Mistakes were made...

Let me start this off by saying that I know I screwed up in multiple areas and should've known better especially as a 34 year old who grew up in the country. This is me admitting my offroading sins so that others can learn from my mistakes.

I left in search of some backroad/dirt roads to explore yesterday early in the morning. I decided to head towards the Allegheny National Forest in PA because I'm somewhat familiar with it. I've camped and hiked all over with my girlfriend. Years ago i took a trip out there on supermoto's which turned into a lot more bombing down gravel/dirt roads than tearing up asphalt.

When I finally made it out there I turned off Kinzua Rd (the 'main' road that takes you past the dam) onto Long House Scenic Dr (basically the first 'right' after the dam). I remembered from past trips that it was indeed scenic and would lead towards more of what I was looking for.

The first visible section seemed fine. some patchy ice but nothing that even required 4wd in my mind. After getting about a mile in things began to get worse. Ditch to guard rail ice with roughly a foot of crusty snow on either side. 4wd was definitely engaged at this point and the stress was building.



This is where I made my first terrible mistake.

I convinced myself that the road was this bad because I was shaded in the trees on a north-ish facing side of the hill and that the road would get better.

As I pressed forward it quickly becomes clear that it will not, in fact, get better. I attempted to begin the process of backing out. Due to reverse gear being not the greatest for 'feathering' and me being stressed out things go sideways. Literally. Slid sideways on an off camber section into the ditch at 1/4 mph.

At this point the panic/stress is real. I'm in my daily, by myself, in an area without cell service, and I've just ditched my truck on a cross country ice skating trail. Hopped out and assessed the situation. I decided to try and creep out in 4Lo which actually works. So part of the crisis has been averted.

For some reason I didn't think to try backing out in 4Lo the rest of the way and instead decided to keep pressing forward. Up and down hill, around off camber corners using the snow on the sides of the road to maintain 'traction' and spent more time getting out of the truck to scout ahead and route plan.



This goes on for a total of 11 miles over the corse of 2 hours mumbling under my breath that this was dumb and I am stupid and if I manage to get out of this without damaging my truck or myself it will be a miracle.

I'm finally within sight of Kane-Marshburg Rd on the far end of this icy road of misery when I come across this:



A large deadfall that's blocking the whole roadway. Theres no way to turn around and the thought of going back and doing all 11 miles again is nearly panic attack inducing.

The only good part about all of this is that I've come somewhat prepared. I've got water, food, extra layers, first aid/trauma kits, etc...

So with no other options in my mind I grab my axe and bow saw and start going to work on the tree. After an hour and a half of limbing and chopping (while ice skating). I think I'm to the point that I can break the trunk and drag it off the road by pulling it with my recovery rope/tow strap.



After a couple of tries the trunk breaks and I'm able to pull it off the road enough to pass though.



After a few more minutes of rigging and pushing/pulling the rest of the tree out of the way I'm finally back on clear, dry, ice free asphalt.

From there I head into Kane, PA and get a much needed burger and a tall beer before heading home.

I learned a lot of lessons, was thoroughly impressed with the capability of my truck, and have a whole new appreciation for having the right stuff with you even if you never end up needing it. Not to mention a shopping list of things that I want to have before I attempt anything dumb like this again.

Huge thank you to the things I've picked up from here and other places about offroading and preparedness.

Shout out's to:
Toyota for building a capable truck.
Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires somehow found grip in places that I thought I was screwed in. Fiskars 28" chopping axe was bomb proof.
Agawa gear 24" collapsable bow saw.
Factor 55 ropes, soft shackles, and recovery gear.

 

Nothing beats experience. Thanks for sharing.

 

I grew up in PA so I know what that ice and those hills are like. Beautiful but not fun on days like that.

Having an axe and saw was a great idea. I've had to turn around on a couple trails because of downed trees. Have to get some Factor 55 gear too.

 

A wise man learns from his mistakes.
A genius learns from the mistakes of others.
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That is 1000% true, and there is no need to think about exceptions.

PS. That's one hell of an ice sheet.

 

Good lessons learned. One thing to try that may have helped is airing down. Using the shoulder and snow was a wise choice.

