Got a sled buried deep yesterday. Have man power but need

[hawktoy85]

Thanks for all the advise. Christmas break has been really busy.

Drewd, I was able to borrow a jack, so no worries.

rhalloran, I am going to call you today. Did you have any rope for your comealong? if not what size does it need to be?

The photos are of when it just happened. I did dig out quit a bit from there. But the more I dug the more I felt like I was digging my own grave. There were pretty long cracks on the hill side on both sides of me. The avy danger that day was High (4). Couldn't stop thinking about dieing 2 days before Christmas. No one knew where I was and my riding buddy was having just as much trouble but about 1/2 mile down the hill. So wasn't like he could help if something went wrong. So I decided to ride another day and not take a chance.

I do alot of stupid ****. That probably one day could kill me. I have spend alot of time in ICU because of my dirt bike, Numerous concussions. But the risk is calculated and minimized. But at that moment in time I felt like the deck was stacked against me and the risk to great. So I bailed. Maybe its because I'm 42 and turning into a *****? IMK.

 

[rhalloran]

I'm walking out the door now to go to Vail. I do have the rope in the truck. I'll come up tomorrow - give me a call tonight, or contact me here.

I'm planning on heading up tomorrow to give you a hand if you need it (was planning on riding with Drewd before the unfortunate change in electron path). I'm all set, though - just let me know what time.

 

[scottbilt95]

Thanks for all the advise. Christmas break has been really busy.

Drewd, I was able to borrow a jack, so no worries.

rhalloran, I am going to call you today. Did you have any rope for your comealong? if not what size does it need to be?

The photos are of when it just happened. I did dig out quit a bit from there. But the more I dug the more I felt like I was digging my own grave. There were pretty long cracks on the hill side on both sides of me. The avy danger that day was High (4). Couldn't stop thinking about dieing 2 days before Christmas. No one knew where I was and my riding buddy was having just as much trouble but about 1/2 mile down the hill. So wasn't like he could help if something went wrong. So I decided to ride another day and not take a chance.

I do alot of stupid ****. That probably one day could kill me. I have spend alot of time in ICU because of my dirt bike, Numerous concussions. But the risk is calculated and minimized. But at that moment in time I felt like the deck was stacked against me and the risk to great. So I bailed. Maybe its because I'm 42 and turning into a *****? IMK.

no need to defend your decision making. it was refreshing to see someone make a decision that, from what you described, was the ONLY decision to be made at that point in time. good job! ride another day. another shovelful or 2 and you never know.... i was with about 10 guys up at snowy range years ago and they were all trying to climb a drainage that looked about as unsafe as you could imagine. they all got stuck except for myself and one other guy because we stayed out and watched. one by one they all got unstuck and turned around. once they were out, one of them hit it again and was able to make it to the top but when he turn around, it let go. since he was at the top, it only carried him down 50 feet or so on the dirt but where they were all stuck 10 minutes earlier was buried at least 20 feet deep.

hope you have good luck getting your rig out.

jeff

 

[Radar78]

Any updates on this.

 

[hawktoy85]

Well got her out yesterday. Here a few pics.

Wanted to say thank you to rhalloran for all his help and come-a-long.

If someone could rotate them please. couldn't figure out how.

 

[rhalloran]

Glad to, that was a fun morning, in a weird way, but you guys did all the work & potentially nautical stuff.

It is funny, I was thinking about it before I *KNEW* where it was - I was pretty to very sure, but only 95%. My guess was right, but it got me thinking beforehand about how ugly or not it could be.

On one end of the spectrum, I helped some renters out a couple of days ago up on Ptarm. "She's stuck!" proclaims the large Texan. "Y'all got a shovel?"

uhh, move over, Tex. The guy I was with walked over, got on, yanked it uphill and rode it out. "Stuck." The guy I was with started riding snowmobiles in November.

Other end of the spectrum, guys like Hawktoy85. I was sure this was not going to be a "pull it over and ride out," but yeah - just getting the sled out of the hole was a trick, from what I saw; getting it from the hole to the parking area was a secondary adventure. Was fun. I like that crap.

Flipped images. Look close.....heh.

