cewtwo
New member
Well, the plan was to go and ride SOB Hill that is on Glacier Ridge just off of Georgia pass. Didn't even make it all the way to S O B Hill. We took 285 to Jefferson, CO, then headed West toward Georgia Pass.
We made it, but as we headed up, the snow load got heavier and heavier. At the Pass itself, the ground was covered with snow. The snow was very wet and was affecting the ground below it. At this point Glacier Ridge road (leading to SOB Hill) was on the right and straight ahead was the back side of the Georgia Pass trail leading to Breckenridge.
We went about 1/2 way down literally cutting through the virgin snow and making a path for a full sized vehicle (quads had gone before). The snow was between 8" to 12" most of the way. It was also very actively snowing at this time. We got all the way down to a cross road (past the steep and fun parts) and decided to climb back out the way that we came. We turned around and headed back.
At the bottom of a small saddle we were faced with a little white pickup coming our way. We started to back up a hill, when the pickup moved to the side of the little trail. He put on the brakes and slid over the edge toward some trees. He tried to get out but mired himself in deeper. All of us got out. Tom headed for the back of the Jeep for the "Tread Lightly" tow kit. I went over and talked to the guy. He took the trail, he said, because he had seen that full sized vehicles had been down it. We told him that was our tire tracks he had seen. We decided to winch him out.
People are so funny when they get winched. They want to steer the car as if it were moving of its own volition and gun the engine to "help." That complicates the winch. He kept trying to steer away from the winch cable and onto the road. He was gunning his engine to "assist" the winch. That just got him in deeper. Of course, when the the guy's pickup would slide our Jeep would slide along with it. The passenger side of his pickup was getting closer and closer to a pine tree. The smell of pine must have been strong at about that time.
We stopped the operation and got the snatchblock out. The other driver wanted to get chains out for his tires. We told him that he didn't need to (not for the winching anyway). Tom put our tree strap around a good sized tree. We attached a clevis, put the winch cable into the snatch block, and firmly closed the clevis. That allowed the Jeep to pull the pickup straight onto the trail. Another attempt was made. This time I kept reminding the guy to keep his tires straight, engine in neutral, and to let the winch do the work. The winch pulled him right onto the road. He had control again, so we put the equipment away and field dressed the cable back onto the Jeep. No damage from either the equipment or the trees.
I backed the Jeep up the hill to just beyond the crossroad allowing the guy to drive forward catch the other trail and head down the mountain. Situation good.
Tom told me that he didn't think the Jeep could make the wet, slippery, snow and mud covered trail back the way we had come to Georgia Pass. It was interesting on some of the steeps, but we made it with fair ease. Good thing, too, as my AT&T phone had no service in that area. Don't worry about us getting stranded, though. We also carry FRS radios and have a CB radio.
We took Glacier Ridge toward SOB hill. Some quad riders stopped us, telling us of drifting snow that blocked the trail ahead. After that, we decided that was enough fun for one day so we headed toward Applebee's on south Wadsworth in Lakewood to have all you can eat Riblets. They were almost as good as our morning in the wilderness.
What a fun sport, ey?
Charlie
We made it, but as we headed up, the snow load got heavier and heavier. At the Pass itself, the ground was covered with snow. The snow was very wet and was affecting the ground below it. At this point Glacier Ridge road (leading to SOB Hill) was on the right and straight ahead was the back side of the Georgia Pass trail leading to Breckenridge.
We went about 1/2 way down literally cutting through the virgin snow and making a path for a full sized vehicle (quads had gone before). The snow was between 8" to 12" most of the way. It was also very actively snowing at this time. We got all the way down to a cross road (past the steep and fun parts) and decided to climb back out the way that we came. We turned around and headed back.
At the bottom of a small saddle we were faced with a little white pickup coming our way. We started to back up a hill, when the pickup moved to the side of the little trail. He put on the brakes and slid over the edge toward some trees. He tried to get out but mired himself in deeper. All of us got out. Tom headed for the back of the Jeep for the "Tread Lightly" tow kit. I went over and talked to the guy. He took the trail, he said, because he had seen that full sized vehicles had been down it. We told him that was our tire tracks he had seen. We decided to winch him out.
People are so funny when they get winched. They want to steer the car as if it were moving of its own volition and gun the engine to "help." That complicates the winch. He kept trying to steer away from the winch cable and onto the road. He was gunning his engine to "assist" the winch. That just got him in deeper. Of course, when the the guy's pickup would slide our Jeep would slide along with it. The passenger side of his pickup was getting closer and closer to a pine tree. The smell of pine must have been strong at about that time.
We stopped the operation and got the snatchblock out. The other driver wanted to get chains out for his tires. We told him that he didn't need to (not for the winching anyway). Tom put our tree strap around a good sized tree. We attached a clevis, put the winch cable into the snatch block, and firmly closed the clevis. That allowed the Jeep to pull the pickup straight onto the trail. Another attempt was made. This time I kept reminding the guy to keep his tires straight, engine in neutral, and to let the winch do the work. The winch pulled him right onto the road. He had control again, so we put the equipment away and field dressed the cable back onto the Jeep. No damage from either the equipment or the trees.
I backed the Jeep up the hill to just beyond the crossroad allowing the guy to drive forward catch the other trail and head down the mountain. Situation good.
Tom told me that he didn't think the Jeep could make the wet, slippery, snow and mud covered trail back the way we had come to Georgia Pass. It was interesting on some of the steeps, but we made it with fair ease. Good thing, too, as my AT&T phone had no service in that area. Don't worry about us getting stranded, though. We also carry FRS radios and have a CB radio.
We took Glacier Ridge toward SOB hill. Some quad riders stopped us, telling us of drifting snow that blocked the trail ahead. After that, we decided that was enough fun for one day so we headed toward Applebee's on south Wadsworth in Lakewood to have all you can eat Riblets. They were almost as good as our morning in the wilderness.
What a fun sport, ey?
Charlie
