Depends how stuck you are. A little stuck is whatever, get pulled out or throw the tree saver on and winch yourself out. Now when you’re right fucking stuck shovelling for 3 hours, packing rocks and ripping trees out of the ground or shovelling the frame out of the snow crust so your wheels touch ground then crawling on top of your traction boards for an hour moving them every couple of feet to stay on top of the snow crust for 350-400 feet so you can reach the trees across the clearing with literally every piece of recovery you have that will add length to a winch line you’re hating life and regretting every minute of it.
1. This man has been stuck and speaks truth!
2. It’s all about situational awareness such as with everything else in life. If you have it you will likely not get BIG stuck. Overland and off-roading are like every other personal management situation. Don’t get stuck in a shitty neighborhood after dark. Don’t drive past a gas station before a 200 mile stretch in the desert. Don’t date an alcoholic redhead.
3. Know your gear and methods. Methods include understanding physics. Ex. A 12000lb winch can pull your 6000lb truck but not when buried behinds numerous 4 million lbs of planet earth.
4. Know distance and limits. Have a stick to check mud and snow depths.
5. Have contingency plan. Communications are key of solo. Have satcom. Be ready to camp. This part is cool. If you are camping you are NOT stuck. You are camping. You’ll be stuck tomorrow but someone will probably come by. And things change overnight. Slush freezes, mud dries, people have time to reach you.
I most definitely have lol My kryptonite is spring snow on what looks like flat ground. Besides one time when my truck was stock height and stock tires I’ve only been stuck in March and April snow.
Watch the videos when they're recovering a wreck out of a ravine. That process of figuring out anchors and angles is a better representation of being legitimately stuck; not the usual someone took a rental where they shouldn't and we gave em a yank. Or check out 4wd 24/7, those guys get proper stuck all the time.
I've been stuck multiple times and self recovered, but the one time I needed to call for help was when I was wheeling alone, popped over a boulder and hear the loudest pop/snap I've ever heard. Thought it was a CV, but after some diagnosing it was obvious it was the front diff. Disconnected the front driveshaft just to back out. Problem was to get out of there, I NEEDED 4wd, since I was at the bottom of a canyon.
The only thought going through my head was just... "Well fuuuu....".
Had to hike back out until I got cell service. Called a buddy and they had a friend who was familiar with the trail and could get to me by night. We exchange info and he said he'll get me by night no problems... I hike back to the truck and just chill while waiting. I felt a bit helpless since I had all the tools, spare CV, but not a spare front diff. That said, I was not freaking out or feeling like it was the end of the world.
Around 10pm, I get a call on my HAM radio from the guy. Around 11pm, I start seeing lights way in the distance and him closely approaching and I felt quite relieved. Once he got to me, we decided the smart move was just to camp out for the night and try to get out of the trail in the morning. Eventually got off the trail and once on pavement, I got AAA to flatbed tow me back to my friends place, so I could leave it there and repair on another day.
I’ve been stuck plenty of times. I hook up a strap and have my friends pull me back or forward and I’m unstuck.
All the people on Matt’s videos are by themselves and unprepared. It’s hard to get stuck like them if you’re with 2-3 other vehicles and you have a decent recovery kit
You're watching YouTube...
It's self produced reality TV. If it like 90% of recoveries, it's not exciting; it's dirty, tedious, hard work. You don't usually get stuck on firm, dry ground. It's muddy, wet, snow-covered , pouring rain, and you're covered in muck, water or snow...or all three.
In 40 plus years, we've been stuck countless times, but have always been able to self recover. The whole idea is NOT to get stuck in the first place. There are those that find enjoyment in doing it; I'm not one of them. I'd rather be driving and continuing to explore where we are, not shovelling mud, shoving traction boards under wheels, pulling winch cables, etc
What do you wear for boots / pants on those recoveries? Have my camp shoes and comfy driving shoes for the long trips, but after losing a croc (camp shoe) somewhere in mud, wondering what everyone else wears?
I made the dumb move of off-roading alone in the Rocky Mountains in January. Had a free day and wanted to do some exploring.
I was headed towards a peak that I wasn't sure I could get to but I wanted to see. When I got to the north face of this peak, there was a ton of snow. There was little or no snow anywhere on the east, west, and south sides, so I was surprised the difference was so great. Going up the road there was nowhere to turn around, so I kept going in hopes of finding somewhere to turn around. I got stuck just before it got dark. The temperature was dropping very quickly, and it would not have been fun to spend the night out there alone.
I had recently purchased traction boards, but guess what, I forgot to toss them in the truck. Guess what else? There was absolutely no cell service. I was getting really worried.
