Sledding Accident

[grasshopper]

I just got back from 8 hours of trying to recover my father in laws snowmobile. Last Sunday he got too close to an edge and fell over 1000 ft. It was not a vertical drop, but pretty close. The back end of his sled started going down first, and his foot got caught in the track so he went down the first 500 ft with the sled. Then he kicked free and sort of rode the small avalanche that started and ended up another 500 ft down. He is very lucky to be alive, and not even have any broken bones. Today we went up with 6 guys and a 4X4 chained up and set up a snatch block/pulley system to try recover the sled with a 8000lb winch. The sleds a write off , but the motor and track and a lot of parts still appear to be OK. We set up a rope going down, and have basically set up everything for tomorrow to bring it up. I will post some pics as soon as we get them, but it is amazing that anyone could have made it through a fall like that, you'll see what I mean when I get the pics. Anyone else have any stories to tell about sledding accidents or even 4X4 rollovers?

[Snoworks]

Glad to hear your dad(in-law) is ok.

Story - So many stories so little time! I have got one that probably tops yours, or at least equal in shock value.

I used to go sledding every other weekend in the UP of Michigan, a couple of years back. My wife, a friend and I went up for the weekend at Lake Gogibic Lodge, on Lake Gogebic(Cool place). We headed up through White Pines, Silver City to our destination point of lake in the clouds. Lake in the clouds is a cool run, you ride up a mountain(On the roadway, they close it down for the Winter), which runs along side Lake Superior(Northern View). When you get to the top, you take a small trail to an overlook(Southern View). This view is amazing, you are well over 1500 feet in the air with a view of a lake and gods country. - The ride up is half the fun, trying to keep the throtle pinned all the way up the road! - Awsome!

Well, on the way to Silver City, my buddies sled broke down. So he hopped on my Wifes Panther(2 seater), and off we were to Lake in the clouds. We reached Lake Superior and wanted to ride the sleds onto the Lake and take in the view. We followed some sled tracks under a bridge, I went first, and my wife followed. I came to a stop on the lake, and took a look back to see only the skis of my wife sled sticking out of the ice. I ran over and pulled my wife and buddy out of the ice hole. The sled was submerged in about 3 feet of water, up to the gas tank. There was about a 2 foot gap between the Ice layer and the water! It took up about 2 hours to get the sled out.

Off to a mom & pop joint to dry out and get some grub. About two hours later, we proceeded up to Lake in the clouds. We got to the over look about a half hour before sunset. There were several people at the lookout, once we got closer to them, we noticed they were all wasted! - Quick note - AT THE TIME YOU COULD RIDE RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF THE OVERLOOK, WITH NO RAILINGS. -

We were taking in the view when one of the other sledders decieded to take his sled over by where his buddies were. The overlook is shaped like a figure 8. This guy was on one side and his buddies were on the other. Due to all the snow they had in the last couple of days, the middle of the figure 8 filled in with a huge snow drift. He tried to pass in between, and shwooooooppppp off the hill he went. I saw it with my own eyes! It was the most scary thing I had ever seen. So for sure, I am thinking the guy is dead, no question at over 1500 feet with rocky, hilly, tree laden drop-off. Everyone is in a panic, half of the drunkin party leaves, because they dont want to be around! The other half, are throwing there beer cans in the garbage, and reaching for chewing gum.

The sled was suspended in a tree about 200 feet in the air. The driver of the sled that went over was not moving, and was planted deep into the snow. Someone drove down the mountain to call for help. When they came back, they said that the helicopter would not be able to perform the rescue due to the remote loacation. They had three rescue teams hiking in from all different directions. After about 40 minutes, the guy woke up and started moving. To give you a idea of how far he was down the hill, you could not make out anything he was yelling to us!

