Joe and Laura are my uncle and aunt. Not surprising to see them in a video like this considering I always hear stories of them helping so many people out of the snow. Glad they could help you out
This is one of those times where if you didn’t have an on film, you sit around the campfire, talking about it in that snow drift when I got bigger and bigger each time the story was re-told. It’s great that you can all sit and laugh joke about it and just enjoy the adventure.
when you're winching on a larger vehicles, your winch vehicle needs to be anchored to a tree or something. The weight difference from the two trucks versus the van are a considerable difference. This is where extra straps come into play so you can anchor.
I was really only interested in winching that big van out if it was going to dislodge easily. I would be worried anchored off to a tree that I'd potentially exceed the capacity of my setup and damage something...I have a 10,000 lb winch - largely adequate for my 5,000 lb truck - but that's an 8,000+ lb van buried to the frame...I wasn't gonna insist. 😄 I do also carry a kinetic rope which may have done the trick here, but either approach, the best thing would have been to dig him out somewhat first. We just tried the winch right away in case it would come free easily without digging, and then Joe showed up before we got any further with doing some proper shovel work. 🙂
@@softroadingthewest in theory that setup with a snatch block on the van and an anchor off a tree back towards your truck would cut the load on your winch in half. Haven’t tried it yet, but on paper it maths out!
The usual selling point of 4WD is that it often allows you to get well beyond help before getting stuck. But not always. Once in an old Bronco up at Ft. Hood I tried to cross one creek too many without a proper boat, got water down my intake, and broke a piston. And dang if Bubba didn't show up out of nowhere two hours later with a long tow rope and a big grin. This was back before cell phones replaced prayer.
Not gonna lie, I was thoroughly impressed by what I saw it do and also by the ride when I was inside. The only "modification" from stock was the Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires (which I also run).
In a case like this, you can secure the vehicle with a winch to a nearby tree, so it won’t move. If there’s not a nearby tree you can also secure it to your spare tire buried in the snow or the dirt. It takes a while, but you have a better chance of success. It’s all part of the adventure.
Honestly I was really only interested in winching that big van out if it was going to dislodge easily. I would be worried anchored off to a tree that I'd potentially exceed the capacity of my setup and damage something...I have a 10,000 lb winch - largely adequate for my 5,000 lb truck - but that's an 8,000+ lb van buried to the frame...I wasn't gonna insist. 😄 I do also carry a kinetic rope which may have done the trick here, but either approach, the best thing would have been to dig him out somewhat first. We just tried the winch right away in case it would come free easily without digging, and then Joe showed up before we got any further with doing some proper shovel work. 🙂
Some options that might have helped recover the van if the Gladiator had not show up would be to turn your maxtrax sideways in front of your front tires. Once you load your truck they will act as a wheel chalk. Another option would be to have your truck in 2wd and purposefully dig your rear tires down by spinning them. Both of these techniques can help increase the pulling ability when the weight is mismatched between vehicles. The simplest option would however be to tie off the back end of your truck to a tree with a recovery strap. Keep up the fun videos! Love seeing you get a bit more adventurous in your explanations.
Finally you have time to get out on a trip! I can just hear the sigh of relief when you crawl into the sleeping bag inside the Topo and relax. Hope you really enjoyed the rest of the trip.
Thanks Bob, and yes, I had an enjoyable solo trek for a few more days, it was great to be out seeing new places and I am just loving camping in the Topo. 🙂
Lockers on the Jeep make that kind of thing easier, also airing down to single digits is extremely helpful. Anchoring to a tree and also using a pully to double your winch's pulling power would help, since your truck is a fair bit lighter than that van.
Spring cement is the worst. I've spent enough time digging, pulling, and cursing cascade spring snow that now I tend to stop. It is never the last patch, and it is always soft enough to sink in.
I couldn't agree more. I hate this stuff. I'm most often out solo, and when I run into this garbage, I generally just turn around and find someplace else to go. I'm a little more game to push it if I know I don't have to deal with a recovery alone...it's miserable by myself, but tolerable as a group project with buddies. :-) "It is never the last patch" - LOL, very well put. :-)
I'm glad you got some friendly help! Looking forward to your new adventures. (For what it's worth, I'm hearing that snow is predicted for the Cascades in the coming days.)
