While there are plenty of winter backpacking skills to master—staking out a tent in the snow, managing body heat, and coping with extended hours of darkness and cold—one that is often overlooked is how to ask someone to pull your car out of the snow when you get stuck going to or from the trailhead.
Most people find themselves having to perform this task when their skill of not getting their car stuck in snow on the way to or from the trailhead isn’t as sharp as they’d remembered or environmental forces beyond their control overwhelm the ability of their vehicle. Fortunately, I’ve recently gained some experience with this skill and wanted to share with the Backpacking Light community what I learned. Although I’m far from an expert on this skill, or any other skills for that matter, I have some valuable observations worth sharing.
Exhaust Yourself and Your Options Before Seeking Help
Asking someone for help when you haven’t broken a sweat (and possibly the handle of your shovel) to extricate yourself from your predicament is simply poor form. If the tire chains are still in their original packaging, there aren’t mounds of snow on both sides of the car, and you and your passenger(s) are still on speaking terms, then you’ve likely given up too soon. Floor mats must be sacrificed to the Snow Gods for attempts at gaining traction (half-size Therm-a-Rest Z-Lites also work), futile efforts at moving metric tons of snow must be undertaken, and lengthy discussions about which gear to start in and who should push and who should drive need to have happened. These steps should be repeated at least once and preferably twice before seeking assistance from outside your party.
When traveling to a place where you might encounter a snow trap, it’s a wise idea to have some notion of where to get help when you need it. Noting the location of the closest plowed driveway to the trailhead is a reasonable start. Being aware of where cell phone reception begins and ends, in case you need to call a tow truck, is also important. Satellite messenger devices, like a Garmin InReach, can also allow you to coordinate efforts to free your vehicle from a frozen white death with people in your family or social network.
Employ Humor and Have No Expectations
Lacking cell phone reception or a satellite messenger, my girlfriend, Andrea, and I had to do things the old-fashioned way when we found ourselves stuck in February a mile from the paved and plowed road that would take us home.
We’d driven in on a gravel road that only had a handful of inches of well-packed snow and stayed at a US Forest Service rental cabin for a few days to cross-country ski and enjoy the simple life. During our blissful stay, over 16 inches (40.7 cm) of snow fell and made our exit a bit more exciting than anticipated. In our defense, the forecast called for a maximum accumulation of 7 inches (18 cm) which was well within my Honda Element’s capability to traverse—I had proper winter tires and I had chains as a backup. The USFS also told me that they usually plow the road to the cabin, even on weekends, which made me feel a bit more relaxed (sure, and Sasquatch cleans it between guests).
After a valiant effort to drive out that involved chains, shoveling, and strategic driving, we finally had to give up short of the pavement and its salvation. Luckily, there was a small cluster of houses with year-round residents at the junction of the paved and gravel roads, and 30 minutes of post-holing took us to the first house. Even more fortuitously, a truck was plowing the rear part of the nearest driveway. Putting on our friendliest and most humble faces, we approached to see what our options might be.
The driver of the truck, Russ, waved to us, parked, and then hopped out into the still-falling snow to see what we wanted. After the initial greetings and apologizing for bothering him, I got to the meat of the conversation:
“So, we were staying up at the Forest Service cabin on the East Fork this weekend. Drove up there on Friday. And, uh…we’re not driving now. Guessing you can put two and two together…”
After mentioning we might need to use a phone to call a tow truck, Russ said he’d be game to drive his truck back to our vehicle since we weren’t very far in. He would see if he could pull us out and get us in his tracks so we could drive out ourselves. We eagerly and earnestly took him up on his offer and, as far as getting stuck vehicles out of the snow, things couldn’t have gone smoother.
A short pull from his truck with my tow rope and we were able to get into his tracks which had packed the snow down just enough for the Element to get traction on. We drove the final mile out under our own power. The whole ordeal, from acknowledging we were totally stuck to being on the pavement probably took less than an hour—but we spent more than an hour on our initial attempts of driving out, getting stuck, digging out, driving some more, getting stuck, and admitting defeat.
