Last Sunday, Horseshoe Lake, northeast of Phoenix. The problem:
The solution

:
That's Jim S. in his pristine LX with a Warn 9k in the front, and Claudia in our LX, serving as anchor for the winch vehicle. I got to run the winching operations...
We were on dry ground, the others were in chocolate pudding. The JK got stuck first trying to get to the water line. The 4-runner had tried to pull him out, and got dug in in the process. The FJC had the same noble motive in trying to rescue the 4-runner, but suffered a similar fate.
This is lake bottom, they drain these lakes every few years, and while there's reeds growing, it doesn't mean it's a good idea to drive on this stuff. The water is the old channel of the Verde River. This is the lowest I've ever seen it; the original boat ramp is at least 30 feet higher...
Anyways, it took a bit (FJC with cable, the others with cable and threaded tow straps...

), but we got them all out...
They offered money, I turned them to Jim whose winch did the trick, and he told them to help the next guy when it's their turn...
Two funny little tidbits...
I get to the JK, the wife of the owner just got splattered with mud while trying to push the vehicle, and I couldn't help it: " Excuse me, m'am, but there are some ladies who are actually paying for mud treatments..."
The same lady later actually told Lorna (Jim's wife): "I can't believe this happened. It's equipped with EVERYTHING..." And the JK indeed did have everything, 35" MTRs, lockers, etc. ...but no winch in the back...
