Events/Trails Jemez Mountains Clean Up, Nov 2nd

[lurch]

I’ve got this donut I found in the road...it’s a 5lug and I think all of the vehicles pictured are 5 lug so a chance it might work. I’d guess it might fit the Mazda...

 

[Tank5]

Tonight I went out and confirmed the tire size and GPS coordinates for each vehicle. I will address each vehicle and location in a separate post below. The plan is still to do removal of what we can on the 2nd after the Cowboy Breakfast. I will not be able to camp but I may drive out hang out for a little while Friday night. I would like to propose we meet at my place where trailers and vehicles not used in the removal can be left. I propose we try to meet at my place by 11:00, conduct a briefing, divide our resources, and assign tasks then try to head out to the vehicles by 12:00. My address is 790 Sulphur Creek Rd, Jemez Springs 87025.

I did not hear back from the Jemez DR today but expect I will tomorrow to confirm we will have access to their bone yard to drop off the vehicles. If for some reason we cannot get this access we may not be able to move forward for the planned date. I will have an answer tomorrow by 5:00.

Please bring any recovery equipment you have and are willing to use, winches, winch ropes, cables, straps, shackles, snatch blocks, Jacks, tire tools, etc... Please bring any safety equipment you have, gloves, safety glasses, anything else you use.

I will make my trailer available to move a vehicle but I think we need at least one more to make the operation more efficient. Please let us know if you plan to bring a car trailer.

If anyone is able to get a set of used roller tires from a local tire shop please post up what you have. What ever is left over will go with the junk cars unless someone wants them.

I am sure I have left things out, so please ask questions.

 

[Tank5]

The first vehicle to address is what I consider the easiest one to recover. If the other two don't happen I see no reason that we cannot find a way to get this one out. It is the Ford Explorer located less than a half mile from Highway 4 on Forest Service Rd 4. The GPS Coordinates for this are way off, so I am not listing them. I will get better coordinates tomorrow.

Tire size for the explorer is 235/75r15, I think any 4 tires close this size that will fit on a 15" rim should work for our purposes. If we can get the trailer to this vehicle which I think is possible we might not have to swap the tires to get it out.

Getting a car trailer may be possible but getting it out on the trailer my be difficult at a couple obstacles. I would suggest the team the tackles this vehicle leave a the trailer at the trailhead area and scout the route first. Rock stacking may work to overcome obstacles for the trailer. Depends on the trailer too, I am referencing what I think it will take using my trailer for this.

 

[Tank5]

The second easiest vehicle IMO to recover is the Ford F150. It is located approximately 1.5 miles from where the car trailer can get to. The route into this vehicle is the most fun but as a result has some obstacles that may be difficult to tow a non running vehicle through. I think some rock stacking and winching will be required to get it through some of these spots. We will likely have to pull a few boulders out of the way to accomplish this which we have been given permission to do but the Forest service has asked that we put them back if we can. I believe this can be accomplished but will be a slow 1.5 miles and will include some problem solving.

Coordinates for this vehicle are N 35 degrees 56.200' W106 degrees 38.542 (Datum WGS 84)
FUN REMEMBER!!!

The tire size is 24575r16 and I looked like one tire was still holding air.

The attached picture is the entrance to the spur road that the truck is on. Some of the boulders in the picture may need moved to tow the vehicle out. We can drive around them to get in. Ali, the lake has receded enough that we don't have to drive through water for the recovery. I know that is disappointing for you. Again, I would suggest leaving the car trailer at the trailhead area where the picture shows and drive in to scout the route before starting.

 

[Tank5]

The third vehicle and most complicated is the Mazda cx-9. I is located by road/trail route about 5 miles from highway on Forest Service Rd 4B, which is a spur off of Forest Service Rd 4. This vehicle is located approximately 100 down slop od the road and will have to be dragged over some larger rocks and obstacles to bring it back up to the spur road. The spur road is very narrow and will make extraction difficult. There is a shorter cross country route to consider, that will require driving of road through the forest to get the vehicle back to FR4, This would save approximately 1.5 miles. We would still have to tow this vehicle another 2.5ish miles to get it to a spot it could be trailered the rest of the way out.