 

[AndrettiDog]

Glad you got it out. Next time...(if it happens again) put some lean too branches sticking up so that nobody kills themselves on it. Or tears up your sled. Looks like great terrain and perfect snow!

 

[Dobber1]

Glad you got it out. Next time...(if it happens again) put some lean too branches sticking up so that nobody kills themselves on it. Or tears up your sled. Looks like great terrain and perfect snow!

I am going to have to snowboard in to sled. Snowmobile is in no sledding area above black lakes.

 

[milehighassassin]

Two things.

Stay out of the no snowmobiling areas.

Were you alone? Don't ride alone.

Glad you got it out. It doesn't look that bad. Seems like you could have easily rolled it and had it pointing downhill.

 

[hawktoy85]

Wasn't alone but riding partner was to far down to help. Took a little more than just rolling it over and riding out.

 

[lineman1]

hope you retrieved

work as a Lineman, we use mule tape with break strength of 1200,2000,2500lb. depending on need. wont work with a rope hoist but can fit 2 to 400 feet in a very small area, find a tree, tie to track, you have got a 800 cc winch its amazing what 160 hp can winch 500 lbs. try it some time and see how it works so when you or someone you know is in a **** situation you have a easy option.

brent

 

[Coldfinger]

Lineman1, please describe in more detail how you attach to track to do that method. How do you keep it centered and do you tie to one track clip or two?

Have you ever used one sled as the "winch" to pull another sled out? Like bury the winch sled till the track just spins, then attach to other sled? Maybe the winch sled is tied from the front to a tree, then rolled on its side so the track spins free and spool the tape a few turns, tie onto other sled and start winching.

 

[SRXSRULE]

Lineman1, please describe in more detail how you attach to track to do that method. How do you keep it centered and do you tie to one track clip or two?

Have you ever used one sled as the "winch" to pull another sled out? Like bury the winch sled till the track just spins, then attach to other sled? Maybe the winch sled is tied from the front to a tree, then rolled on its side so the track spins free and spool the tape a few turns, tie onto other sled and start winching.

I carry mule tape and climbing cord. I have also used the track-winch method, go through two windows and then center your knot/rope in the track and the track lugs will hold it in the center of the track. you can do it by yourself but if you have two people you can walk the sled right up about anything. FYI...good chance your going to burn a belt depending on how bad the situation is so keep that in mind. Eric

 

[cateye5312]

I inadvertently tried the 'track' method this weekend. I was towing my sister's sled out (hole in the gas line inside the tank of all things - go figure! had a heck of a time figuring out why it acted like it was out of gas when there was gas in the tank) and we let the tow rope get a little slack, my track picked it up and wham! before we knew what was happening I winched her sled clear up into the tunnel of mine!! What a mess getting untangled - in the dark, on a big hill of course. We ended up cutting the rope out of the track. It was climbing rope by the way. I have no idea what it takes to break it but forcibly winching two sleds together didn't do it!

 

[dejadoo]

Have you ever used a jack before.
Looks like an ideal situation to me to get yourself out with no help,
I have serial #0002 along with a couple newer ones.
Just keep jacking the back up several times and throw it off to the right and
you will be headed downhill.

I have seen Bill(Harmon highjacker) who carries 2 jacks be in a worse spot than that and get himself out in a few minutes by jacking up both the front and the back and turning it back downhill.

 

[rhalloran]

I've seen jacks do some pretty impressive stuff, but the pictures do NOT do that justice. Jacks certainly could have helped, but avalanche concerns were compounding things the day it got stuck. Looking up from below the day they dug it out, I counted 6 crowns all around it. Pulling the plug and going back was the right answer.

Pictures tell one thousand words, yes, but there's about a thousand the pictures left out. It was in a bad spot.

 

[milo303]

If you use a jack on a pro, the only way I've seen it done is hooking to the back of the running board...

It will pretzel any other rear section of the sled from what I've seen.. Just a heads up on the pro tunnel and bumper without reinforcements

 

[AndrettiDog]

Milo, quit with the Pro wadding up. Two of them now and I've never wadded it up. It's lightweight aluminum not balsa wood.

 

[dejadoo]

using the strap with the hook on it and hooking it in the suspension rail is a great place to get a solid lift point, but can be hard to get to till the 2nd lift