aphillips76
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Well, we had run this trail 3 weeks before in late February. We went all the way through and even did the summit climb with no drama whatsoever. There was snow but it was way less than I was expecting. We were eating Pizza in Idaho Springs by 130pm. I am experienced at off-roading having been on dozens of trails that range mostly from 3-6s maybe a 7 or 2. Snow wheeling has never been my thing though. Probably only been 4-5 times. I’ve done Yankee Hill probably 6 times. I know this trail really well. That and the state of the trail 3 weeks ago probably lead to my complacency and it cost me… My son in his Rivian and my buddy in his Bronco were with me. I lead.
We ran the trail from Columbine Cutoff to add a little bit more fun to the length. A little more snow than last time but no drama at all. We found some mud on Yankee when we got to it, posed on a rock on the lower playground and played in the mud on the upper playground.
From there, we headed up the hill. Like before, a little more snow than last time but nothing crazy.Not far up the trail, maybe 1/2 a mile or so, the tracks stopped. No biggy, I know the trail…and it’s not that bad, maybe 3 inches. We all cross both small rock gardens with no drama and keep moving on.
Then, the mistake. I actually made the mistake when we started. I didn’t turn on the gps. We got to Kingston Cutoff Alternative split and I didn’t even see the Yankee trail in front of me. I turned off and didn’t even know. We ended up heading to a valley where the trail was much thinner and the snow pretty quickly got deep, which I also didn’t realize till it was too late. The Jeep was on top of deep snow and I didn’t know. I knew the opening at the top of Yankee was very close so I pushed on not knowing I wasn’t on the trial.
The golf cart (Rivian) got stuck first and called so I stopped, got out and my leg sank a couple of feet in the snow. I knew I was likely in trouble then. So we got the golf cart unstuck and he and the Bronco backed out. I was maybe 75 years in front and as I tried to get out, I sank Into the snow.
I dug, winched, traction boarded, dug some more and ended up getting some good traction going backwards but the crunch stopped progress, I had slid sideways and hit the gladiator body on a tree between the tires. Lots more winching and lots of help from a LJ on 40s (who got stuck twice getting to me), I was able to get out…
Lots of lessons learned… Documented here… We try again next week… with gps…
We ran the trail from Columbine Cutoff to add a little bit more fun to the length. A little more snow than last time but no drama at all. We found some mud on Yankee when we got to it, posed on a rock on the lower playground and played in the mud on the upper playground.
From there, we headed up the hill. Like before, a little more snow than last time but nothing crazy.Not far up the trail, maybe 1/2 a mile or so, the tracks stopped. No biggy, I know the trail…and it’s not that bad, maybe 3 inches. We all cross both small rock gardens with no drama and keep moving on.
Then, the mistake. I actually made the mistake when we started. I didn’t turn on the gps. We got to Kingston Cutoff Alternative split and I didn’t even see the Yankee trail in front of me. I turned off and didn’t even know. We ended up heading to a valley where the trail was much thinner and the snow pretty quickly got deep, which I also didn’t realize till it was too late. The Jeep was on top of deep snow and I didn’t know. I knew the opening at the top of Yankee was very close so I pushed on not knowing I wasn’t on the trial.
The golf cart (Rivian) got stuck first and called so I stopped, got out and my leg sank a couple of feet in the snow. I knew I was likely in trouble then. So we got the golf cart unstuck and he and the Bronco backed out. I was maybe 75 years in front and as I tried to get out, I sank Into the snow.
I dug, winched, traction boarded, dug some more and ended up getting some good traction going backwards but the crunch stopped progress, I had slid sideways and hit the gladiator body on a tree between the tires. Lots more winching and lots of help from a LJ on 40s (who got stuck twice getting to me), I was able to get out…
Lots of lessons learned… Documented here… We try again next week… with gps…
Sponsored