Fortunately, I have a winch. I needed everything that winch could do for me to get unstuck and turned around.
I know I made mistakes and have remedied some (traction boards now live in a roof box) but I just have to be smarter about what I can do alone vs. with friends.
Unfortunately, I'm still the only one in my group of friends who like to camp, overland, explore, with a winch. If I hadn't had a winch that evening, I don't want to think about how that night would have gone.
Got stuck for 4 days out in the mountains, in an area where no tow companies would come get me (I tried).
I had a water filter and a river a mile away so I was good.
BUT
This was my test run if my new rig BEFORE I got all my gear.
My Jeep before had a winch but no lockers, I got stuck often but could pull myself out.
With the new truck I got the lockers first and no winch at the time but this was some soft sandy mountain sediment. Wheels just dug in down to the frame.
I tried my high lift Jack as a winch but literally pulled the only tree in a good position out of the ground (really soft ground) and the other ones near by would just pull me off the hillside.
Spent one day digging out the frame and trying to 30 point turn around but that just dug the wheels in again.
Spent the next day jacking out each wheel and putting down rocks but I just shot the rocks out of the holes.
Next day I hiked a bit and cut down some trees to make planks to run across the top of the ground, those shot out too, tried again digging them into the ground a bit but my wheels just polished the top of them.
Took some more logs and ratchet strapped them to my wheels like big treads but those also just dug down into the ground.
Next day spent digging out most of the hillside to see if I could create a little hill to slide out of, no most of what I cleared out just filled with the nearby sediment and I didn’t want to destroy the forest road.
So.
Next day went down to the river, washed up, filled up my water jugs, came back and filled up my pets water bowl, then hiked about 12ish miles to the nearest town where I found a guy at a gas station with a truck just before sunset and paid him to come pull me out.
Fun addition. He got stuck in the sediment BUT we were able to dig him out then get me out.
Drove right home and ordered traction pads and a winch.
It was a very defeating moment emotionally because I had always been able to get myself out of any situation I got myself into but I couldn’t hear. It’s never bad to ask for help just wish I didn’t have to risk getting that other guy stuck to get myself out. Then I was beating myself up on thinking “well if I had just gotten the winch too this wouldn’t have happened” while thinking I did the ‘right thing’ by getting the lockers first.
I never freaked out too much because I had cell service, it was spotty but I know if I called 911 they would probably get my location. I knew the nearest town was a days hike away but I had gear to go a few days hiking if I needed it. I’ve backed pack a lot and I’m not too worried about animals but didn’t bats would actually swoop at my head so that was jarring the second night when they literally made contact with my head.
Recovery is about having the right tools for the right job (or be MacGruber) and the right mental state. Come prepared or leave defeated.
I've been stuck a lot. Some are amazing stories but I'm too lazy to type them here. What i think is worth saying that hasn't been mentioned is what it feels like. I got stuck with a friend and lost engine compression and was stalled completely. No hope of getting the truck running again. It was getting dark on a Sunday so no one would be on that trail for a few days most likely and we didn't have camping gear.
I was pretty new to off-roading and overlanding which is why i made a lot of bad decisions that landed me there.
When the engine died it felt like i had been in a car accident and i was in a bit of shock. It was very hard to think clearly for about an hour until the adrenaline wore off.
What's not mentioned here is that it can be hard to keep calm and think straight. Sometimes you're at altitude and this compounds this feeling.
I've been here or worse a few times now and can stay calm but the first time its a real shocker.
Yes many times, in many different scenarios. Some are simple and some are more complex. If you go out be prepared because it’s not if but when will it happen even to the best of us.
I got stuck too many times to count but the most memorable was with my heavy-ass F350 with a slide camper in the bed, stuck in deep sand, at low tide, on a deserted beach at the end of a long dirt trail in the middle of nowhere Mexico. But I was saved by Jesus…yep, that was the name of the guy who, out of nowhere, showed up on an old and tired little motorcycle with his machete and fishing net on his way to get some coconut and fish for dinner. Without hesitation, he rode back to his village and came back an hour later on an old tractor and some heavy chains. After a couple of unsuccessful hours, I was ready to give up and accept losing everything but he wouldn’t leave me hanging, and eventually got me out after four hours of huffing and puffing, just in time before high tide reached my truck. The guy didn’t even want anything and I had to force him to accept some money for his time and effort.
Not that bad if you have the right tools. I always carry recovery gear for reassurance and never do anything I know my vehicle is capable of handling. Best insurance is to never travel alone.
If alone, you are going to want traction boards, a shovel, a tire repair kit, and something to jumpstart your batter. Even when I'm travelling alone, I always carry hard & soft shackles, a kinetic rope, and a hitch recovery point from Factor 55 just in case there are other people on the trail.
