A little explanation.
When the snow falls, It has to be a rule somewhere that you just have to be an opportunist and get out there in it. Work called Friday morning and said there was nothing going on and no one showed up, so.... Snow Run on!!!
Rodney, Justin and I got moving after dinner, somewhere around 6:30 and the snow was still falling. Three second gen 4runners. We tried to talk Chuck into going, but he said he had other things going on. (or maybe he just knew better) Once up on Rampart, we aired down and talked about where to go, snow still coming down in buckets. We were going to hit th 312 / 314 loop, a nice short run, but there was a set of tracks heading out before us that was just too inviting. We have found so many people out there that get over their heads stuck that you just have to go see what's up... After all, we live for pulling people out. The snow was still falling.
We headed out after the tracks and found a guy crazier than us camping out past 324, and turned around at his camp. The decision then was lets go down the 323 / 324 loop, it's pretty and the snow gets deep out there, snow still falling. We headed down 323, because we figured it was down hill, and would be easier to get out 324...
Someone (me) forgot about the giant uphill section on the back side of 324, that just happens to be in the shade all the time. Everything was great heading out 323, about 2 feet of fresh snow, still coming down, big pines, picturesque. THEN we headed down into the valley. Ought oh. After coming down the slopes, it was over the headlights.... Bad. Still snowing.
It was about 9:00 at this point, and the decision was that there was just about no way we were getting out back up the 323 hill, still forgetting how bad 324 is. All three of us were stuck, I had to put on my chains and could move. I knew we were in trouble, but at this point, it was still and adventure. Breaking trail, you had to go 5 MPH or the snow broke over the hood and you couldn't see.
While I was plowing ahead about 1/2 mile up, the other two got themselves loose and headed up behind me. The snow was getting worse, and still coming down. I was heading up the hill section, Having to turn around the pull the others out once. I now remembered the hill was there, Creeping, first gear low, 2000 RPM, Inch at a time, for at least 30 minutes. The engine was starting to load up and backfire, so I had to shut it down for a while, listening to the other two on the radio was funny at the time. I got to what I thought was the top, took off my chains and bagged them up and started walking down to put them on Justin's truck, but I heard a screaming 3.slow and here come the headlights! I had to jump in the snowbank to keep from getting run over. Figured I would drive out from here without chains, wrong. Stuck, winch, stuck, pull out Justin, stuck. The snow was at my window on the banks and I had to winch to a tree, dig around the tires and put the chains back on.
Midnight, this was no fun anymore. I wanted my bed. Chains kept throwing off, had to dig in the snow to find them. I charged up a hill, got stuck, angry, and flew backwards to get another run at it, and, well, the road dropped off. Slide, Trees! Crack! bummer. Long story I know, We fought with that truck for hours, broke my winch cable. Rodney's winch didn't have the power mine did and stalled. We took his cable off and put it on mine, and wrecked it too, It got bound up in my fairlead. With all that tension, we couldn't get it loose and had to leave the truck.
Driving out the rest of the way was Sketchy at best. No tire chains, no winch. A few miles to go, only good thing is the HT HAM had reception to the repeaters. I figured we would be spending the night, might have to let someone know where we were. We drove with my head out the window using a flashlight while Justin bombed hills, the headlights were covered and useless. 3 in the morning. Unbelievable, but we made it out. backing and charging, 3.0 liters screaming at 5,000 RPM. Got home just past 4AM. Had to get the woodstove going again to dry my clothes to head out in the morning.
Snow run-- fun? Not this time.
Who am I kidding... It'll happen again...