Some pretty nice people in the Jeep there! Those gladiators are capable my buddy has one with 37s and re-geared he has actually pulled a trailer through stuff like this I was with him and blown away that we did not get stuck.
Good morning Donald well done Thank you for sharing glad you met some nice people out there that was willing to help you out recovering the van and to take the time to show the trail too you glad that you had a great time out there take care Brian
I remember getting stuck in a patch on slushy snow in Idaho. It was a patch only slightly bigger than my Land Rover. I couldn't get it out and was miles from anyone or anywhere. I camped for the night, during which time the patch of snow froze and I drove out easily in the morning over the top.
We have driven into places in the Sierras early morning in the springtime with no problems, then in the afternoon driving out it was hell. The difference between cold and warm.
Awesome video Donald! Its crazy to see so much snow in June. Even parts of AZ has seen this. Great find with the nearby lake too!! The drone is a great tool for spotting hidden gems like that too. As for the trail, I probably would have called it and given up sooner then that! LOL!
Spring snow really is the worst! If that gate is where I think it is it will be closed until the end of July for road work. Also was that lake even on the map? With all of the snow we had this year there are a lot of temporary bodies of water right now.
Yes, it was that gate. I had to look after the fact, but that "lake" is on the map (though I imagine it must recede significantly between now and when the wet season returns). It's actually much closer to the road than I realized though I can't see any sort of spur or campsite looking at satellite imagery. Closer scrutiny of my drone footage revealed tire tracks in the lakebed (under the water) which could only have been made by someone driving off-trail. After we got the van through that one bad patch and continued up the trail, we had to have driven right past it and I would think it must be at least partially visible from the trail, but I wasn't looking side to side at that particular moment, heh. :-) See you guys at Expo PNW?
@@softroadingthewest interesting, you've peaked our curiosity about the lake, may add it to the after work exploration list ;). Yes we'll be there on the Saturday for sure. Are you in a booth? We'd love to say hi!
Next time try and distance yourself more from the rig you're trying to pull out. More winch line you have out the stronger the winch is and better anchor your truck to keep from pulling itself.
Another awesome video. I have been enjoying your videos for about a month now. You have also got me hooked on Coyote Works and Jason’s channel. I’m from MT originally but I live in IL now. I love all the the beautiful sites on all of your videos. My new bucket list item now i to come to OR and meet you all. I do have a question for you. When you get into issues in deep snow, like this episode shows, why not throw some chains on? Growing up in NW MT, we used chains a lot. Just curious. I can’t wait to see the rest of this trip. Thanks for the time you spend on these videos.
I don't carry chains. In cold fresh snow in winter, I can travel pretty easily in deep snow with my tires aired down. In spring, I *usually* just turn around when I run into this mucky rotten stuff and find someplace else to go. If I have to start messing with chains, it just stops being fun. And honestly I'm not really a fan of messing around with recoveries either 😆 but this at least is _kinda_ fun with buddies. When I'm solo, I prefer to just steer clear of situations requiring chains or recoveries. 😄
@@softroadingthewest I thought chains were something you put on AFTER "it just stops being fun". That's why I carry them. Just to get me back from oops to where the fun was. But then snow is a pretty exotic item for me in central Texas. You guys have probably learned to be more proactive.
I made it, building off a professionally-made winch mount (so the important bits have been well welded 😆). I have a video about it: ua-cam.com/video/Jhz5U-krXWA/v-deo.html
Not bad yet here at this elevation. There was a lot of standing water but still very cold (it dropped below freezing that night). I'm sure all hell will break loose up there in July. 😆 A couple of days after this, I was exploring and camping at lower elevation in a different national forest, and I got absolutely annihilated by hordes of ravenous mosquitoes - came home with a significant collection of bites. 😏
@@softroadingthewest Yeah, those forest skeeters are crazy. We just got back from a 6 day trip in the Ochocos. We go every mid-June for the wild flowers in the high meadows. The spectacular abundance of flowers did not disappoint. And best of all, hardly any mosquitoes.
