Christmas Tree Cutting Patrol Day 5, Saturday, December 14th

[LCPilot]

Meet at the Divide Philips 66 at 7:45 am. Leave at 8:15 and go to the Rule Ridge parking lot at 8:30. That is where we air down and get a briefing on the latest conditions, areas to patrol, maps etc.

Remember to bring a GMRS radio (we use channel 5-0), recovery gear, winter clothes, tire chains, coffee and lunch.

We do a debrief at 3:00 pm back at Rule Ridge, air up and go home.

Please reply to this thread if you plan on going on this day.

Here is the link for Tree permits. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1215755
Attached is a PDF of the Tree cutting area and the FS roads that we patrol

 

[Goslow]

I plan to be there.

 

[Mulesknner Jeep]

I am going to be able to make it this year!

 

[LCPilot]

I'll be there

 

[Goslow]

I’ll be there.

 

[TK470]

I'll be there.

 

[COS80]

I'm planning to attend this one.

 

[Goslow]

Jake, the USFS Ranger who supervises our activities on the Saturday patrols, has invited us to his family’s annual cookout this Saturday the 14th. We’ve attended in prior years during our Christmas tree patrolling and it’s a lot of fun. Here is the text that he sent to me with details.

“Hey Vic, you all are definitely invited. We will be having lunch roughly at 1200 at the end he of the Hayman Burn scare on north 357. We will have chili, and hot dogs. I would say bring some deserts or more hotdogs/brats. Don’t worry about bring much, as usual we will have too much food to eat. Looking forward to seeing everyone then, I know Rick will enjoy seeing everyone too!”

I will bring a package of brats and it would be good if someone else brought some brats or hotdogs. Just bring what you would like to bring. And if it’s inconvenient for anyone to bring something, join us anyway as I’m sure there will be more than enough food.

 

[COS80]

I'll bring cookie/candies.

 

[TK470]

I’ll bring some brats too.

 

[jsk]

I’ll make it.

 

[COS80]

We had a great turnout - 7 rigs! LCPilot, Goslow, TK470, wonderlc, and myself, from the club, and guests Mulesknner Jeep and JSK. We split into three teams, with TK470 and myself making one team, and we went down 364 (I think) to the icy water crossing. After a brief discussion and planning, and based on watching @Jasonazx, in his 80, and three other Toyotas cross successfully last weekend, we decided to go for it. I made it just past all four wheels on the ice, when all four fell through, and that was it. There is NO traction in that bog! TK470 tried to pull me out with a kinetic rope, but it was futile. I'll let my saviors continue the tale from there.

I have two codes, both related to O2 sensors, so I think they were fouled by the gallons of scuzzy water that got in the exhaust; I lost the bead on the RR tire (and twisted it into an unrecognizable mess), which needs to be remounted; it was idling like crap when I got home yesterday (but better today); and I bent my exhaust (the horrible screeching was the driveshaft contacting the muffler). EDIT: After seeing the pictures below, also found that the carpet's completely drenched on the PS, so I've just now pulled it up, shoved boards under, and turned fans on it for the second weekend in a row.

 

[LCPilot]

We had a large crew today. 7 vehicles and 8 volunteers. We broke ineto 3 groups. I went into the west end of the area. We went on roads 355, 363B, 362 and 364. When we got to the intersection of 364 and 363 we found this guy stranded in the water crossing. We rallied the troops together and used traction boards, 2 winches and extra trucks to act as anchors. During the evolution I got my truck around the side and was lifting on the back bumper as well as backward. I got wedged in between a bunch of willows a fence post and a stump. I needed to be winched out as well. The rest of the day was pent going to the Ellsworth annual picnic and then back to the debrief.

 

[TK470]

Video is posted below.

 

[Goslow]

Here are a couple of winching pictures. There were two double lines to the 80 in the water. Then, we had to winch the rear end of the other 80 toward me to get it off the berm. The guys went fishing to try and snag a sunken traction board.

 

[COS80]

Looks like my tire is still good - it was remounted and balanced today. Need to drive on it to be sure.

Carpet's still drying
Muffler's off the driveshaft
O2 sensors are probably smoked.

 

[TK470]

Here's a long compilation of clips from the recovery this last weekend.

 

[Goslow]

Yay for snorkels!

 

[LCPilot]

Great video. Thanks for making it and posting it.

 

[COS80]

Frying Pan, meet Fire...

Twisted off the first stud I tried, so now I need an exhaust shop.