We had taken an off-shoot from Hideaway Rd last week and after about 4 miles ended up in snow and mud, as always. During that adventure we had noticed an off-shoot on the Off-shoot that we had surmised was a snowmobile trail. The other day we went and investigated. The road itself is a little two-track. It's predominately downhill and heading into a valley. We should have thought more carefully about that. After about a mile we crossed over a maintained dirt road that isn't on any maps and lead to private property. Interesting, we thought, where are we? So, like fools we crossed this decent road and continued on down our two-track. After four minutes of cruising we rested at the top of a knoll and surveyed the road. We tried to back out but we were already spinning. So, my brilliant mind says "Let's go down the hill and turn around and then drive our way out." It would have worked, too, if there hadn't been 8 inches of mud at the bottom and a good foot of snow to climb back up through.
The fun had just begun. We had made it about 30 feet before we really got stuck. Out came the hatchet and we laid pine bows under the tires for grip. We used old logs and leaves for traction. Not enough. We had manage to get just above the snow when we hit mud & boulders on a 20% incline. Then it rained.
We had already been there for about 2 hours when it rained. It definitely was working against us. But like good little worker bees we didn't give up and tried for another 2-3 hours to get it out. We tried so hard and for so long because the walk out was going to suck. Eventually the sun was starting to drop in the sky and we decided that we had better start walking out. Every so often I'd check the cell phones and finally up on a ridge we had signal. We let our friends know where we were, what we had been doing and the direction we were walking. Thank goodness for good friends. Nate Hayes attempted to come pick us up but his Hombre wasn't having the dirt road. Tyler Bachand made his attempt and was successful in finding us. We weren't surprised since he's a local. When we told him where we had been all we got was a long laugh.
The next day we had decided to go out in the afternoon to try to get the Jeep free.
Nate said that he'd come out and help. I ended up looking at the forecast and rain was heading our way. We booked it out there armed with 2x6's. We used everything we had. Our towels over the wood, more bows. Nothing was helping. After about an hour and a rain shower, Nate suggested that we back it up down our mud run and onto a dry hill and to just hammer it out. I had actually suggested this the day before but it was too wet. I backed the Jeep up, it gripped and went up like a charm. I was a little nervous about the run, it's not my vehicle but also my seatbelt wouldn't come out to latch.
I hammered on it anyway. I hit the rocks that we had been stuck on and it felt like the Jeep bounced it's way right through. Before I knew it I was unstuck and at the top of the hill. I heard the guys let out a holler and I answered it. Freedom at last and all before 1PM.
It all turned out better than we had anticipated so we headed to Mystic Hills for lunch and beers. Both delicious and a perfect ending to a hellacious adventure.
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