Whoa! Your video is insane! Being stuck solo and surviving is wild, and using EcoFlow for microwaved meals is pure genius. Keep living the adventure and sharing the craziness with us.
It's usually not too big a deal in reality in lower 48. You just got to be willing to hump it back to reception or a passerby. Happened to me a number of times in younger days.
I had an electrical issue in Colorado on a shelf road at 13,000 ft in my CanAm. A good Samaritan came along and saved my ass. He wanted nothing in return, I told him I'd have bad karma if I didn't repay his kindness and just pulled out the $100 bill and put it in his palm when we shook hands. It's so awesome to know there are lots of wonderful people willing to go above and beyond to help. Watching your video brought back lots of memories of how it feels when you know you're not getting out without help. Great video!
Love watching people help each other (especially in the same community) and not expecting anything in return, that Ian guy is def an old school cool dude - God bless him and his generosity
Not trying to sound too warm and fuzzy, but my heart did melt a bit when I sent him some money as a reward. His eyes lit up and he thanked me for the gesture. He said he would be able to stay out on his adventure longer. I gave him enough to drive back home to Tucson, Arizona and then some. I love this community, it attracts some wonderful people.
Chalk this up as a traing and tutorial video for everyone. Lots of lessons here. We don’t need to verbally beat you up, you did it yourself. We are all glad your ok, and that we all learned something. ❤😊
Thanks Suzette! That’s how I saw it, a learning experience. Thankfully it wasn’t a costly one because of the kind soul that helped me out! Whatever happens, good or bad, I’ll share what happened. Now one thing I left out is that I have hundreds of mosquito bites 🦟. I need to make sure I’m well stocked on repellent 😊
4Runner FTW! After trying to take my wifes Forester XT with AT tires out to something moderate I changed my views AWD off roading on trails that are a little more then fire road simply because I didn't want to get stuck, I ended up buying a 4Runner. At least you now know the limits of your vehicle and that you should always have recovery gear on solo trips. Safe travels.
Thanks! My previous vehicle was a Forester XT and the Passport is a world of difference, while it’s an AWD, the capabilities are closer to the 4runner. Many toyota owners use my videos to figure out what trails they can handle, and I’m more than happy to be a point of reference.
As someone who recently pulled someone out of a mess I completely understand not wanting any compensation. For me it was a chance to try out some new recovery gear. And as for karma, I figure if I help someone out of a mess then somewhere down the line someone will get me out of a mess. No amount of money is worth that.
Your rig is 💯 man! Its awesome you were able to get a fellow offroader to pull you out. The offroad community is by-far full of the best kinds of people to be around.
Us off roaders/overlanders always help out others is need. In Florida we have FB pages just for recovery. We have almost 27K members all over the state. I usually will help recovery within an hour of my house. Ocala National Forest, Citrus Wildlife, Croom, etc. We never ask for money.
Valuable lesson learned and your misfortune and experience here will serve to help remind folks to not put themselves in that same situation (though we always do). Ian seems like a legit good person which are best found the original way, not on social media or internet.
I was just telling my wife on our Colorado trip that I wanted to avoid going on trails that had water crossings or were in low lying or wet areas cuz I don’t have recovery gear. She thought I was being paranoid. I will show her this video
Thank you very much for sharing this and no criticism from me being one who is still learning to feel comfortable and bailing out when I know I am reaching that threshold! Great video!
So glad you made it out safe!! You are right people out there will help in a heartbeat. I was at the same hotspring last year by myself and i left my phone on my bumper and the guy that came in right as i was leaving saw it but couldnt flaf me down. I thought it was gone with all my work contacts in it. Be called my wife and made arrangements to mail it back to me. I was very thankfull. Most people are awsome out there. Good job ian
Thanks Nick!!! Thankful for Ian. Such a good person! He wasn’t in the video much, but you can tell he’s a real humble guy. We’ve both had our fair share of helping people and glad Karma came around to save me. Whew!
Don’t be disappointed, you don’t know the limits of anything until you surpass them. A set of maxtrax would have been all you need. Digging it in further was the biggest mistake I saw but it is easy to Monday morning quarterback. I have a 5th gen 4Runner on 35”s with front and rear lockers and I recently had it in deep snow for the first time. I almost got super stuck. I do have a winch and maxtrax
Don't be down on yourself. You went out and had an adventure. Now you just have something else to talk about over drinks at the end of the day. The off road community is great. Sure, we talk a lot of shit and brand bash online. But, once on dirt, we look out for each other. Keep doing your thing.
Just make sure to trail, and what I’ve learned is that driving on an illegal bypass is still illegal and you could have hefty fines. In retrospect, I should have turned around, just like I did at 8:36. Be safe out there.
Great Vlog Jon. Thanks for the lesson at the temporary expense of your reputation and normally excellent judgment. It's good for all of us to see this because we all push the limits at times thinking "it won't happen to us because of X, Y or Z". It was good to see that you got out of this situation with no scars, just a few bruises to the ego. As you clearly stated, it could have been a lot worse if you were further away from the beaten path, in unfamiliar territory, in bad weather, etc... The icing on the cake was you got pulled out quickly and for "free". Ian, like you is a good guy that did what you would have done for someone else with the same grace. Glad you persisted and found a way to compensate him. Those EcoFlow deals look pretty good. I bought a Bluetti 200 Max recently...haven't even used it yet but now wish I had bought the Delta 2 Max because I did just buy the Wave2 AC/Heater. The Bluetti will work with it but not as well or seamlessly as a Delta2max.
Thanks Tim I always enjoy your eloquent comments 🙏. I’m really big on being genuine and truthful about my adventures, and when I get stuck I “keep it real as opposed to a highlight reel”, so I think I did what many people would expect of me and my channel 😃. I’ll be making a trip out to Colorado in the coming days and I’ll have to pass through Nevada and Utah we’re it can be quite warm. I’ll definitely be taking my EcoFlow Wave 2 with me to make sure I get comfortable sleep. I highly recommend rigging up a DC to DC battery charger. It’s supposed to input over 400 watts. I have my EcoFlow River 2 hooked up to it and it I kits 179 W. It would be 192 W, but my digital rear view camera uses up 12W. It’s nice having a reliable energy source! I recall that I told you about my recharging problems with just the solar panels in my Wave 2 video. Here’s a link to what I bought: amzn.to/3phQRse
That was a rough spot but serendipity rolled your way in the end. I was 40 minutes away at June Lake in the GX with a new 12k winch - bummed I didn’t see your call for help as I would have been happy to come out. The microwave may be my favorite mod.
Thanks! I’ve owned many traction boards in the past, but when I had the fold out RTT I had no where to put the traction boards. Now that I have an aluminum clamshell, I will buy some boards again. I’ve also been using a pair of go treads.
Yeah, he saved me so much money! Would have been $1200 for an off-road recovery, but Ian rescued me, asked for nothing in return and refused a reward. I had to tip him a few Benjamins
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Haha true but this was definitely enjoyable to watch. I remember getting stuck by ourselves and it was scary to think about the different outcomes. Glad you're safe
Crazy how sketchy those roads and ruts in them are. You had me rolling when you said, "This one/rut looks pretty decently bad." Is that like, "Unattractively Beautiful?" Or "Obesely Svelte?" Funny how someone who isn't even thinking about or in need of attention, unlike so many people whose life IS social media, is called "old school" for not having a Instagram account. Glad people like Ian are still around. It's not surprising that good things can happen to a great guy like you Jon. Your positivity and kind soul were rewarded.
