drivers keep their nerve and provide critical advice to safely ensure every driver can tackle as many obstacles as they want.

But even trail veterans get nervous sometimes.

“Even though we have done this for a number of years, sometimes it can be nerve-wracking for us as guides because people bring these beautiful $100,000 Jeeps,” said Lynette. “So we just tell everyone to do what they are comfortable with; the weekend is about gaining skills and having fun.”

The Penn’s Woods trails range in difficulty from level two to level eight, with eight being the most difficult. This means that there are obstacles along the trail, but there are also pathways that allow drivers to skip obstacles they are not ready for. Twelve different obstacles will keep drivers on their toes. The weather will also play a critical part in how the trails unfold.

“If it rains here it can make our trail more treacherous compared to some of the trails out west in the desert where your tires grip the rocks,” said Lynette. “The ground here just soaks up that moisture and turns into mud.”

On Wednesday, volunteers were cutting a different trail because of the rain that has already fallen this season.

“We had to go cut a different trail to bypass another part of the trail because of the wet ground,” said Lynette. “We do whatever we have to do to make everything nice and safe for our participants.”

The trail guides are prepared for any eventuality. Many of them have been working this trail for decades.

This year, a special section of trail has been cut to honor a dedicated local guide who recently passed. The Campogiani family couldn’t say enough about the late Blaine Puller.

“He taught my husband everything he knows about offroading,” said Lynette. “Blaine was one of the best Jeepers I ever knew and a wonderful friend.”

“He was a great guide who was there from the very beginning of the Jamboree 28 years ago,” said Jason. “He helped make this event what it is now.”

Lynette recalled that Blaine and his wife, Donna, used to drive a Willys Jeep from World War II along the trail.

“That is quite a feat because it doesn’t have any shocks so you have to be very skilled to do something like that,” said Lynette.

The Puller family continues to be involved in Jeep Jamboree, Lynette said.

“Blaine’s brother Roy is still a trail guide with us and he has been doing it for well over 20 years as well,” said Lynette.

This kind of dedication to the Jamboree and Jeep lifestyle is a hallmark of the hobby. “Jeepers” become extremely close over the years.

“Once you get into this it stays with you,” said Lynette. “Our trail is one people ask to be on because we are all so connected; we really are one big family.”