jtpedersen
Caught the Bug
Couple weeks ago, my wife and I had a major t'do, putting us in a potential life threatening situation in the blink of an eye. But like many major incidents NTSB might investigate, the end result was often simply the last in a thread of issues leading up to it. Hopefully our lessons learned can be of use to others.
My wife and I do most of our wheeling on our own. We do some group events, sometimes have family join in, but most trips are on our own. It's a risk we accept and we do our best to prepare...which generally includes avoiding risks in the first place.
We started down a particular trail around Noon. It involved slick mud, rocks, working around trees, while climbing a mountain side. We weren't particularly concerned. It was comfortably in our skill range and was a frequently used trail. After a while, we learned two things. First, the trail ended up putting us on a closed USFS trail. That was a problem, needed to return to the start. Second, somewhere along the way we had lost the brakes. We needed to get off the trail, couldn't go back the way we came (no brakes, steep incline), so what now?
Turned out, like others here have done, we snagged a brake line at some point.
Being on the side of a mountain, where very little was flat, either 5-10 deg up, or down, and no brakes, severely limited our options. My tension level was somewhat higher than normal. My wife, who typically acts as navigator, started looking for a way out, trails that would possibly lead us toward an exit, pavement, and maybe cell service.
The trails had clearly been closed for several years. Initially, where it was evident someone else had preceded us only a day or two prior, we decided to follow their tracks in hopes of finding whatever exit they used. After an hour or so, we decided that was not going to work. Back to raw navigation. Fortunately the trail system was well-documented on GAIA GPS.
While some will scoff at the next comment, we did our level best to tread lightly, clearing only debris or small trees in the trail that were a safety hazard or simply could not be avoided. We spent until about 6:30p, clearing trails, mostly dead fall, up to 12" in diameter. With just an axe, handsaw, and winch. By 6:30 or so, drenched in sweat and exhausted, we had no choice but to call it a day, sleeping in Stitch, nosed into a mountainside anytime we had to park it.
I should mention, 4L 1 can be literally a lifesaver. Wish the same could be said for a JK e-brake. Not worth the weight it takes up on the vehicle. And, unlike a stick, you cannot turn off the engine while moving...no different than shifting to neutral.
The next morning, we got up with the Sun, around 6a, and went at it again. Overall, with a major obstruction perhaps ever 3-500 feet, I estimate we manually cleared 1.5 miles of trail.
We had a goal, the trail we were on met pavement. As we got near, we crossed a small stream, where water flowed down the mountainside, crossed the trail, and kept on going. No issue. What was an issue later, was a rock slide. We were about 500' from pavement, with simply no way to get to it. It was disheartening.
Still working at self-extracting, I decided the only thing we could do, was return to origin, and lower ourselves back down the original climb, using the winch. So, finding what would've been a pull-off on an open trail, canted toward the mountain, I did about a 6-point turn to get Stitch facing back up the hill.
Up to this point, we were simply uncomfortable, unhappy, but dealing with what lay ahead of us. That was about to change abruptly.
Climbing the hill, we were back up another 500' when we came back to the water crossing. As we crossed, the dirt gave way. I'd had enough time to react, to hit reverse and engage the rear locker, but it just wasn't enough. In about a second, Stitch went from 10deg up, to rotating 90 degrees right and 60deg down, thunking into a tree. Straight out the windshield 30' below, large trees, rocks...
The next sound was our dog's nails on the Goose Gear floor, as she tried to grapple with a world turned on its side. Then, my wife said, "Hit SOS?"
A few months ago, we had invested in a Garmin InReach specifically for this type of situation. No cell, on our own, needing help. I simply said, "Yes." It was clear, our attempts at self-extraction, hanging by our seatbelts, had come to an end.
For a few minutes we just sat there. It will remain one of the more unnerving experiences of my life. Will we slip past the tree, to rocks below? Is the satellite comm (InReach) working? And, the unending subtle creaking of the jeep/suspension/tree.
