We had to call for help | A Casey LaDelle Track Jeep recovery video prequel

A few weeks ago we ended up on ‪@CaseyLaDelle‬ 's KZbin Channel after getting our Toyota Tundra stuck in deep snow. This video covers the events (and questionable decisions) that lead up to Casey having to pull us out with his Track Jeep. We learned some lessons through this experience and wanted to share it so that you can hopefully avoid our mistakes in the future! If you have thoughts on what we could have done differently let us know in the comments!
You can watch our recovery video on Casey Ladelle's channel here: • Can the tracked Jeep s...
Also checkout the Snow Cat recovery video that we helped out with: • Epic Snocat Recovery! ...
If this video inspires you to buy any recovery gear consider doing it through Casey's Yankum Ropes affiliate link:
bit.ly/yankumCHR
Big thanks to Casey, Ben, Gaige, Haley and Karl for helping us out that day!
More tips on off-road driving in deep snow: westernwildout...
Essential gear for driving in deep snow: westernwildout...

[@CaseyLaDelle]

Very well done video!

[@Western-Wild]

Thank you Casey!

[@robertmeader4065]

Casey is the man that save people

[@chriswadsworth7387]

I faithfully watch Casey LaDelle videos!

[@gwn4531]

I watch Casey LaDelle's and Matts of road recoveries, and got a yankum rope and a few soft shackles to add to my winch and on my F250. Though we don't get the snow in Illinois that they do, especially where Casey is, I usually pull out about 6 friends a year when it does snow. This year no different except the yankum made it a quick pull, without even having to winch, and no chain giving anyone whiplash or tearing something up. Learning from other peoples mistakes and the pros that fix the problems is a lot better than learning it yourself.

[@ptchippy]

Definitely need more Casey’s in the world great video!

[@TheJimNicholson]

Casey never says he's good at this, but actually, he IS pretty good at this.

[@alanmumford8806]

Love Casey;s channel. It's one of my go-to's. This reminds me of: Scenario: South-East UK, Winter with heavy snow (6+ inches). 1975-ish. Four late teen males, invincible! Rwd-only saloon car. Seaside town with nightlife, the other side of escarpment. So, we set out, minds full of beer and boobies... Road closed sign! Buddy driving said "they only put those signs out for legal protection, it don't mean a thing!". Got up the steep side of the hill with no problems. However, on the gentler down slope, snow got deeper and we got to the point where none of the tires touched anything solid. Totally high-centered, sitting on the floor pan. Eventually managed to spin the car round where it sat and shove it back down its own tire tracks to reach solid ground. Admitted defeat and went home, learned a valuable, non life-threatening lesson.

[@Western-Wild]

That's a great story! I hope you and your mates had some drinks waiting for you at home.

[@davidmahan4160]

Just watched your vlog, it's good to see both sides, as a long time Subscriber of Casey LaDelle's awesome vlogs. This Is a valuable vlog and thanks for posting, even though you are experienced outdoor folk, it's great to see how easy things can go wrong. Got to love that tracked Cherokee. 😊👍

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks David! We thought it would be interesting to show the other side of the story. Even for people who are prepared all it takes are a few bad decisions and a little bad luck to end up on Casey's channel 😆. And yes, the Track Jeep is awesome! We'd consider putting tracks on the Tundra someday when it gets retried from daily driving haha, so much fun.

[@flyfisher530]

Nice video, based on some recent trips I now keep extra winch line rope with me at all times. Invaluable for reaching that tree that is always just beyond your standard winch line or for a double haul set-up.

[@Western-Wild]

Good call! We’re debating on that vs a kinetic rope, but with solo travel the extra winch line would be the better bet.

[@leegoldeneagle9003]

Love that jeep and Casey's channel always watch love it too 👍👍

[@jeremyfertig4187]

Smart people make mistakes.....even smarter people learn and adapt from them. I have a suspicion you are both in the later half. Great video and safe wheeling :)

[@Western-Wild]

Thank you Jeremy!

[@jammyjames6273]

A detachable winch mount put on the rear would have allowed you to back track in a case like this with a winch extension cable kept in the back for longer pulls. "Discretion is the better part of valour.... and listen to your wife". :) Well done to Casey. That tracked jeep is awesome .

