Going Alone - Single Vehicle Wheeling & Safety

Literally spent about 2 hours out in the hot sun with a great group of guys I didn't know because of this. Watched a Jeeper trying to climb a rock farm, get upset when his built jeep couldn't do something and gunned it twice into a large boulder taller than his tires...but he straddled it and rammed his front axle into it twice...sheared off his steering arm...watched his tires go in two different directions. 2 hours was waiting for his buddies to show up and then trail weld the arm back together to get him back to camp. Good times.

 

That is EXACTLY what I am talking about. I am guessing that will be the last time you ride with them!

 

I wasn't riding with them lol! I was at a 4x4 obstacle course at Hollister hills OHV (camping), happened to stop in some shade to watch some crawlers go over some stuff and then caught sight of this dude. As soon as he start gunning it I was cringing looking at his approach angle, but he did it without a spotter and was to far away for me to even yell.

Morale of the story, if you can't do it the first time, more throttle doesn't always mean you'll do it the second time.

Unless it's mud, then usually more throttle is a win.

 

Re-uploaded images to Imgur because Photobucket wants to commit corporate suicide by pulling every picture anyone ever linked to photobucket that is posted on a forum.

 

What a bunch of overkill....until you need it.
Well planned !
I will be adding some equipment to my Taco shortly.

 

Great post. I was working in Death Valley during the summer when three park visitors died from exposure- an older couple walked out to the dunes one morning from the nearby parking lot and didn't get back to their car in time after sunrise, and a woman lost her son after following her GPS into a wash. It's sad how many people make such silly mistakes and pay such a price for their mistakes. The article mentioned SPOT devices- pretty good, but unless they are set to tracking they are not much use if one is rendered unconscious. Best to leave a good flight plan or trip updates with a relative or someone close.

 

where did you get that Med kit?

 

That bag was a squad level CLS bag made by North American Rescue.

 

just came across this..great share

i've done many solo trips in the CO, UT, NM, AZ backcountry and it can be nerve racking every time. knowing you have the right gear, navigation, food/water and supplies will ease your mind and keeping a focused mind is crucial in pushing through.

 

I made up my own IFAK for half the cost of the commercial ones- consider that if you have time, not so much money. Also get a good compass- great for walking back to truck if you can’t see it (at night or in a dust storm) and you forgot to tag where the truck is on your gps (done that in the desert before when we were walking several miles across a dry lakebed and a sudden dust storm hit on our return walk and covered the sun and everything else as we were trying to walk a visual bearing back to the truck- just before the dust hit, I took a compass bearing on the truck and we were dead on when we got back to it - lucky too, as the air quality was so bad we couldn’t see the truck anymore for a long time). I also carry topo maps- yup the paper ones, because GPS lie sometime and can also die.

 

Great thread!

I don't go "wheeling" per se, but I do a lot of solo hunting & fly-fishing trips in remote parts of northern Maine.

Common sense and knowing your own and your trucks/gear limitations goes a long way towards being safe. Having proper safety & recovery gear for the planned trip is good insurance in the event something goes wrong.

Here's the gear I carry in a box/tote that fits up against my cab. Also carry a 2nd full size spare.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...r-traction-boards.480102/page-3#post-16626438

Always tell someone where you're going and when you plan to be home.

 

Awesome thread, especially for us beginners. Thank you.

 

Real well documented I learned a lot thank you

 

2x.. opened my eyes up.. thank you for the info

 

Thanks for trying.

 

Thanks for trying what?

 

That's weird, I typed that into another thread and it showed up here.

 

Voodoo magic!

 

Awesome thread, sub'd