Nevertheless, we made it out in time for a full afternoon of downhill skiing on the 24 inches (61 cm) of powder they’d received in the last 24 hours. While I’d have rather started my morning with fresh tracks on my skis than in my car on a snowed-in forest road, I suppose all is well that ends well.
Express Gratitude and Return the Favor
After making it back to the pavement, we stopped to thank Russ sincerely for his assistance. He was in the middle of plowing out the houses in the neighborhood and we’d taken his time away from that job with our interruption. We asked for his address and dropped a thank-you note in the mail with a gift card for a local ranching supply store. It seemed the least we could do since he saved us from what could’ve been a long and expensive ordeal.
I’ve helped a handful of people out, both on trails and on the roads, during my decade of backpacking and it is always a good idea to pay it forward”. If it is safe to help, and you have the resources, then there’s really no excuse not to.
Be Prepared
Overall, I was reasonably prepared for the situation I found myself in. I had the proper equipment (winter tires, shovels, chains, a vehicle suitable for the predicted conditions, tow rope, knowledge of plowing conditions, and a detailed forecast) but the snowstorm was more severe than what was predicted. These things happen. Ours was a success because of neighborliness and not getting stuck in too inconvenient a location. And it was a good lesson to maybe just park where the guaranteed plowing stops if snow is in the forecast and just ski into the cabin rather than driving.
After all, a 2000 lb. vehicle isn’t really part of a lightweight backpacking system and can sometimes create more problems than it solves.
Related Content
- More by Mark Wetherington
- In the Forums: What are you driving to the trailhead?
DISCLOSURE (Updated April 9, 2024)
- Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for product mentions or placements in editorial coverage. Some (but not all) of the links in this review may be affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a commission on your entire order, which varies between 3% and 15% of the purchase price. Affiliate commissions represent less than 15% of Backpacking Light's gross revenue. More than 70% of our revenue comes from Membership Fees. So if you'd really like to support our work, don't buy gear you don't need - support our consumer advocacy work and become a Member instead. Learn more about affiliate commissions, influencer marketing, and our consumer advocacy work by reading our article Stop wasting money on gear.
Discussion
Become a member to post in the forums.
Companion forum thread to: How To Ask Someone to Pull Your Car Out of the Snow
Sometimes the best skill is humbly asking for help. Here’s a story about my experience getting unstuck when driving snowy backcountry roads.
Fun story. I should put a tow rope in my car, although I would not likely take my GTI to that much snow 😁
Glad you enjoyed it! Writing it was definitely more fun than experiencing it.
I’d had the tow rope in my car for five years before finally needing to use it, but I was really glad to have it. A tow rope is one piece of gear where if I wore it out within a few years I’d be a bit worried about my driving habits : )
Fact of life up here. Though I am better at driving in blizzard conditions than I used to be. Deep snow is a pain as the chassis starts to float and you lose traction. Had this happen even with my Dodge Ram. On the plus side there is no shortage of guys with very large pick-ups eager to show how much pulling power their truck has.
Suggest you get a “recovery” rope rather than a tow rope. They have some stretch so less likely to pull the front (or back) of your vehicle off. It’s worth knowing where your tow points are before you get stuck; saves looking like a complete idiot when someone does offer to haul you out.
Good point about the recovery rope vs. tow rope. Luckily this was a pretty low-force extraction with little yanking involved.
And good tip about knowing where the tow points are. I’d gotten familiar with those from hauling canoes on my Element, and they’re fairly obvious, but it definitely would’ve added more of a headache if I was trying to find them for the first time. Especially since they were sunk into the snowing. Knowing right where to dig was helpful.
I recently got stuck at a trailhead outside of cell range and it was the first time I actually used my InReach for more than just “I’m ok” messages to my husband. I was really pleased with the InReach- I had a response from my husband within 1 minute of sending him my help request. Obviously the satellites were positioned in my favor that day. A lot of people stopped to check on me. Oddly, anyone with a vehicle remotely capable of pulling me out drove right on by. People in cars stopped to see if they could call someone for me. The hubs showed up in about an hour with a snatch strap and yanked me right out.