Joe and Laura are my uncle and aunt. Not surprising to see them in a video like this considering I always hear stories of them helping so many people out of the snow. Glad they could help you out
I like the way you never take your ego with you. 👍
This is one of those times where if you didn’t have an on film, you sit around the campfire, talking about it in that snow drift when I got bigger and bigger each time the story was re-told. It’s great that you can all sit and laugh joke about it and just enjoy the adventure.
when you're winching on a larger vehicles, your winch vehicle needs to be anchored to a tree or something. The weight difference from the two trucks versus the van are a considerable difference. This is where extra straps come into play so you can anchor.
I was really only interested in winching that big van out if it was going to dislodge easily. I would be worried anchored off to a tree that I'd potentially exceed the capacity of my setup and damage something...I have a 10,000 lb winch - largely adequate for my 5,000 lb truck - but that's an 8,000+ lb van buried to the frame...I wasn't gonna insist. 😄 I do also carry a kinetic rope which may have done the trick here, but either approach, the best thing would have been to dig him out somewhat first. We just tried the winch right away in case it would come free easily without digging, and then Joe showed up before we got any further with doing some proper shovel work. 🙂
@@softroadingthewest in theory that setup with a snatch block on the van and an anchor off a tree back towards your truck would cut the load on your winch in half. Haven’t tried it yet, but on paper it maths out!
The usual selling point of 4WD is that it often allows you to get well beyond help before getting stuck. But not always. Once in an old Bronco up at Ft. Hood I tried to cross one creek too many without a proper boat, got water down my intake, and broke a piston. And dang if Bubba didn't show up out of nowhere two hours later with a long tow rope and a big grin. This was back before cell phones replaced prayer.
Who would camp in those muddy, slushy conditions. Everything is going to be a mess when you get home.
Good thing Joe and his wife came along! It’s amazing that his Jeep was superior in that slushy snow!
Not gonna lie, I was thoroughly impressed by what I saw it do and also by the ride when I was inside. The only "modification" from stock was the Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires (which I also run).
In a case like this, you can secure the vehicle with a winch to a nearby tree, so it won’t move. If there’s not a nearby tree you can also secure it to your spare tire buried in the snow or the dirt. It takes a while, but you have a better chance of success. It’s all part of the adventure.
Honestly I was really only interested in winching that big van out if it was going to dislodge easily. I would be worried anchored off to a tree that I'd potentially exceed the capacity of my setup and damage something...I have a 10,000 lb winch - largely adequate for my 5,000 lb truck - but that's an 8,000+ lb van buried to the frame...I wasn't gonna insist. 😄 I do also carry a kinetic rope which may have done the trick here, but either approach, the best thing would have been to dig him out somewhat first. We just tried the winch right away in case it would come free easily without digging, and then Joe showed up before we got any further with doing some proper shovel work. 🙂
Again the Jeep says….hold my beer 🍺 I got this.
Can't beat the #maxtrax effectiveness with that heavy Van! That breakfast got me all hungry 🤣 Another great vid there Donald 👍🏻
Some options that might have helped recover the van if the Gladiator had not show up would be to turn your maxtrax sideways in front of your front tires. Once you load your truck they will act as a wheel chalk. Another option would be to have your truck in 2wd and purposefully dig your rear tires down by spinning them. Both of these techniques can help increase the pulling ability when the weight is mismatched between vehicles. The simplest option would however be to tie off the back end of your truck to a tree with a recovery strap. Keep up the fun videos! Love seeing you get a bit more adventurous in your explanations.
Finally you have time to get out on a trip! I can just hear the sigh of relief when you crawl into the sleeping bag inside the Topo and relax. Hope you really enjoyed the rest of the trip.
Thanks Bob, and yes, I had an enjoyable solo trek for a few more days, it was great to be out seeing new places and I am just loving camping in the Topo. 🙂
it's weird how snow sneaks up on you when it's not fully melted.
That white monster has haunted many of my trips. 😆
Lockers on the Jeep make that kind of thing easier, also airing down to single digits is extremely helpful. Anchoring to a tree and also using a pully to double your winch's pulling power would help, since your truck is a fair bit lighter than that van.