After about 20 minutes, it seemed apparent that, under a tree canopy, we weren't getting a signal. I was going to have to get out. Before doing so, still idling in reverse, I tried the throttle. Not a budge. Hoped to at least dig a hole. Still idling in Reverse, got out gingerly, and let our dog out. Real trooper she was. The breed's known for being mentally stable and that was the case now.
My next step was to pull out tree and pull straps, and secure the jeep if I could. Stretched across the trail to another ~10" tree, I was able to do so. Very happy to have soft shackles...didn't need to screw with a d-ring.
I figured, if the Jeep slipped past the tree, it wouldn't move more than 6' before the slack was taken up.
Making sure my wife was Ok, it was time to find a bit of clear sky. 150' away, I was able to get a signal through. The international emergency service response was immediate. While maintaining connectivity remained an intermittent challenge, they immediately rallied local emergency services. 2-way texts, let me confirm number in party, no injuries, what was needed. And, in about 45 minutes, walking up the hill toward us, we heard, "Hello! Anyone there?" The GPS coords included when initially clicking SOS had brought first responders (picture two hikers with multiple radios and trauma packs) directly to us.
The first step was to extract my wife. Fighting my nerves, trying to turn me into a chatty-kathy, I stepped back and let them extract her. I figured for them, without emotional attachment, it's something they do more frequently than me. In 60 seconds, she was standing beside me.
What had started as an easy drive on a trail, turning to major physical exertion, stress, and sleeping mountainside (wondering when i'd see my own bed/shower again), had climaxed and now a path toward conclusion (TBD) lay before us.
Initially, we walked down the hill, across a stream, to pavement. There, we had EMS, (4) fire departments, 3 sheriff deputies, a wrecker crew, waiting. Easy 15+ people. After I returned to the Jeep with the owner of the wrecker company and fire fighters, we decided to leave the jeep and return the next day. After 2.5 hrs, I finally took Stitch out of Reverse, put him in Park, and shut down. It wasn't until Stitch lurched going into Park the mirror snapped.
You'll love this: EMS took my wife to town with them, so she was able o start lining up hotel, supplies, rental car, etc. The fire department dropped me off a couple hours later. I was so looking forward to a shower (we'd already been camping, so it'd been days). Only to find out, contractors had broken the town's water main. No water. (around 2:30a, found service had been restored, took shower, yeah!)
The next day, Jim Nelson, owner of Nelson Towing Service, picked me up. A 30 year-old army truck, 1 of 5 Cummings build (prototype program i guess). 54" tires. A beast.
Jim's run his wrecker service about 40 years and had the county contract with the State Police for such recoveries. At 76 years old, he was climbing the mountainside, rigging cables, driving the beast. I hope i'm doing so well...
He sized it up, said what we'd be doing, (yes, a we, I was acting assistant) and in 5 minutes (once everything was set up), Stitch was back on 'flat' ground again.
It's been a long story, stretching 3 days, so I'll pull to a close. Limping down the mountain, -5- miles of trail back to the start, we were met by a USFS officer. She quietly asked my story. Did my best not to embellish. For one, I was exhausted, emotionally as well now. And, at the end of the day, I wasn't where I should be. Expect a fine. How much, TBD. She and her partner were taking their side-by-side up the trail to see how much damage we'd done. Paraphrasing, she suggested it may be low-end if we hadn't ripped stuff up (she noted minimal mud on Stitch--not ripping mud holes for instance) and no major foliage had been destroyed (i.e. cutting down 10"+ trees).
So, the costs? $2,300 tow, estimating $2,500 for emergency service reimbursements and $2,000 for USFS fine (some 'experienced' individuals were guessing $5K).
In the end:
My wife and I appreciate how 'close' we had come to a very different outcome. We were happy we'd done the best we could, including safety gear such as the InReach. We're good partners at this. And, we need to be more risk-adverse. After doing this for several years, we'd had some 'close calls,' yet nothing like this. Speaking for myself, I think overconfidence is something I'll be guarding against going forward.
We've another major trip yet this season, which I'll share then. We remain undaunted, but wiser and grateful to Him as well. I now also carry a spare front brake line, bottle of brake fluid (along with the needle nose vise grips I already had). Looking forward to clear trails for a while
.
