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.
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.