Offroad Recovery Portal

[chorky]

I have not seen this discussed so here it is. This is an excellent resource. I have been signed up as a volunteer for over a week now. I suggest bookmarking the page and adding the number to your phone and sat coms.

https://offroadportal.org/

Maybe an admin can make this a stickey so it stands out for people in need of help to be a quick find.

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[chorky]

Guess I should add a little extra info. This is a, on volunteer basis, free recovery portal for all 50 states. When in need, people, no membership required, can contact the 'portal' via phone, sat coms (txt), or email - and they will attempt to locate local volunteers available and willing to assist in recovery operations. They have done many recoveries across the nation.

Colorado, as one example, also has a dedicated volunteer basis recovery 'group' called "Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery" that is more or less an official (NGO) team. They do legit trainings based on rigging, and get in depth on weights, capacities, etc... They have recovered some very sketchy situations.

However, groups and organizations like that don't exist everywhere. Moab has dedicated towing companies, Washington has a relatively relaxed Facebook group called WORN - Washington Offroad Recovery Network. Montana has nothing - and is the reason I volunteered. other states likely also have nothing. So if you are in a bad spot, in a random place of a state you don't know, these people are one of many options that might be helpful.

 

[SpeedNeed]

Thank you! I had never heard of this.

 

[smlobx]

Great idea!
just signed up.

 

[BearDog]

Back when I was on fakebook, there were a few groups exactly like this in our area. Recovered many folks, including non-4wd stuff. Great resource.

 

[teamblkdog]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lunentucker]

I did a lot of this in the 80's, when I had a 76 Scottsdale monster truck all tricked out.
I was the guy they all called around 1 AM Saturday night after they buried their stuff to the frame on a logging road or a swamp.

I'll pass on getting pinstripes and spending an hour at the car wash because of someone else's poor judgment in my latter years. (mud is all we have around here)
Hopefully they have an e-waiver setup for people to sign off on. So many vehicles these days have no recovery points, and if it's buried in muck the A arms or similar may not be accessible at all.

Fun times the night I told the guy to hook the cable to his FJ and he wrapped it around the rear bumper. After I yanked the bumper off through the bolt heads he found a more worthy connection.

 

[chorky]

I did a lot of this in the 80's, when I had a 76 Scottsdale monster truck all tricked out.
I was the guy they all called around 1 AM Saturday night after they buried their stuff to the frame on a logging road or a swamp.

I'll pass on getting pinstripes and spending an hour at the car wash because of someone else's poor judgment in my latter years. (mud is all we have around here)
Hopefully they have an e-waiver setup for people to sign off on. So many vehicles these days have no recovery points, and if it's buried in muck the A arms or similar may not be accessible at all.

Fun times the night I told the guy to hook the cable to his FJ and he wrapped it around the rear bumper. After I yanked the bumper off through the bolt heads he found a more worthy connection.

I'm sure there is some type of waver or something. And being volunteer, people have the ability to say no to a recovery request. I agree that there are plenty of situations that could go quite bad. Most of the 'recoveries' I have seen are the 'poor judgement' of people getting their vehicle mildly stuck because they either dont have 4wd, or don't have a winch. I haven't seen, at least from this source, any vehicles stuck in a very bad way or sketchy situation.

 

[Dougstdig]

I signed up as well. I will require them to text my google number with a hold harmless statement.

 

[Lunentucker]

Another great app for sharing locations is What3Words.
Every 3 word combination represents a 3 meter square.
https://what3words.com/quite.lived.care

I've used it for Easter egg hunts.

 

[Sprinkler-Fitter]

Guess I should add a little extra info. This is a, on volunteer basis, free recovery portal for all 50 states. When in need, people, no membership required, can contact the 'portal' via phone, sat coms (txt), or email - and they will attempt to locate local volunteers available and willing to assist in recovery operations. They have done many recoveries across the nation.

Colorado, as one example, also has a dedicated volunteer basis recovery 'group' called "Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery" that is more or less an official (NGO) team. They do legit trainings based on rigging, and get in depth on weights, capacities, etc... They have recovered some very sketchy situations.

However, groups and organizations like that don't exist everywhere. Moab has dedicated towing companies, Washington has a relatively relaxed Facebook group called WORN - Washington Offroad Recovery Network. Montana has nothing - and is the reason I volunteered. other states likely also have nothing. So if you are in a bad spot, in a random place of a state you don't know, these people are one of many options that might be helpful.

What is NGO?

 

[smlobx]

Non Governmental Organization

 

[KDerekT83]

signed up.

 

[Paulyester]

I could have really used this elk hunting in New Mexico this year. Actually now that I think of it, that's how I ended up with my Gladiator. I rented one (stock Sport with garbage tires) and got stock in the mountains new Angel Fire. Took two days before I finally got in touch with the Fish and Game department and they pulled me out. I loved that Gladiator so much I came home and bought one

 

[Sweetums]

I did a lot of this in the 80's, when I had a 76 Scottsdale monster truck all tricked out.
I was the guy they all called around 1 AM Saturday night after they buried their stuff to the frame on a logging road or a swamp.

I'll pass on getting pinstripes and spending an hour at the car wash because of someone else's poor judgment in my latter years. (mud is all we have around here)
Hopefully they have an e-waiver setup for people to sign off on. So many vehicles these days have no recovery points, and if it's buried in muck the A arms or similar may not be accessible at all.

Fun times the night I told the guy to hook the cable to his FJ and he wrapped it around the rear bumper. After I yanked the bumper off through the bolt heads he found a more worthy connection.

I've helped people stuck in the snow several times with a gentle tug on the strap to get them free. I fire up the video on my phone and record the following:

"You understand I am not a towing company and not a professional?"
"Yes"
"You understand your vehicle lacks proper recovery points and will likely be damaged?"
"Yes"
"Do you waive all right to seek compensation for any and all damage, related or not, to what you are asking me to do on behalf of yourself, your insurance company, and any other interested parties? Do you hold me harmless and indemnify me, my insurance companies and any other parties for any and all damage, injury, and/or death related to this request?"
"Yes"
"You understand that I'm advising you to wait for a licensed, insured, and bonded tow company to extract you and you are choosing to proceed at your own risk?"
"Yes"

If they don't like it, they can wait for a tow truck or I can give them a lift to a safe location.

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