Traveling in Remote Areas

Observations and Experiences of David Doughman, a Jeep driver who loves to see and photograph the great outdoors 4/22/2010

I have either experienced or witnessed the following problems while traveling in remote areas in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. This information is shared to help you prepare to safely return from your trip to many of the fantastic sights awaiting your travel on the many our back roads and trails. Many of these locations are seldom traveled, have no cell phone service and love to flatten your tires. There are very few signs on the roads/trails or intersections. No water or food available unless you brought or a fellow traveler has some to share with you. GPS and map reading skills can become very important in finding the site you are looking for and finding your way back home.

• Beware of “The GPS Junky” I road with a GPS user who spent 20% plus of his driving time looking at his GPS, a very unsafe practice anytime to include when driving in remote areas. I no longer ride with him!
• Two flat tires from sidewall punctures on same vehicle by same sharp rock. Another driver had a spare tire same size and rim off set so we could continue on our trip. Extra high tire jacks were used to change the over sized tires.
• Two flat tires. Had to leave the vehicle behind and take one of the tires back to civilization for repair, then return the next day to change the second flat and drive back to home and fix the other flat.
• Radiator failed and the vehicle overheated. Added some of our drinking water to the radiator to drive a few more miles then had to tow the vehicle closer to civilization then leave it to return the next day with another vehicle and equipment that could better tow the vehicle back to civilization.
• Radiator failed close to civilization. Able to get back by using water on hand. Stopping long enough to cool the engine, add some water and driving till it started to overheat, let it cool and add more water – about 4 times.
• Batteries in the GPS failed. No extra batteries on hand. The GPS of others in the party got us to where we were going and back home.
• 4 Wheel drive SUV’s stuck in soft sand. Used winch on my Jeep to pull the vehicles out of the soft sand. I’ve done this five times. One group was two Germans going to Coyote Buttes South, a very remote area, in a rented SUV with all 4 wheels stuck in soft sand down to the vehicle frame. They had been there for two hours hoping someone would come by.
• 4 Wheel drive pick up truck stuck in soft dry sand – no cell service. A group of 5 Australians in a rented vehicle. Broke a rear axle trying to get unstuck in a very remote area. I happened upon them and pulled the vehicle out of the sand but the pick up wouldn’t move with the broken axle. Drove three of them back to civilization where they called for help. They had it towed by a commercial tow truck and fixed the next day and continued on their 5-week tour of our parks and back roads sites.
• A member of a photo group became cold, left the group to return to the vehicles. He missed the return trail and walked for several hours till he made his way back to the vehicles. Mean while the group returned to the vehicles, waited 45 minutes as it became colder and dark as the sun set. One member drove up a near by mountain trail to get cell phone service and asked for rescue support as the night would soon be quite cold. Another 45 minutes passed then the lost person found his way back to the cars. Phoned the Sherriff to have them call off the Search & Rescue teams.
• Group members ran out of food and water on a longer than planned day trip. Others shared their food and water.
• Group members did not bring their medications. They were unable to enjoy the rest of the trip do to their discomfort. Fortunately not a serious event.
• Vehicle power steering leaked fluid making driving very difficult. Others in the group had extra fluid, patching material and bands to hold the patches in place.
• Jeep stuck in soft sand coming up steep riverbank. Successfully winched self out of problem.
• SUV stuck in soft sand while going down a very long steep sand dune. Extracted by Jeep with winch.
• Jeep stuck coming up steep muddy riverbank. Pulled up by another Jeep with a winch.
• Jeep stuck on moderate sand dune. Pulled out by another Jeep with a winch.
• Vehicle ran out of gas. Used gas from gas can carried just in case it was needed.
• Six vehicles on a trip in a remote area had to drive up a narrow riverbank trail. Five of the vehicles had a flat tire caused by the tire being pushed so hard on the sidewall that they lost contact with the rim and immediately went flat. One vehicle had two flats and borrowed a spare from the one that did not have a flat. Fortunately the two vehicles could share tires and rims!
• A Jeep was stuck in mud while crossing a river, with water entering the vehicle. Used the electric winches on two other Jeeps to free the stuck Jeep. Drained the Jeep and continued on our trip.
• Clutch went out on a vehicle. Unable to fix. Drove the rest of the trip by starting the vehicle in gear and shifted carefully without using the clutch.
• Jeep high centered while driving over big rocks lifting two wheels off the ground. Restacked many rocks then used two winches to carefully move the high centered jeep off the rocks without any damage!

Vehicle problems? Need to call a tow truck? If you are or can get to a place with cell phone service -expect to pay about $125/hour plus for the tow truck to get to you and get you back to their shop – then add repair/replacement costs for what ever you need! Do you carry a tow strap to help others or so someone can tow you to a civilized location and save or reduce the tow truck costs? Can you give your vehicles GPS location to the tow truck driver so he can easily find you or your a banned vehicle?

If you or someone in the group has a serious medical problem such as a heart attack, diabetic reaction, broken bones from a fall, etc. can anyone in the group effectively use first aid techniques? Does anyone in your group have a good First Aid Kit & know how to use it? You may be hours from getting medical care! Can you transport them safely back to civilization? Do you/they have a supply of important medications should your return be delayed?

If you are traveling without another vehicle and yours breaks down, gets stuck, you have a serious medical problem and you are out of cell phone service, you could be stranded for several days unless someone at home notifies the sheriff that you are way behind your scheduled return time. The problem is where do they start looking for you! Does the person at home who called the Sherriff know what roads/trails you were taking and what was your destination, est. return time, vehicle description, who else is in the group, are they prepared to spend the night where they are in the heat, cold, etc.?

Can you do emergency tire repair? Have a tire pump? Patch or replace a leaking hose on your engine, power steering, plug a leaking radiator? Replace a broken fan belt? Carry extra gasoline safely? Extra water for you and your car? Extra clothing for colder nights, rain/snow? Good maps of the area, a compass and a GPS to find out where you are and how to get back home just in case you get lost or separated from the group? Something to eat and plenty to drink should your planned return be significantly delayed (hours or days)? Do you have a flashing beacon to help others find your vehicle from the air and in the dark? Can you start a fire to signal for help?

If you break down or are stuck do you stay with your vehicle or try walking to find someone that can help you? If you know you can easily walk to some form civilization you might want to give it a try, but remember you are very hard for rescuers to see unless they drive right up to you walking on the road. Your vehicle is much easier to see from the road or from the air than you are! If you left the vehicle behind did you leave a note to tell the rescue team where you have gone in your attempt to find some form of civilization?

How many days’ food and water do you take with you for a one-day trip when going by yourself? Meds? Extra clothing? Sun protection? Food? Water? Warmth?

Have you considered carrying an Emergency Locator Beacon (ELB)? It could save your life! You use it to send an emergency distress signal via satellite that identifies who you are and where you are when you activate your ELB. The US Air Force receives your emergency signal, they then call the nearest sheriff to your location telling them you’re in some sort of trouble and give them your GPS location. No voice communication, just a distress signal is sent. It could save your life and that of others with you. Don’t wonder from where you sent your distress signal or they might miss finding you.

Are you ready, able and willing to help others you might find in your travels of our great outdoors?

David Doughman