Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery - Epic snow bashing to recover a stuck subaru!

January 7th 2023, a team from Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery made attempt #2 to reach a subaru that was stuck in deep snow NW of Nederland, CO. They had tried earlier in the week and the snow conditions were just so deep at each end of the trail that it was essentially impossible to break through it with the resources on hand.
Fast forward to the weekend, and we had ample time to put together a team that simply couldn't fail. One of our members was able to borrow a rollback truck from his company, Armstrong Sweeping, and was also able to secure a skid steer from Precision Milling. The skidder was priceless in clearing the worst of the ice crusted drifts so the team could chain up and snow bash their way to the top of the mountain to recover the subaru.
Along the way, we had the power wagon pop off the radiator hose from the top of the radiator. And we also had a JK lock up an idler pulley and shred a serpentine belt. Luckily, our amazing team had a member ready to roll in town, hit up multiple dealerships to source all the parts we needed and come up the mountain. It was like uber eats for car parts!
Everyone was off the mountain by 5 PM and I was home eating dinner by 7!
Thanks for watching!!!

[@jasonmichaeljimenez]

I was shocked when it was a stock Subaru out there. It seemed like a homeless dude got trapped by snow. You dudes saved that man everything most likely.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

You pretty much guessed the situation

[@krashnpa]

That gladiator is pretty awesome! Appreciate all the good going on here.

[@gilbertarnold8666]

Great video thank you!

[@markreetz1001]

Good video Justin. Always fun Watching snowy mountain trails. 👍

[@UberCon]

Nicely done 👍👍

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

A tracked Bobcat in the snow is even more fun...

[@JustinKingOffroad]

That does sound fun

[@bobpurs]

Great video Justin. Fun but long day 👍✊

[@michaelcook184]

Nice job bet that guy is happy

[@mtower235]

Man y’all worked to get that done. Heck of a job

[@JustinKingOffroad]

It was a day!

[@Coolhansolo]

That's seriously hard-core snow wheeling / recovery !! Mad skills navigating those conditions !! 💪👍🙏

[@absmith001]

Lost the same belt and pulleys on my Jeep in Farmington NM traveling from CO to MS. What a pain when you're trying to travel 1500 miles! Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

I can't believe it shredded it that bad.

[@absmith001]

@@JustinKingOffroad I’m still finding pieces in my engine bay. Unfortunately, I’m replacing yet another pulley this weekend… the tensioner assembly. I guess now everything will be new. Lol.

[@jameshowey9958]

Tracked skid steers work in the snow so much better, great video.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

yeah but it's what we were given to use for the day. beggars can't be choosers lol!

[@jameshowey9958]

@@JustinKingOffroad I’m surprised you all didn’t do this at night when the snow is more favorable, but hey I get it you have to do with what you got when you can

[@JustinKingOffroad]

@@jameshowey9958 night time operations are a lot more dangerous in the winter time. we try to not do that unless it's a total life safety issue on the stuck party side.

[@magicrat933]

Brutal snow bashing but as always you guys get the job done! That snow requires a tracked Jeep! For mud flaps with no gap and perfect fit: Bro Flaps the guy is on Etsy

[@obrianmcc12]

Wow ... true definition of 'Garbage Snow" ...

[@JustinKingOffroad]

yep! colorado rarely sees that heavy wet pacific NW quality snow you can drive on top of.

[@emmettcharles4674]

Would love to go on a recovery with you one day

[@scotteastman2283]

Recovering vehicles that were Recovering vehicles! Dayam!

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Right!

[@jonschneck4559]

the rollback is called a hooklift you can change bodies, most of the time they haul dumpsters

[@johnfitzgerald5158]

No good deed goes unpunished...referring to the hose and belt issues.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

You got that right

[@Coolhansolo]

The path to hell is paved with good intentions.

[@markf8740]

Good luck with the bronco hope you have better luck than those I've been around of friends hope they have fixed there issues one blew his motor on the highway 10 ,500 miles the other friend has broke both tie rods and lost frond drive shaft (stock)

[@JustinKingOffroad]

i'm not overly concerned about it. it's all in your wheeling style i think. if you're pinning tires against obstacles and continuing to crank on that wheel, that pressure has to go somewhere. even wheeling my jeep, i'd back up and reposition so i don't blow out a TRE. you can still easily damage solid axles as quickly as IFS.

[@ellerybice3787]

Think TRYGG! Chains.

[@ellerybice3787]

No chains on the skid steer? 😢

[@frankaiello1805]

Great video Justin , V bar chains on the back end of that Power Wagon Awesome! What brand and type on the front end? And how does your friend like them ? I’m thinking about getting some for my 19 Wagon they fit better for the front I think I have 37s too

[@JustinKingOffroad]

I'm not sure the exact model but I know they're commercial truck cables. They're better than nothing he says but they are not as good as chains.