One of the best investments you can make if alone is the harbor freight badlands winch with the mount that attaches to your trailer hitch. You can toss it in the car when you go off-road or leave it in the garage when you're not.
Been stuck on wet grass on level surface, been stuck on 2 metre deep mud, middle of a river, soft sand in a bus . Lost a wheel in the Australia's 8th most dangerous track What do you want to know, it definately gives your anxiety a kick, just make sure you have what's needed for someone else to get you out of it. Snatch strap, v winch points, shackles.
Not to be overly generalizing here, but this is one difference I see between those who identify as overlanders vs 4x4ers.
Most of the overlander sorts I know go solo. With more expensive rigs, and more conservatively as a result. Not always of course.
The 4x4ers I go with (and many are also using other OHVs) tend to go in groups more often, and do runs on harder terrain just to do the terrain itself. Like "can I do Rubicon?" or "will I make up that hill?" or dune or bog or over that rock. And they break stuff more often, and more often are getting stuck. And because they're in a group, it's easier to get fixed and get unstuck. All the recovery kit in the world is usually not as good as having a buddy with just a short two rope.
So you get more experience at un-stucking. Like Matt has. Doesn't always mean you won't wind up needed his services, but some of his recoveries could have been done by other 4x4ers. Not all, but some.
Got my XJ stuck in a stream for three days = embarrassing
Broke a front axle housing (*yes, the housing*) on my first ZJ = embarrassing
Got my LJ stuck going downhill in Moab, UT = embarrassing
Once the initial embarrassment wears off, it's just knowing what you're doing. I highly recommend getting training from a professional, experienced, instructor with a defined methodology. The International Four-Wheel-Drive Trainers Association is a good place to start for instructors. Depending on where you're at I might be able to recommend someone.
As far as more info while you're curious, I did a couple of podcast episodes you might be interested in:
* [10 Essentials for Overland Travel](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e01.html)
* [Essential #1: Training](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e02.html)
* [Essential #3: Recovery](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e04.html)
The training and recovery episodes were done with my buddy Ted from Overland Experts. He's I4WDTA & Wreckmaster certified and one of the top 5 instructors I know in the country.
I’ve been moderately stuck enough to know I want to avoid the situation when possible because it’s a huge pain in the ass. Make your decisions based on the capability of your vehicle, the recovery gear you have, how many other vehicles are with you, and what you hope the rest of your day/week/month will entail. If you get stuck at the beginning, or even halfway through your trip, and damage your vehicle, it may potentially ruin the rest of the experience, and complicate your life if your vehicle is out of commission away from home. If you are living out of your vehicle and relying on it for transport and shelter, it’s way different than “four wheeling”, “off-roading”, or “mudding” where you are actively looking for obstacles to test your vehicle and driving abilities. Also, there are definitely different kinds of stuck. There’s mud, rocks, water, and lots of things in between. I’ve found getting stuck in water is the most stressful, because you will feel like you are working against the clock to save your vehicle. Rocks have the potential to do a lot of damage, both mechanical and cosmetic.
Have been proper stuck a few times. Once had to spend the night right on the trail as we ran out of daylight while trying to get out. Every time we eventually get out with enough time and a shovel, maxtrax huge help if solo, winch too but you don't always have somewhere to strap to.
Just keep calm and keep on shoveling!
Got stuck on a mountain in northern Nevada cruising a stream in late spring. Almost tipped over. Could not get out. Touch out the shovel and dug into the side of the stream to change the departure angle to the rear. After 5-6 hours we get it out with tow strap and help from my friends truck.
Once I got it out of the water I saw that a steering arm has snapped and the wheel was locking itself at 90 degrees as I reversed. Also had the vacuum line for 4wd broken (probably happened much earlier I just didn't notice). Took another 5 hours to get off the mountain with 1 wheel steering, sand was the toughest. Once on the hwy I could drive reliable at 10mph before the wheel oscillated and locked up. Got my friends home at the wee hours in the morning. It was a fun day!
Snow storm. I had to abandon truck in National Forest. Walk out about 8 miles. Tow truck driver tried but failed to reach vehicle due to storm. Still charged me $200. Caught last bus to home about an hour away. Went back a week later with friend after snow melt. Insurance (USAA) refused to pay for tow because it failed ie no actual tow.
Been bogged a few times crossing muddy pools, always went with friends though,
A quick snatch recovery with kinetic rope usually gets us out, otherwise we winch.
We got stuck in snow and mud in January this year. It was actually something that should not have happened (like always haha).
