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XJMJeep
07-07-2012, 02:50 AM
July 4th 2012
We usually go camping this weekend but sense it fell on a Wednesday this year we decided to just do a day trip instead.
It was an absolutely beautiful day in the PNW, sunny, about 75. You couldn't ask for a nicer day.

We went to a place we've been many times, the Snoqualmie National Forest.
Great views, secret spots, and what I like to call faux wheeling.

Here are some pics of the day

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/4JULY2012/100_1721.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/4JULY2012/100_1713.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/4JULY2012/100_1702.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/100_1699.jpg

Tried a couple poser shots with my new to me bumper

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/100_1698.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/100_1697.jpg

And a couple patriotic shots being the 4th and all

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/100_1670.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/100_1632.jpg

Well after exploring some of our known trails we came across one we had never been down before, I love finding new places to check out.
We went down the trail just in awe of the view, I was going to get a panorama picture but we'll have to do that another day.

We got to this spot in the road, nothing we've not done a hundred times

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/IMG_20120705_201920.jpg

Well as we are going slowly up the trail I feel the left side of the Jeep drop, at that point I knew we were in trouble.
I stopped, put it in reverse, gave just a little gas, then all hell broke loose.

The road gave out underneath us and down we went.
I remember very clearly the first roll, it was kind of gentle, then we rolled at least three more times because I very much remember the noise it made every time we hit the top.

I guesstimate we rolled / slid down about 200 to 300 ft on a very steep incline.
The pictures do not show just how steep the incline is but this is where we came from

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/IMG_20120705_183709.jpg

We finally stopped moving, we're upside down but alive!
Out of the six openings one might be able to crawl out of we only had one not crushed or blocked which was the front passenger side door, my wife had to crawl out, then me behind her.
This is what we saw

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/IMG_20120705_183650.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/IMG_20120705_184834.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb432/XJMJeep/1993%20Cherokee/IMG_20120705_185341.jpg

It's at this point when you realize, I really should have payed attention to all those warnings about telling someone where you are going and never wheel alone.
We are in the middle of nowhere, no one knows we are here, and no cell service.
On an off chance I sent a text message to a friend on the hopes it would go through and we started trying to get out of there.
There is no way we were able to go back up, too steep and we were in too much pain so down the hill we went.
We followed a creek down the mountain until it finally crossed an old logging road.
We followed the road until it finally came across another road and started heading down hill.
We walked for about three hours, working our way down to a main road.
At this point we are still about four miles from the highway but at least I know where we are.
Out of no where I see a pair of 1999 Toyota headlights!
Somehow, someway the text message had gone through, my buddy and his wife were looking for us.
It's about 11pm at this point, my friend had found us!
Priority's first!
I asked him to take us to a gas station so I could get a pack of cigs, damn I needed a smoke!
Then to the hospital were we spent the next 5hrs having my wife checked out. CT, xrays, ect
Good to find out nothing was broken, just beat and bruised.
The moral of the story is this:
Never take anything for granted when it comes to playing off road.
Tell someone where you are
Never do it alone

Our outcome could have been much worse.

cantab27
07-07-2012, 02:55 AM
so glad you and ya wife are ok mike.........hell of a thing mate.........big ups to ya buddy for coming out and looking...could have been much worst.......lotto ticket buying time my friend.....

cj4a nz
07-07-2012, 03:23 AM
good to heard you 2 ok
and X2 what cantab27 said

Carves
07-07-2012, 05:48 AM
Strewth !! ... :eek:

Great to see you both got out of it unscathed and able to walk away. :thumbsup:

oderdene
07-07-2012, 08:00 AM
good to heard you 2 ok
and X2 what cantab27 said
X2

Glad you two good and well. I want say thank you to your friend family

XJ Wheeler
07-07-2012, 05:33 PM
Whew, man. You guys have someone watching over you. Glad you got threw it ok and to safety.