[@mikeburnett160]

Those are Security Chain Company Super Z Heavy Duty cables. I have to run those on the front just because I dont have quite enough clearance with the 37's to run actual chains. As Justin said, they are definitely better than than nothing, but if you can fit chains (or better, v-bars) I'd go that way. But, the cables have held up to everything I've dished out to them for several winters now -- they are definitely high quality.

[@frankaiello1805]

@@mikeburnett160 okay Thanks Mike !

[@frankaiello1805]

@@JustinKingOffroad okay Thanks Justin

[@offroadnut]

Great video. Did anyone air down?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Oh yeah we were all aired down. Those with chains ran more psi than those of us without.

[@tlw8886]

Is that a remote GPS antenna on the dashboard you have running to your nav display?

[@frankansley7941]

Thanks for the vide!! what was dragging behind the Subaru on ropes?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Couple logs. Unsure why.

[@connorkenchel5375]

I have a duce and a half that wouldve helped alot I live in the springs though

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

Justin. What chains do you recommend?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

If you have the clearance, v-bars are the most aggressive!

[@adidas4275]

snow is so tiring and slow.... it is fun but also a full day... in and out of the rig and winching and using ropes.... just brutal. what happened to your JL?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

snow wheeling is my favorite, but yes it's a pain in the rear haha. i traded the JL in on the Bronco.

[@michaelbond3903]

Are those cables on that power wagon, or just a different style of chains? I haven't seen something like those before which is why I ask.

[@wd97tj]

V-bar chains rear and commercial cables front. I have the same set up on my power wagon that’s in several of Justin’s Videos. Chains won’t clear in the front

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Yep Mike answered that before I saw it.

[@michaelbond3903]

@@wd97tj ok. I didn’t know that, so I have learned something new.

[@_torresdavid_]

Can you link the V-bar chains you use out back? ‘19 Power Wagon with 35’s

[@JustinKingOffroad]

@@_torresdavid_ they are the 35 inch v-bars at tirechains.com

[@DependableAutoTruck]

never owned a go pro but all i seem to hear is the battery is dead or its to hot or its to cold for them

[@JustinKingOffroad]

This is the first issue I've had. My batteries are numbered. Turns out it's not too cold. That battery was shutting off at 80% here at home today too. I forced the camera back on over and over until I got the battery down to 1%, charged it, and it's working fine again!

[@robertlanzetta]

Eat, eat 😂

[@JustinKingOffroad]

those v-bars EEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAATTTTTT! hahahaha

[@jedironin380]

I don't understand why you guys were beating the heck out of the Power Wagon when you already had a skid-steer on site? I was afraid you were going to break something on the truck.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Cause it's fun.

[@jedironin380]

@@JustinKingOffroad Well, there's that. 😀

[@JustinKingOffroad]

@@jedironin380 actually the skidder would have taken 10 more hours to reach them. We just didn't have that much time.

[@jedironin380]

@Justin King OK. It looked like it was making better progress. I can't tell from the video how far you had to drive, though.

[@zakksrage]

Should probably just get a snowblower attachment for one of the jeeps. Imagine having so much bullshit in your car you have to ratchet strap water jugs to the outside.

[@JustinKingOffroad]

snowblower would be cool! but keeping it out of the big rocks on a trail like this might be impossible.

[@seandonaghy9224]

What was the reason the Subaru driver was dragging something on either side of the car?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

We honestly have no idea lol

[@seandonaghy9224]

@@JustinKingOffroad yeah kind of hoping it was some kind of snow hack I've never heard of maybe it's a way to wash the clothes in the snow LOL

[@strix4667]

Considering the tire size and the depth of the snow it looks like the Bronco did pretty well. Are you going to get a set of chains for it?

[@JustinKingOffroad]

I have my chains off the Jeep, clearance up front is too tight for my comfort, but I just didn't chain up for the rear today.

[@iffykidmn8170]

can only imagine what the Subaru would have been capable of with a set of 30s.🤣🤐

[@wd97tj]

37” tires would give you better ground clearance

[@JustinKingOffroad]

Yeah!! But... That's a big mods list on a bronco haha.

[@wd97tj]

@@JustinKingOffroad but they clear in stock power wagons. Just saying

[@thomtleonard46.]

Don't have the ground clearance

[@ricksantiago4422]

This is all out of pocket that the owner pays? Insurance doesn’t help absorb any cost? Maybe there should be Recovery Insurance through AAA at some point

[@JustinKingOffroad]

there is ZERO cost. it's all 100% donation, 100% volunteer time.

[@mayflower2314]

@@JustinKingOffroad Thats why Im thankful you guys exists but I really hope I never have to call you guys! *knocks on wood*

[@backwoodstherapy]

AAA does pay for some of it.

[@ricksantiago4422]

Did not know that. Well hope some are generous and appreciative of the recovery. That’s a lot of resources and time.

[@thomtleonard46.]

You do not have the ground Is Clarence for your ride

[@bryanlewis8891]

Oh hell its just a Stupidru leave him up there until the roads melt in June.

[@harrywalker968]

subaru,,NOT,, a 4x4..