It's a good thing you got stuck and you video'ed the incident. It tells us never to go unprepared when we explore and to have UP TO DATE backup communication. 🤙🏽 What EcoFlow model are you using? I couldn't hear you over the wind.
I looked into the Garmin Messenger issue and found that iOS was to blame. There’s a feature turned on by default called “offload unused apps”. This feature is now turned off! 😂
When I have upgraded batteries on my off-road trailer and my jeep. I have considered a small microwave. You need to get a Starlink John; you would’ve had full Internet and Wi-Fi phone coverage.
What a great overall adventure. I highly recommend that "overlanders" ditch the super short D handled shovels and buy a standard length $15.00 shovel from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. If you were in a spot where you couldn't safely walk out and no help was coming, you probably could have digged yourself free in 2-3 hours of road construction. A standard length shovel would have made that possible...the short handled shovel would have made it miserable.
You're a brave man, I would not be doing solo trip in a AWD without recovery boards or winch. There's a product called 'Bog Out' which is a rope system you tie one end to a tree and the other wrapped around your wheel and turns it into a winch. It would have gotten you out of that spot.
There’s been a lot of vehicles getting stuck out in mammoth, but most of all that happened 2 weeks prior. I thought the terrain was dry and I was mistaken 😖. I’ve carried traction boards before but with my previous setup, I didn’t have a good place to mount them. The current setup was fresh during the taping on this video, and I hadn’t had the chance to mount traction boards. I’m actively trying to find someone to make a winch mount.
Thanks for catching that, my coworker pointed it out as well. I edited this video at a Starbucks and it wasn’t the best experience, lots of distractions, haha
OMG! I’m glad you were able to get help. Ian’s awesome! I love the mods. It really improved the Passport’s stance. That RTT looks sharp and more compact. I envy your compliant ride. I have front and rear solid axles so it’s head toss city for me 🤣
They’re really bad this year in the eastern sierras. Record breaking snow fall! I knew of the risk, but didn’t notice it lurking underneath the dry mud.
If your life depends on it, driving off the dirt path and into the grass should not be technically illegal. Also get the iPhone because it has emergency satellite mode where cell phone coverage is not necessary.😊 15:52
Never travel offroad/overlanding alone without traction boards and a shovel. Rocks, sticks and logs are your friend. Filling in a hole/rut a bit before you commit is wise. Air down and try very hard not to spin and dig ruts.
Very useful info. I had traction boards, but gave them away when I had my previous fold out Roof top setup. I replaced the boards with Gotreads, which may or may have not helped me out here. Then I had my aluminum snow shovel, which helped a little bit, but was far from ideal. In this situation, the more I dug, the more clay I exposed and it seemed to be an endless mud pit. Another thing to think about too is conserving energy and avoiding heat exhaustion. I should have made it clear in this video that the only reason I left to go look for help was because I used GAIA GPS to figure out the distance of a well traveled trail and hot spring. In many cases, people will get stuck in a much more remote location. I should have put a disclaimer “IN MOST CASES, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE”
In touch with someone to hopefully get a winch mount made. I really don’t want the added weight and affected aerodynamics from a bumper, unless it’s made out of aluminum.
@JonDZ_Adventuring that's true.. most of my buddies who got front bumper said it made their rig 2-3x heavier and they can feel the sluggish of the engine dragging along. That'll ve great to have a winch mount. I'm all in for it! I'd get one!! Tell NoLo/Traxda to make one🙌
Oh man. This is , a good example of why self recovery gear is a must when wheeling alone. I'm glad you were able to find help and that you didn't damage your rig. Maybe time to add a winch? I wonder if you could mount one similar to how Aaron did his? I bought an EcoFlow Delta Max last summer and have used it on a couple of camping trips so far, it has been great! I also got a 200w solar panel for it. My next big purchase will probably be a 12v fridge.
Good footage Jon! Glad you made it out. I've seen more capable 4X4's stuck in ruts like that... once your underbody is touching somewhere, unless you have a truly capable vehicle, your stuck. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks James! I wish I could have caught footage of the immediate after math. I didn’t pull footage off my dash cam or from my iPhone. Maybe I’ll release some YT shorts. Also, didn’t have the camera running when I went to the natural hot springs to wash off all that mud. Lots of beautiful people in the tub, but I didn’t want to be a creeper and start filming 😂😂😂
FYI this is why you should always have a long handle shovel and pick axe. I’ve used my shovel many times when snow wheeling. It takes time to clear the belly but it works
Bet those hot pockets tasted good after that while ordeal! But man, that first bit of the road looked really gnarly, I'm actually surprised that that wasn't where you got stuck. Glad you were able to get out though with the help of Ian man!
Haha! I ate the 2 hot pockets, 6 taquitos and 6 pieces of quiche all in one sitting 🤣. I’m all for the microwave now! I’ll use the jetboil to heat up water and to use as a back up, but I think this microwave is going to be my primary way to prepare meals! It’s like I used an overlander #cheatcode 🤣😂🤣
I always carry self recovery gear. I don't really intend to purchase a winch because I don't plan to do the hard core wheeling and need a winch. But I do tend to randomly take a dirt road by myself and I got stuck in the mud once (found some boards nearby and was able to wedge them under the tires and get out - but it was scary). This is why I now carry some self recovery gear with me at all times. I have a manual come-a-long winch. 100 ft of synthetic winch rope. Hard Shackles, Soft Shackles, snatch rings so I can multiply the force from the come-a-long if needed. Tree saver strap, 30' snatch strap. Small shovel, and a pair of mini traction boards. All fit inside my 2 door wrangler and I still have room for 2 booster seats for the grandkids. The come-a-long has enough power to pull anything - but it only has 20' of cable so using it will require set up, pull, chock the wheels, release tension, set up again, pull, repeat. I sacrifice speed for less weight and less cost.
Thanks for sharing your adventure. I’m sure we all learned a lot here and I’m glad you kept a positive attitude during the evolution. It never hurts to bring extra gear, and always anticipate for anything you could encounter. I’m glad a Toyota-4Runner 3rd Generation came to your rescue. 😂
Dang dude! Always impressed by the capability of your vehicle, but that was pushing it, which you obviously now know in hindsight. I guess if you're going to take those risks you should do them somewhere like that where you're not far from help. Seems like max trax in the rut preventively might have got you through if you had brought them. Anyway way to own up to your mistake(s) and glad you made it out okay. Live and learn. I just snowboarded Mammoth last friday then a couple days later pushed the limit of my Sprinters vans tip angle trying to get to a nice campsite near Benton and almost got stock on a similarly rutted road, although not anywhere near as bad as what you attempted. Wild how messed up the roads and trails are after this last big winter and a spring with intense thunderstorms. I think people are caught off guard to find the access to their usual spots so washed out.
Hey Dustin, good to hear from you! In the back of my head, I knew I was heading in the direction of the hot springs, but I didn’t know how much further, so I really got luckily. I would be in really big trouble if this happened further away. You’re right about the traction boards, I think I may have been able to free myself with them. Also, studying the video footage, it looks like I should have just kept straight instead of trying to drive up to avoid the rut. When I got pulled out, the under carriage did not come in contact. Now, I’m going to splurge on some Maxtraxx!
Love your videos, man! Glad you got out alright. You mentioned that you should have aired down prior to hitting the trail a couple of times. Do you think it would have made a difference in this particular case? If so, why weren't you able to air down as needed right there on the spot?
