Getting Stuck While Solo. (1 Viewer)

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T

Torch Engineering

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Oct 27, 2015
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I am probably in the same boat as most of you. I would like to go wheeling way more than I get to. My main problem is that its very hard to coordinate with the other wheelers to find a time when we can all go. My wife is really uncomfortable with me going solo, and she has a great point, if I get stuck, I am screwed. I can promise not to be stupid, but even then, it happens. I wheel mostly in the southwest, so mostly sand and rocks. I have a winch but its kinda useless if there are no anchor points.

What do you guys do about this? Do you just go and pray you don't get stuck. I know I could get a set of maxtrax, which are so stinking expensive, but do they really work? Maybe I wasn't doing it right but I had the opportunity to use them once and we had the hardest time getting the tires to grip on them, eventually we had to tug the guy out.

Or do you just not go unless you have a buddy? Is there anything out there that would make you comfortable with going out on your own?
 
When I lived in Del Mar Heights (aka North City West) many years ago, I used to go to the Anza Borrego by myself quite a bit - didn't know any other 'wheelers back then. A simple K5 Blazer on 32s. Any obstacle that appeared iffy, I'd walk it first, get an idea whether I could do it - in both directions. Read a line in case I'd need to turn around further down the trail and come back. Basic attitude was (and still is...) that you can't be too proud to turn around, testosterone be damned.
The other thing that has served me well is the "3:30 - rule": nothing questionable after 3:30pm. Learned that while canoeing, by the way.

With these things in mind, I spent many miles on the trails out there, and brought back a lot of photos. Never felt that I missed out, and thought it better than any day in the office.
 
There is nothing quite so freaky as getting stuck alone. If you go alone, go equipped for getting stuck and try to stay on well traveled trails so someone else might come along in an hour or less.
As a matter of fact, I am staying in Anza Borrego as I am writing this. I have seldom seen this much mud in the desert. Today, it was like 4 inches of mud on top of packed sand, so it was a lot of fun doing donuts in the wash.
 
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@ChaseTruck your 330 rule is brilliant ! @Torch Engineering I wouldn't be as hesitant to wheel by myself in rocks and sand. Its the mud that worries me. Or if you were out a long ways from help on your own. However, unless its in climate weather walking a few miles doesn't really concern me.

I had the wonderful opportunity to breakdown near the top of Wheeler Lake this last September. It was a 3mi hike down to my buddy's truck. I was super thankful to have him with me. Had he not been there I would still have eventually made it out to civilization and figured a way to rescue my truck. Having the extra vehicle and his assistance made it possible to effect repairs that night and get my truck back to camp. It is extremely demoralizing to have to leave your vehicle on a lonely trail 40 miles from your camp.
 
The 3:30 rule- I totally get that as it something that I'm totally aware of and it never put into words. I'll go out alone quite often all be it I'm not in the Southwest. Usually when I get stuck in snow or mud and I thoroughly set out a couple of recovery options before going in. And if all else fails I make sure me to prepare to spend the night or hike out -neither of which I've had to do yet.

I also have to hike ahead on narrow trail to see if there's a place where I can turn around or not. In the snow half the time I get stuck just turning around – ha ha.

That said in my situation i've always just taking things one step at a time. That is to say not having had a lot of off road experience previous to owning this Land Cruiser I just started out with baby steps in terms of getting through the mud and snow etc. I even purposely stuck my truck in spots that I knew I could pull myself out of just to see what would take to get the whole job done. Afterwards I always think about what would've made this easier. Or what would've done if I didn't have this anchor for example.And that way I'm sort of self educating myself. I've been holding off for years but I'm finally about to purchase a highlift as I've had probably five or six incidents in which it would've helped out

So far the most useful tools I've had aside from the winch- which obviously you can't use often- are a trenching shovel, the factory bottle jack, various blocks of wood and some ratchet straps to chain he axles to the frame. I've been surprised it would've been able to get myself out of just with those tools right there. After that it's just some good old huffing and puffing to get back on the trail again.


Pete
 
Thanks guys, this is really helpful. I like that 3:30 rule, that makes total sense. I have heard burying your tire to winch off of. Have you heard of anyone doing that? Seems like a ton of work, but you gotta do what gotta do I guess.
 
Bring enough food/water/shelter to survive for a few days, and something like the delorme inreach. If you get stuck, you can text for help, and you'll be fine til help gets there.
 
I've never tried the tire thing. I tried burying a tree in snow and ended up pulling a bunch of snow around….

Of course it all comes down to the kind of soil that you're dealing with. It would take forever here because it's so rocky. You have to bury the tire vertically and bury the rope going to the tire so it is a straight line from the winch to center of the the tire.

If you're in sand I can see the tire thing working out but have to ask you if you're not just pull yourself into something that soft enough to get stuck in again. It seems like the kind of thing that would work great in the army. But solo?

In that case I think you might want to move your 3:30 rule up to about 1130.