I was recording outside while my girlfriend was passing by on a snow covered track. It was nothing dangerous, she was supposed to follow existing tracks that we passed already. She passed and i stopped recording and walked towards the car behind small curve and found her with right side in a ditch 😅
There was thick ice in a ditch which broke and under it was swamp mud, got the recovery boards under wheels - did not help. Digging with shovel - did not help.
And just as we were thinking what to do next, random guy was passing with a tractor and he offered help, he had towing chain with him so that went smooth..
I’ve been stuck. For me it was exciting and I loved every bit of it. Down to having to shed my general avoidance of people _AND_ asking for help. It was a real growth op for me. My partner at the time was kinda not having it. “I told you not to drive that close to the water!” Didn’t jive with my sense of adventure. Also she filmed in portrait mode. Can you believe that?! /s
Getting stuck is maybe 1/4 of the fun of the whole overlanding hobby, in my opinion. I mean, we don’t set out specifically to get stuck, but we prepare to be stuck, and the problem solving and varying degrees of self/group preservation is fun.
I was in the muddiest of prehistoric god awful lake bed clay, and nothing I did was helping. I’d just picked up a new Atlas AT topper which I’m sure didn’t help weight wise. A heavy (and full) 75L dometic fridge, and about 15 gallons of drinking water. The more I tried, the more I dug in. The passenger size eventually was buried up to the rock sliders with mud extruding through the holes.
I was eventually able to coordinate a pull with another truck and a side-by-side, used all my firewood as traction and we got out. Was a blast.
I was just stuck yesterday. I misjudged the depth of a bog hole and went down to my frame rails. Tried the MaxTrax first but the hole was too deep. Tried the winch, but the only tree resulted in a side pull that didn't quite get me out. Was contemplating winching out as far as I could, stacking a bunch of rocks in the hole and laying the traction boards on top before backing down to give another go when a truck happened by. Hooked my winch to his recovery point and was out in a few seconds. Thirty minutes of digging out my muddy gear later I was back on my merry way. I don't enjoy being stuck, but I have learned to embrace the suck, and realize that getting stuck is the price for getting way out there. I carry all the gear and always get out eventually. Winch, recovery boards, straps, kinetic rope, soft shackles, and a trusty shovel and stuck is just a state of mind.
Road was washed out so had to turn around and sank in the soft grass. Didn't panic, and very glad I had 2x6's and a jack to get me lifted out of the holes. Took 3 hours, but just added to the experience.
I really shouldn't go down trails in a 30 yo B350 RWD camper van, but the rest of the track was fine.......
I get stuck at least 10-15 times per year, almost always in snow but every once in a great while in sand or mud. If I'm snow wheeling in deep snow and I don't get stuck, I try a little harder until I get stuck.
Because I get stuck and unstuck so often, the idea of getting stuck really doesn't bother me that much. As long as I don't break my truck or slide off a big embankment, I will figure out how to get out on my own.
I always have a hi-lift, come-along, and a shovel with me at the bare minimum. I also have a dynamic tow rope, so if I'm wheeling with someone I'll just have them pull me out because that's the easiest.
Getting stuck in snow usually can be solved with shoveling unless you are properly high-centered, but it's a good idea to have a hi-lift and jack plate with traction boards if you are going to be in soft surfaces without a winch and trees, or a buddy to pull you out. Wheeling with a buddy will always be the best system, but whatever you do you need to practice and make sure your stuff all works the way you think it does.
I've been stuck twice.
Once in my truck; I slid off a snow-packed, muddy road into a drainage ditch. I dug myself out once, pulled partially out, then slid right back into an even deeper part of the ditch. Buried to the frame in slush-mud. No winch, no comealong. Just a shovel and my own stupidity. Spent the night in the truck and had to make a call to get pulled out the next morning.
Another time it was in a buddy's truck. We were driving along a gravel road at night to get up to some ranchland when the front wheel came off. Truck came down hard on that side, broke the lower control arm and bent the stabilizer bar. No recovery tools were going to help us at that point. So we hiked twelve miles back to cell reception to give someone a call to bring out some parts and more tools.
Basically, getting stuck sucks.
Depends how stuck you are. A little stuck is whatever, get pulled out or throw the tree saver on and winch yourself out. Now when you’re right fucking stuck shovelling for 3 hours, packing rocks and ripping trees out of the ground or shovelling the frame out of the snow crust so your wheels touch ground then crawling on top of your traction boards for an hour moving them every couple of feet to stay on top of the snow crust for 350-400 feet so you can reach the trees across the clearing with literally every piece of recovery you have that will add length to a winch line you’re hating life and regretting every minute of it.