I think it would have made a difference. Hind sight is 20/20 and also line choice would have made the difference. If I just would have went straight up and into the rut instead of trying to straddle it, I probably would have driven right up, just like I got pulled out. I aired down the passenger side tires that weren’t buried, the driver side tires were buried in mud and inaccessible.
easy to Monday morning quarterback these situation but seems like you did the best with what you had to work with. Hard to say because I wasn't there, but I'm wondering if you could have gotten to your jack and used it to lift up the rear of the vehicle enough (probably in stages) to start putting logs, rocks ect. under that drivers side rear tire until you got it level enough to get more weight and traction on that front passenger wheel to drive yourself out? Although as off camber as you were that could have been a bit sketchy if you weren't super careful jacking it up. I used a similar technique to recover a vehicle a month or so back we came across that had no recovery points for me to pull them out with without risking damage, and was sunk to the frame. Tried using my traction boards at first but it was just too sunk (and only had 2wd). I ended up digging out enough room on one side to get my jack under it and then lifted it enough to fill in the holes on that side and get traction boards completely under both wheels on that side and then lowered it back down on them. After that it drove right out. But again every situation is different and hard to say anything for certain if you aren't there.
One of the things I kept tabs on was exhaustion and the giant mosquitos 🦟 that were eating me alive. The higher sulphur content from the hot springs warded off the blood suckers.
Don't beat yourself up man, happens to the best of us. You took it pretty well and stayed calm for the situation you were in. Last time I was in Utah I got my F250 stuck. Luckily I was able to hook the winch up and pull myself out. Although I did attacked by some cactus while hooking it up 😅.
Thanks man! I preach to people to not go out alone, and here I was taking risk and getting stuck alone 😖. Definitely lessons learned and glad I was rescued.
Thank you for presenting this video. It's the exact reason I'm sidelined because I have been building my rig. (3rd Gen Toyota 4Runner). I normally travel alone and I'm extremely paranoid of getting into a situation just like the one presented. By the time I'm done with my rig, I'll have every convenience imaginable in case anything does happen, (aside from a rollover), and hope that you have upped your off road recovery gear that one should have while traveling alone.(A winch and a BILLET4X4 Pull-PAL Winch) Again, thanks for your video!
Thanks @4runnerLC 🙏 glad you found the video useful. Even if we travel within what we think is in our vehicle’s capability, the unexpected will surprise us. I went and bought a hand winch and actively seeking for someone to make me a winch mount. Everything else I have but on this trip I didn’t bring with me. Good luck with your build!!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring such quality gear for a great price! I talked to Rory from trailmater about it. I don't do recoveries for a living so it should be just fine for me. I bet I'll never need to buy another one. At least not anytime soon!
Like you said, you were quick to judge the one who took that "illegal" path. Should have taken that "illegal" path taken by rescue truck. Damage already done there and could not be any worse if you follow that line.
I agree with you, but the community would never understand. I had friends that took an already established road in Death Valley and people lost their 💩. Essentially, driving off the path is also illegal, so those people have the right to act that way.
Wonder if a winch would have helped. With you being a bulky dude, I just pictured the tire digging deeper while watching your predicament. You could have used tree limbs or rocks.
At the beginning of the video you mentioned, the "situation has become pretty dire". If that were the case I would not be recording myself I would be trying to find a way out of there. Still, I love your videos!
Totally understand your opinion. Video documenting has become 2nd nature to me and I feel like I could video document myself running out of a burning building or defending myself against a mountain lion 🤣. This is why I only use a go pro and don’t have a heavier professional camera. Thanks for watching and the support!
Good stuff. Way to go Ian. Did the caption say Built up 3rd Gen Tacoma? Iam had a 4Runner tho right? Anyway he was MVP. Glad he accepted your generosity. Beers!
Did you try shifting into 4-Low, turning on your front and rear lockers, disconnecting your front swaybar and using your winch? Oh, wait... nevermind.😂 But you do realize a real 4x4 is far more likely to have gotten out without incident, yes? Though HUGE kudos to you for staying the trail. Seriously.
Haha! Well, real 4WDs don’t come with all that stock😂, and there was a nice juicy tree for me to winch off of if I just had one. So, coincidentally there was a real 4WD that just stuck in the same spot just 2 days prior. It wasn’t so much an issue of capability, it was getting the tires stuck in the clay mud. But yeah, time to figure out a winch solution.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Errr, except for the winch, my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon came with all that stuff stock (and apparently you can now order Wranglers with a Warn winch from Jeep when ordering one). But it's worth pointing out that not all 4WDs are created equal (for example, most don't come with lockers). And I do agree that clay can be just awful to deal with, bigtime, pretty much no matter what you drive. Best of luck with the winch solution!
@@JonDZ_AdventuringThere are definitely vehicles that come with all of that stock both from Jeep and Bronco. People think that AWD = 4WD and it’s just not the same.
There are, but living out here in the western United States I want to say only about 5-25% have winched on their 4WD. I’m responding to you from Overland Expo PNW with a lot of built rigs and there’s hardly anyone with a winch out here. My channel does not confuse the difference between AWD and 4WD and if you’ve watched my other videos, you would know about this. For some reason, I’m getting these comments about 4WD and AWD comparisons. No one brings this up when I get cruise up iconic trails like Imogene pass, which in most cases is 4WD specific due to the steepness and most AWDs lacking the gearing to drive up that relatively non-technical trail.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring The comments come specifically because your video shows the limitations of AWD. Unless they are selling winches then I don’t expect the show vehicles to have a winch. Typically winches are inconvenient as they weigh a lot and can stick way out. I think your viewers can see you enjoy greatly the outdoors and traveling alone so in your best interest the ability to avoid getting stuck and also the ability to self recover is paramount. You were very fortunate to have been so close to other drivers but the next time you may not be so fortunate. I’m going to add a winch soon but I also make sure to have a pack out bag in case I need to hike out for long distances. Stay safe and have a great time!
Man. 1) I hate microwaves. I think the Eco Flow is impressive to run it. But if a Microwave came out today no one would buy it. The food is either frozen, lava, or somehow both. Consider an induction cooktop please! 2) This scenario is why I always try to wheel with someone. It wouldn't have been an issue and I like finding the limit. I'm actually not even sure a winch would be helpful here, not without some sort of anchor point that didn't seem close to any trees. Good stuff!
Ha! Of course it happens when you don't bring your traction boards. You should find a permanent place for them in your vehicle, but I'm sure you've already figured that out.
Hey man, thanks for the content. I have a 2023 trailsport on order. I’ve seen the Pilots and the Ridgelines plagued with water leaks. Has your Passport had any leaks into the cabin maybe under the carpet or behind the rear view mirror?
@@mdgeist472 Yeah, but then you have a different problem, you have to live with a Jeep. I mean those lovely flips during crash tests were already bad, but add in the death wobble, and all that stuff, unless you are off-roading ery frequently a Jeep is an objectively terrible idea. Would do a Tacoma before any Jeep product.
@@jg8263over 20 years owning wranglers and abusing them… never had death wobble, never rolled, and I think in all total, my wranglers have only been left at a mechanic for like 3-5 days in 20 years time. I’m just saying, don’t believe everything you hear about a platform.
@@shassabo I agree with you. If you know the area and you know a "more traveled" road is very close by with a turn off for a popular tourist attraction (hot springs) that you know are used regularly AND you can leave a note with your intentions and date and times leaving the vehicle and when you plan to return and phone number etc...leaving the vehicle in this situation was definitely the right thing to do. There is no hard fast rule about this, it all depends on the variables listed above plus many more including supply of food and water, your level of physical fitness, weather and the clothes you have, day or night etc...