Pete
 
How about a series of long spikes pounded into the ground? Anybody tried that? I remember seeing it some Australian video.

Pete
 
Maxtrax are expensive but effective. Typically they pay for themselves after the first use.
 
Box Rocket said:
Maxtrax are expensive but effective. Typically they pay for themselves after the first use.
Click to expand...

I bet in combination with a hi-lift on the bumper they'd work out well for the OP on sand and wash. Might be worth looking into the tred pro too.

Pete
 
I used to go solo ... no winch either

one time I couldn't go no further ... had to back down a ways till I found a spot just barely enough room to turn around ... it was a 97 point turn lol (strong arm steering ... not hydraulic power steering)

Much better time with the winch... imho it was good to get an oversized winch 12,500 lb that goes slow and upgraded it to bearings and silver contacts for longer winch times

I used to bring a tow strap that would extend the range of my winch if need be and I run dual batteries

Biggest fear wasn't to get stuck... but... to break down... carry spares for all the little stuff and prepare yourself with stuff to fix things
 
I do a lot of solo multiday trips, similar situation as life gets in the way of plans. But I rather go solo than wait. My best advise is train, then train some more. Best investment I have made is going to off-road driving schools, schools sponsored events, and a few recovery classes where you get your hands on problems and fix them under guidance. Then equip your rig with proper tools but no need to over do it. Besides the tools, communication is key too. Investing in HAM can be a game changer in getting help as the range could be huge with repeaters. But a mediocre day solo driving in the mountains beats a day of waiting...

There are lots of videos out there on youtube, but I recommend the DVD Getting Unstuck with Bill Burke in your situation because he has a lot of good "no trees" examples.

Like most of us, you make mistakes and have that fear moment. Then learn from mistakes and upgrade as you get further and further, its an iterative process. For example I now carry one of these Amazon.com: NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter: Automotive to avoid that panic moment of a potential dead battery. Experience.....
 
I go everywhere solo. I also have winches fr and rear. I carry spade, extra wire rope, tarps, snatch blocks, tools the works.
I never rely on help, I don't carry a cell phone or GPS locator. Last time out, I got stuck in the snow at the top of a ridge 1/2
hr before dark. I had forgot my spade, used a tiny 8" cathole shovel. It took me almost 3 hrs to dig out. Ironic, no trees on
a BC mountain road within reach! But I just kept digging, cause no one else is there.
Risk management, the road wasn't dangerous. If I had to walk out, it was 32 kms. About 20 miles. That I was saving for morning
should I have failed in my digging attempt.
Solo is risk management. Comfort level. Generally much lower stupid factor than with a group.
 
We carry spares, but we also carry enough food, water, fire and shelter for all onboard for 5 days plus radios and various signaling devices and radios. Yes we are heavy weight in our 60, but we figure we're ok in most situations, at least for a while.
 
I'm in the same situation and have given it a lot of thought. I have very few friend who have the same desire and vehicles to do the type of trips I want to do, and it's hard to coordinate a time that works for everyone. I have gone out solo or single car and have gotten stuck, and more than once I've "chickened out" and turned back from places because getting stuck or breaking down could have been a major inconvenience or ended badly. I've also cancelled a lot of trips when people backed out at the last minute because the risk was too high. It's a bit more complicated now that I take my 6 year old son with me on a lot of these trips, and being in a 40 year old car doesn't help matters. Walking 10-20 miles out of a difficult situation is no longer an option, and surviving through a couple of freezing nights is a lot more serious than if I was just by myself.

The few things I have come up with are

1. Carry more equipment. Sounds like a cop out, but having more equipment gives you more options. After getting stuck a few times it compelled me into getting a winch and some other recovery equipment that I probably would never have spent the money on. I would get some Maxtrax if I had the room, but not much space in an FJ40 to carry them. I've added auxiliary 22 gal gas tanks, one of those lithium jump starters, and am looking into adding dual batteries. So I probably carry a lot more emergency equipment than necessary, but if it prevents a 20 mile walk or an unexpected night out, or if it just make being stuck for that night more comfortable, it's worth it to me.

2. Get a SPOT messenger or satellite phone. I keep thinking about it but right now I can't justify the cost vs the amount of time I need it. But if I was going out solo often I think a rescue beacon would be very high on my priority list. I think REI and some other places will rent them for the weekend.

3. Join a outdoor/4x4 club - Haven't really looked into it because I'm not comfortable camping with strangers, especially if it's with my kid(s). But I always see people of forums planning trips that I'd like to join.

4. Limit myself to local, easy trips. I've cancelled many trips to death valley when I couldn't find other people to go with and didn't feel comfortable heading out solo. Instead I head for more populated areas like J-tree or Anza borrego, that I'm more familiar with and there's a lot more people. And even then I still don't explore too far off the beaten path. Not the greatest solution, but better than staying at home.
 
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I compiled a list of things you should have, and found the best insurance is a winch and recovery boards. Shovels, shower curtain, ropes, radio, lots of booze.
 
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