Tire size is 245/60r18

The spur road this vehicle is locate off is narrow and I would advise everyone drive into it to scout the vehicle. I would propose parking at the provided coordinates and walking a short distance cross country to survey the site and the possible off road route to bring the vehicle out through. Parking spot coordinates N 35 degrees 49.840, W 106 degrees 37.370. (Datum WGS 84)

Vehicle Coordinates N 35 degrees 49.719, W 106 degrees 37.519 (Datum WGS 84)

My personal thought are to leave this vehicle for last, potentially scout it as a group and discuss options and a plan to remove it for another date. Since we will be starting later in the day on Saturday I think we will do good to just get the first two out.

 

[Tank5]

Communications is always a problem. Cell phones where we will be only work sporadically and we should not count on them. I do not have anything in my rig but I am guessing that most of you have a radio in your rig equipped from prior trail events. I need to get one I know. I would suggest bringing what ever you have and we will piece something together the best we can. I will bring my work radio with me in the event of an emergency I will be able to contact local emergency resources quickly.

 

[Mauser]

I am planning on heading up early Saturday morning.

I will look for tires today. I know I wont have wheels, but probably have a couple of 16 inch tires that will hold air long enough. Mounting the tires on the wheels in the field isnt much problem. I will have my tire tools.

I dont have one anymore, but a cable or chain type come-a-long might be useful.

 

[Tank5]

I am planning on heading up early Saturday morning.

I will look for tires today. I know I wont have wheels, but probably have a couple of 16 inch tires that will hold air long enough. Mounting the tires on the wheels in the field isnt much problem. I will have my tire tools.

I dont have one anymore, but a cable or chain type come-a-long might be useful.

If there are others not attending the Cowboy Breakfast that plan to come up early. We could consider removing the Explorer, early. Then we would have more hands available for the second vehicle. Let me know if you are planning to come up early, I don't think we need a lot to tackle the Explorer.

 

[alia176]

Good work Dennis, thanks!

 

[Tank5]

Update, I spoke to the Jemez DR and I confirmed we will have access to the Forest Service Bone yard all day. We will be dropping the vehicles off in that yard. We are good to move forward with the project as scheduled.

Bring warm clothing and any portable lighting you may have in the event we carry into the night.

 

[Tank5]

Just to help with planning I will post up what I equipment I have to support the clean up. If you know what your are bringing to support this please post up. It may give us an idea of what we will have available and maybe help others identify equipment to bring. @Mauser already has, thank you.

I will have,
My 80 with a winch
Car trailer with a winch
Two hilift jacks
Tier Pliers and a couple tire tools
Hand tools
Could take a floor jack if needed
2 snatch blocks and several straps
4-5 shackles

I will check to see if I can find tires for the explorer or f150 in town today.

 

[Tank5]

I did not find any tires.
I think the 16" tires for the f150 are the most important and give us the greatest margin of success for that vehicle. If anyone is looking for tires look for those.

 

[Mauser]

I have 3 tires for the f150 that I am pretty sure hold air.

 

[Tank5]

I am planning on heading up early Saturday morning.

I will look for tires today. I know I wont have wheels, but probably have a couple of 16 inch tires that will hold air long enough. Mounting the tires on the wheels in the field isnt much problem. I will have my tire tools.

I dont have one anymore, but a cable or chain type come-a-long might be useful.

Are you headed up to the breakfast early Saturday or to get started on the clean up early?

 

[Mauser]

Are you headed up to the breakfast early Saturday or to get started on the clean up early?

Was planning on breakfast, but if there is enough interest in getting started early I am up for it.

 

[Tank5]

I have not had any early start interest, so I would say go enjoy the breakfast.

 

[pappy]

Just to help with planning I will post up what I equipment I have to support the clean up.

9K winch
Jerk strap (2 if I can find it)
Tree strap
Snatch block
Shackles
Tow chain

 

[Mauser]

I have not had any early start interest, so I would say go enjoy the breakfast.

I may be wrong, but it looks like you are a little over an hour from where breakfast is happening. I am thinking of skipping breakfast and just heading straight to your place if you want to get started early or need help getting things ready.

 

[Tank5]

I may be wrong, but it looks like you are a little over an hour from where breakfast is happening. I am thinking of skipping breakfast and just heading straight to your place if you want to get started early or need help getting things ready.

That sounds about right. I am about an hour from the breakfast.

Sure if you want to come up early we can try to recover the Explorer first. Then focus everyone on the F150 when more people arrive. What time do you think you will come up?

 

[pappy]

I plan on going to the breakfast. How do you suggest we meet up?