To be honest, suspension mods on this vehicle wouldn’t be much. How much have I personally spent? Well, I started with a Traxda 2” lift that cost me $277, then I ran a prototype 3.5” kit that was provided to me. I’ve been testing a lot of gear and prototypes. Would I have gotten something more trail worthy? So, I was the 10th vehicle that an off-road recovery company had to respond to. They were in route to rescue me, but luckily Ian came by to help out. Those other vehicles that got stuck were “trail worthy”, actually, even the recovery vehicle became stuck and needed to be recovered, and I think that’s why someone made a freshly driven illegal bypass to where I got stuck. I almost made it, and this Honda is pushing 12”to 14” of clearance at the rear diff. Many stock trail worthy vehicles would be high centered on the rear diff. The guy that rescued me was slipping into the ditch, so we turned around and he pulled from the front. Anyways, this all has nothing to do with why I drive what I drive. Having previously driven a 2008 FJ cruiser for a good year, I found that most body on frame 4WDs just don’t meet my “onroad driving requirements”. I need something sporty, comfortable and reliable.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring thanks for the reply! What kind of gas mileage are you getting with that rig? I’m considering one of those new Lexus GX’s. I would love a Land Rover Discovery, but their reliability is always in question.
@@jackchn23 I’ll have to do more testing with the current setup. I use to get 21 mpg highway at 65-70 mph but on this run, I was getting 18.7 mpg. The wind was blowing pretty good, but it also might be my roof top tent. I’m sure you heard this already, but Careful with a turbo. There’s reliability issues with that configuration, and even though it’s a toyota product, it’s just not proven. Also, STAY AWAY from any 4 cylinder turbo as an overlander rig. When the going gets rough or after you mod, MPGs plummet to the single digits at times. Turbos burn a lot of fuel when boosting.
I agree 💯, but to be honest this type of terrain is typically a walk in the park, I just wasn’t expecting all the mud at the end 😖. Just like the first ruts I came across, if it looks too risky, I’ll just turn around.
Oh man that’s crazy. What’s your new JetBoil setup? I also just ditched my 2 burner Coleman for a single burner JetBoil HalfGen. I still carry my JetBoil MiniMo as well for just water.
I'll be honest, first priority is to respect nature, but you don't take chances if you travel alone. Take the ez way out. Just go around it instead of getting stock.
Glad everything came out alright and great job minding the area and not trashing it. I know you'll get MANY and sometimes rude opinions, but even though your rig is a good looking vehicle, Hondas are not true off-roaders. I had a Ridgeline, loved it but it doesn't hold a candle to my RAM 2500 Cummings 4x4 or my Tacoma 4x4. Glad you were safe and saved some money!!
@@JonDZ_Adventuring its not an old ridgeline, don't assume. Hondas aren't meant for off-roading no matter what the marketers say. Capable but mediocre. Passport, Ridgeline, Pilot all the same.
@@coldfire2812 Honda doesn’t claim that their vehicles are true off-roaders, and I knew that when I bought it. Heck, even a Tacoma or a 1/2 ton truck isn’t really a true off-roader and some would argue that you need solid front axles to be considered true. One thing I can tell you from my observations and experiences is that in the realm of 4WD difficulty ratings, once people **take their 4WDs** into that 5/10 Hard difficulty rating it’s going to 1.) require lots of money and upgrades and 2.) vehicles start breaking down on a regular basis (axles snap, toe rods bend, drive shafts get tacoed). **My Passport has been built to handle most level 4 moderate trails, and it’s been doing them reliably. I have 137k miles (126K ODO) and never broke suspension parts. I travel within my means, but it’s enough to travel to a trail like imogene pass without pushing the limits. There’s a short list of AWDs that can make it up the Ouray side, let alone cruise up it.** I have over 240 videos made and featured a lot of different rigs from built out Jeeps and Toyotas to a Prius. I’ve been able to observe and document a lot of the capabilities. By the way, what year Ridgeline did you have? 2019 and earlier only has the Honda 6 speed.
Whoa! Your video is insane! Being stuck solo and surviving is wild, and using EcoFlow for microwaved meals is pure genius. Keep living the adventure and sharing the craziness with us.
It's usually not too big a deal in reality in lower 48. You just got to be willing to hump it back to reception or a passerby. Happened to me a number of times in younger days.
It is these experiences that enrich your life, give you a story to tell and pass on what to do and not to do.
Well said! 💯
I had an electrical issue in Colorado on a shelf road at 13,000 ft in my CanAm. A good Samaritan came along and saved my ass. He wanted nothing in return, I told him I'd have bad karma if I didn't repay his kindness and just pulled out the $100 bill and put it in his palm when we shook hands. It's so awesome to know there are lots of wonderful people willing to go above and beyond to help. Watching your video brought back lots of memories of how it feels when you know you're not getting out without help. Great video!
Love watching people help each other (especially in the same community) and not expecting anything in return, that Ian guy is def an old school cool dude - God bless him and his generosity
Not trying to sound too warm and fuzzy, but my heart did melt a bit when I sent him some money as a reward. His eyes lit up and he thanked me for the gesture. He said he would be able to stay out on his adventure longer. I gave him enough to drive back home to Tucson, Arizona and then some. I love this community, it attracts some wonderful people.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring God bless brother!
Deep rut, for sure. Glad you found help. A good video to post.
*got hi-centered twice solo... you did great... in fact i always get stuck solo 😆* ... you had fun thats all that matters ❤ ✌️
Chalk this up as a traing and tutorial video for everyone. Lots of lessons here. We don’t need to verbally beat you up, you did it yourself. We are all glad your ok, and that we all learned something. ❤😊
Thanks Suzette! That’s how I saw it, a learning experience. Thankfully it wasn’t a costly one because of the kind soul that helped me out! Whatever happens, good or bad, I’ll share what happened. Now one thing I left out is that I have hundreds of mosquito bites 🦟. I need to make sure I’m well stocked on repellent 😊
Thank you Ian, such a kind man, you were blessed to have him cross your path
4Runner FTW! After trying to take my wifes Forester XT with AT tires out to something moderate I changed my views AWD off roading on trails that are a little more then fire road simply because I didn't want to get stuck, I ended up buying a 4Runner. At least you now know the limits of your vehicle and that you should always have recovery gear on solo trips. Safe travels.
Thanks! My previous vehicle was a Forester XT and the Passport is a world of difference, while it’s an AWD, the capabilities are closer to the 4runner. Many toyota owners use my videos to figure out what trails they can handle, and I’m more than happy to be a point of reference.
time for a winch😉. And Matt's off road recovery says if you get unstuck using traction boards, you weren't rereally stuck😅😅
I agree! I’m working on it!!! Already talking to a partnered company to hopefully produce a winch mounting plate.
@@JonDZ_Adventuringin the meantime just get a hitch mounted winch mount. Basically you can hook up a winch to any standard hitch receiver ✌️
As someone who recently pulled someone out of a mess I completely understand not wanting any compensation. For me it was a chance to try out some new recovery gear. And as for karma, I figure if I help someone out of a mess then somewhere down the line someone will get me out of a mess. No amount of money is worth that.
Great video, great lessons, and awesome you shared them with the rest of us. So cool the people out there willing to help for nothing in return!!!
Your rig is 💯 man! Its awesome you were able to get a fellow offroader to pull you out. The offroad community is by-far full of the best kinds of people to be around.
Us off roaders/overlanders always help out others is need. In Florida we have FB pages just for recovery. We have almost 27K members all over the state. I usually will help recovery within an hour of my house. Ocala National Forest, Citrus Wildlife, Croom, etc. We never ask for money.
This is why I get my traction boards & BogOut wheel winch every time I go off road.
