20 replies to this topic

[craig333]

Most of our mud isn't bad, unless you're in the Delta. I once was on a levee and parked. My Jeep still started to slide off the levee. That stuff sticks to your vehicle like glue. Car wash operators will stand outside with a shotgun waving you away (only slightly exaggerated). I stopped playing in the mud in my early twenties. Sometimes its unavoidable but I sure won't seek it out.

[klahanie]

Re waiting it out. That's another possibility for self recovery, waiting in situ for light and road conditions to improve then re attempt. After all, the fellow appeared to have a camper so may have been able to stay all together in the vehicle. Best tho to decide before you've augered yourself in. And, as mentioned, don't wait so long that the sun has cemented the vehicle in place !

 

I hate blocking the road so would try to move over if and when possible, either solo or with the help of the next passerby. Though it might not matter if you are the only guy out there in those conditions

[JHanson]

Well they certainly made a mess of the surrounding countryside. 

 

I'm not even sure the Chevy had four wheel drive. Definitely the wrong tires and a disconnected driver's brain.

[cwdtmmrs]

Well they certainly made a mess of the surrounding countryside. 

 

I'm not even sure the Chevy had four wheel drive. Definitely the wrong tires and a disconnected driver's brain.

The Chevy has 4X4 on the fender. No question about the brain disconnect though.

[PJorgen]

Any idea what he would charge for a recovery like that?  Can't be cheap.

[Vic Harder]

Any idea what he would charge for a recovery like that?  Can't be cheap.

At 11:30 into this video he answers that question...  Very tongue in cheek... He can't really answer since the price can vary wildly. 

 

I've watched a bunch of his videos today.  Very entertaining and informative.  They guy is very down to earth.  Carrying/using recovery gear would get a lot of the folks in these vids unstuck.  

[Foy]

 

 

And, met an old timer back in the 80's from UT when we where camping.  He warned us if it looks like or starts to rain, wait it out.

 

If its raining or has recently rained, don't even attempt to take an unpaved road. Especially one that is marked impassable when wet. Spend a night in a perking lot or off the side of the paved road until the next day when it has dried.

 

If you are leaving camp and it is raining or wet, spend another night or days if needed until it dries.

 

 

 

First time road tripping west of the Mississippi was in 1975 as part of a geology school dinosaur excavation expedition to the ND-MT border in Slope County, ND.  The Hell Creek Formation hosting the fossil reworked bentonite volcanic ash beds. The local rancher, who happened to be a Slope County commissioner, told our trip leaders "the only thing you absolutely must not do is try to drive on this road ("Old Highway 16") when it's wet.  It'll dry out in an hour or two after a thunderstorm passes, so just wait it out.  If you don't wait it out, you'll get your vehicles stuck, or wrecked, and you'll cut the road to pieces in the process".  So we violated his order first time a resupply mission to Baker, MT returned right after a thunderstorm.  Result: 2WD 15 passenger van in the ditch overnight, driver had a 5 mile walk wearing gumbo boots, and one very pissed off Slope County commissioner.

 

Bentonite clay based roads are no joke.  Impassible when wet means something.

 

Foy

[ntsqd]

Had a local in UT near there tell us one Feb that the trick that time of year when starting to get stuck was to stop and wait for sunset. Not long after sunset the mud would freeze and we could drive right out of the mess if we didn't make it too bad to start with.

[camelracer]

Tread Lightly!

[rubberlegs]

Ha! A friend turned me on to Matt's Towing and Recovery videos. Next thing you know, I watched a couple dozen. He's pretty down to earth and kind to his customers. There's an interesting video on how he built up his Jeep for towing. Some of his methods might be frowned on by academics, but he seems to get the job done! Maybe because he really knows how to drive, and he keeps his Jeep as lightweight as he can. 8 psi tires, even on pavement (because he doesn't drive much on pavement). Now I wanna go to Hurricane UT and get one of their hats!