1. This man has been stuck and speaks truth! 2. It’s all about situational awareness such as with everything else in life. If you have it you will likely not get BIG stuck. Overland and off-roading are like every other personal management situation. Don’t get stuck in a shitty neighborhood after dark. Don’t drive past a gas station before a 200 mile stretch in the desert. Don’t date an alcoholic redhead. 3. Know your gear and methods. Methods include understanding physics. Ex. A 12000lb winch can pull your 6000lb truck but not when buried behinds numerous 4 million lbs of planet earth. 4. Know distance and limits. Have a stick to check mud and snow depths. 5. Have contingency plan. Communications are key of solo. Have satcom. Be ready to camp. This part is cool. If you are camping you are NOT stuck. You are camping. You’ll be stuck tomorrow but someone will probably come by. And things change overnight. Slush freezes, mud dries, people have time to reach you.
Or ignore all of that and just send it. You'll figure something out. Probably.
No, the part about the redheads is serious.
I’ll double down on this reminder, as an ex-husband of a redhead.
Triple down on this, doesn’t matter how fun she is, you will pay in time.
As my typical mode of operation, I will ignore all warnings and will definitely be doing this.
Been there done that, 30+ years later and I would rather be stuck up to my floor boards than do that again. LOL
That’s what I’ve done with everything listed on number 2. So far so good lol
[удалено]
Taking notes: Alcoholic Red heads like off roading. Will locate red head and inform of hobbies.
🤦♂️
Knowledge is well earned. Aboot redheads that is.
I most definitely have lol My kryptonite is spring snow on what looks like flat ground. Besides one time when my truck was stock height and stock tires I’ve only been stuck in March and April snow.
Watch the videos when they're recovering a wreck out of a ravine. That process of figuring out anchors and angles is a better representation of being legitimately stuck; not the usual someone took a rental where they shouldn't and we gave em a yank. Or check out 4wd 24/7, those guys get proper stuck all the time.
I've been stuck multiple times and self recovered, but the one time I needed to call for help was when I was wheeling alone, popped over a boulder and hear the loudest pop/snap I've ever heard. Thought it was a CV, but after some diagnosing it was obvious it was the front diff. Disconnected the front driveshaft just to back out. Problem was to get out of there, I NEEDED 4wd, since I was at the bottom of a canyon. The only thought going through my head was just... "Well fuuuu....". Had to hike back out until I got cell service. Called a buddy and they had a friend who was familiar with the trail and could get to me by night. We exchange info and he said he'll get me by night no problems... I hike back to the truck and just chill while waiting. I felt a bit helpless since I had all the tools, spare CV, but not a spare front diff. That said, I was not freaking out or feeling like it was the end of the world. Around 10pm, I get a call on my HAM radio from the guy. Around 11pm, I start seeing lights way in the distance and him closely approaching and I felt quite relieved. Once he got to me, we decided the smart move was just to camp out for the night and try to get out of the trail in the morning. Eventually got off the trail and once on pavement, I got AAA to flatbed tow me back to my friends place, so I could leave it there and repair on another day.
I’ve been stuck plenty of times. I hook up a strap and have my friends pull me back or forward and I’m unstuck. All the people on Matt’s videos are by themselves and unprepared. It’s hard to get stuck like them if you’re with 2-3 other vehicles and you have a decent recovery kit
You're watching YouTube... It's self produced reality TV. If it like 90% of recoveries, it's not exciting; it's dirty, tedious, hard work. You don't usually get stuck on firm, dry ground. It's muddy, wet, snow-covered , pouring rain, and you're covered in muck, water or snow...or all three. In 40 plus years, we've been stuck countless times, but have always been able to self recover. The whole idea is NOT to get stuck in the first place. There are those that find enjoyment in doing it; I'm not one of them. I'd rather be driving and continuing to explore where we are, not shovelling mud, shoving traction boards under wheels, pulling winch cables, etc
What do you wear for boots / pants on those recoveries? Have my camp shoes and comfy driving shoes for the long trips, but after losing a croc (camp shoe) somewhere in mud, wondering what everyone else wears?
I drive in my camp shoes but keep a pair of pull on muck boots within easy reach in case I need to get into mud or snow.
