Gear / Accessories Winching or Extraction Techniques for Utah's wheeling environment...

UT410

Member
Supporting Member
I grew up in the Northeast. The wheeling there is vastly different. So, too, I'm assuming, are some of the techniques for using a winch appropriately. My rig is about to go under the knife and I'll be out wheeling soon - I want to be more knowledgeable and prepared.

I'm having my folks send out some of my wheeling gear that's in storage and I got to thinking if my gear bag is appropriate. I've been looking at pics and reading about techniques that are used out here and I rarely see someone use a tree saver (seems too short) or a snatch block.

So, I'd like to get this conversation going. I'd like to know what are techniques/practices/etc., you need to do out here. When there's no tree (or boulder) what are you doing?

Also, here are the contents of my bag (as best as I remember): gloves, tree saver, snatch block, a length of chain (can't remember the length, maybe 8'), tow strap, 2 D-rings, a wire thimble and rope clips (after I snapped one wire, I kept it in my bag, in case), and probably a hook, couple rags, etc.

What am I missing? Or, what is something in my bag that you'd replace for something else?

I look forward to seeing what this thread becomes.
 
Last edited:

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
We always use tree savers and I always have a snatch block with me, along with a snatch strap, recovery strap, and shackles. I don't think our winching techniques differ much from other parts of the nation. In moab, there aren't many trees to tie to, so you tie to another rig's bumper. Other than that, it's pretty standard winching.

We've had live demonstrations at some of our previous RME Quarterly Training days in the past. If there's enough interest we'll add a winching demo to our next one.


That being said, Kurt (cruiseroutfit) is the Stephen Hawking of winching and has an entire hour-long presentation he gives about winching. It's fascinating and everyone can benefit from it.
 
Last edited:

UT410

Member
Supporting Member
That being said, Kurt (cruiseroutfit) is the Stephen Hawking of winching and has an entire hour-long presentation he gives about winching. It's fascinating and everyone can benefit from it.


Hahaha.

I assumed that I was missing something since the terrains are so different but it's good to hear. One of the things I was thinking (back of my mind stuff) is that I would end up doing something that wasn't acceptable out here. I wheeled with a lot of knowledgeable guys, growing up, whom took keeping the trails in good shape seriously but it doesn't seem that it's to the level of vigilance that it is out here.
 
Last edited:

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
another handy winching tool in the desert is the pull pal. It's a big spade/wedge that digs itself down into sand as an anchor point when there are no other trees or vehicles. Those are really handy.

Another option is to bury your spare tire and hook a recovery strap to it. It's a pain and a lot of work, but it sure beats being stranded for days.

I try to use a recovery strap before a winch. In fact, I've only had to winch once in 8 years of wheeling (but I stay away from the super hardcore trails). Good recovery points are important. A good jack and a spare are equally important.
 
Last edited:

UT410

Member
Supporting Member
I've used something similar to a PullPal on my buddy's dad's farm for recovering one of his implements in an open pasture. We couldn't get it out and had to be left for a while, until he could get back and dig it out when the ground had hardened. I've read a bunch on them but it's likely I'll never purchase one.

I've used a deadman anchor (I think it's called) with a large log in a ditch, though. That was pretty neat. We used it to anchor the Jeep and pull out a logging conveyor that needed to be extracted. It wasn't heavy, just awkward and the ground cover provided little resistance for the Jeep. That was a day's work, but we had a blast getting that thing to an area where they could move it. I miss that type of stuff - a bunch of neat experiences.

I'd like to sit in on some of that training. Even if I know some of it, already, I'm sure there's a bunch I'd learn.
 
I grew up in the Northeast. The wheeling there is vastly different. So, too, I'm assuming, are some of the techniques for using a winch appropriately. My rig is about to go under the knife and I'll be out wheeling soon - I want to be more knowledgeable and prepared.

I'm having my folks send out some of my wheeling gear that's in storage and I got to thinking if my gear bag is appropriate. I've been looking at pics and reading about techniques that are used out here and I rarely see someone use a tree saver (seems too short) or a snatch block.

So, I'd like to get this conversation going. I'd like to know what are techniques/practices/etc., you need to do out here. When there's no tree (or boulder) what are you doing?

Also, here are the contents of my bag (as best as I remember): gloves, tree saver, snatch block, a length of chain (can't remember the length, maybe 8'), tow strap, 2 D-rings, a wire thimble and rope clips (after I snapped one wire, I kept it in my bag, in case), and probably a hook, couple rags, etc.

What am I missing? Or, what is something in my bag that you'd replace for something else?

I look forward to seeing what this thread becomes.

We always use tree savers and I always have a snatch block with me, along with a snatch strap, recovery strap, and shackles. I don't think our winching techniques differ much from other parts of the nation. In moab, there aren't many trees to tie to, so you tie to another rig's bumper. Other than that, it's pretty standard winching.

We've had live demonstrations at some of our previous RME Quarterly Training days in the past. If there's enough interest we'll add a winching demo to our next one.


That being said, Kurt (cruiseroutfit) is the Stephen Hawking of winching and has an entire hour-long presentation he gives about winching. It's fascinating and everyone can benefit from it.

Yup and yup. We do that here. I even have Glenn Wakefield's Pullpal that we didn't use for the Team Trophy Challenge (but had on hand).

Critical part of a good winch session is a Winch Boss, or at a minimum, folks that will cooperate. We had a mess on Rose Garden Hill this year at EJS when an H1 broke and the trail leaders weren't real invested (or knowledgeable) and wanted to argue rather than go with one of the many approaches that would have worked. They actually left the guy, and we ended up extracting him and left. :rolleyes:
 
Top