dispersed camping and getting stuck

[lab_nomad]

When you boondock on BLM land, is there a risk of getting stuck since you're getting off the road? Sand, mud, tires punctured by thorns on bushes, etc.?

 

[Ravella and X]

Yes, there is risk. Most cautious people scout ahead for conditions and try to make wise choices. Personally, I try to make super safe choices, but X likes to live more dangerously (and has got us stuck a time or two!)

 

[Freelander]

So make him get out and push.

 

[lab_nomad]

So, are there things people routinely carry with them to help out in situations?

 

[Van Man Dave]

Tow strap, traction boards, air compressor, plugs, patches, etc... are very helpful!

 

[highdesertranger]

can you get stuck? yes, sorry I am not going to lie. However,

there 2 basic types of dirt road they are, maintained dirt/gravel roads and unmaintained dirt roads. if you use a little common sense and stay on maintained roads you should be fine. as you gain experience you will also gain confidence.

the best thing you can do is to travel with an experienced person while gaining experience. during the winter the area around Quartzsite is a good area to gain experience.

highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

The best way is to travel in pairs or groups, at least be within walking distance to get help. Then you can simply carry a recovery rope to make sure you have something to have someone pull you out. If traveling alone a good jack that you are familiar operating and a board to use as a base to raise the wheel high enough to get rocks ( having a 5 gallon bucket to carry then in helps) to fill in the hole you are stuck in helps. I got really stuck in wet clay and sand and it was so slick and soft mats and recovery ramps didn’t work, the little Harbor Freight aluminum floor jack, wooden board it sat on along with 10 or so buckets of larger rocks (you will need some leather gloves) did after I dug (small shovel, in this case a short handled tree planting shovel) enough mud out to get the board and jack underneath the rear end to jack up the wheels. That took most of the day. I don’t work after dark by myself, so I left it jacked up and continued to stack rocks until they were above the water. Next morning at daylight the ground and water in the hole had frozen over which made it firm enough I could let the vehicle down and drive out. A locker would possibly have helped but as soon as I spun a wheel going forward I stopped and watched all four wheels sink into the soft ground, so maybe not. I had walked the area before but ended up in a sink hole in an area I hadn’t plan on going to which is the main reason I got stuck in the first place. Walking the ground first is probably the best way to avoid needing recovery gear, but a pair of gloves, a recovery rope, good jack you know how to handle on soft ground and a shovel that works in the material you are trying to move are the minimum in my opinion. My tires were aired down to 8 lbs. so a small air compressor is necessary to keep from ruining tires once you are out as well.

 

[Freelander]

I carry a tow chain with me.

 

[B and C]

I carry a snatch strap as well as a tow strap to keep the recovery vehicle from getting too close or in trouble too. I carry a folding shovel, traction mats, a come-a-long and a snatch block. A 12v compressor and a tire plug kit are also included. I also have a hank of 3/8" nylon rope. My van has 10 ply (rated) tires in stock size with aggressive tread on the rear.

Having all this equipment with me is just insurance and peace of mind. I have only used the snatch strap in my own back yard though. Took four good tugs from a full size 4x4 pickup to get me out. Momentum of the recovery vehicle is your friend with a snatch strap. No way would the tow strap have worked. The pickup was spinning to get moving the way it was. The snatch strap works like a big rubber band.

Walking ahead to scope out conditions is best on those unmaintained roads. You can tell by walking how soft the ground is (most of the time). I stay away from sand if at all possible.

 

[ckelly78z]

This is why you bring along a mountain bike (preferably with electric assist), so you can scout ahead. Also bring along those recovery traction boards https://www.amazon.com/FieryRed-Traction-Boards-Jack-Lift/dp/B089Y7P9TT

 

[lab_nomad]

I carry a snatch strap as well as a tow strap to keep the recovery vehicle from getting too close or in trouble too.  I carry a folding shovel, traction mats, a come-a-long and a snatch block.  

I know what a shovel is, traction mats is self explanatory, but what is a come-a-long and a snatch block?

 

[Uncle Todo]

A come-a-long is more or less a hand operated winch, or kinda like a tie down strap, it has a lever operated ratcheting mechanism to give you a tug but it's range is limited.
[img=200x200]https://shop.harborfreight.com/medi...525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/6/9/69855_W3.jpg[/img]
A snatch block is essentially a pulley, you hook it to an anchor point then run your winch line through it and double it back to hook on your rig.
It slows the winching speed but doubles the weight capacity.
[img=200x200]https://shop.harborfreight.com/medi...525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/6/1/61673_W3.jpg[/img]
*images courtesy of Harbor Freight