Once the police made it to the overlook, we took off for our long ride home. OK - The main story is over, but the nite is not over for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We made it down to Silver City, and got a bite to eat. We headed out about 7:30PM and made it about 30 miles out in the trail. I noticed that there was no head lights in back of me, so I turned around to see where my wife was. She and my buddy were sitting on the sled, with the engine off. I asked what happened, and they told me one of the spark plugs shot through the hood. The threads were stripped, and I had to tow them back to Silver City. Its about 8:30PM now, and the owner of the bar is making fun of our days events(We have now been to the same bar 3 times in 5 hours). I leave both of them there and head for Lake Gogebic. As you can guess, I am riding like a mad man, due to the crazyness of the day. I make it through White pines and about 10 Miles North of Lake Gogebic, when I start feeling the track skip and spin. I did not stop to look, I just kept the throtle pegged. I made it to Lake Gogebic, and flew past Hoppin Holler(Good Bar) at about 102MPH. Onto the lake(17 miles long), and about 15 miles to Gogebic Lodge. I made it about 8 miles on the lake and my sled came to a stop. Both rear idler wheels had cracked off. I can only guess it was all the towing ( 2 sleds for about 30 miles each), and the tractor pull event trying to get my wifes sled out of Lake Superior. I walked about 2 miles to the Fisherman Resort, in the pitch black. I went up to the bar and ordered a cab, 2 shots, and a beer. The cab came at 2:00AM, due to the fact that he had to travel from Houghton to the Gogebic area. He then took me to my car and trailer. I picked up my buddies sled first and proceeded up to Silver City to get my wife and Dale. We loaded up the panther, and headed down to the Fisherman resort to pick up my Sled. When we got back to our hotel, I packed everything up and left for home 6:00AM Sunday Morning.

I left some things out, but I think I got all the important facts in the story. Sorry for spelling errors. Many more stories, thats just one I had to tell. Its been a while since I even thought about that day!

Sled safely.

Chuck B.:D :grinz

[JCurtis]

I knew of a crazy canadian who lived here in CT many years back, who rented snow mobiles. I rented a few from him when we camped out on New Years one year.

we went back a couple of years later and found out he had died in a snow mobile accident....

Dam fool was riding alone on a supposedly frozen lake here in CT and went through the ice.

They found him and the snowmobile in the spring.


Some people just don't have the common sense God gave a gnat!

[gordyo]

Ok,

Here is my story. Last year my friend asked me if I wanted to come up to Carthage Maine to sled with him while his daughter visited her Grandmother. My friend has a Yamaha Phazer and many years of riding experience. I was using his Poloris 500 2 up and only have about 12 years of riding under my belt. Anyway we were in Mt. Blue state park and he was flying on his little single rider Phazer and me who must have lost half my mind in the - 6 degree cold day decided that I could keep up with him. He disapeared around a corner and I came into the corner a wee bit hot and the sled slid sideways and went up over the ridge that the groomer had made and threw me from the right side of the sled were I was leaning to the left side and when it did this the momentum threw me off the sled and I landed in a culvert 8 feet below in 3 feet of snow. Thankfully I was not going very fast or I would have ridden the whole sled right off the edge into thae bank on the back side of the culvert or into a tree. Anyway I look up just in time to see the sled traveling at about 1/2 mile an hour and coming to a stop just over the edge and all in what seemed like slow motion the sled teatered and then fell over the edge and landed upside down on me with the ski pinning my helmet to the ground. Sled was running leaking gas and oil. Finally ran out of fuel being upside down but I could not get my head out since I was now panicking because my friend was nowere in site and I was 12 feet below the trail and stuck thinking that when he turned around to find out were I went he would just buzz right by me. I did manage to kick a small sappling when I heard him coming back by and he saw it and stopped and looked over the edge. That was a big releaf, he picked the sled up off of me and then I realized that all I needed to do was unbuckle the Helmet and slide my head out but in a panic who thinks correctly??

[grasshopper]

Here the pics. The first few are of everyone getting ready ti go up the hill. A f150 with chains and a winch was loaded up with all the gear, and a few sleds came up as well. Its a 10Km trip to the final resting spot of the sled we are trying to recover.

[grasshopper]

Getting ready...

[grasshopper]

This is the op of the cliff where he went over. Ropes are being set up.

[grasshopper]

Looking down from the top. This is about 400 ft. The next picture shows the next part of the fall from the bottom of this picture on...

