Monday, April 15th, 2024, at 10:26 p.m. (MT), we received a request for help with an off-road recovery in Montana. The requester, Wade Brooks, submitted the following information: “I’m in a 2014 double cab Toyota tundra 4×4. I am stuck on a slight incline with the left side of my truck facing uphill. The right side of my truck is right up against a tree so I can’t move downhill any farther. I am stuck in snow that is maybe 6-9 inches deep, but because of the incline and the tree, I can’t move. The snow starts about 20 yards behind me, and from Wilbur gulch to where I’m at the road is a bit muddy and there are patches of snow here and there. Everything else otw up here is dry dirt and rock. You have to take Fish Creek Road off of State Highway 2 to get to me. I have a kinetic rope, but that’s it / I’m with the vehicle.”
The request was organized by David Mrak. He contacted the requester and validated the information, location, and situation before submitting the ticket to local volunteers within a 60-mile radius.
From the group of local volunteers contacted, Dakota Wilkins took over the request by 11:00 p.m. By 1:24 a.m., he closed the request, announcing everybody was out in this off-road recovery in Montana.
Dakota later sent us this note and photos:
Recovery was pretty straightforward; Wade was just trying to go across a little off-camber section in crusty old snow, and they kicked him off the side of the trail. He stopped before any real damage was done, when we got on site got through a drift up hill so we could pull him off the tree before moving him. I had to re-rig a couple of times to walk him back onto the trail but then drove all the way out.
We want to thank Dakota for his awesome job in this recovery. (off-road recovery in Montana)
We are always looking to increase our presence in places like this one, where we have to expand to 60 miles in order to find enough volunteers. If you would like to receive a text message when we get a request near you, create your account here: offroadportal.org/signup