January 25, 2021 | Categories: Mission Reports

Mission Reports: Eva Mine Lexus

Sunday January 24th, a team from Colorado 4×4 Rescue and Recovery went up Leavenworth Creek, near the Eva Mine, to recover a Lexus that slid off the trail on a patch of ice.

Vehicle owner stated that he was backing down the trail and hit this patch of solid ice, flipped around 180 degrees, and went off the trail. Owner also reported a friend attempted recovering the night before and the vehicle didn’t move at all.

Vehicle was recovered using 2 winches, both through higher mounted redirects. One winch was setup with a 2:1 through a pulley, and the 2nd was just a standard 1:1 pull. The team was on scene shortly before 9 AM, and had the Lexus recovered with all gear packed away by 11:30 AM. Team was clear of the trail just after noon.

Remember when traveling in the back country it’s not uncommon to encounter hidden ice under the snow on trails (or on top in this case) from springs that run year round, or snowmelt from the sunny winter days that flash freezes at night. Numerous times in past years teams have gone in on snow covered trails early in the morning, only to egress out on solid sheets of ice after sundown.

Tire chains (properly fitted to your tires) can make all the difference between driving out safely, and getting pinned against a tree. And having an emergency pack with spare food, water, clothing, etc for the conditions can keep you comfortable in your vehicle until help arrives if you find yourself stuck in the winter mountains of Colorado.

Colorado 4×4 Rescue and Recovery

We Recover the Rockies!