Finally, aside from the broken mirror (which did not touch the body), this is the only damage:
My wife and I do most of our wheeling on our own. We do some group events, sometimes have family join in, but most trips are on our own. It's a risk we accept and we do our best to prepare...which generally includes avoiding risks in the first place.
We started down a particular trail around Noon. It involved slick mud, rocks, working around trees, while climbing a mountain side. We weren't particularly concerned. It was comfortably in our skill range and was a frequently used trail. After a while, we learned two things. First, the trail ended up putting us on a closed USFS trail. That was a problem, needed to return to the start. Second, somewhere along the way we had lost the brakes. We needed to get off the trail, couldn't go back the way we came (no brakes, steep incline), so what now?
Turned out, like others here have done, we snagged a brake line at some point.
Being on the side of a mountain, where very little was flat, either 5-10 deg up, or down, and no brakes, severely limited our options. My tension level was somewhat higher than normal. My wife, who typically acts as navigator, started looking for a way out, trails that would possibly lead us toward an exit, pavement, and maybe cell service.
The trails had clearly been closed for several years. Initially, where it was evident someone else had preceded us only a day or two prior, we decided to follow their tracks in hopes of finding whatever exit they used. After an hour or so, we decided that was not going to work. Back to raw navigation. Fortunately the trail system was well-documented on GAIA GPS.
While some will scoff at the next comment, we did our level best to tread lightly, clearing only debris or small trees in the trail that were a safety hazard or simply could not be avoided. We spent until about 6:30p, clearing trails, mostly dead fall, up to 12" in diameter. With just an axe, handsaw, and winch. By 6:30 or so, drenched in sweat and exhausted, we had no choice but to call it a day, sleeping in Stitch, nosed into a mountainside anytime we had to park it.
I should mention, 4L 1 can be literally a lifesaver. Wish the same could be said for a JK e-brake. Not worth the weight it takes up on the vehicle. And, unlike a stick, you cannot turn off the engine while moving...no different than shifting to neutral.
The next morning, we got up with the Sun, around 6a, and went at it again. Overall, with a major obstruction perhaps ever 3-500 feet, I estimate we manually cleared 1.5 miles of trail.
We had a goal, the trail we were on met pavement. As we got near, we crossed a small stream, where water flowed down the mountainside, crossed the trail, and kept on going. No issue. What was an issue later, was a rock slide. We were about 500' from pavement, with simply no way to get to it. It was disheartening.
Still working at self-extracting, I decided the only thing we could do, was return to origin, and lower ourselves back down the original climb, using the winch. So, finding what would've been a pull-off on an open trail, canted toward the mountain, I did about a 6-point turn to get Stitch facing back up the hill.
Up to this point, we were simply uncomfortable, unhappy, but dealing with what lay ahead of us. That was about to change abruptly.
Climbing the hill, we were back up another 500' when we came back to the water crossing. As we crossed, the dirt gave way. I'd had enough time to react, to hit reverse and engage the rear locker, but it just wasn't enough. In about a second, Stitch went from 10deg up, to rotating 90 degrees right and 60deg down, thunking into a tree. Straight out the windshield 30' below, large trees, rocks...
The next sound was our dog's nails on the Goose Gear floor, as she tried to grapple with a world turned on its side. Then, my wife said, "Hit SOS?"
A few months ago, we had invested in a Garmin InReach specifically for this type of situation. No cell, on our own, needing help. I simply said, "Yes." It was clear, our attempts at self-extraction, hanging by our seatbelts, had come to an end.
For a few minutes we just sat there. It will remain one of the more unnerving experiences of my life. Will we slip past the tree, to rocks below? Is the satellite comm (InReach) working? And, the unending subtle creaking of the jeep/suspension/tree.
After about 20 minutes, it seemed apparent that, under a tree canopy, we weren't getting a signal. I was going to have to get out. Before doing so, still idling in reverse, I tried the throttle. Not a budge. Hoped to at least dig a hole. Still idling in Reverse, got out gingerly, and let our dog out. Real trooper she was. The breed's known for being mentally stable and that was the case now.
