Recovery Stories

[toymaster]

Do you think a solo recovery would he been possible in that situation? Maybe use the vehicle mounted winch routed with an additional snatch block at the attachment point for #1 pull and route it back to pull point #2 onto the rear bumper? It would have provided the same sideways type tension, but would have required vehicle power/traction to drive out....

I agree. Having 3 snatch blocks come in handy. Especially where you have so many trees to rig any way you want. With no snatch blocks or only one the only recourse would have been to go straight and incur more damage. I carried three blocks for several years then got around to installing a rear winch. A luxury indeed but it did allow me to go back to one snatch block and build in redundancy.

My lesson's learned:
-Walk the unknowns before using skinny pedal to make the attempt.
-Always be prepared for an overnight, for everyone on the trip-i.e. snacks/food for the kiddos.

Ray

Some years ago, before I got my jeep, I had all the kids in my full size crew cab long bed. Worn out tires, patchy snow, and long wheelbase did not add up to good time. I was only going up a 'nice' dirt road into the higher elevations and got into trouble while turning around. At that point I realized the stupid risk I took without any preparation. In the middle of using my winch to pull myself out luckily another vehicle came along to assist. Trees are not so abundant out west and I was not to the point of using my shovel to bury an anchor.

Yes I'm pretty sure I could have eventually gotten myself out or we could have walked the miles downhill to the nearest community. But, the kids having a bad experience like that is not a good way to get them into the outdoor life. Me going hungry and walking out is one thing but my kids is another.

 

[oscar the grouch]

I agree. Having 3 snatch blocks come in handy. Especially where you have so many trees to rig any way you want. With no snatch blocks or only one the only recourse would have been to go straight and incur more damage.

I disagree. There is always away to fix the situation with out making it worse. Had he been solo the temptation to hammer thru would have been there out of frustration but it's not necessary to destroy the windshield channel.

Highlift the low side of the frame and stack rocks until it would sit off the bank unassisted.

Speaking of highlift one could have been rigged to pull him laterally off the bank as well.

 

[LR Max]

I can't find a pic of it, but one of the worst was at Rausch Creek back in 2007...or 8? Whatever. Anywho, guy in a XJ on 40s ended up teetering off a very significant drop off, his driver tires were on the uphill, while his passenger tires were about to slide down the side of the mountain. He had about 2 feet in front of him before he hit a rock and his rear bumper was against a tree. We took his winch and angled it about 45 degrees uphill. Then had another vehicle winch and attached it to his roll cage at the top of the B-pillar. This winch was able to unload all of the weight from the passenger tires and then the vehicle winch was able to pull the front end around. Once the front end was clear of the rock, he was able to drive it out.

The driver was calm throughout all of this. However he knew if he went over, well, in his words, "This is gonna hurt a lot".

 

[oscar the grouch]

would love to see that pic

 

[Metcalf]

Just a reminder, it is VERY easy to just carry too much stuff, weight is the enemy.

We should always be looking at what we carry. How we pack it. Where we carry it.

I see a LOT of vehicles having problems on the trail, be it stuck or broken, that most likely resulted from the vehicle being grossly overloaded.