[@Western-Wild]

We’re considering adding a front hitch receiver to our next 2nd vehicle for that reason. Can then take the hitch mounted winch with us in the truck when we know the snow is going to be deep!

[@jwbrown9240]

Love the track jeep, main reason I watch Casey

[@Western-Wild]

It’s a blast to ride in but super loud! Casey kept telling interesting recovery stories but we could hardly hear him 😆

[@JohnHallgren]

Been a subscriber to Casey’s channel for a while and this video showed up in suggestions. Had watched the recovery video so interesting to see your side of the situation!

[@Western-Wild]

We’ve watched his channel for awhile and and also wondered about the stories leading up to his videos… unfortunately we found out the hard way but hopefully others can learn from our experience!

[@JohnHallgren]

@@Western-Wild you might also put the link to his video in the Description area, which is where people like me often look for it.

[@Western-Wild]

@@JohnHallgren good call, the description has been updated!

[@JohnHallgren]

@@Western-Wild I can’t recall ever using an embedded video link but have used Description links to other videos often. So doing both satisfies any type user. Thanks!

[@craigcoak8483]

Less snow...less snow...less snow Underestimation of the year! Great video, thanks for putting this together.

[@Western-Wild]

Haha right? Glad you enjoyed it even after getting a sneak peek of the footage 😉

[@haroldnelson3734]

It's crazy how much deeper snow can get in just a few feet! Nice video. I live up in the Cascades near your neck of the woods. I see people all the time getting into situations that they could have very easily avoided. They just get too overconfident (along with just plain inexperience...maybe ignorance) in the equipment they have. You are so fortunate to have Casey nearby! Your experience also shows it can happen to any of us. Thanks for the candid remarks, pointers, & reminders.

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks for watching! And agreed, it's not something to be taken lightly especially as the snow quality gets worse!

[@trashandtrail]

Happy to take you out snow wheeling any time with our Jeeps!

[@courtneychambers9214]

Glad you all made it out! We definitely know what being that stuck is like!

[@Western-Wild]

We were thinking or your incident outside of Sisters when we got stuck! At least you were planning on camping out anyway while we were not prepared to spend the night at all 😆

[@courtneychambers9214]

@@Western-Wild that would make it a little more stressful not be prepared to stay if you needed to for sure!

[@AlsterJW]

Thanks for the video - you live in such an amazing place - beautiful landscape and good neighbors!

[@Western-Wild]

Glad you enjoyed it Jim! We really are blessed to be here with our gorgeous landscapes and good people around like Casey and our neighbors.

[@Baebon6259]

you made the right choice in buying recovery gears before lights.

[@Western-Wild]

Yeah lighting is an "as needed" mod in our opinion. Recovery gear on the other hand is mandatory.

[@dougbourdo2589]

Well, surely there were lessons learned and you most certainly called the right guy for the recovery.

[@Western-Wild]

For sure on both accounts! Glad we got to ride in the track jeep before he sold it 😆

[@joeweatherly6881]

Here in the east around new your up to new Hampshire we have so many tracked jeeps, cars, trucks and those little off road 4x4s most all have winch on front and back.

[@bripslag]

Nice video...here's wishing your channel success. 👍

[@scottalpine]

It’s awesome that Casey is close enough to help out in those situations. Hindsight is always 20/20, you made the right decision in hiking out rather than struggling till it became too cold and too late at night with no energy left for a hike out.

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks Scott! Yeah it could have gotten bad quickly. Was cold enough just shoveling snow and working with the the winch line mid-day.

[@mmckeown503]

We got stuck in that same spot a few weeks ago. 2 hours of digging and no Super Bowl but we got out. Almost had to call Casey! ;)

[@Western-Wild]

That's wild, small world! Bet the ruts from our incident were still there, probably didn't help your situation haha.

[@sandralutz-rodriguez2864]

Live and learn! What a great video!

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks Sandra!

[@ScaleofTwo]

Great vid y’all! Let’s get that hi-ace an award for most confidence! My petzl caribiner is gonna do wonders

[@Western-Wild]

If only we had that much confidence… although we’d probably get the truck stuck a lot more if we did 🤣

[@Natezoinks]

Love this recap, glad I subscribed. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Western-Wild]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the sub!