My next step was to pull out tree and pull straps, and secure the jeep if I could. Stretched across the trail to another ~10" tree, I was able to do so. Very happy to have soft shackles...didn't need to screw with a d-ring.
I figured, if the Jeep slipped past the tree, it wouldn't move more than 6' before the slack was taken up.
Making sure my wife was Ok, it was time to find a bit of clear sky. 150' away, I was able to get a signal through. The international emergency service response was immediate. While maintaining connectivity remained an intermittent challenge, they immediately rallied local emergency services. 2-way texts, let me confirm number in party, no injuries, what was needed. And, in about 45 minutes, walking up the hill toward us, we heard, "Hello! Anyone there?" The GPS coords included when initially clicking SOS had brought first responders (picture two hikers with multiple radios and trauma packs) directly to us.
The first step was to extract my wife. Fighting my nerves, trying to turn me into a chatty-kathy, I stepped back and let them extract her. I figured for them, without emotional attachment, it's something they do more frequently than me. In 60 seconds, she was standing beside me.
What had started as an easy drive on a trail, turning to major physical exertion, stress, and sleeping mountainside (wondering when i'd see my own bed/shower again), had climaxed and now a path toward conclusion (TBD) lay before us.
Initially, we walked down the hill, across a stream, to pavement. There, we had EMS, (4) fire departments, 3 sheriff deputies, a wrecker crew, waiting. Easy 15+ people. After I returned to the Jeep with the owner of the wrecker company and fire fighters, we decided to leave the jeep and return the next day. After 2.5 hrs, I finally took Stitch out of Reverse, put him in Park, and shut down. It wasn't until Stitch lurched going into Park the mirror snapped.
You'll love this: EMS took my wife to town with them, so she was able o start lining up hotel, supplies, rental car, etc. The fire department dropped me off a couple hours later. I was so looking forward to a shower (we'd already been camping, so it'd been days). Only to find out, contractors had broken the town's water main. No water. (around 2:30a, found service had been restored, took shower, yeah!)
The next day, Jim Nelson, owner of Nelson Towing Service, picked me up. A 30 year-old army truck, 1 of 5 Cummings build (prototype program i guess). 54" tires. A beast.
Jim's run his wrecker service about 40 years and had the county contract with the State Police for such recoveries. At 76 years old, he was climbing the mountainside, rigging cables, driving the beast. I hope i'm doing so well...
He sized it up, said what we'd be doing, (yes, a we, I was acting assistant) and in 5 minutes (once everything was set up), Stitch was back on 'flat' ground again.
It's been a long story, stretching 3 days, so I'll pull to a close. Limping down the mountain, -5- miles of trail back to the start, we were met by a USFS officer. She quietly asked my story. Did my best not to embellish. For one, I was exhausted, emotionally as well now. And, at the end of the day, I wasn't where I should be. Expect a fine. How much, TBD. She and her partner were taking their side-by-side up the trail to see how much damage we'd done. Paraphrasing, she suggested it may be low-end if we hadn't ripped stuff up (she noted minimal mud on Stitch--not ripping mud holes for instance) and no major foliage had been destroyed (i.e. cutting down 10"+ trees).
So, the costs? $2,300 tow, estimating $2,500 for emergency service reimbursements and $2,000 for USFS fine (some 'experienced' individuals were guessing $5K).
In the end:
My wife and I appreciate how 'close' we had come to a very different outcome. We were happy we'd done the best we could, including safety gear such as the InReach. We're good partners at this. And, we need to be more risk-adverse. After doing this for several years, we'd had some 'close calls,' yet nothing like this. Speaking for myself, I think overconfidence is something I'll be guarding against going forward.
We've another major trip yet this season, which I'll share then. We remain undaunted, but wiser and grateful to Him as well. I now also carry a spare front brake line, bottle of brake fluid (along with the needle nose vise grips I already had). Looking forward to clear trails for a while
.Finally, aside from the broken mirror (which did not touch the body), this is the only damage:
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