Glade you made it back out. Love your spirit of adventure and exploration. Lesson learned.
Thanks!
Valuable lesson learned and your misfortune and experience here will serve to help remind folks to not put themselves in that same situation (though we always do). Ian seems like a legit good person which are best found the original way, not on social media or internet.
Calm and collected even under pressure!! My hats off to you bro!
I may have started crying when the camera wasn’t on 😂.
JK
I was just telling my wife on our Colorado trip that I wanted to avoid going on trails that had water crossings or were in low lying or wet areas cuz I don’t have recovery gear. She thought I was being paranoid. I will show her this video
Hey, we just got back from Colorado. Was a good time and we had more trail drama I made sure to video document, ir should be a good time.
Thank you very much for sharing this and no criticism from me being one who is still learning to feel comfortable and bailing out when I know I am reaching that threshold! Great video!
Thank you so much and You’re very welcome! Enjoy the journey!
awesome video man! it was easy going, then got intense, and had a happy ending. top tier cinema!! glad you got out safe
What an adventure Jon. Cheers and glad you made it out.
Thank you 🙏
So glad you made it out safe!! You are right people out there will help in a heartbeat. I was at the same hotspring last year by myself and i left my phone on my bumper and the guy that came in right as i was leaving saw it but couldnt flaf me down. I thought it was gone with all my work contacts in it. Be called my wife and made arrangements to mail it back to me. I was very thankfull. Most people are awsome out there. Good job ian
Thanks Nick!!! Thankful for Ian. Such a good person! He wasn’t in the video much, but you can tell he’s a real humble guy. We’ve both had our fair share of helping people and glad Karma came around to save me. Whew!
Good video! Glad to see it worked out well. I'm adding a backpack to my rig thanks to this video. Almost got in a similar situation not too long ago.
Good use momentum from getting stuck in that one rut! Knowing when to give it gas and go for it is pretty important!
Yeah Gabe, i took the wrong line. I should have just driven straight through instead of trying to straddle.
Don’t be disappointed, you don’t know the limits of anything until you surpass them. A set of maxtrax would have been all you need. Digging it in further was the biggest mistake I saw but it is easy to Monday morning quarterback. I have a 5th gen 4Runner on 35”s with front and rear lockers and I recently had it in deep snow for the first time. I almost got super stuck. I do have a winch and maxtrax
Good stuff as usual and glad you got out without damage!
Thanks Dewey! Hey! We’re out here in Colorado right now! We’re just exploring the Gunnison area. Will be here until Wednesday morning June 28
Don't be down on yourself. You went out and had an adventure. Now you just have something else to talk about over drinks at the end of the day. The off road community is great. Sure, we talk a lot of shit and brand bash online. But, once on dirt, we look out for each other. Keep doing your thing.
Yah….definitely I would have taken the least resistant path especially if I am alone. This is something to learn from.
Just make sure to trail, and what I’ve learned is that driving on an illegal bypass is still illegal and you could have hefty fines. In retrospect, I should have turned around, just like I did at 8:36. Be safe out there.
Great Vlog Jon. Thanks for the lesson at the temporary expense of your reputation and normally excellent judgment. It's good for all of us to see this because we all push the limits at times thinking "it won't happen to us because of X, Y or Z". It was good to see that you got out of this situation with no scars, just a few bruises to the ego. As you clearly stated, it could have been a lot worse if you were further away from the beaten path, in unfamiliar territory, in bad weather, etc... The icing on the cake was you got pulled out quickly and for "free". Ian, like you is a good guy that did what you would have done for someone else with the same grace. Glad you persisted and found a way to compensate him. Those EcoFlow deals look pretty good. I bought a Bluetti 200 Max recently...haven't even used it yet but now wish I had bought the Delta 2 Max because I did just buy the Wave2 AC/Heater. The Bluetti will work with it but not as well or seamlessly as a Delta2max.
Thanks Tim I always enjoy your eloquent comments 🙏. I’m really big on being genuine and truthful about my adventures, and when I get stuck I “keep it real as opposed to a highlight reel”, so I think I did what many people would expect of me and my channel 😃.
I’ll be making a trip out to Colorado in the coming days and I’ll have to pass through Nevada and Utah we’re it can be quite warm. I’ll definitely be taking my EcoFlow Wave 2 with me to make sure I get comfortable sleep. I highly recommend rigging up a DC to DC battery charger. It’s supposed to input over 400 watts. I have my EcoFlow River 2 hooked up to it and it I kits 179 W. It would be 192 W, but my digital rear view camera uses up 12W. It’s nice having a reliable energy source! I recall that I told you about my recharging problems with just the solar panels in my Wave 2 video. Here’s a link to what I bought: amzn.to/3phQRse
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thanks Jon for the info on the B2B DC to DC Charger by Renogy. I will look into that for my rig.
Glad you made it out brother. The 33’s look sweet 👍
Thanks @venturahonda8218 !!
That was a rough spot but serendipity rolled your way in the end. I was 40 minutes away at June Lake in the GX with a new 12k winch - bummed I didn’t see your call for help as I would have been happy to come out. The microwave may be my favorite mod.
Ah, would have been awesome to hang out. The following morning, I went to the Starbucks in Mammoth and edited this video while having 2 lattes.
Damn dude that sucks but at least you got out without any damages
You handled that stressful situation very well! What a story it led you to! I'm guessing you'll be buying some recovery boards soon!
Thanks! I’ve owned many traction boards in the past, but when I had the fold out RTT I had no where to put the traction boards. Now that I have an aluminum clamshell, I will buy some boards again. I’ve also been using a pair of go treads.
That was awesome content. I’m glad you got out safe. Ian is the MVP.
Yeah, he saved me so much money! Would have been $1200 for an off-road recovery, but Ian rescued me, asked for nothing in return and refused a reward. I had to tip him a few Benjamins
Thanks for keeping it real Jon.
Thanks for the support! 🙏
Man that was a gnarly adventure Jon. Im heading out there in about a week and this video gave me an idea of how rutted the trail have become.
It would have been chill if it wasn’t for this obstacle. This would have been a video about microwaving food instead 😂😂
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Haha true but this was definitely enjoyable to watch. I remember getting stuck by ourselves and it was scary to think about the different outcomes. Glad you're safe
Crazy how sketchy those roads and ruts in them are. You had me rolling when you said, "This one/rut looks pretty decently bad." Is that like, "Unattractively Beautiful?" Or "Obesely Svelte?" Funny how someone who isn't even thinking about or in need of attention, unlike so many people whose life IS social media, is called "old school" for not having a Instagram account. Glad people like Ian are still around. It's not surprising that good things can happen to a great guy like you Jon. Your positivity and kind soul were rewarded.
It's a good thing you got stuck and you video'ed the incident. It tells us never to go unprepared when we explore and to have UP TO DATE backup communication. 🤙🏽 What EcoFlow model are you using? I couldn't hear you over the wind.
I looked into the Garmin Messenger issue and found that iOS was to blame. There’s a feature turned on by default called “offload unused apps”. This feature is now turned off! 😂
13:49 And it was at this moment he knew he F'd up. 🤣
Glad you made it out safely :)
Haha! I wish I was recording my face at this moment 😂.
When I have upgraded batteries on my off-road trailer and my jeep. I have considered a small microwave. You need to get a Starlink John; you would’ve had full Internet and Wi-Fi phone coverage.
What a great overall adventure. I highly recommend that "overlanders" ditch the super short D handled shovels and buy a standard length $15.00 shovel from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. If you were in a spot where you couldn't safely walk out and no help was coming, you probably could have digged yourself free in 2-3 hours of road construction. A standard length shovel would have made that possible...the short handled shovel would have made it miserable.