Sorry about the xj, totally sucks

bluedragon436
07-07-2012, 05:41 PM
Amazing views and amazing way to spend the 4th... until the end.. Sorry to hear about the XJ, but at least the two of you were ok.. Are you going to get the XJ back, or will it stay there?? I know some locations, especially up in the Mts. it is easier to just let vehicles be after a roll down like that...

amunoz
07-07-2012, 06:46 PM
Man I'm glad you r ok. If you decide to sell some of the parts let me know is be interested in a bunch of parts


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XJMJeep
07-07-2012, 07:10 PM
Amazing views and amazing way to spend the 4th... until the end.. Sorry to hear about the XJ, but at least the two of you were ok.. Are you going to get the XJ back, or will it stay there?? I know some locations, especially up in the Mts. it is easier to just let vehicles be after a roll down like that...

It's so far down and on such a steep slope I truly believe the only way to get it out is with a helicopter.
I don't believe you could get a crane type truck close enough with all the trees and especially now that the road proved its not stable.
I need to talk to the forest service and see what they want to do

XJMJeep
07-07-2012, 07:11 PM
Man I'm glad you r ok. If you decide to sell some of the parts let me know is be interested in a bunch of parts


Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

Parts are free if you can get em out of there!

Carves
07-07-2012, 07:33 PM
It's so far down and on such a steep slope I truly believe the only way to get it out is with a helicopter.
I don't believe you could get a crane type truck close enough with all the trees and especially now that the road proved its not stable.
I need to talk to the forest service and see what they want to do


That whole road section - soft & ready to slide/slip, is it ??


Looks easy enough to get it back on its wheels with a chainsaw, coupla hi-lifts and some handwinches ... but nowhere up top, to park winching vehicles, makes life difficult. :(

I've done a bike, and a shorty toyota in similiar conditions ... but involved about 5 miles of steel cable extensions ... or so it seemed :D
... and snatchblocks/pulleys to get to safe/secure, winching locations.

Be a shame to leave it there ... but sometimes stripping the best of it ... makes the most sense.

again ... glad you both got out of it OK.

XJ4IV
07-07-2012, 11:36 PM
get a couple buddies with winches... Ive seen more precarious situations still have a rescued jeep... give it a whirl man, the drivetrain and lift is WELLLLL worth the attempt!
remember to anchor your winching vehicles to a tree bigger in circumference than your body!

4.3LXJ
07-08-2012, 01:26 AM
Glad you are safe man. If I still lived in SE WA, I would see what could be done. Snoqualimie is not that far from there. At least pull all your good parts and winch them up. Use an extension cable off another winch if it is that far.

cj4a nz
07-08-2012, 02:53 AM
an old style capstan winch is what would be great in that job for recovering partsthat is, some old landies had them running off a pto
will be intersting to hear what the forest service says about leaving it there

Brasscatz
07-08-2012, 02:20 PM
Wow man. You guys definitely had somebody watching over you. That's one heckuva trip down that hill. I agree with a lot of these guys... at least try to get as many parts off it as you can. I'm sure you've spent a lot of time and effort into making that XJ what it was and it would be a shame to lose everything.

You'll get another one buddy and we'll all be excited to see how it's build progress!

Mudderoy
07-08-2012, 03:22 PM
Parts are free if you can get em out of there!

If there is a way in there winch it over and drive it out. You might need a sawsall and a generator for the top. Wish I was close by, we'd get her out.

defibvt
07-08-2012, 04:43 PM
Glad to see everyone is OK. Please, try to get the Jeep out. It looks bad for the offroading community if we our junk out there because it is too difficult to get out. If I could help I would but AZ is to far away for me to be of assistance.

XJ Wheeler
07-08-2012, 05:45 PM
One of those portable winches would be perfect, i don't think too many people have one though.

bluedragon436
07-10-2012, 12:35 PM
That stinks to see those parts go to waste if nothing else.. But especially would be nice if you could get with local wheelers and see if they might help you get it out of there, so it wont at least leave the countryside "scared"

denverd1
07-10-2012, 06:11 PM
Whoa!!! Glad to hear everyone is ok. Sucks about the XJ but you can replace it!! At least you're both ok

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KH96XJ
07-11-2012, 07:48 PM
Hard way to learn a lesson, but glad that both of you weren't injured badly. Would be good if a local club could help you get it out should the Forest Service not be able to do so.