Invest money into mountain towing companies!

[Pew]

Watch Matt’s Off road recovery and maybe other channels. The pros minimize damage and have specific vehicles for this. They don’t use regular tow vehicles, something off-road capable.

He's so meticulous with no damage, it's crazy. I would have just been like "rip that thing off that rock and let's go" lol. Even with vehicles that are completely totalled and rolled over, he's still meticulous with adding no damage.

 

[BHopkins]

Serious questions here: Situations like this are likely unique, but.....
1) Do such rescue towmen try to extricate a vehicle with care, which takes more time and money, or do they just hook and yank a vehicle without regard to damage?

2) Do they have tow trucks with extra high ground clearance?

He's so meticulous with no damage, it's crazy. I would have just been like "rip that thing off that rock and let's go" lol. Even with vehicles that are completely totalled and rolled over, he's still meticulous with adding no damage.

Not always. I've seen at least one recovery that MORR has done, where the only purpose of the recovery was to pick up the trash, to avoid steep fines from the gov't. In those cases, there is no finesse at all.

 

[02SE]

Is that doable in stock 1992 Cherokee? My cousin took me on a trail like that in girlfriends Cherokee and it made it in that area. The windshield cracked when vehicle got torqued by terrain.

It's not that Black Bear Pass is difficult, it's just that the consequences of not getting it right can be very high. A stock 4wd '92 Cherokee in good condition, and well maintained, particularly the brakes, should be okay if the driver is experienced in driving 4wd trails. It is a one-way only trail in the more high-consequence sections. A soft-roader like the CUV Blazer in the story is not the vehicle you want to be in.

There are much tougher 4wd trails than Black Bear Pass. It is notable for it's great views, and being potentially deadly if you get it wrong.

 

[edyvw]

It's not that Black Bear Pass is difficult, it's just that the consequences of not getting it right can be very high. A stock 4wd '92 Cherokee in good condition, and well maintained, particularly the brakes, should be okay if the driver is experienced in driving 4wd trails. It is a one-way only trail in the more high-consequence sections. A soft-roader like the CUV Blazer in the story is not the vehicle you want to be in.

There are much tougher 4wd trails than Black Bear Pass. It is notable for it's great views, and being potentially deadly if you get it wrong.

I saw comments about Corolla etc.
In 1994 I went on this hastily built mountain road that connected Sarajevo, which was under siege, to the rest of the world. You needed to go through a tunnel, under the airport that was dug during the siege. The road itself was actually quite good, but besides snipers, anti-aircraft guns shooting at you, making mistakes while driving is fatal. To turn anything longer than a 10-passenger van, you need to get out of the car, lift the rear end, and make it work.
A year after I traveled that road, these guys died when a French armoured vehicle, which was too heavy plus not experienced driver, and plunged down the mountain:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la...g to Sarajevo,of the delegation will continue.

The Black Bear pass is far, FAR worse. And like you said, as you know, the margin to make mistakes is super low. Car with AWD, no 4LO to slow you down etc. I mean, people died there in vehicles built for that. I posted that JEEP plunging from pass, and that is not the worst part of the road. Luckily, the driver recovered from paralysis.

 

[Owen Lucas]

In 1994 I went on this hastily built mountain road that connected Sarajevo, which was under siege, to the rest of the world. You needed to go through a tunnel, under the airport that was dug during the siege. The road itself was actually quite good, but besides snipers, anti-aircraft guns shooting at you, making mistakes while driving is fatal.

Jeeze, what kind of job were entails these types of risks? Some type of clandestine contractor? Military work? Maybe I shouldn't be asking?

 

[02SE]

The Black Bear pass is far, FAR worse. And like you said, as you know, the margin to make mistakes is super low. Car with AWD, no 4LO to slow you down etc. I mean, people died there in vehicles built for that. I posted that JEEP plunging from pass, and that is not the worst part of the road. Luckily, the driver recovered from paralysis.

Yep, if you don't have a capable vehicle AND most importantly a capable, experienced driver, the consequences can be deadly.

I recall the first time I went to drive Black Bear Pass, and looking at the pictures of remains of 4wd vehicles which had slipped off the trail on the switchbacks, posted at a gas station in Ouray, which had been driven by people who apparently lacked the skill and experience to drive the trail successfully, or possibly just made a mistake, or had a mechanical failure. It was sobering.

There are lots of 4wd trails in the San Juans, which aren't as dangerous.

I just hope the trail continues to remain open for those who have the experience and vehicles to enjoy it.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

Car with AWD, no 4LO to slow you down etc.

^^^^^ This is one of the two biggest issues with soft roaders. Without 4WD and a 4Low selection, the automatic transmissions soon overheat and go into limp mode. The other issue is ground clearance. There were many off-road recoveries here last year, that involved no injuries, just a car that couldn't go any farther and had to be dragged down off the mountain.