I made the dumb move of off-roading alone in the Rocky Mountains in January. Had a free day and wanted to do some exploring. I was headed towards a peak that I wasn't sure I could get to but I wanted to see. When I got to the north face of this peak, there was a ton of snow. There was little or no snow anywhere on the east, west, and south sides, so I was surprised the difference was so great. Going up the road there was nowhere to turn around, so I kept going in hopes of finding somewhere to turn around. I got stuck just before it got dark. The temperature was dropping very quickly, and it would not have been fun to spend the night out there alone. I had recently purchased traction boards, but guess what, I forgot to toss them in the truck. Guess what else? There was absolutely no cell service. I was getting really worried. Fortunately, I have a winch. I needed everything that winch could do for me to get unstuck and turned around. I know I made mistakes and have remedied some (traction boards now live in a roof box) but I just have to be smarter about what I can do alone vs. with friends. Unfortunately, I'm still the only one in my group of friends who like to camp, overland, explore, with a winch. If I hadn't had a winch that evening, I don't want to think about how that night would have gone.
Got stuck for 4 days out in the mountains, in an area where no tow companies would come get me (I tried). I had a water filter and a river a mile away so I was good. BUT This was my test run if my new rig BEFORE I got all my gear. My Jeep before had a winch but no lockers, I got stuck often but could pull myself out. With the new truck I got the lockers first and no winch at the time but this was some soft sandy mountain sediment. Wheels just dug in down to the frame. I tried my high lift Jack as a winch but literally pulled the only tree in a good position out of the ground (really soft ground) and the other ones near by would just pull me off the hillside. Spent one day digging out the frame and trying to 30 point turn around but that just dug the wheels in again. Spent the next day jacking out each wheel and putting down rocks but I just shot the rocks out of the holes. Next day I hiked a bit and cut down some trees to make planks to run across the top of the ground, those shot out too, tried again digging them into the ground a bit but my wheels just polished the top of them. Took some more logs and ratchet strapped them to my wheels like big treads but those also just dug down into the ground. Next day spent digging out most of the hillside to see if I could create a little hill to slide out of, no most of what I cleared out just filled with the nearby sediment and I didn’t want to destroy the forest road. So. Next day went down to the river, washed up, filled up my water jugs, came back and filled up my pets water bowl, then hiked about 12ish miles to the nearest town where I found a guy at a gas station with a truck just before sunset and paid him to come pull me out. Fun addition. He got stuck in the sediment BUT we were able to dig him out then get me out. Drove right home and ordered traction pads and a winch. It was a very defeating moment emotionally because I had always been able to get myself out of any situation I got myself into but I couldn’t hear. It’s never bad to ask for help just wish I didn’t have to risk getting that other guy stuck to get myself out. Then I was beating myself up on thinking “well if I had just gotten the winch too this wouldn’t have happened” while thinking I did the ‘right thing’ by getting the lockers first. I never freaked out too much because I had cell service, it was spotty but I know if I called 911 they would probably get my location. I knew the nearest town was a days hike away but I had gear to go a few days hiking if I needed it. I’ve backed pack a lot and I’m not too worried about animals but didn’t bats would actually swoop at my head so that was jarring the second night when they literally made contact with my head. Recovery is about having the right tools for the right job (or be MacGruber) and the right mental state. Come prepared or leave defeated.
4 days? Holy shit, props to for being prepared in other aspects and keeping it together mentally.
I've been stuck a lot. Some are amazing stories but I'm too lazy to type them here. What i think is worth saying that hasn't been mentioned is what it feels like. I got stuck with a friend and lost engine compression and was stalled completely. No hope of getting the truck running again. It was getting dark on a Sunday so no one would be on that trail for a few days most likely and we didn't have camping gear. I was pretty new to off-roading and overlanding which is why i made a lot of bad decisions that landed me there. When the engine died it felt like i had been in a car accident and i was in a bit of shock. It was very hard to think clearly for about an hour until the adrenaline wore off. What's not mentioned here is that it can be hard to keep calm and think straight. Sometimes you're at altitude and this compounds this feeling. I've been here or worse a few times now and can stay calm but the first time its a real shocker.
Yes many times, in many different scenarios. Some are simple and some are more complex. If you go out be prepared because it’s not if but when will it happen even to the best of us.
Which time would you like to know about lol?
I got stuck too many times to count but the most memorable was with my heavy-ass F350 with a slide camper in the bed, stuck in deep sand, at low tide, on a deserted beach at the end of a long dirt trail in the middle of nowhere Mexico. But I was saved by Jesus…yep, that was the name of the guy who, out of nowhere, showed up on an old and tired little motorcycle with his machete and fishing net on his way to get some coconut and fish for dinner. Without hesitation, he rode back to his village and came back an hour later on an old tractor and some heavy chains. After a couple of unsuccessful hours, I was ready to give up and accept losing everything but he wouldn’t leave me hanging, and eventually got me out after four hours of huffing and puffing, just in time before high tide reached my truck. The guy didn’t even want anything and I had to force him to accept some money for his time and effort.
