vezePilot
Well-known member
So I went out on the first serious Offroad Recovery in my Trail Boss: from Boulder 4-1/2 hours out to Garfield Peak near Aspen. Two young fellas went up a little higher than they perhaps should have, and where the road had been supported with timbers and rocks ... it collapsed and put their 4Runner in a precarious spot. The two other volunteers that were supposed to also go out, and with more experience and really capable Jeeps, couldn't get a trailer tow rig arranged.
If we had two vehicles, we probably could have had one winch from up above and from the side, while another pulled the Toyota backwards. But we didn't have that, my truck could not get around in front, and the young guys were just so stressed out after nearly two days without rest, they didn't want to risk having the 4Runner get loose and roll over off the mountain. I didn't feel the need for an argument, and I just don't have the experience required. Maybe no one could have done it with just one vehicle.
So they will get with a professional recovery company, from which they already have an estimate for the job: $3,500. It is very difficult to get to where the vehicle is. The road is very rough and up the mountain side it is really steep and treacherous. And it is 9 miles from the nearest pavement. I registered back in March IIRC as a volunteer for recovery jobs that we don't charge for. This is through the Offroad Portal. There was no one else available within 100 miles. I left today at noon, and just got back at 1:30 AM.
offroadportal.org
We left the Toyota tied to a rock about 200 feet above it, using all of the recovery ropes, straps and shackles that I own. This gave the owner a lot of peace of mind that his vehicle won't slip and descend down the mountain side.
edit: This is an example of what a Trail Boss is great for: the job required two rigs, and just one of ANY sort could probably not have done it.
But the highway capability, speed and efficiency, and then offroad capability, meant that the Trail Boss could get there ... when other rigs could not. I was getting as much as 27 MPG on my way out, and even coming back home on I-70 the TB showed better than 21 MPG. And the Downhill Speed Control was absolutely necessary coming back down that mountain. (Approximate location at Arrow.)
If we had two vehicles, we probably could have had one winch from up above and from the side, while another pulled the Toyota backwards. But we didn't have that, my truck could not get around in front, and the young guys were just so stressed out after nearly two days without rest, they didn't want to risk having the 4Runner get loose and roll over off the mountain. I didn't feel the need for an argument, and I just don't have the experience required. Maybe no one could have done it with just one vehicle.
So they will get with a professional recovery company, from which they already have an estimate for the job: $3,500. It is very difficult to get to where the vehicle is. The road is very rough and up the mountain side it is really steep and treacherous. And it is 9 miles from the nearest pavement. I registered back in March IIRC as a volunteer for recovery jobs that we don't charge for. This is through the Offroad Portal. There was no one else available within 100 miles. I left today at noon, and just got back at 1:30 AM.
Offroad Recovery Portal
If you need help while offroading, visit https://offroadportal.org/recovery to submit a ticket or text us your GPS location at 503-877-5263
offroadportal.org
We left the Toyota tied to a rock about 200 feet above it, using all of the recovery ropes, straps and shackles that I own. This gave the owner a lot of peace of mind that his vehicle won't slip and descend down the mountain side.
edit: This is an example of what a Trail Boss is great for: the job required two rigs, and just one of ANY sort could probably not have done it.
But the highway capability, speed and efficiency, and then offroad capability, meant that the Trail Boss could get there ... when other rigs could not. I was getting as much as 27 MPG on my way out, and even coming back home on I-70 the TB showed better than 21 MPG. And the Downhill Speed Control was absolutely necessary coming back down that mountain. (Approximate location at Arrow.)
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