Immediately I Knew I Was In Trouble - But It Was Already Too Late!

[quads]

It's been raining for two days. The snow hasn't gone, it just turned to slush. I loaded up to go out and cut some wood and as soon as I left the yard, I knew it was a mistake. I was stuck within 150 feet. I had to unhook the sled, struggle and push the ATV another 500 feet so I could get to a place to turn around. Overall, it took me an hour to get back to the yard.

Once I got back to the yard with my Hawkeye, then it became a rescue mission to get the sled back, with my saw, maul, etc. in it. So I got the old muddy winch out of the garage and hooked it up.

Walked back down the hill pulling all 50 feet of the cable out, but the sled was 150 feet away. So, dragged the sled by hand around a couple curves and up the hill to where the end of the cable was.

Whew! The hard part is over.

Hooked up and ready to go. Note the water in the wheel track.

Here it comes, up the hill. A lot easier than dragging it by hand.

Rescue successful! I think I'll go back in the house and look out the window.

 

[Arc_Dad]

Thanks, You're making me feel a little better. Yesterday while I was taking the kids down to the pond to sled behind the ATV, I got my Polaris Sportsman stuck and my Chevy Suburban. Thank goodness the ATV plow was easily removable and my AAA free towing!

 

[quads]

Oh wow! The Sportsman AND the Suburban stuck! It wasn't a very good day for you. I hope today went better. Some days are like that, and all you can do is look at your feet and shake your head.

One thing about my Hawkeye is it's a lot lighter than my old Sportsman was. When I got stuck with the Sportsman, I was really stuck. With the Hawkeye, I can usually get off and push alongside.

 

[Arc_Dad]

Yeah, yesterday wasn't that bad. I had a little frustrations w/ wifey for where she took Burb, but that was short lived. No damage and no $ loss. Today was Family, Church, lunch out, pool, football and frosty, malted beverages!

 

[quads]

Yeah, yesterday wasn't that bad. I had a little frustrations w/ wifey for where she took Burb, but that was short lived. No damage and no $ loss. Today was Family, Church, lunch out, pool, football and frosty, malted beverages!

Ah, now that's much better!

 

[bogydave]

I know you said you were getting rain but enough to melt the base of the trail. Wow.
Spring headed your way this soon, or was that a low spot in the trail?
With the water showing, not long, mosquitoes

A winch is a must, that way you're not stuck. Just inconvenienced.
Stuck is when some has to come pull you out. Sleds don't count.

Nice winch by the way. Can it mount on the front also?
Mine is a small one on the front, permanent mount.

 

[quads]

We got an inch of rain over the weekend. Snowing lightly now, 30 (F). It's supposed to get back below zero (F) this week, so I will have some nice deep ruts on that section of trail. That wasn't a low spot, it was the side of a hill actually.

The winch is nice, except on this ATV I have it adapted so that it fits in the receiver for the hitch. So, I had to make it back home to get the winch out of the garage and put it on. It doesn't fit on the front, only the back. It's sort of a homemade setup that I adapted to fit the Hawkeye. Originally it was on my old Sportsman mounted permanently to the front of that, but no room on the front of the Hawkeye for it.

 

[bogydave]

Cold again. You'd better drag that trail with a pallet or something to fill in those ruts.
If they freeze like they are, they can tear up your tires or something on the machine & be a PIA every time you pass through it.
Or a new trail around the bad area.
Maybe the new snow will help fill them in.

 

[savageactor7]

May as well stay home and pull maintenance when it's slushy out...good recovery though.

 

[quads]

I was out cutting today, but the snow was still too soft to haul any home (I had to get off and push a couple times even empty, when I broke through). I just cut, split, and threw it in a pile until tomorrow when the deep-freeze hits again. I thought about dragging those ruts, but since I was still breaking through once in awhile in other places, I didn't think I could pull the drag. We are getting a little bit of snow right now, and it's drifting, so maybe that will help cushion/fill the ruts.

I'll see what it all looks like tomorrow, when it's frozen like concrete.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes quads, those kind of days we've probably all had at one time or another. Glad you got out okay.

We did not get as much rain here. It looked like we would but it sort of broke up as it came our way....thankfully. Out in the open most of the snow disappeared. Still snow in the woods though not much. On the bright side, I had a tree split when I cut it last week and it really hung up bad with the butt sticking up in the air. I just got out of there. With the wind Sunday it was enough to take it the rest of the way down so now I can cut it up before it gets buried with snow. Mother Nature can be kind sometimes and I have to thank Her for getting this one on the ground.

 

[quads]

It didn't snow very much overnight, barely more than a dusting. It snowed hard, but not very long. Kind of windy today, but after a trip to the gas station this morning I'll be heading out in the woods. Way cooler than it has been too, so shouldn't have any trouble with sinking into the trail, except for the section I rutted up and made a mess out of Sunday!

 

[PapaDave]

Quads,
Held off posting on this one for 2 days, but can't help myself today.
I did that a few days ago, but no rain involved. Just kinda' wet snow. Had one heckofa time plowing, but took little bites and angled the plow for less drag.
Hate it when the tractor gets stuck in the snow, but I can either push it out or just pick the stupid thing up and move it over. Ask me how I know this. :lol: More fun than I like to have.
Pics will have to wait for more snow. I can't plow ice, which is what we have now after the rain and refreeze.
Which reminds me of last year. Slipped on the ice TWICE, and ended up on my ***. Again, more fun than I like to have.
Think I'll stay in today.

 

[quads]

Cut and split a couple more trees today and was able to haul some up. The trail is frozen hard now, ruts and all. The sled bottoms out and drags where I rutted the trail, but the snow is too much like cement to get stuck in. I just kept squeezing the throttle and hoped the hitch pin held up.

First thing I did today was smash one of my fingers! I hate it when that happens. All purple and can't bend it so having a hard time typing because it's the finger I type with. Ha ha!

 

[PapaDave]

it’s the finger I type with

HAHAHAHA :lol:

 

[bogydave]

Weather forecast in your area is to get really cold again.
Good day to stay in & stoke the fire.

 

[webie]

Holy crap quads were you cuttin wood in my swamp : :roll:
No wait that would be dry conditions
There is a saying you all know

When the going get stuck


YOU GET BIGGER EQUIPMENT

 

[quads]

Funny thing is, over time my firewood gathering equipment has gotten smaller! All except my old maul. The stuff I use today is the smallest equipment I have ever used at anytime. The saw is smaller than any other saw that I used in the past, the ATV is the smallest of any ATV/tractor/truck/Jeep I have ever used, and even my little sled is the smallest trailer I have ever used.