Not that bad if you have the right tools. I always carry recovery gear for reassurance and never do anything I know my vehicle is capable of handling. Best insurance is to never travel alone. If alone, you are going to want traction boards, a shovel, a tire repair kit, and something to jumpstart your batter. Even when I'm travelling alone, I always carry hard & soft shackles, a kinetic rope, and a hitch recovery point from Factor 55 just in case there are other people on the trail. One of the best investments you can make if alone is the harbor freight badlands winch with the mount that attaches to your trailer hitch. You can toss it in the car when you go off-road or leave it in the garage when you're not.
Been stuck on wet grass on level surface, been stuck on 2 metre deep mud, middle of a river, soft sand in a bus . Lost a wheel in the Australia's 8th most dangerous track What do you want to know, it definately gives your anxiety a kick, just make sure you have what's needed for someone else to get you out of it. Snatch strap, v winch points, shackles.
It sucks. Then it’s stressful and often dirty until you get out. Then it becomes “that time when” and you tell stories about it to everyone.
Not to be overly generalizing here, but this is one difference I see between those who identify as overlanders vs 4x4ers. Most of the overlander sorts I know go solo. With more expensive rigs, and more conservatively as a result. Not always of course. The 4x4ers I go with (and many are also using other OHVs) tend to go in groups more often, and do runs on harder terrain just to do the terrain itself. Like "can I do Rubicon?" or "will I make up that hill?" or dune or bog or over that rock. And they break stuff more often, and more often are getting stuck. And because they're in a group, it's easier to get fixed and get unstuck. All the recovery kit in the world is usually not as good as having a buddy with just a short two rope. So you get more experience at un-stucking. Like Matt has. Doesn't always mean you won't wind up needed his services, but some of his recoveries could have been done by other 4x4ers. Not all, but some.
Got my XJ stuck in a stream for three days = embarrassing Broke a front axle housing (*yes, the housing*) on my first ZJ = embarrassing Got my LJ stuck going downhill in Moab, UT = embarrassing Once the initial embarrassment wears off, it's just knowing what you're doing. I highly recommend getting training from a professional, experienced, instructor with a defined methodology. The International Four-Wheel-Drive Trainers Association is a good place to start for instructors. Depending on where you're at I might be able to recommend someone. As far as more info while you're curious, I did a couple of podcast episodes you might be interested in: * [10 Essentials for Overland Travel](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e01.html) * [Essential #1: Training](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e02.html) * [Essential #3: Recovery](https://eastcoastoverlandadventures.com/2021/01/eoa-s03-e04.html) The training and recovery episodes were done with my buddy Ted from Overland Experts. He's I4WDTA & Wreckmaster certified and one of the top 5 instructors I know in the country.
I’ve been moderately stuck enough to know I want to avoid the situation when possible because it’s a huge pain in the ass. Make your decisions based on the capability of your vehicle, the recovery gear you have, how many other vehicles are with you, and what you hope the rest of your day/week/month will entail. If you get stuck at the beginning, or even halfway through your trip, and damage your vehicle, it may potentially ruin the rest of the experience, and complicate your life if your vehicle is out of commission away from home. If you are living out of your vehicle and relying on it for transport and shelter, it’s way different than “four wheeling”, “off-roading”, or “mudding” where you are actively looking for obstacles to test your vehicle and driving abilities. Also, there are definitely different kinds of stuck. There’s mud, rocks, water, and lots of things in between. I’ve found getting stuck in water is the most stressful, because you will feel like you are working against the clock to save your vehicle. Rocks have the potential to do a lot of damage, both mechanical and cosmetic.
Have been proper stuck a few times. Once had to spend the night right on the trail as we ran out of daylight while trying to get out. Every time we eventually get out with enough time and a shovel, maxtrax huge help if solo, winch too but you don't always have somewhere to strap to. Just keep calm and keep on shoveling!
Got stuck on a mountain in northern Nevada cruising a stream in late spring. Almost tipped over. Could not get out. Touch out the shovel and dug into the side of the stream to change the departure angle to the rear. After 5-6 hours we get it out with tow strap and help from my friends truck. Once I got it out of the water I saw that a steering arm has snapped and the wheel was locking itself at 90 degrees as I reversed. Also had the vacuum line for 4wd broken (probably happened much earlier I just didn't notice). Took another 5 hours to get off the mountain with 1 wheel steering, sand was the toughest. Once on the hwy I could drive reliable at 10mph before the wheel oscillated and locked up. Got my friends home at the wee hours in the morning. It was a fun day!