There is a pretty cool recovery rope they sell at Dutchwaregear. It is an adjustable whoopie sling made out of 7/16″ amsteel and has a breaking strength of over 15,000 lbs.
My opinion but while Amsteel is fine as a replacement winch cable I wouldn’t want to use it for vehicle to vehicle recovery where the load could potentially be applied unevenly. Just search for a “kinetic recovery rope”. Get some shackles while you are at it.
I’ve been stuck a few times at work, had to winch myself out a few times, and it always looks better if you have your own rigging rather than relying on someone else.
A piece of old climbing rope and knot knowledge works well. Stretch in the system can be your friend and allow the pulling car to more gently get a little run at it. Be careful when using shackles, cables and other metal bits. If something gives way those parts can be lethal missiles.
Like a lot of stuff, its good to get some training before you need it.
Kudos to the author for having chains and shovel. Not common anymore since all wheel drives are ubiquitous (but knowing how to get unstuck is not.)
I’ll add: have a beater CCF pad to kneel/lie on while dealing with chains or a flat tire.
In freeze-thaw conditions, sometimes you can get stuck on just a bit of sloped ice (mostly in one’s driveway or a parking lot). Use old-style milk cartons or the larger cardboard containers of Goldfish, fill them with salted sand, and staple them closed. Then, when you need to sand an area, you’ve got a decent amount and the container has a pour spout.
My instructions for getting unstuck in Alaska: attach one end of the tow strap to your vehicle. Hold the other end where passing cars can see it while looking like an idiot. Make it clear what you need*. The 2nd or 3rd along will pull you out.
I had a boss who’d take her AWD Audi over the pass to Anchorage in the winter because then she could shrug apologetically at stuck cars, but if she went in her F-250, she was obligated to stop and help.
A 3-cylinder 4WD Subaru Justy is decently capable in the snow and can be pulled out by ANYTHING else on the road. Or pushed out by a couple of grade-schoolers.
* Wave jumper cables around, point to open gas fill port, etc.
Kneeling with hands clasped in prayer often worked for hitch hiking.
An International Scout can pull a 64 passenger school bus out of 1 foot of Kansas mud.
Corb Lund Song The Truck Got Stuck.
“An International Scout can pull a 64 passenger school bus out of 1 foot of Kansas mud.”
Well were they not built by a tractor company (International Harvester)?
I had parks maintenance and landscaping job in high school where the supervisors used to drive us kids around in an International Travel All (?).
Just had to say how much I enjoyed the article and comments. Now that my ‘family’ vehicle is a GMC 1500 4×4, I’m in the same boat as the woman from Anchorage, but without minding the stopping. I’m retired now and it’s time to pay forward all the times a 4×4 pulled my VW Jetta out of a high centered situation. This article also reminded me to get a set of chains for my GMC. Someday I will need them to pull a car out of a snow covered ditch with only an snow covered, icy road for traction. Now how do I know that…? GK
Which is why I have an 8 ton Warn Winch on the front.
Cheers
My favorite set of chains were cut down from dump truck chains by my Grandad. Links made from steel the size of my little finger. Not for highway driving, but very deep snow or steep ice. I also have some cable chains for highway when they require them during early season storms over the passes before snow tires are on.
Winch, plus chains, diamond on front and ladder on rear. Slow speed, low ratio.
Cheers
You did well by including have no expectations when you ask for help. The area I once patrolled had ranches as the last residence on a dirt road. At one time rendering help was a reflex and people recreating far from town was rare. Now anytime of year people with expendable incomes and multiple days of leisure time are everywhere in country where a working ranch has neither of those luxuries. You might have better luck asking to use their landline to call for help rather than ask them for their help. Be prepared to hear how your people have put an undue burden on the food producers by reintroduction of predators and limiting access to range. It is fair to say we are the foreigners intruding into their way of life for generations and not just a stuck vehicle. And of course, we are not the first nor will we be the last that will be at the mercy of the last ranch on a long dirt road.
Become a member to post in the forums.