Recovered: Off the road on wheelers crest by Bishop ca.

I believe it is, I just googled pucker factor images and grabbed that one first. Couldn't find a picture of Tacoma upholstery sucked up someone's ass!

 

That looks like the "Motaba Virus" on that movie "Outbreak" with Dustin Hoffman & Cuba Gooding, Jr.

 

Every time I hear the movie “Outbreak” mentioned, all I can think about is how much more I enjoyed “The Stand”.

 

I thought I had seen every single movie from the 90s but apparently I have not. I'd never heard of that movie before so I googled it. Saw the trailer. Have to watch it now!! Is Blockbuster still open?!!

 

So, while we're on the topic, where is the place to research this kind of stuff?

I realize it won't be the same place to check wherever you go, but I feel like there is a list of potentially informative sources to be created here. Off the top of my head, all I can think of is the nearest ranger station, but there's probably more places than that.

 

Okay what you guys have been waiting for. Here are a few pics of the recovery that I have. There was only us three there so the actual recovery was not caught to my knowledge unfortunately.

 

Glad to see this worked out for you OP, and mad respect to the guys that were able to help you out of a tough spot.

 

uTorrent - blu-ray rip at 1080p 5.1 sound

 

The BLM office on West Line st in Bishop - just north of the DMV has good info. The Inyo Forest service in Bishop, main street has dozens of maps and guides for free along with advice, some large maps for cost, Amazon has several guides for eastern sierra and the eastern sierra off road club has plenty of info too. I'll try to post urls...

 

ok good info:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/maps-pubs
goto the
Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) tab
also

Sierra Nevada Byways: 51 of the Sierra Nevada's Best Backcountry Drives (Backcountry Byways)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/089997473...olid=1IC7BP2S8AF9R&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

California Desert Byways: 68 of California's Best Backcountry Drives

https://www.amazon.com/dp/089997413...olid=1IC7BP2S8AF9R&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

$23 Guide to California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails (FunTreks Guidebooks)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/193483807...olid=1IC7BP2S8AF9R&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

still looking for the eastern sierra offroad club, they post an ad in the Sierra Reader when they are doing an outing http://www.thesierrareader.com/ just can't find their web page for some reason.

 

I think @rabidsupra (Tom) did a good job at explaining the recovery. I'm going to take some time to explain why the recovery was performed the way it was.

First, I am no recovery "expert" but I have recovered more then a few rigs. I also have a long background in both rock climbing and construction rigging. I understand systems pretty damn well. I'd like to also thank @Hobbs (Dan) and Tom for not trying to recover with just a single rig. It would have made the recovery exponentially more difficult if the vehicle shifted any further. Which it would have. Great choice guys.

Let's talk about a few things that made this recovery a little more complicated then most. The slope and loose nature of the terrain where the primary factor. The utter lack of anything to anchor off of was another. The single lane track with an even steeper uphill side would also be a factor. So those where the 3 things considered when evaluating the situation and forming a plan.

I know Tom and Dan mentioned a tree as a possible anchor. The tree was a small pine nestled against a small rock in the up slope hill about 75 feet from the stuck rig. It had a total main trunk diameter of less then 2 1/2". I wouldn't trust it to hold body weight as a climbing anchor so there's no way in hell it would ever hold the weight of Tom's truck. All the "boulders" that could have been used as anchor points where also small. To small to hold any real weight given their location on the slope.

With the location of the rig pulling it backwards would have been a horrible choice. That would have caused the whole front end to slide even further down slope. As some really smart dude said: "An object at rest stays at rest. An object in motion stays in motion and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."

That left one viable option. Getting my 97 4Runner past Tom's stuck rig. @tetten (Andy) and I both agreed it was the only way this was even going to have a chance at working. The uphill slope was even steeper then where the rig was stuck so I knew I had some serious calculations to make. I also knew that Andy's and my rigs would have to be the unbalanced force once we managed to rig Tom's truck and attempt to move it.

After looking at the uphill slope I figured I had one shot at this pass. My ass end was going to want to slide downhill. The further I drove the more this would happen. With the slope as steep as it was I couldn't go to far up it or I would put my own rig in jeopardy of rolling. I didn't want to roll and I also didn't want to damage Tom's really nice Taco.

I chose to start the pass with both my lockers off and my dual case in lo/lo. When locked a rig will want to "push" itself down a slope. With an open diff that won't be as much of an issue. Lo/lo would allow me to go as slow and in control as possible. I knew if I could get my B pillar even with the front of Tom's rig I could then turn downhill and avoid any body contact. It almost worked perfectly. At the very last minute my rig slid just enough to cause my drivers rear tire to contact Tom's passenger front. I asked Tom to get in the drivers seat and crank the wheel straight. As he did that I asked Andy to keep an eye on my ass end to make sure it wasn't going to contact Tom's rig. I managed to turn downhill and let my rear drivers tire scrub Tom's front passenger. It was a game of inches and we won. Pucker factor moment for sure. The photo Tom posted above gives you a damn good idea of how close it was.