[@markjeepingful]

Glad came across this video and forward to my buddy who have exact same truck like yours!!! He needs more add on like your set up haha!!!

[@Western-Wild]

Tundra's are great trucks! Not the most powerful (anymore at least) or efficient but they are tough!

[@Codya523]

Hood up is good when using steel cables, I've had one snap off a 12,000lb winch and my hood was up and you could see the s curves in the hood when it snapped back. Synthetic line you don't have to worry as much unless you are using metal d-hooks

[@edzimdahl1158]

You mention your tires, I was in a spot that needed a full set, and limited funds, ended up getting goodyear wrangler in the authority tread, cause were the cheapest, only available thru wally world,, and how been pleased so far

[@jasonh4167]

More winch line (extention rope) and at least 2 winch rings so you can turn truck completely around in one spot. Never assume the trail ahead it going to be any easier. I my self have thought that.

[@Western-Wild]

Yeah that's exactly the plan as far as recovery gear goes. Figure that unlike a kinetic rope more winching gear can be helpful for both solo and multi-vehicle recovery, so we'll put money into the line and rings first.

[@EatCarbs]

Thanks for the video

[@tobiastho9639]

Maybe it was snowmobile time? Glad it worked out for you!

[@miked19831988]

I am far from an out doors person when it come to hiking and so forth. I think all the sugestions on here are good ones. I would like to add that maybe the next time take a friend with another vehicle that is set up for winching. My thoughts are you can never have "to many tools in your tool box" such as tree savers, soft shackles and that awesome Yankum recovery rope in various lengths. Go with the plan of spending the night if you get stuck.

[@Western-Wild]

Great suggestions. We will be changing our risk equation for solo trips from here on out and keeping an overnight bag with the truck at all times.

[@backcountryboondockers]

I need to start boondocking there. Happened to me before we're I had the tires hanging. Ended up digging under the truck to get it to settle.

[@Western-Wild]

It's beautiful country, no shortage of great spots.

[@joeweatherly6881]

With synthetic rope on your you don't have to worry about the snap that much , it more or less just falls to the ground I've seen a truck hanging and it break and only go 3 or 4 feet on the ground after hitting his leg and never hurt.

[@OverlandPNW]

Totally the right call Dillon! I would have done the same thing ha ha!

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks! Might have been a different story if we weren't traveling solo and had some friends around like yours for "moral support" 😆

[@Airriel333]

Absolutely love Casey's channel Nice guy Love finding your channel Following NOW

[@Western-Wild]

Thank you Roshandra! And agreed, he’s a great guy with an incredibly entertaining channel.

[@Airriel333]

@@Western-Wild so Glad I found your channel You and your husband present a lovely dialogue n entertaining views of the Oregon drives and explore... You're in my list now Thanks MUCH Roshandra... I'm back up to my SACRED trips to SHASTA in 4 weeks as SHE CONSTANTLY PULLS me to Her and the energy. I'm in crazy LoL SILICON VALLEY I'M A COMMUTER LoL 5 hour drive LoL

[@mrc1539]

Experienced people making some foolish mistakes . You have to respect the mountains and be prepared for the unexpected or they will bite you on the a$$. There have been lives lost in those mountains . Glad you made some good decisions in the end .

[@samellis4054]

Line damper we always used a sweatshirt and when it broke it always dropped

[@katreniaclark]

I just watched this for the first time on your channel after watching a Casey video. I have been watching Casey for 2 years now. Question, is your winch wire cable or rope? If it is cable then yes, hood up or some sort of overlay.

[@Western-Wild]

Thanks for watching! Yes it's synthetic, so the hood up was probably unnecessary.

[@MugOfPaul]

I would not worry about the hood or a damper with a synthetic line. Especially since the truck is the moving part of the pull. If you watch the most recent Matt’s Off-road, you’ll see an example of a synthetic line breaking… it just drops to the ground.

[@Western-Wild]

Great point Paul, especially when using soft shackles.