Well the lockers had nothing to do with winching it out.
@@flight2k5 But the lockers had everything to do with the Jeep moving in the deep snow. Watch all four wheels spin.
@@todd1hd and the lighter weight 🤣
Great video Donald your voice over is always top notch. I wish I would have been around to join you on that adventure.
Jason
Thanks Jason, yeah would have been fun for sure to have you along. Next time.
Thank The Lord for kind hearted people like them
I always enjoy your adventure! Beautiful camera work, thank you for sharing!
Jeep wave to the Gladiator team!
Great show. I too have been struggling to get into places close by. I'm grateful for the snow but it certainly makes for unexpected adventures
Those frogs sound... intimidating.
I have decades of experience with many types of frogs. Some better than others.
@@softroadingthewest French joke. *slow clap*
@@pala4833 😁
Spring cement is the worst. I've spent enough time digging, pulling, and cursing cascade spring snow that now I tend to stop. It is never the last patch, and it is always soft enough to sink in.
I couldn't agree more. I hate this stuff. I'm most often out solo, and when I run into this garbage, I generally just turn around and find someplace else to go. I'm a little more game to push it if I know I don't have to deal with a recovery alone...it's miserable by myself, but tolerable as a group project with buddies. :-) "It is never the last patch" - LOL, very well put. :-)
Love my Gladiator. Great content. Safe travels
The slow crawl probably works only at certain temps and snow depth and good try with the van.
I'm glad you got some friendly help! Looking forward to your new adventures. (For what it's worth, I'm hearing that snow is predicted for the Cascades in the coming days.)
Oh great. 😆
Great episode! Nice to have another adventure video from you!
You are very lucky to find Laura and Joe, they are amazing angels, I’m telling you cause i know them haha
They absolutely made our day, truly wonderful souls. 🙂
I really like your video and narration style, especially the intro. Very relaxing, no drama, you got yourself a subscriber here!
Another great video. Sometimes plans have to change on the fly like that. Way to adapt
Some pretty nice people in the Jeep there! Those gladiators are capable my buddy has one with 37s and re-geared he has actually pulled a trailer through stuff like this I was with him and blown away that we did not get stuck.
I love your story telling. You are quite soothing to listen too.
Thanks for sharing, Donald! I love that y'all just happened upon a pretty great campsite despite all the obstacles.
Good morning Donald well done Thank you for sharing glad you met some nice people out there that was willing to help you out recovering the van and to take the time to show the trail too you glad that you had a great time out there take care
Brian
Really generous of Joe and his wife.
Such stunning scenery, lov it, good to c how the 4wd community help each other out, camp fires rock, lov your stuff Donald
Good way to end a day, watching a Softroadingthewest video! Thanks for the adventure! George.
I remember getting stuck in a patch on slushy snow in Idaho. It was a patch only slightly bigger than my Land Rover. I couldn't get it out and was miles from anyone or anywhere. I camped for the night, during which time the patch of snow froze and I drove out easily in the morning over the top.
We have driven into places in the Sierras early morning in the springtime with no problems, then in the afternoon driving out it was hell. The difference between cold and warm.
For the weight i believe the old van needs bigger tires mainly wider and lockers front and rear.
The beauty of a Jeep.
Full lockers...
And half the weight of the van lol
Awesome video Donald! Its crazy to see so much snow in June. Even parts of AZ has seen this. Great find with the nearby lake too!! The drone is a great tool for spotting hidden gems like that too.
As for the trail, I probably would have called it and given up sooner then that! LOL!
Had the same thing happened to me a couple years ago. Keep up the good work Donald 😎👍
That spring (summer) slush looks frustrating!
Soo.... when's the Subscriber Camping Rendezvous?
Try not to be converted into a Jeep fanatic. There’s too many of us already!
Haha, well out of my budget but I understand the appeal even more now. :-)
@@softroadingthewest you’re not alone, they want some serious change for a Gladiator!
@@softroadingthewestStick with Frontiers. Get the 3GenPro4X next!
@@WrenchNeck Historically I tend to keep vehicles for around 10 years. We'll see what catches my eye in 2031. 😆
If it’s not too late. Just oblong the holes vertically so you can lower the whole front assembly where it bolts to the cast iron.
Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️
GREAT EPISODE!
Shovel that snow out the way….😂
Yay!
Spring snow really is the worst! If that gate is where I think it is it will be closed until the end of July for road work. Also was that lake even on the map? With all of the snow we had this year there are a lot of temporary bodies of water right now.
Yes, it was that gate. I had to look after the fact, but that "lake" is on the map (though I imagine it must recede significantly between now and when the wet season returns). It's actually much closer to the road than I realized though I can't see any sort of spur or campsite looking at satellite imagery. Closer scrutiny of my drone footage revealed tire tracks in the lakebed (under the water) which could only have been made by someone driving off-trail. After we got the van through that one bad patch and continued up the trail, we had to have driven right past it and I would think it must be at least partially visible from the trail, but I wasn't looking side to side at that particular moment, heh. :-) See you guys at Expo PNW?
@@softroadingthewest interesting, you've peaked our curiosity about the lake, may add it to the after work exploration list ;). Yes we'll be there on the Saturday for sure. Are you in a booth? We'd love to say hi!
@@Western-Wild Yes, I'll have the truck in the ASFIR 4x4 booth, B41.
Next time try and distance yourself more from the rig you're trying to pull out. More winch line you have out the stronger the winch is and better anchor your truck to keep from pulling itself.
Another awesome video. I have been enjoying your videos for about a month now. You have also got me hooked on Coyote Works and Jason’s channel. I’m from MT originally but I live in IL now. I love all the the beautiful sites on all of your videos. My new bucket list item now i to come to OR and meet you all. I do have a question for you. When you get into issues in deep snow, like this episode shows, why not throw some chains on? Growing up in NW MT, we used chains a lot. Just curious. I can’t wait to see the rest of this trip. Thanks for the time you spend on these videos.
I don't carry chains. In cold fresh snow in winter, I can travel pretty easily in deep snow with my tires aired down. In spring, I *usually* just turn around when I run into this mucky rotten stuff and find someplace else to go. If I have to start messing with chains, it just stops being fun. And honestly I'm not really a fan of messing around with recoveries either 😆 but this at least is _kinda_ fun with buddies. When I'm solo, I prefer to just steer clear of situations requiring chains or recoveries. 😄
@@softroadingthewest I thought chains were something you put on AFTER "it just stops being fun". That's why I carry them. Just to get me back from oops to where the fun was. But then snow is a pretty exotic item for me in central Texas. You guys have probably learned to be more proactive.
You should get a bull dozer to take with you. Don't they have small ones you can rack to the back of your truck?😂😂
Haha I wish!
Where did you get your front bumper? Beautiful part of the lower 48!!
I made it, building off a professionally-made winch mount (so the important bits have been well welded 😆). I have a video about it:
ua-cam.com/video/Jhz5U-krXWA/v-deo.html
@@softroadingthewest i figured that. I wonder why they don’t make very much after market anything for the Frontier. I have a 2019 4 x 4.
💯💯💯💪
Something to be said about having a lighter vehicle…
Does the van have differential locks?
I don't think he does, no.
The frontier would of made it up with the gladiator
Is that van IFS 4WD??? Did not look like a solid front axle.
Pretty sure it's IFS, yes
That doesn't look like much fun...just run into more snow..
👍🏼😊👍🏼
There’s nothing like a Jeep! I just wish they had a little more cargo room and better towing capacity.
Thanks for taking us along on the adventure. How were the mosquitoes there? 🦟🦟🦟
Not bad yet here at this elevation. There was a lot of standing water but still very cold (it dropped below freezing that night). I'm sure all hell will break loose up there in July. 😆 A couple of days after this, I was exploring and camping at lower elevation in a different national forest, and I got absolutely annihilated by hordes of ravenous mosquitoes - came home with a significant collection of bites. 😏
@@softroadingthewest Yeah, those forest skeeters are crazy. We just got back from a 6 day trip in the Ochocos. We go every mid-June for the wild flowers in the high meadows. The spectacular abundance of flowers did not disappoint. And best of all, hardly any mosquitoes.