With my rig safely in front it was time to get the game plan in action. That plan was for me to use a recovery strap to pull Tom slowly back up onto the road. Andy would use his winch line to Toms rear bumper and act as the rear anchor. His job would be to keep Toms ass end close to where it was on the slope. My recovery strap is 30' so I doubled it to put a little less space between me and Tom. Andy got his rig hooked up to Tom's. I asked Andy if he wanted to let out cable as I tugged or if he wanted to drive forward as I tugged. He chose to let out cable on the first attempt and I was fine with that. There's no official playbook for these calls so you try things.

With both rear and front recovery rigs hooked up to the stuck Taco I had Tom turn his wheels hard passenger. I also asked him to keep it in neutral for the first attempt. Wheel spin in this situation in the last thing you want. I locked both my front and rear lockers and kept it in lo/lo. I pulled and pulled as my ass end slid further and further down the slope. It was pretty cool to see all 4 tires turning and me just digging a hole to China. I stopped when I knew I was about to get my ass end to far down slope for me to recover.

I asked Tom to put it in lo and 1st and try and drive out. He did and I still couldn't budge him. Meanwhile, Andy assured me the winch line was slightly loose. Shit. Time for plan 2.

I got unhooked and folded the recovery strap again. That put me 7 1/2' from Tom's rig. Andy also decided he would drive with the taught line instead of trying to real winch line out. We all got back in our rigs and tried the new system.

After a few seconds of nothing Tom's rig moved. Then it kept moving and then it was back on the road. Everyone did their job and it worked. We where all pretty happy.

I want to take a second to address why I chose not to winch. There was a turn around spot less then 100 yards up the hill so that wasn't the issue. A few people mentioned winches and snatch blocks. I've used both many times and they are great. You have to understand how they actually work from a rigging system though. What a snatch block does is provide a 2:1 mechanical advantage. It halves the load on the winch. What it also does is double the load on the anchor. In this case that anchor would have been me. Tom's Taco already weighs more then my rig. He's downhill so that adds even more force to overcome. Simply put, I would have winched myself right to his front bumper without his rig moving at all.

Another thing I want to address is the idea of a winch front and rear. Then using those winches to "pull" him sideways. I'm no expert in a thing called angular force but I do know enough to tell anyone that would never be possible given the rating of the winches, 12k for me 9.5k for Andy, and the weight of the rigs involved. But let's step into a world devoid of science. In this world let's say our rigs and tools can perform this feat. What are the chances we don't blow all 4 of Tom's tires off their rims pulling him "sideways"? I can't give you that answer in our little world devoid of science but not much would be a good place to start.

Finally, I'd like to address the idea of wheeling alone. I always have, and always will, encourage people to do it. Some of my favorite runs where me and my tunes at my own pace inside my own head. With that said I also always have a plan B in case the shit truly hits the fan. That plan B is what I call my go bag. It's got a bivi sack, sleeping bag, extra layers, a backpackers stove and canister, a pot, and enough Top Ramen to live off for a week. It's my essential survival kit in a 15lb pack. Besides that I have years of wheeling behind my belt that help me make calculated decisions. Go with a buddy to have fun. Go alone to find yourself.

Tom made it out down the difficult sections with zero spotting, rock stacking, complaining or BS. That was after he had one of the most frightening recoveries he's ever likely to have. The guy can wheel. I hope he continues to do it and I would be happy to wheel with him any day.

I hope this long winded post helps some of you learn some things. I also hope that none of you ever have to use those things you might have learned. Truth be told though, you wheel long enough and shit is gonna hit the fan eventually.

 

http://www.easternsierra4x4club.com/

 

Well said Matt, great explanation. You guys nailed the recovery. Well done!

 

You guys should have come out. On my way out of town Hobbs gave me a little piece of that. He’s a damn good smoker. It was delicious! Thanks again Hobbs for helping me out in my time of need.

Thanks for the detailed explanation of your thought process @theesotericone. Some of your decisions were not readily apparent to me until you gave the little overview. I think your detailed account will help others in making wiser decisions.

Both Matt and Andy can sure as hell tell you I was at my edge for stress with this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so relieved as Welshmen the truck was back on the road under its own power. All in all, can’t find better guys out there than the ones who stood up from this forum and offered their help.

 

Great recovery by great people. I'm sweating just looking at the pics and reliving having needed a recovery in a very similar situation. Two vehicles needed front and rear, good on Hobbs and OP to not even try it with just Hobbs, could very well have lost one or both trucks. Pretty nice esotericone had the narrow 4Runner to get by on the uphill side.

 

Yeah. I think he just made me decide to not go to long travel in the future. That is one capable 4Runner...

 

@theesotericone @Hobbs

Amazing solid you guys did. From someone who has been in the same situation as the OP but in an F550 with a 200 gallon fuel tank and side boxes full of tools. After wheeling up to the top of a mountain to work on a cell tower I was on my way back down when a section of the trail / road gave way under my truck. $#hit gets real fast.

I was saved by a beast of a 4X4 wrecker somewhere in the White Mountains in NH. Guy called me about 100 yards short of my position to tell me I was SOL and that he wouldn't go any further. Before bailing he asked me WTF I was doing up there anyway. When I told him I was up there for work and not some kid just having fun he kept pushing. I felt like the Calvary had arrived.

Great job!

 

@rabidsupra
Clue us in.
What gear were you in?
Locked or unlocked?
What caused you to veer of the trail?

 

Now that you are free indeed was it a wide berth of the rock to your starboard?