[@jcar1417]

I agree, steel cable probably not a bad ideal to keep hood up, it might add a little protection but synthetic I do not think it is necessary

[@tkendr01]

Need to always be prepared to spend the night.

[@Western-Wild]

So true! We usually are... but stupidly skipped that step this time. We'll be working on an emergency food kit and throwing sleeping bags in the back next time.

[@51WCDodge]

@@Western-Wild You usuallly do. The oldest cause of problems. I didn't do what I normally do. Part of my job is work place accident investigations. 'It was only going to be quick' should be on a lot of tombstones.

[@DjAnderson-p9i]

U could have ran ur winch line under the truck off to the driver side to have pulled the truck backwards along with turning it around

[@51WCDodge]

On any trip remember the Old Sailors adage' God and Weather permitting' 😁 Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.

[@EnufIsTooMuch]

Couple of comments. Please, no more music in videos. Other thing is shovels. I spent some years living and working in high mountains. At times moving snow out of the way with a front end loader. In my personal 4x4 and the work 4x4 I kept two shovels. A typical broad shovel like a snow shovel was one. But that often cannot reach deep under a vehicle that is frame-deep in snow. For that I carried a second shovel. Long handled, rectangle blade with slight angle to reach deep. Helped many a stuck vehicle dig out that way. I also had 300 feet of 1/2" nylon rescue rope retired from rescue service (people, Mountain SAR stuff) which provided lots of ways to get a pull going.

[@Western-Wild]

We usually carry two shovels when we drive in the snow, but do need to add a square headed shovel to our inventory. In this case we actually had most of the tools we needed to get out... if we had time and energy to do it. Between the incoming sub zero temps and our lack of planning around bringing food for the day we decided that we needed to use the energy we had to get out and not turn a vehicle recovery situation into a rescue mission.

[@chriswadsworth7387]

Did Casey tell you that you have the wrong brand of winch?

[@Western-Wild]

It was his first comment when we got to the truck 😆

[@troymclean9597]

And did you buy any extensions after? lol

[@Western-Wild]

Not yet, have a baby on the way so solo snow adventures are off the menu this winter. We’ll be beefing up the recovery kit and upgrading to bigger tires before the next snow season.

[@brucerobinson1284]

Doing a lot more digging I think would have helped on the first time you were stuck . The 2nd time going down hill if that was not an exit then you would be going up hill to leave . I have never gotten stuck in the snow where I live and am about 50/50 in the mud not a good record in central Florida Though. 🙂

[@Western-Wild]

Haha yeah we run this route all the time in the summer and the downhill bit would have looped us home if the snow hadn't gotten deeper. Have talked to other local off-roaders who have been stuck in the snow in the same area... which made us feel a little bit better...ish 😆. In any case thanks for watching!

[@martykitson3442]

I mean I see a winch lead, son you musta been some kinda stuck, hot beverage with maybe a little alcohol in it, Irish whisky, bourbon and rum all work very nicely in hot chocolate!!!!oh by the way when she says you're wrong go with it you're wrong Agree with the earlier comment, Casey claims he's not very good at this but really he is Honestly i clicked on yo0un because I do follow Cassey, I'll sub and see If y'all hold my interest

[@Hp2G1]

It's always easy to say, I told you so afterward, or you should have listened to me... If all men where listening to their wife, Christopher Columbus would have stayed by his fire and never would have discovered America! My experience told me that everything get stuck at one point, and the more capable the rig, the deeper it get stuck! Your only mistake was that you didn't had the gears and supply in case you needed to camp overnight. But you were not very far anyways. Cheers!

[@Western-Wild]

So true! Always better to keep some capability in reserve, especially when solo. Looking at upgrading to 35s soon and will keep that in mind haha.

[@genecampbell9132]

To Bad you had to someone like Casey I would not use him if he was the only one there. Thinks he knows everything bit really knows nothing but how to disrepect people.

[@Western-Wild]

Not really sure where you got that impression because our personal experience with him has proven the exact opposite to be true.

[@ron827]

What the hell, are you guys rookies from Florida and do not know anything about snow? We also have lots of snow here in MN and with over six decades driving during winters, I have never needed to be rescued because I stay off the roads when they are deep with snow. :-)