SLC Peeps - urgent rescue help needed!

Michael Slade

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2004
516
0
SLC, Utah
www.tawayama.com
Ok, ok...so it's a rescue for ME.

I just spent 4 days out in the west desert of Utah, got the truck stuck in the salt mud, had to be rescued by the Search and Rescue and got a ride in a helicopter.

Had to leave the truck...but it's in a very remote location and will be safe for at least a day.

The beast weighs 7500 lbs. and is stuck in some sticky clay/mud/salt crap up to the axles...just a hair below the frame. The diffs are dragging a bit. I'm in a not-so-dry riverbed (the reason I got stuck is that I *thought* it was dry), down a 3-4 foot embankment.

NO winching anchors (ask me about burying a tire 4-5 times only to watch it slowly come unearthed), so this will need to be a multiple vehicle winching recovery. Heavy vehicles preferred. Big winches a necessity.

My plan is to head out early Sunday morning and get the thing unstuck. When we hit pavement we're only going to be about 45 minutes East of Wendover, so I would be definitely up for buying the whole crew lunch/dinner/whatever.

The location...or as close as I'm willing to divulge, is on the north end of the Silver Island Mountains...east of Wendover.

Seriously, this is in the middle of NOWHERE...I can almost guarantee you that this is a location in Utah that you have never been. If you have been here, you understand how tough it is to leave a truck out there.

Well, I have to go back and get the pig, so I'm going to leave on Sunday morning around 9-ish. I'd have people call my cell phone, but I left it in the truck.

Call the house or PM...254-6648. I'll spend the day tomorrow gathering stuff I'll need (I killed both batteries trying to winch myself out...now the truck won't start...plus I killed what little power I had signalling rescuers and overflying aircraft).

Anyway, it's a LONG story, here's a pic.

stuckinmud.jpg


Thanks to anyone who feels like volunteering!
 

sean

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2004
2,114
0
how many times have you been told not to go alone? atleast there is a good group out there to help you out, hopefully they will wake up in time to read this.
 

sean

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2004
2,114
0
lol, i gave chris a call for you. hopefully he will get the message in time.
 

rob mellor

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2006
154
0
43
syracuse UT
I'm not tryin to be a smart ass or anythin. I go out that way alot and I just really don't want to end up in a similar situation.

Has any one tried one of these pull palls, do they work? Would it have helped in this situation?

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/pullpal/

There is a Land cruiser store in Sandy that sells em local and they are open today.

http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/pull_pal.html

I'd love to help but my recovery gear is a DII w/17,500 snatch strap and a rear shackle. I'm still savin for the RTE and a winch, so I don't think it would do much good. I've got a jump box you are more than welcome to.

Maybe fire off an email and see if you can get ahold of any of these guys.

http://www.wasatchrovers.com/contact%20us.html
 

Michael Slade

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2004
516
0
SLC, Utah
www.tawayama.com
Your DII would make a good anchor for another truck if you're still up for it.

I'm counting on the religious visitation habits of one Marc Olivares to this website for him to see that I'm in dire straits.

I told the SAR guys that I could send out one e-mail and have a whole flock of Rover geeks chompin' at the bit to go and use their 'toys'...er...um...'tools'.

If I don't hear from Marc by lunch, I'll give him a call.

I don't think a pull-pall would have worked. This soil is much to loose/clay/wet. The pull-pall would have just been pulled through the muck.

Don't think I haven't already thought of a lot of ways to skin that cat though. 4 days alone in the desert gives you a lot of time to dream up crazy solutions.

rob mellor said:
I'm not tryin to be a smart ass or anythin. I go out that way alot and I just really don't want to end up in a similar situation.

Has any one tried one of these pull palls, do they work? Would it have helped in this situation?

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/pullpal/

There is a Land cruiser store in Sandy that sells em local and they are open today.

http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/pull_pal.html

I'd love to help but my recovery gear is a DII w/17,500 snatch strap and a rear shackle. I'm still savin for the RTE and a winch, so I don't think it would do much good. I've got a jump box you are more than welcome to.

Maybe fire off an email and see if you can get ahold of any of these guys.

http://www.wasatchrovers.com/contact%20us.html
 

rob mellor

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2006
154
0
43
syracuse UT
I'll see what I can do, I'm stuck at work today and might have to come in sunday, I'll call my buddy in centerville. He has a DII w/RTE & WARN and see if he can come.
 

chris snell

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2005
3,020
152
Michael,

I'm trying to call you but the number is busy. I'm more than happy to come out and help but my truck does not have a winch. I'm willing to come out and shovel and do anything else that you need, but again, I have minimal recovery gear for this type of situation.

Have you considered waiting until nightfall to launch the rescue? It's going to be more than a little hot out there and I'd worry about trucks and people overheating.

Please call me ASAP if you still want my help. We're getting ready to head out for a mountaineering trip to Wyoming this morning (taking my Subaru)) but it's not too late for me to abort.

Chris
210.859.3107
 

RBBailey

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2004
6,758
3
Oregon
www.flickr.com
Slade, coming from you... I really hope you have more pictures to show for it!

Thanks, it makes me feel so good knowing that I'm not the only one who goes out alone and gets stuck. Your story is much better than mine.
 

jhmover

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
5,571
3
California
Too bad I'm not there or I'd be out helping and having some fun. Situation sucks. That stuff sucks your truck in. Just a suggestion (you and everyone else has probably thought about it already), but I'd take the following. Just trying to help, not lecture.

1. Plenty of shovels.
2. Tractions mats (or something that will work similar).
3. Tire chains.
4. Several jacks (and 1/2 plywood to put them on so they don't sink).
 

Michael Slade

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2004
516
0
SLC, Utah
www.tawayama.com
jhmover said:
Too bad I'm not there or I'd be out helping and having some fun. Situation sucks. That stuff sucks your truck in. Just a suggestion (you and everyone else has probably thought about it already), but I'd take the following. Just trying to help, not lecture.

1. Plenty of shovels.
2. Tractions mats (or something that will work similar).
3. Tire chains.
4. Several jacks (and 1/2 plywood to put them on so they don't sink).

Good advice. I also like the later start time. I wanted to give myself plenty of daylight to get out there, but the idea of digging in 101 deg. heat isn't pleasant (oh yeah, I know that from experience).

I'll re-check the gear list before going out.

Thanks.
 

az_max

1
Apr 22, 2005
7,463
2
If I was in your area, I'd be glad to help. May I suggest some 4x6 or 4x12 planking to go along with that? multiple uses in recovery.

Good Luck!
 

Michael Slade

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2004
516
0
SLC, Utah
www.tawayama.com
montanablur said:
Good Luck Michael... As Rob said If I were there I'd be out in a heart beat...

Think LRL wants a story about digging in salt-mud-clay for 2 days and abandoning the vehicle? I have lots of good art. :victory:

Thanks for the well wishes! Heading out tomorrow for more...
 

marc olivares

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,535
0
mike, i still think digging from 5am to 10am would be cooler than 5pm to 10 pm. just a thought

i can head out tonight after work and be wating there for you w/ shovel in hand :D

i'll call ya in a little bit
 
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