bhicks
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Forest Falls, CA
I was on my way home today after sending off a couple sweatshirts in the mail and I came across a road block in Forest Falls. The fire men told me that the canyon above was about the flood through and if I planned to go home I needed to haul butt through there. I called my wife who was at work just a couple minutes from me and told her to get in the Jeep and get home. I drove through the area in my Explorer and there was only minor flooding and debris flow. My wife came up behind me a couple minutes later and all hell broke loose. A wall of debris, mud, boulders, and a couple cars passed right in front of her then the debris flow came up behind her and she was stuck. The mud and water began to rise until the Jeep was sitting on it's frame and couldn't be moved. I get a phone call from my wife in mass panic mode. I'm freaking out thinking she is about to be swept into Mill Creek. I turn around and see I giant wall of mud between me and her. Thank God the local fire men jumped in and yanked her out. They were able to get her back on solid ground rather quickly. Once my wife was with me and safe I put my attention back on my drowning Jeep. I sat and watched this debris flow slowly cover it up. I asked the firemen to help me get it out but there job was to save lives and not cars. I couldn't really get mad about that logic. So I decided to get my Jeep myself. I had a local Jeep guy help me go over to it with some careful navigation over the rocks and mud. I hoped in and put it in 4Lo and just started throwing into drive and reverse over and over until it started getting loose. I eventually got enough space in the mud to gun it up and out. It took a few minutes of me pissing myself and just flooring it across mud and boulders and rushing water but I finally got it back onto high ground. My Jeep actually survived even though the mud was over the hood. Gotta love a Jeep. I know I caused severe damage to my rig cosidering how hard and fast I hit some of the rocks but I didn't have any other option. Please don't tell me how stupid I was to try and save my Jeep. I am aware of that bone head move. I wasn't thinking clearly when I did it and would not have done it again. Once I got the Jeep unstuck I realized how dangerous of a situation I was in. My Jeep isn't worth risking my life. My wife was NOT too happy with my decision making today and in hindsight I don't blame her. Sorry for the long story but I am so excited to have my wife home safely and my Jeep still kinda alive. Anyone else have some cool stories from this crazy weather.
