My Second Experience

At 3000 feet I nearly got stuck in snow on a two-track with a sheer cliff drop-off just to the right of my Jeep. Was I scared? Did my heart start racing, and adrenaline start pumping? Yes. Was I able to keep my wits about me? Just barely, and that was only because my wife was with me, and she was able to calm me. If it wasn’t for her I don’t know how easily I would have been able to calm down. I don’t know if I would have slammed on the pedal without thinking, and potentially making things worth, or what, but thankfully Meghan was there, and she was able to talk calmly through the experience.

Thinking about it now, maybe it wasn’t as intense or crazy as it seemed at the moment. Maybe we weren’t that close to the edge, and maybe the Jeep didn’t travel that far to the edge as it slid around trying to find grip on the snow. One thing is for sure, though, I didn’t want to find out the hard way if we were as close to the edge as I was thinking we were.

So why did I push through the snow instead of turning around? Mostly because I was foolish. Since this was months after we bought the Jeep I was still learning how to shift well, and when to shift gears. I also didn’t have any recovery gear or any real gear to get us back down the mountain if we had to walk. All we had was water, some snacks, our cell phones, and my newly acquired Magellan TRX 7 GPS. We were certainly not prepared for a stuck situation, or the potential need to walk back down the mountain if we had too. So, maybe this will help you understand a little why I was getting so scared, and mad at myself, as we almost got stuck up in the mountain with no cell signal, no recovery gear, and nothing more than a few snacks, and water. At least I made sure to have plenty of water for us, having lived in the desert for over 15 years makes having plenty of water almost second nature for me now.

What could I have done differently, other than turn back around? I could have stopped, got out and accessed the situation. We could have walked on the snow to get a feel for how soft/hard it was, and for how deep it was. We could have used that information to pick a better line on the snow, or we could have decided to turn back if it didn’t look like an easy thing. I could have had Kaitlyn and Meghan out of the car while I went over the snow, or at least have Kaitlyn out, so that Meghan could stay in the car to calm me if things got too intense. All I really did was stop for a little bit before deciding to push through. I picked the wrong line, and decided to switch gears at the worst time causing the Jeep to lose momentum, and settle into the snow. Right at that moment is when my fear set in, and my adrenaline started pumping. I was also really mad at myself for not having any gear with us, and for not turning back, of course.

As we got stuck, I tried hitting the gas, but the wheels just spun and the car started sliding toward the edge. So I was at a loss, do I keep trying this back and forth, while inching closer to the edge? Or do I slam on the gas, and hope the wheels catch, and the Jeep doesn’t keep sliding right toward the cliff? Well, as we sat there Meghan started talking about things we could do. We could get out and gather sticks, rocks, or whichever thing may provide traction and try again, or back up if we could. While we sat on the snow I was going through worst case scenarios, deciding what would be the best option. I decided that before we got out to gather branches I would give it another good try, so I put the Jeep in 4 low, and decided to give it a go before calling it quits.

Another thing I didn’t mention is the tire air pressure was at full 40 PSI. I had yet to learn about the concept of airing down to get better traction while out on the trails. All I knew, and that’s more like, barely knew, was I could put the Jeep in 4 low to get more torque. So I put the Jeep in 4 low, and on 1st gear started going without stopping my gas application. The Jeep started to slide around while the wheels turned and fought for any grip when they finally caught on, and slowly started moving the Jeep forward. My relief was met with pure adrenaline rush and happiness. Still, though, the Jeep was too close to the edge, and it was still sliding around too much for my liking, but I kept pushing forward without slowing down. When we finally passed the snow I stopped the Jeep and took a deep breath, and let out all the tension that had built up.

Crisis averted and with a big lesson learned we pushed forward only to find another patch of snow a few turns farther up the trail. What better way to put into practice the very things I had just learned, right?! Well, I was not happy to see that snow, but was certainly not turning back around to very spot I almost got stuck at. Having snow behind me, and in front of me, only left me with one choice, so this time we got out and walked around the snow to better assess the situation.

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After talking about how to approach the second patch of snow it was easier and much less stressful, so having that experience just prior was already proving to be beneficial. After that second patch, we encountered 2 more before finally being free of them. Sadly, I had to learn the hard way how to handle snow, but most of the time learning from direct experience is the best way to learn. I could read all the books, and watch all the videos about overlanding, and trail driving, but until I go there, and do it myself, I will never really know how to handle each situation. Granted, reading and watching increases my chances to successfully tackle different situation with more confidence, and less stress, which improves the experience for all of us. So I definitely recommend reading, and watching videos about overlanding, trail driving, and recovery methods before heading out.

Afterward the road was much more pleasant, and we got some pretty nice views of the valley. We found a little waterfall and took the time to enjoy the scenery. Overall it was a good experience with a major learning curve in the middle. This one ride, though, certainly focused my recovery gear acquisition, and kicked up my intake of off-road information, because preparing with good information, and good gear makes for a much smoother time out on the trail, and that’s what we all want.