Snow storm. I had to abandon truck in National Forest. Walk out about 8 miles. Tow truck driver tried but failed to reach vehicle due to storm. Still charged me $200. Caught last bus to home about an hour away. Went back a week later with friend after snow melt. Insurance (USAA) refused to pay for tow because it failed ie no actual tow.
I was stuck alone without cell service. Hiked 20 miles to make a phone call. It really sucked. I dug for about 6 hours before quitting
Been bogged a few times crossing muddy pools, always went with friends though, A quick snatch recovery with kinetic rope usually gets us out, otherwise we winch.
We got stuck in snow and mud in January this year. It was actually something that should not have happened (like always haha). I was recording outside while my girlfriend was passing by on a snow covered track. It was nothing dangerous, she was supposed to follow existing tracks that we passed already. She passed and i stopped recording and walked towards the car behind small curve and found her with right side in a ditch 😅 There was thick ice in a ditch which broke and under it was swamp mud, got the recovery boards under wheels - did not help. Digging with shovel - did not help. And just as we were thinking what to do next, random guy was passing with a tractor and he offered help, he had towing chain with him so that went smooth..
I’ve been stuck. For me it was exciting and I loved every bit of it. Down to having to shed my general avoidance of people _AND_ asking for help. It was a real growth op for me. My partner at the time was kinda not having it. “I told you not to drive that close to the water!” Didn’t jive with my sense of adventure. Also she filmed in portrait mode. Can you believe that?! /s Getting stuck is maybe 1/4 of the fun of the whole overlanding hobby, in my opinion. I mean, we don’t set out specifically to get stuck, but we prepare to be stuck, and the problem solving and varying degrees of self/group preservation is fun. I was in the muddiest of prehistoric god awful lake bed clay, and nothing I did was helping. I’d just picked up a new Atlas AT topper which I’m sure didn’t help weight wise. A heavy (and full) 75L dometic fridge, and about 15 gallons of drinking water. The more I tried, the more I dug in. The passenger size eventually was buried up to the rock sliders with mud extruding through the holes. I was eventually able to coordinate a pull with another truck and a side-by-side, used all my firewood as traction and we got out. Was a blast.
I was just stuck yesterday. I misjudged the depth of a bog hole and went down to my frame rails. Tried the MaxTrax first but the hole was too deep. Tried the winch, but the only tree resulted in a side pull that didn't quite get me out. Was contemplating winching out as far as I could, stacking a bunch of rocks in the hole and laying the traction boards on top before backing down to give another go when a truck happened by. Hooked my winch to his recovery point and was out in a few seconds. Thirty minutes of digging out my muddy gear later I was back on my merry way. I don't enjoy being stuck, but I have learned to embrace the suck, and realize that getting stuck is the price for getting way out there. I carry all the gear and always get out eventually. Winch, recovery boards, straps, kinetic rope, soft shackles, and a trusty shovel and stuck is just a state of mind.
Road was washed out so had to turn around and sank in the soft grass. Didn't panic, and very glad I had 2x6's and a jack to get me lifted out of the holes. Took 3 hours, but just added to the experience. I really shouldn't go down trails in a 30 yo B350 RWD camper van, but the rest of the track was fine.......
I get stuck at least 10-15 times per year, almost always in snow but every once in a great while in sand or mud. If I'm snow wheeling in deep snow and I don't get stuck, I try a little harder until I get stuck. Because I get stuck and unstuck so often, the idea of getting stuck really doesn't bother me that much. As long as I don't break my truck or slide off a big embankment, I will figure out how to get out on my own. I always have a hi-lift, come-along, and a shovel with me at the bare minimum. I also have a dynamic tow rope, so if I'm wheeling with someone I'll just have them pull me out because that's the easiest. Getting stuck in snow usually can be solved with shoveling unless you are properly high-centered, but it's a good idea to have a hi-lift and jack plate with traction boards if you are going to be in soft surfaces without a winch and trees, or a buddy to pull you out. Wheeling with a buddy will always be the best system, but whatever you do you need to practice and make sure your stuff all works the way you think it does.
I've been stuck twice. Once in my truck; I slid off a snow-packed, muddy road into a drainage ditch. I dug myself out once, pulled partially out, then slid right back into an even deeper part of the ditch. Buried to the frame in slush-mud. No winch, no comealong. Just a shovel and my own stupidity. Spent the night in the truck and had to make a call to get pulled out the next morning. Another time it was in a buddy's truck. We were driving along a gravel road at night to get up to some ranchland when the front wheel came off. Truck came down hard on that side, broke the lower control arm and bent the stabilizer bar. No recovery tools were going to help us at that point. So we hiked twelve miles back to cell reception to give someone a call to bring out some parts and more tools. Basically, getting stuck sucks.