That’s a good tip! I was using an aluminum snow shovel too 😖. Yeah, it sucked.
SMART man.
You're a brave man, I would not be doing solo trip in a AWD without recovery boards or winch. There's a product called 'Bog Out' which is a rope system you tie one end to a tree and the other wrapped around your wheel and turns it into a winch. It would have gotten you out of that spot.
There’s been a lot of vehicles getting stuck out in mammoth, but most of all that happened 2 weeks prior. I thought the terrain was dry and I was mistaken 😖. I’ve carried traction boards before but with my previous setup, I didn’t have a good place to mount them. The current setup was fresh during the taping on this video, and I hadn’t had the chance to mount traction boards. I’m actively trying to find someone to make a winch mount.
Thanks so much for sharing this . . . we all learn from our mistakes together!!!
Glad you got out! Btw that’s a 3rd gen 4Runner.
Thanks for catching that, my coworker pointed it out as well. I edited this video at a Starbucks and it wasn’t the best experience, lots of distractions, haha
OMG! I’m glad you were able to get help. Ian’s awesome!
I love the mods. It really improved the Passport’s stance. That RTT looks sharp and more compact. I envy your compliant ride. I have front and rear solid axles so it’s head toss city for me 🤣
Thanks Robbie!!! 🙏 now to upgrade with a winch and traction boards with all the money Ian saved me! I’m working on getting a winch mount now.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Sweet! Can’t wait to see a video on them 😊
Great B roll!
Thanks Ian! I have more b-roll or your skid plate
If you never get stuck you are not really wheelln'........Those washouts are brutal and they are everywhere.
They’re really bad this year in the eastern sierras. Record breaking snow fall! I knew of the risk, but didn’t notice it lurking underneath the dry mud.
If your life depends on it, driving off the dirt path and into the grass should not be technically illegal. Also get the iPhone because it has emergency satellite mode where cell phone coverage is not necessary.😊 15:52
So glad you got out 🙌🏻
Me too! Thanks 🙏
Never travel offroad/overlanding alone without traction boards and a shovel. Rocks, sticks and logs are your friend. Filling in a hole/rut a bit before you commit is wise. Air down and try very hard not to spin and dig ruts.
Very useful info. I had traction boards, but gave them away when I had my previous fold out Roof top setup. I replaced the boards with Gotreads, which may or may have not helped me out here. Then I had my aluminum snow shovel, which helped a little bit, but was far from ideal. In this situation, the more I dug, the more clay I exposed and it seemed to be an endless mud pit.
Another thing to think about too is conserving energy and avoiding heat exhaustion. I should have made it clear in this video that the only reason I left to go look for help was because I used GAIA GPS to figure out the distance of a well traveled trail and hot spring. In many cases, people will get stuck in a much more remote location. I should have put a disclaimer “IN MOST CASES, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE”
That was a close one!! Glad you made it out🙌. Vodka time!!! Hopefully a new front bumper with a winch in the near future? 😆🍻
In touch with someone to hopefully get a winch mount made. I really don’t want the added weight and affected aerodynamics from a bumper, unless it’s made out of aluminum.
@JonDZ_Adventuring that's true.. most of my buddies who got front bumper said it made their rig 2-3x heavier and they can feel the sluggish of the engine dragging along. That'll ve great to have a winch mount. I'm all in for it! I'd get one!! Tell NoLo/Traxda to make one🙌
Oh man. This is , a good example of why self recovery gear is a must when wheeling alone. I'm glad you were able to find help and that you didn't damage your rig. Maybe time to add a winch? I wonder if you could mount one similar to how Aaron did his?
I bought an EcoFlow Delta Max last summer and have used it on a couple of camping trips so far, it has been great! I also got a 200w solar panel for it. My next big purchase will probably be a 12v fridge.
Yeah Mike, I got a little too complacent. This was the good kick in the ass I needed to push me to get someone to make a winch plate.
Good footage Jon! Glad you made it out. I've seen more capable 4X4's stuck in ruts like that... once your underbody is touching somewhere, unless you have a truly capable vehicle, your stuck. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks James! I wish I could have caught footage of the immediate after math. I didn’t pull footage off my dash cam or from my iPhone. Maybe I’ll release some YT shorts.
Also, didn’t have the camera running when I went to the natural hot springs to wash off all that mud. Lots of beautiful people in the tub, but I didn’t want to be a creeper and start filming 😂😂😂
FYI this is why you should always have a long handle shovel and pick axe. I’ve used my shovel many times when snow wheeling. It takes time to clear the belly but it works
dang.... that's a real adventure there... lol. and i was just there in Mammoth on the 15th. i really enjoyed watching this video. glad you're okay!
Bet those hot pockets tasted good after that while ordeal! But man, that first bit of the road looked really gnarly, I'm actually surprised that that wasn't where you got stuck. Glad you were able to get out though with the help of Ian man!
Haha! I ate the 2 hot pockets, 6 taquitos and 6 pieces of quiche all in one sitting 🤣. I’m all for the microwave now! I’ll use the jetboil to heat up water and to use as a back up, but I think this microwave is going to be my primary way to prepare meals! It’s like I used an overlander #cheatcode 🤣😂🤣
An experience you won't soon forget!
That’s for sure 😂
Thanks!
Such a good story of a Good Samaritan! Glad all worked out buddy! Enjoy all your videos! Keep em up!!
Oh wow!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!
I always carry self recovery gear. I don't really intend to purchase a winch because I don't plan to do the hard core wheeling and need a winch. But I do tend to randomly take a dirt road by myself and I got stuck in the mud once (found some boards nearby and was able to wedge them under the tires and get out - but it was scary). This is why I now carry some self recovery gear with me at all times. I have a manual come-a-long winch. 100 ft of synthetic winch rope. Hard Shackles, Soft Shackles, snatch rings so I can multiply the force from the come-a-long if needed. Tree saver strap, 30' snatch strap. Small shovel, and a pair of mini traction boards. All fit inside my 2 door wrangler and I still have room for 2 booster seats for the grandkids.
The come-a-long has enough power to pull anything - but it only has 20' of cable so using it will require set up, pull, chock the wheels, release tension, set up again, pull, repeat. I sacrifice speed for less weight and less cost.
Thanks for sharing your adventure. I’m sure we all learned a lot here and I’m glad you kept a positive attitude during the evolution. It never hurts to bring extra gear, and always anticipate for anything you could encounter. I’m glad a Toyota-4Runner 3rd Generation came to your rescue. 😂
Dang dude! Always impressed by the capability of your vehicle, but that was pushing it, which you obviously now know in hindsight. I guess if you're going to take those risks you should do them somewhere like that where you're not far from help. Seems like max trax in the rut preventively might have got you through if you had brought them. Anyway way to own up to your mistake(s) and glad you made it out okay. Live and learn.
I just snowboarded Mammoth last friday then a couple days later pushed the limit of my Sprinters vans tip angle trying to get to a nice campsite near Benton and almost got stock on a similarly rutted road, although not anywhere near as bad as what you attempted. Wild how messed up the roads and trails are after this last big winter and a spring with intense thunderstorms. I think people are caught off guard to find the access to their usual spots so washed out.
Hey Dustin, good to hear from you! In the back of my head, I knew I was heading in the direction of the hot springs, but I didn’t know how much further, so I really got luckily. I would be in really big trouble if this happened further away. You’re right about the traction boards, I think I may have been able to free myself with them. Also, studying the video footage, it looks like I should have just kept straight instead of trying to drive up to avoid the rut. When I got pulled out, the under carriage did not come in contact. Now, I’m going to splurge on some Maxtraxx!
