Yesterday,Flint Mi set a record LOW for temperatures at -14.

Last yr the same date had a record high of 56 degrees.

Anyways,I got ATV fever and decided to see how the local riding area was for riding.I knew we had at least 2 ft snow.Upon arrival,I had noticed that the snowmobilers had the snow pretty packed down,this was good.Alls the Xplorer had to do was ride on the top of the packed down snow instead of tring to fight with 2 plus ft fluffy snow.Everything went really well until I got about 2 miles from the parking lot.The snowmobile tracks were getting fewer and fewer.I took a chance and continued on.My Xplorer sank in about 3ft of powdered drifted snow.I decided it was time to head back in the same direction that got me where I was.So I backed up and went sideways and forward a little ''SUPRISE'' I ran the Xplorer directly into a seriously rutted up hole,this rutt was covered in soft snow drifts so I had no chance to know the rutt was there.

I knew it was very cold and there was NOBODY else around.Had this been what my day was all about?I was on my own!Not yet ready to give into this rutt and walk back,I used my hands/boots to shovel the snow from around and under the quad.It still did'nt move for me.Im getting more and more exausted as time continues,somehow I saved enough energy to dig further.I had removed more snow,this time I was certain she would pull out of there and it did.

I looked to the sky and said''Thanks God''I owe you one!I than drove to the parking lot.

In the end,everything worked out,it sure could of been worse.Even though in the extreme cold im certain if the quad did not come out for me, I could of walked back 2 miles to the parking lot to my truck,I certainly did'nt feel like walking and leaving my quad stuck.Looking back,I used POOR judgement.Judgement is something I've allways prided myself in when it comes to ATVing.I cant beleive that I left my cell phone in my truck and did'nt take it with me!I knew damn well there was alot of snow out there before I left home,why did I not go with someone else?Where was my winch?I asked myself ALL these questions upon heading home.Though I never at one time felt my life was endangered,I still feel I used poor judgement.Let this post be a ''WAKE-UP'' call to all others,
Bill

 

bill

glad things worked out for the best. But i want to know what your wife said when u told her what happined??
maybee u should have took her with u on her Recon.

later
jon

 

The only thing I would worry about is being shoot by the snowmobile clubs for rutting up there groomed trails,they are weired about that around here.

 

I once went riding alone at the track on a cold and blustery sunday morning last year and wrecked bad. That was the last time I will go riding alone. I also have a freind that wne to tthe dunes alone, on an off weekend and you guessed it, he wrecked and was pinned under his quad for over an hour before someone came along. I thnk he may have learned his lesson...

We gotta be safe guys/gals. Have a great New Year

RoostKing...

 

Bill

Same sort of thing happened to Judie and I a little while after I got the Xplorer. It was winter and we were off the beaten path and driving across a field. We cut a little too close to the woods and sank into 3ft of snow. We had actually sank inot an Alder bed . . . the snow had covered it up and made it look like a little mound.

We tried to get her out for 2 hrs and it was coming on dark. Judie started to walk back to the main trail when she came across two snowmobilers (on Polaris) who gave her a run back and us a tow out.

The next day I equiped the X400 with a toolbox FULL of goodies including shovel, rope, come-along and axe. It was a lesson well learned.

 

Its good everything turned out ok. This is a lesson to all. BE PREPARED, even if its a short or easy ride!

 

Bill, sounds like my story of last winter when I sunk down into the hardened snow along the highway one night and had to walk 2 miles in -30 temperatures to get home to thaw. Then I finds out that 15 minutes later my buddy who drives the highway snowplow drives by and sees my quad buried in the snow. "I would have pulled you out", but you were gone. Almost had a heart attack trying to move that 700 pound machine my self. Now its got the 27" claws and lifted, but if you do happen to bury her good, start walking Bud. Incidentally, no cell service where I live, so dress warm and conceal a flask in the toolbox.

 

Bill, we all pray for your safety (incidentally, you may owe God more than only "one," as you say in your post).

When you become certified as an ATV Safety Instructor, how will you instruct your students to avoid, or survive, the situation you describe?

Thankful you're safe, be careful!

Diogenes

 

Tim1,
actually,the snowmobilers are the ones who are NOT allowed to ride this area,at any time.Its strictly ATVs and ORVs,however,when mid December gets here,there is no one to patrol the area at all,not until May 15th, so the snowmobilers ride at will.

Diogenes,
asks how will I instruct my future ATV students to avoid or survive a situation like this?Very good question!

First and foremost without tring to sound like im bragging or something, I'd like to say that im happy that this happened to an experienced ATVer.Others less experienced may have ended up walking or perhaps worse.My ATV experience allowed me to utilize my past ATV yrs and allowed me enough sense to utilize the only tools I had for that particular situation,my hands[for digging out under the quad]and my boots for digging around the quad.Without the proper tools,this was a very difficult task and it took time,however,it did work!

OK,
to answer your questions regarding future ATV students?My first suggustion would be to never venture out in that type of situation alone.If you must,than be prepared by taking the proper winching equipment like a winch,shovel,tow rope,cell phone.Others might think of some survival equipment that should of been brought,however,I was never in any threat of surviving.This riding area is far to small to worry about that.I will tell you this much though,It sure had me thinking of what could of went wrong.
Bill

 

My wife and I are year-round wilderness riders. To her that means getting away from “civilization” and into the beautiful wilds of nature. It means that to me too, only more. I thrive on the challenge to triumph over the sometimes dangerous environment nature provides. If I didn’t, we wouldn’t ride in the winter, or maybe at all.

Now before you label me as one with a death wish, I site as an example people who climb the worlds biggest mountains, people who jump out of perfectly good airplanes, and those who race cars or even quads for a thrill. All these activities and many others involve danger and they wouldn’t attract participants if they didn’t. While what we experience when we ride involves only slight risk compared to the “sports” named above, one stupid move in the middle of nowhere in the middle of winter can be seriously life threatening. The part of the challenge I enjoy is not how to survive after something goes wrong, but to go out there in temps around zero, stay out for 8-12 hours, and do it with a smile the entire time because I’m comfortable and confident in my preparation for enduring/surviving the majority of the hazards we may face.

It’s impossible to be prepared for everything that could go wrong while riding but risk is a constant in every aspect of life. Our approach boils down to the “acceptable risk factor.” And my challenge is to reduce this factor to its smallest percentage through preparedness. Over the years our methods and equipment have evolved (and still are) toward this end. Hot Grips, thumb warmers, hand guards, Gore-Tex, Polar Fleece, winches, cell phones, fire sticks, first aid kits, GPS and fuel packs all serve to reduce our risk and make our riding a comfortable, enjoyable experience in spite of the conditions. But even if I could, I wouldn’t reduce the risk factor to zero. That would reduce the “fun factor” to zero too, at least it would for me.

Those who would like to read a “short” winter survival story should follow the link in my signature to the file “Story of the Max-ident" in ATV Odds & Ends. It tells about how four of us sunk our Max and almost drowned while trying to cross a ¼ mile wide river at night in December of ’98. After surviving the dunking we almost froze to death spending the night on an island. It’s the only thing I’ve ever written that’s been published. We’ll all suffer the effects of frostbite for the remainder of our lives as a reminder of what CAN happen.