 

[Arc]

Never heard of black bear pass but it looks pretty easy compared to some of the logging roads here in Kentucky. If you want to go off road it comes down to tires, experience and ground clearance. Well maybe a good winch on the bumper too. Car Advertisements saying offroad capable means nothing.

 

[Arc]

I saw comments about Corolla etc.
In 1994 I went on this hastily built mountain road that connected Sarajevo, which was under siege, to the rest of the world. You needed to go through a tunnel, under the airport that was dug during the siege. The road itself was actually quite good, but besides snipers, anti-aircraft guns shooting at you, making mistakes while driving is fatal. To turn anything longer than a 10-passenger van, you need to get out of the car, lift the rear end, and make it work.
A year after I traveled that road, these guys died when a French armoured vehicle, which was too heavy plus not experienced driver, and plunged down the mountain:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-20-mn-37150-story.html#:~:text=Igman road leading to Sarajevo,of the delegation will continue.

The Black Bear pass is far, FAR worse. And like you said, as you know, the margin to make mistakes is super low. Car with AWD, no 4LO to slow you down etc. I mean, people died there in vehicles built for that. I posted that JEEP plunging from pass, and that is not the worst part of the road. Luckily, the driver recovered from paralysis.

Awd is good for slick asphalt during your daily commute and running to the grocery store on a snow day.

 

[edyvw]

Awd is good for slick asphalt during your daily commute and running to the grocery store on a snow day.

AWD has its advantages. I would use my BMW and Tiguan any time over Sequoia in snow, and I do.

 

[edyvw]

Jeeze, what kind of job were entails these types of risks? Some type of clandestine contractor? Military work? Maybe I shouldn't be asking?

It was the state championship in tennis!

 

[Arc]

AWD has its advantages. I would use my BMW and Tiguan any time over Sequoia in snow, and I do.

My RAM is awd and 4WD but my Grand Cherokee just has AWD. My wife didn't like shifting in and out of 4x4 in winter so we started buying everything with awd.

 

[andrew_j]

…

 

[edyvw]

My RAM is awd and 4WD but my Grand Cherokee just has AWD. My wife didn't like shifting in and out of 4x4 in winter so we started buying everything with awd.

It is not just that. AWD, especially one on BMW, full time, 40/60% split, and this is manual, is just much more nimble, easier to avoid stuff in snow etc.
Sequoia with 5,934 lbs empty, really does not do well against gravity and momentum.

 

[Arc]

It is not just that. AWD, especially one on BMW, full time, 40/60% split, and this is manual, is just much more nimble, easier to avoid stuff in snow etc.
Sequoia with 5,934 lbs empty, really does not do well against gravity and momentum.

I've known many people who have wrecked their four wheel drives on slick roads because they didn't understand that it doesn't help you stop any better. A car in motion tends to stay in motion until you hit an immoveable object. Weight helps with traction but makes stopping a nightmare. I would have loved it if my old BMW Z4 had awd. Of course anything more than a couple inches of snow would have hit the front end but it sure would have been fun on a slick road.

 

[edyvw]

I've known many people who have wrecked their four wheel drives on slick roads because they didn't understand that it doesn't help you stop any better. A car in motion tends to stay in motion until you hit an immoveable object. Weight helps with traction but makes stopping a nightmare. I would have loved it if my old BMW Z4 had awd. Of course anything more than a couple inches of snow would have hit the front end but it sure would have been fun on a slick road.

I go skiing 1-2 times a week in my 328. They clear roads so you don't have anything too high, even in blizzards. Works like a charm, plus it is fun.
When I have kids with me, that is when I take Sequoia.

 

[Pew]

Not always. I've seen at least one recovery that MORR has done, where the only purpose of the recovery was to pick up the trash, to avoid steep fines from the gov't. In those cases, there is no finesse at all.

True not always, but way more than I would have thought lol. I wonder how much those recovery bills are.

 

[Owen Lucas]

True not always, but way more than I would have thought lol. I wonder how much those recovery bills are.

I've heard of one insurance quote for an RV that went off of a cliff around $25k.

I've personally paid (as an insurance adjuster) towing and storage bills for regular cars in the amount of $5k+ many times.

Here's the racket:

• Corrupt tow company brings wrecked vehicle to certain body shop for kickback.
• or customer has vehicle towed to unscrupulous body shop.
• Shop tells the vehicle owner, "we'll make the claim and handle everything, don't worry about it"
• The car is obviously a total loss or close to it, so the shop sits on making the insurance claim for 30 days or more.
• The claim gets reported and assigned to me.
• I write the estimate, it's a total loss.
• Get handed tow bill for $500, Storage $150 x 30 days, Blueprint fee $200, Admin Fee $250
• Shop gets $5450 for an hours worth of work.