Up a Creek without a….. four wheel drive?
Sep 12th 2007admin4 x 4 & Misadventures & colorado & rocky mountains
After camping out in Northern Colorado a few summers ago, I found myself in a desparate situation. I’ve been lost in the woods in at least four states that I can think of off hand (call me the poster child for GPS), and I have gotten my truck stuck in at least three. This day, would be just a little bit different…
My buddy Rob and I had followed another nondescript forest service road, followed by a good hike up and above the tree line. Immediately after setting up camp, it started to rain but passed quickly as mountain storms usually do. What we didn’t know, is the front seemed to have stalled somewhere to the North of us, and the creeks in the area would soon be at flood stage.
The next morning, we packed up, and left - or tried to do so. A mile down the road, the road had been completely washed away!
Now, there’s only one way out, you are at least 10 miles from anybody, and stuck on the wrong side of a creek much to big and deep to ford with your stock pickup truck.
Would you?
- A) Park the truck and walk to try and get help.
- B) Pull out the lawn chairs and crack a beer, the forest service has to come by this month
- C) Build your own bridge, we’re Americans dammit!
Now that I’m a little older and wiser, or older anyway, I probably hiked the 8 or 9 miles back to the main road and thumbed it to a ranger station. However, we took the latter route and proceeded load the truck bed up with logs & boulders that were conveniently prevelant.
After, safely on the other side
*Tree hugger disclaimer* No salamanders or crayfish were hurt in this incident, all building materials were placed on top of original stream piping, and we even offered to help remove the material when the forest service repaired the road.