[grasshopper]

The next 250 feet...

[grasshopper]

Still going.....this is about another 250 feet...

[grasshopper]

Forgot the pic...

[grasshopper]

The last 100ft or so. The sled is just over the log thats covered with snow.

[grasshopper]

The rope we used.....

[grasshopper]

Pic looking across the valley from the mid point.....boy isn't BC a paradise:canada

[grasshopper]

Hooking saftey ropes to the sled to begin the 1000+ foot trip up the bank.

[grasshopper]

Going up...the truck had about 100ft of cable at the top, so we had to do this in stages. Every 100 ft or so, the sled was tied up with safety ropes and the winch was spooled out for the next bit of pulling. Another obstacle was the 2 knots in the ropes we used. We did not have one long piece, so when the knots came to one of the three snatch blocks that were set up we also had to tie the sled up and get the knots past the blocks.

[grasshopper]

Pic of harness holing sled...

[grasshopper]

Looking down from snatch block # 3

[grasshopper]

Looking down from snatch block #2

[grasshopper]

You can see the ford with the winch about 100ft from the top pulley, which is anchored to a tree above the trail.

[grasshopper]

Another picture of the top setup.The blue rope in the foreground is being use to keep the top pulley pulling the sled up in a straight line to the top.

[grasshopper]

Finally up!:drinkup It took a total of 2 days. The first day was more to get things rigged up, and find out what was needed to get the sled, and the second day we came up with proper rope and equipment to get the job done. When I first seen how far down the sled was I thought there was no way it would come out of there.

[grasshopper]

A picture of the damage, he has to take it apart to see haw extensive it is, but it appears to be salvagable with a lot of good parts still.

[ih82plow]

WOW

What a lucky fatherinlaw.One for having you to help him and also for being alive.

Kinda takes your breath away looking down that slope.

[grasshopper]

Final picture of damage. He sure was fortunate not to have been injured. Sleds can be replaced but people can't, so we are sure happy he is OK.

[szorno]

I can't top thatone but I can provide an interesting story with a moral.
I volunteer with our local Search and Rescue team. (see www.pcsar.org) Last year we had a call about 6 miles out of the town our county seat is in. Snowmobile crash. Back injury. I was running the base, and we had 7 team members plus a paramedic from the local ambulance service go in. As soon as they arrived I got the "Launch the chopper" call. We launched and then I started to gather info for the report. 300+ lb male rider with history of back trouble riding a skidoo 800 of some kind. Takes a jump at over 50 mph. He forgot to rise up off the seat before landing. He landed hard and did a compression fracture to some lumbar vertebrae. Fortunately he was in an open, essentially flat field. We landed the chopper about 100 yds from him. Took a bunch of work to load him, and we knew we were pushing take off payload at 9000 ft elevation, but we got him off.
Morals to the story-
1) Never ride alone, even close to town.
2) If you are big, do not jump at high speed.
3) If you jump, think thru your landing BEFORE you hit the gas.
4) If you send a kid for help, tell him to take it easy.
The kid that came out to use the cell phone and call us almost wrecked in sight of his injured Dad. Not a good thing.
Sled safely guys !!!
:salute

[grasshopper]

Wow that must have been an exciting SAR callout. I have been thinking about volunteering here as well. Most of the calls would be in the winter anyways looking for lost skiers etc and since snow removal is all I do in the winter I'd have a lot of free time to put towards helping out with SAR. How long have you been a member?

[szorno]

chris, I am in my 4th year. it is really rewarding work. We only get 60-70 calls per year, and many of them get solved before we get on scene. If you are into back country activities, and do not already do some kind of volunteer work, look into Search and Rescue. I never did much climbing before I joined. Look at the pic on the web page. I am not in that pic, but I have been on that rock. it really stretched me internally. It proves that you can teach an old dog (52) new tricks. Hit me with an email if you want to know more.
:nodd

[Adams Plowing]

wow from the looks of things hes definatly luckcy to not have been seriously hurt not to mention if he would have ben hurt bad trying to get him out from down there would have been brutal...