Love your videos, man! Glad you got out alright.
You mentioned that you should have aired down prior to hitting the trail a couple of times. Do you think it would have made a difference in this particular case? If so, why weren't you able to air down as needed right there on the spot?
I think it would have made a difference. Hind sight is 20/20 and also line choice would have made the difference. If I just would have went straight up and into the rut instead of trying to straddle it, I probably would have driven right up, just like I got pulled out.
I aired down the passenger side tires that weren’t buried, the driver side tires were buried in mud and inaccessible.
easy to Monday morning quarterback these situation but seems like you did the best with what you had to work with. Hard to say because I wasn't there, but I'm wondering if you could have gotten to your jack and used it to lift up the rear of the vehicle enough (probably in stages) to start putting logs, rocks ect. under that drivers side rear tire until you got it level enough to get more weight and traction on that front passenger wheel to drive yourself out? Although as off camber as you were that could have been a bit sketchy if you weren't super careful jacking it up. I used a similar technique to recover a vehicle a month or so back we came across that had no recovery points for me to pull them out with without risking damage, and was sunk to the frame. Tried using my traction boards at first but it was just too sunk (and only had 2wd). I ended up digging out enough room on one side to get my jack under it and then lifted it enough to fill in the holes on that side and get traction boards completely under both wheels on that side and then lowered it back down on them. After that it drove right out. But again every situation is different and hard to say anything for certain if you aren't there.
One of the things I kept tabs on was exhaustion and the giant mosquitos 🦟 that were eating me alive. The higher sulphur content from the hot springs warded off the blood suckers.
Always bring all your recovery gear. Buy a winch!!! Make wise decisions and stay safe
Don't beat yourself up man, happens to the best of us. You took it pretty well and stayed calm for the situation you were in. Last time I was in Utah I got my F250 stuck. Luckily I was able to hook the winch up and pull myself out. Although I did attacked by some cactus while hooking it up 😅.
Thanks man! I preach to people to not go out alone, and here I was taking risk and getting stuck alone 😖. Definitely lessons learned and glad I was rescued.
Gotta have all the different tools, offline map is definitely a must!
Yep! GAIA GPS really came in handy! Left traction aid at home though 😖
Ian, the MVP
Yes he is!
I would have gone around, I’m not going to lie.
Thank you for presenting this video. It's the exact reason I'm sidelined because I have been building my rig. (3rd Gen Toyota 4Runner). I normally travel alone and I'm extremely paranoid of getting into a situation just like the one presented. By the time I'm done with my rig, I'll have every convenience imaginable in case anything does happen, (aside from a rollover), and hope that you have upped your off road recovery gear that one should have while traveling alone.(A winch and a BILLET4X4 Pull-PAL Winch) Again, thanks for your video!
Thanks @4runnerLC 🙏 glad you found the video useful. Even if we travel within what we think is in our vehicle’s capability, the unexpected will surprise us. I went and bought a hand winch and actively seeking for someone to make me a winch mount. Everything else I have but on this trip I didn’t bring with me. Good luck with your build!!
That's a Rhino USA kinetic rope. I'm so glad I keep one of those in my Jeep with lockers and a winch!
Yeah, I have their kinetic rope, then a random tow strap and 4 soft shackles.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring such quality gear for a great price! I talked to Rory from trailmater about it. I don't do recoveries for a living so it should be just fine for me. I bet I'll never need to buy another one. At least not anytime soon!
That sucks you got stuck..................but..................the result is some of your best content. Ian = legend.
You’re right! I really enjoyed making this episode. I edited it at the closest Starbucks the following day after getting stuck.
nice rig
Ian is the man!
Yes he is!
Like you said, you were quick to judge the one who took that "illegal" path. Should have taken that "illegal" path taken by rescue truck. Damage already done there and could not be any worse if you follow that line.
I agree with you, but the community would never understand.
I had friends that took an already established road in Death Valley and people lost their 💩.
Essentially, driving off the path is also illegal, so those people have the right to act that way.
Wonder if a winch would have helped. With you being a bulky dude, I just pictured the tire digging deeper while watching your predicament. You could have used tree limbs or rocks.
It would have really come in handy. There was a tree 20 feet in front of me.
Trailing 101, sometimes it’s ok to take the side shoot that someone made.. it was made for a reason lol. Stay safe
Haha, thanks man. To be honest, I thought I was going to get through just fine, I was wrong 😖.
Love how you blamed the shocks LOL
Hahaha! If I was aired down, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t have been stuck that easy 😂😂😂
At the beginning of the video you mentioned, the "situation has become pretty dire". If that were the case I would not be recording myself I would be trying to find a way out of there. Still, I love your videos!
Totally understand your opinion. Video documenting has become 2nd nature to me and I feel like I could video document myself running out of a burning building or defending myself against a mountain lion 🤣. This is why I only use a go pro and don’t have a heavier professional camera. Thanks for watching and the support!
All good bro. There’s always had help 🤙🏽
I’m glad I got stuck close to the natural hot spring . Would have been a different story if I was away from others 😃
Great video. Ya, it was a midstake but we have all been there.
Thanks!! 🙏
You handled that very well, but look into a vehicle with front lockers. Wrangler Rubicon perhaps.
Good stuff. Way to go Ian. Did the caption say Built up 3rd Gen Tacoma? Iam had a 4Runner tho right? Anyway he was MVP. Glad he accepted your generosity. Beers!
Haha! Good catch! Yes, I goofed up on that part, haha
Love the channel keep the content coming!
Did you try shifting into 4-Low, turning on your front and rear lockers, disconnecting your front swaybar and using your winch? Oh, wait... nevermind.😂
But you do realize a real 4x4 is far more likely to have gotten out without incident, yes? Though HUGE kudos to you for staying the trail. Seriously.
Haha! Well, real 4WDs don’t come with all that stock😂, and there was a nice juicy tree for me to winch off of if I just had one. So, coincidentally there was a real 4WD that just stuck in the same spot just 2 days prior. It wasn’t so much an issue of capability, it was getting the tires stuck in the clay mud. But yeah, time to figure out a winch solution.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring Errr, except for the winch, my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon came with all that stuff stock (and apparently you can now order Wranglers with a Warn winch from Jeep when ordering one). But it's worth pointing out that not all 4WDs are created equal (for example, most don't come with lockers). And I do agree that clay can be just awful to deal with, bigtime, pretty much no matter what you drive. Best of luck with the winch solution!
@@JonDZ_AdventuringThere are definitely vehicles that come with all of that stock both from Jeep and Bronco. People think that AWD = 4WD and it’s just not the same.
There are, but living out here in the western United States I want to say only about 5-25% have winched on their 4WD. I’m responding to you from Overland Expo PNW with a lot of built rigs and there’s hardly anyone with a winch out here. My channel does not confuse the difference between AWD and 4WD and if you’ve watched my other videos, you would know about this. For some reason, I’m getting these comments about 4WD and AWD comparisons. No one brings this up when I get cruise up iconic trails like Imogene pass, which in most cases is 4WD specific due to the steepness and most AWDs lacking the gearing to drive up that relatively non-technical trail.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring The comments come specifically because your video shows the limitations of AWD. Unless they are selling winches then I don’t expect the show vehicles to have a winch. Typically winches are inconvenient as they weigh a lot and can stick way out. I think your viewers can see you enjoy greatly the outdoors and traveling alone so in your best interest the ability to avoid getting stuck and also the ability to self recover is paramount. You were very fortunate to have been so close to other drivers but the next time you may not be so fortunate. I’m going to add a winch soon but I also make sure to have a pack out bag in case I need to hike out for long distances. Stay safe and have a great time!
