Badger Mountain Truck Recovery Plan

[OldGreen]

This is for discussion as to HOW to get that truck out. . .no whether or not we should do it. So. . .what does everyone think of this as a starting point? If you would like to be a guest at our meeting Wednesday to hear the rest of the discussion, let us know.

Dave, Lee, and I went up to Badger along with James Ewing (bobracing) and Danielle (Peanut) to work with the county and the FoBM on a recovery plan.
The truck is backwards. . .meaning facing up hill. It is stuck pretty solid. There is no way to drag it out the bottom of the gully. There are huge rocks and narrow gaps that just won't allow it.

I recommend that we wait until January when the ground is frozen. The county already has plans to burn the weeds out of the bottom of the gully this winter. We'll need 2 rigs with BIG Tires and winches, some people to run cable, and some people to run fire control/safety and a couple to monitor/drive the truck. Truck owner will be on hand to DIG. We'll need a really long extended cable or a few that we can daisy chain, all the rigging stuff, a snatch block, and Scumby's pull pal. A CO2 bottle, air tools, etc. as well as a bunch of tarps/blankets for the winch lines.

1. Get truck unstuck and running. Hi-Lift jacks and shovels will be the call. The truck's owner will do most of the digging under our direction. It may have a flat tire but that can be fixed after #2. The truck should run but the windows are all broken out. The owner will need to clean it up prior.
2. There is a small plateau on the hillside that will work to station one recovery vehicle. The winch pull is long. . .probably in the neighborhood of 250 feet. Use pullpal to anchor the back of the rig. I'd like to use a heavy rig with big tires like Tim's Bronco if he'll do it.
3. Reposition the recovery rig on the same plateau for a snatch pull. This one won't be nearly as long and will position the truck to face roughly UP a shallow side gully.
4. Winch the truck up to the plateau with its motor idling only over the trail and through the side gully. This brings the truck sideways OUT of the gully. . .it will be facing South/South East.

5. Reposition the recovery vehicle on the south ridge of the gully with the second recovery vehicle providing anchorage on the southern downhill side and winch the truck up to the top. Coordinate the two recovery vehicles moving backward to the South until the truck has crested the ridge.

6. Drive it out from there. It is an easy slope down to a powerline road.

7. Come to my house for a beer.

[bobracing]

didn't see a picture:

[OldGreen]

Yep. . .just like that. Sorry I didn't have time to get the picture up before.

[Peanut]

I recommend that we wait until January when the ground is frozen.

Truck owner will be on hand to DIG.

Um......isn't frozen ground going to cause major problems for digging?

[OldGreen]

YES. . .but it is still sand. It will be fine.

[SPR]

Jimmy, if the ground is mostly sand, it won't freeze worth beans. It just drys out and then gets soft once you break the thin crust. Moist sand is better traction.

[OldGreen]

Sure. . .the recommendation will be something like:

When the county and FoBM deam the soil conditions are appropriate.

Point is. . .we want them to tell us.

[TJDave]

It's amazing what a little water will do for traction in soft sand. I can't count how many times I have started hopping in soft sand in a mixer or dump truck weighing #55,000+. Squirt some water around the tires and their path and drive right out. Problem is getting water to the extraction area. It would definately be an easier task on, or after a rainy day. Just my 2 cents if it's worth anything. I also will be willing to help, drag cable, dig, or whatever.

[abnormaloffrd]

hey dave I know guy with really big tires that would enjoy doing something like this. if you would like to go outside the peak putters let me know. by the way big is 53's and 2 1/2 tons and more cable than you can dream of.

[abnormaloffrd]

sorry about addressing that to dave green seen his name in the top and its the one that stuck in my brain

[Grumpy]

Ain't Spokane a mite of a drive to come help with this little effort

[abnormaloffrd]

the guy I know is the tri cities talked him last night and he would be more than happy to help out and even though i am in spokompton i would help any ways have access to veh in tri cities and have a trailer if you would like to talk the guy w/big tires his name is jeff if you would like his phone number pm me or talk to jimmy. jeff was going to talk to jimmy this week.

[Lurch]

I've known jeff for quit a while. I can give him a call if we need to.

[Dromero]

I have a powertank, if it's needed I'm there.

[Peanut]

So what is the word on this???

[Grumpy]

We voted to proceed, and Jim's working on fine tuning "The Plan". I'll give you a holler once I know more...

[bobracing]

Might want to check with the county guy (Adam??).
Heard the insurance might be kicking in but this was kind of a round about way.

[OldGreen]

Dave, can you do that? I'm hoping to have the plan done by tonight.

[Grumpy]

Gotta run, but will get an e-mail to him before he heads home tonite. My afternoon will be short...

[Grumpy]

Okay, let's hear who's up to start getting this done! I think the county would like to get this out of the way, and I know that the Dunlap's do. If the weather cooperates, and everyone thinks it will work, how does next weekend sound? All ideas will be considered...

[oddball]

I'm in for Fr., Sat. or Sunday. What ever works best.

[Peanut]

If we can do it this coming weekend then Trashy and I are in with our truck. After this weekend though the truck is going to be on jack stands for a bit for an axle upgrade.

Let's do this!!!

[Roman]

Dave, dates of the weekend in mind, just so people don't get confussed

[Grumpy]

10th/11th is what I see...Post up who's in. I'll call Adam Fyall & Jackie Dunlap in the morning.

[oddball]

I'm in.