Add some weight to the back with sand bags or traction tubes. You can cut those open and use the sand for traction on ice. Tractor supply and Menards used to carry them, sometimes Lowes.

 

Great write-up! Is it possible that you just wanted an adventure? This sure looks like an adventure.

 

Glad you made it out without crashing. Thats how we all learn.

I did a similar thing a few years back. Only it was raining... and I was 50-60 miles into the backcountry.. Not the smartest thing Ive ever done. Resorted to the unplowed back roads at times because it was the only way to get any sort of traction

 

Good story. That ice sheet looks sketchy. Now youve got a story that justifies ... "fill in the blank" modification of your truck

 

Great read, hope you got that burger and beer

 

I have a Diamondback HD bed cover plus 30-40lbs of gear in the bed, thats been enough weight to keep the rear planted so far this winter. Airing down was on the short list of options along with digging up soil from the side of the road and tossing it on the ice if forward traction was an issue. Surprisingly i never had an issue with making forward progress. I was much more worried about traction during breaking. If the snow wasn't there on the shoulders this whould've been a much different story.

The day before I was telling my girlfriend that I might not go because driving out 3 hours to only get to mess around for a few hours before driving 3 hours home "seemed like too much work" ...fore shadowing much? lol

Bumper/winch has moved a few spots up the priority list along with satellite communication/cell booster and on-board air. Especially if I don't find a group to do dumb sh*t like this with.

That was my only goal after getting off that road. Went into Kane, PA to a little hole-in-the-wall called Texas Hot Lunch/4 Sons that I'd been to before. Nothing gourmet but after an ordeal like that or a 13 mile hike it was one of the best burgers and tall glass of Miller Lite I've had.

 

Dear God I cant even imagine adding rain to the equation. I would have welcomed an unpaved road though. Unfortunately all the other spurs off this route were gated or more sketchy than the one I was on.

 

Weight is always good. I have about 300 lbs between the Rago bedrack and RTT. But I learned a long time ago the value of sand for these scenarios. If, for instance, the only option you had with that tree was to plant yourself on ice, not snow, you may have had a tougher time. With the sand, creep forward a bit, play the sand behind you, back onto it then go. Would also work if you had to winch that tree back. Not intended to tell you what to do, but to add another tool to your tool box.

 

Dang, that's one heck of an ice sheet. When I lived back east the only things that worked on that were studded tires or chains. Glad you made it back to tell the tale.

 

Totally understand I've been there and done that a lot growing up in one of the snowiest area's in Ohio. If I was expecting to encounter anything like i did yesterday my plans/preparation would've been much, MUCH different. Sand/ice melt will most likely get added to my winter adventure kit for next time.

 

I'm a former neighbor to the north. Spent all of my life in MI. When I had my F150, I always had about 200 lbs of tube sand in the back for weight alone. The one time I went to use, I had to break the sand apart on the ice as it was frozen solid. Best laid plans....

 

Well I'm glad that these are the kinds of responses I'm getting vs. the "OMG why would you go out by yourself, you're and idiot" type stuff I was half expecting. I'm coming from a fairly toxic/childish Ford Focus ST community.

It wasn't quite on the level of 'ice cold beer after a long hot hard day of work' but definitely top 5

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with going out on your own, as long as you're prepared for it. Its the people that aren't prepared in the least and venture off alone that get into the worst trouble.

Of course there's always safety in numbers and I don't hold it against anybody that makes it a rule to only go out in groups. I've wheeled alone plenty and always make sure I'm prepared in the event I need to camp out for awhile or hike back to civilization.

in this situation I think the only other thing that would've been good to have is chains, that ice looks like no joke.

 

Wow. Great story.

Very familiar with the area you were at. My childhood years were spent there every summer at Twin Lakes campground. Located between Kane and Wilcox. My dad would take my brother and I camping and we would trout fish Hoffman Run.

I haven't been back in quite a few years, my parents now live in Arizona. I am however very excited as the first camping trip of this year has been planned and we will be going back to Twin Lakes. I will be joined with my parents and get a chance to bring my family and show them where I spent my summers as a kid.