Man.
1) I hate microwaves. I think the Eco Flow is impressive to run it. But if a Microwave came out today no one would buy it. The food is either frozen, lava, or somehow both.
Consider an induction cooktop please!
2) This scenario is why I always try to wheel with someone. It wouldn't have been an issue and I like finding the limit. I'm actually not even sure a winch would be helpful here, not without some sort of anchor point that didn't seem close to any trees.
Good stuff!
Ha! Of course it happens when you don't bring your traction boards. You should find a permanent place for them in your vehicle, but I'm sure you've already figured that out.
The new roof top tent is flat. I’ll go get a pair of Maxtraxx
Also that’s a 4Runner.
Hey man, thanks for the content. I have a 2023 trailsport on order. I’ve seen the Pilots and the Ridgelines plagued with water leaks. Has your Passport had any leaks into the cabin maybe under the carpet or behind the rear view mirror?
I never heard about water leak issues. I don’t think that’s a common problem.
Just gotta get those portal axles you teased for the platform a few months ago. Get the clearance and the gearing!
Maybe solid axle swap...to Jeep.
@@mdgeist472 Yeah, but then you have a different problem, you have to live with a Jeep. I mean those lovely flips during crash tests were already bad, but add in the death wobble, and all that stuff, unless you are off-roading ery frequently a Jeep is an objectively terrible idea. Would do a Tacoma before any Jeep product.
@@jg8263 Yep they all have compromises.
@@jg8263over 20 years owning wranglers and abusing them… never had death wobble, never rolled, and I think in all total, my wranglers have only been left at a mechanic for like 3-5 days in 20 years time. I’m just saying, don’t believe everything you hear about a platform.
Before I had traction boards I used tree branches and rocks to get unstuck. Also shouldn’t you stay with your vehicle when you get in trouble?
Staying with the vehicle is usually the right choice, but I think he made a reasonable call with it being 1500ft away to a main road.
@@shassabo I agree with you. If you know the area and you know a "more traveled" road is very close by with a turn off for a popular tourist attraction (hot springs) that you know are used regularly AND you can leave a note with your intentions and date and times leaving the vehicle and when you plan to return and phone number etc...leaving the vehicle in this situation was definitely the right thing to do. There is no hard fast rule about this, it all depends on the variables listed above plus many more including supply of food and water, your level of physical fitness, weather and the clothes you have, day or night etc...
Couple of lessons learned here. One is to sometimes take the road less traveled to go around. 😊
Be safe out there.👍
I took the road less traveled and this is what happened to me 😂, but I understand what you mean. I shouldn’t have taken the risk.
Curious as to how much money you have invested into this rig all in? Would you have gotten something more trail worthy if you knew what you know now?
To be honest, suspension mods on this vehicle wouldn’t be much. How much have I personally spent? Well, I started with a Traxda 2” lift that cost me $277, then I ran a prototype 3.5” kit that was provided to me. I’ve been testing a lot of gear and prototypes.
Would I have gotten something more trail worthy? So, I was the 10th vehicle that an off-road recovery company had to respond to. They were in route to rescue me, but luckily Ian came by to help out. Those other vehicles that got stuck were “trail worthy”, actually, even the recovery vehicle became stuck and needed to be recovered, and I think that’s why someone made a freshly driven illegal bypass to where I got stuck. I almost made it, and this Honda is pushing 12”to 14” of clearance at the rear diff. Many stock trail worthy vehicles would be high centered on the rear diff. The guy that rescued me was slipping into the ditch, so we turned around and he pulled from the front. Anyways, this all has nothing to do with why I drive what I drive.
Having previously driven a 2008 FJ cruiser for a good year, I found that most body on frame 4WDs just don’t meet my “onroad driving requirements”. I need something sporty, comfortable and reliable.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring thanks for the reply! What kind of gas mileage are you getting with that rig? I’m considering one of those new Lexus GX’s. I would love a Land Rover Discovery, but their reliability is always in question.
@@jackchn23 I’ll have to do more testing with the current setup. I use to get 21 mpg highway at 65-70 mph but on this run, I was getting 18.7 mpg. The wind was blowing pretty good, but it also might be my roof top tent.
I’m sure you heard this already, but Careful with a turbo. There’s reliability issues with that configuration, and even though it’s a toyota product, it’s just not proven. Also, STAY AWAY from any 4 cylinder turbo as an overlander rig. When the going gets rough or after you mod, MPGs plummet to the single digits at times. Turbos burn a lot of fuel when boosting.
how about the trusted shoveling, [no emoji for shovel ?! ]
Good question! So, the mud was endless. It was clay like and bouncy like jello. The more I dug, the worse it got.
Well looks like you got plenty of B-roll now 😅
Haha! I sure did!
If it was a matter of life or death as the title suggests, I would 100% drive around the side. Who cares about a couple bushes.
I agree 💯, but to be honest this type of terrain is typically a walk in the park, I just wasn’t expecting all the mud at the end 😖.
Just like the first ruts I came across, if it looks too risky, I’ll just turn around.
Oh man that’s crazy. What’s your new JetBoil setup? I also just ditched my 2 burner Coleman for a single burner JetBoil HalfGen. I still carry my JetBoil MiniMo as well for just water.
I’m still using the same jetboil but I’ll be moving to a microwave cooking system 😃. It was awesome!!
Winch time.
Yeah, seriously
Hey Jond, I heard Starlink is a good option for things like this.
Yeah, it would have actually helped, pricey though!
I'll be honest, first priority is to respect nature, but you don't take chances if you travel alone. Take the ez way out. Just go around it instead of getting stock.
Glad everything came out alright and great job minding the area and not trashing it. I know you'll get MANY and sometimes rude opinions, but even though your rig is a good looking vehicle, Hondas are not true off-roaders. I had a Ridgeline, loved it but it doesn't hold a candle to my RAM 2500 Cummings 4x4 or my Tacoma 4x4. Glad you were safe and saved some money!!
Thanks. I drove a 2008 FJ cruiser , it wasn’t a good balance of onroad/offroad.
Also, not sure if you knew this, but my pass port has about twice the gearing as your old Ridgeline.
@@JonDZ_Adventuring its not an old ridgeline, don't assume. Hondas aren't meant for off-roading no matter what the marketers say. Capable but mediocre. Passport, Ridgeline, Pilot all the same.
@@coldfire2812 Honda doesn’t claim that their vehicles are true off-roaders, and I knew that when I bought it. Heck, even a Tacoma or a 1/2 ton truck isn’t really a true off-roader and some would argue that you need solid front axles to be considered true. One thing I can tell you from my observations and experiences is that in the realm of 4WD difficulty ratings, once people **take their 4WDs** into that 5/10 Hard difficulty rating it’s going to 1.) require lots of money and upgrades and 2.) vehicles start breaking down on a regular basis (axles snap, toe rods bend, drive shafts get tacoed). **My Passport has been built to handle most level 4 moderate trails, and it’s been doing them reliably. I have 137k miles (126K ODO) and never broke suspension parts. I travel within my means, but it’s enough to travel to a trail like imogene pass without pushing the limits. There’s a short list of AWDs that can make it up the Ouray side, let alone cruise up it.**
I have over 240 videos made and featured a lot of different rigs from built out Jeeps and Toyotas to a Prius. I’ve been able to observe and document a lot of the capabilities. By the way, what year Ridgeline did you have? 2019 and earlier only has the Honda 6 speed.