BajaNomad

Salt Flats Can Be Your Enemy

Ateo - 8-8-2015 at 03:34 PM

Two weeks ago we took the North Road into San Juanico after some heavy rains.

The road was impassable in many areas and after a wrong turn and a few miles in the wrong direction, in a rush to get us back on track I made a bad decision.

The bad decision was to go thru the center of a flat where there was obvious signs of past people getting stuck.

I got out, walked the flat for a hundred yards and came back ready to cross it. Bad move. We almost immediately cracked thru crust and entire waves of salt water and mud streamed over the top of the truck. Windshield wipers were on full blast just to keep the window clean, and I had a friend behind me without 4X4 that I felt was surely gonna get stuck, if my dumb arse didn't first.

This video doesn't really do it justice. Once in the mud, I knew we were screwed so I just kept going, cause there wasn't any turning around. Fortunately we were able to rinse off the bottom of the truck my driving thru a flowing arroyo about 30 minutes later.

This is a public service announcement.

Warning: Bad language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgu6BN7XUOs

[Edited on 8-8-2015 by Ateo]

David K - 8-8-2015 at 03:48 PM

Momentum is your friend! :light:
Your 2WD friend was okay, too?

ehall - 8-8-2015 at 04:07 PM

That was a close one. That would of sucked bad.

BornFisher - 8-8-2015 at 04:22 PM

Whoa...... getting stuck there would have landed you in the dog house for 20 years!! Glad you got that on film, a Baja classic!!

woody with a view - 8-8-2015 at 04:28 PM

typical guy maneuver. as soon as reality tells you that you are the dumbest person for 20 miles in ANY direction, instinct takes over.

STOMP ON IT!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

trade it in now! :biggrin:

basautter - 8-8-2015 at 05:45 PM

Been there, almost done that......stay on the shell trail!!!
:bounce:

tiotomasbcs - 8-8-2015 at 05:54 PM

That's why there is always chatter.. North road?? Somebody would have come bye to help but... salt water damage? Long way around but fewer problems! AND THE WAVES WERE.... Smiles, Tio

liknbaja127 - 8-8-2015 at 07:07 PM

Ateo, great job! When in doubt, Throttle out!! loved the co rider :lol:

Desertbull - 8-8-2015 at 07:15 PM

Got lucky! Nice work .... Last time through I towed 3 stuck cars and trucks outta the sand with a 120' hollow core rope that is 1 1/4" thick ... but the tidal flats are a different deal ... I often loan out my set of MAXTRAX to get out of the tidal mud ...

I am no part of MAXTRAX but I can tell you they work in the Tidal Flats with many people I've loaned my MAXTRAX to..

rts551 - 8-8-2015 at 07:31 PM

I can see the rust already. but you made it... Many have not. Lesson these for thosr that see what looks like a good salt flat

ehall - 8-8-2015 at 09:16 PM

wash off what you can see and then run the lawn sprinkler under the truck for 30 minutes moving it around occasionally.

Frigatebird - 8-8-2015 at 09:26 PM

Classic pucker factor. I would have needed a change of drawers. Glad you didn't need to kill a day getting out.

Zola - 8-8-2015 at 10:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by basautter  
Been there, almost done that......stay on the shell trail!!!
:bounce:


What/where is the shell trail?

StuckSucks - 8-9-2015 at 07:50 AM

Whoa - could have turned out much worse.

MMc - 8-9-2015 at 09:13 AM

I could feel the stress. A lot of us have been do the same, more then once with the negative outcome and hours of getting unstuck. Thanks for the share!

Mexitron - 8-9-2015 at 09:58 AM

We were surfing at San Jacinto years ago and a guy showed up frantically waving for us to come in and help him. He'd tried to drive across the salt flat north of the point and was stuck in way over the axle. Hooked up one of our trucks with the tow strap but it wouldn't budge. Hooked up a second to the first and tried again but still nothing. Dug out as much mud as we could, put down brush, and hooked up a third truck and finally yanked his sorry arse out. The stress on the guy's truck caused his front windshield to break, but he was out.

Ateo - 8-9-2015 at 10:05 AM

Thanks for not piling on Nomads. I wasn't even gonna post this but I felt it would be good to destroy a little ego.

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

woody with a view - 8-9-2015 at 01:12 PM

what doesn't kill you makes for epic stories!

TMW - 8-9-2015 at 04:28 PM

Ateo I can't remember how many times I've done things I shouldn't have but I'm still here to hopefully remember not to do some of them again. But on second thought some were really fun, after it was over.

Remember not to do them again?

AKgringo - 8-9-2015 at 04:55 PM

Tell me I am not the only one who after getting un-stuck, took a second try, thinking 'If I just do it like this, I can make it'?

Sometimes it works, other times you confirm the definition of 'insanity'.

If you can get yourself unstuck without having to be rescued is satisfying too!

[Edited on 8-9-2015 by AKgringo]

Photo from Nomad 'AguaDulce'... and comments:

David K - 8-9-2015 at 05:26 PM



Been across salt flats many times but I was to relaxed and all of a sudden I hit a "lake"and I could not steer the vehicle and it sucked me in. I told my friend I would be back the next morning with help. I actually kind of liked walking for a few hours for some help and planned on sleeping in the desert when a car came across me and gave me a lift. The locals from La Laguna were laughing when they saw it. They explained that they were laughing at themselves because it happens to them more than you would think! Now I have put in front and rear lockers and most importantly- PAY ATTENTION.!

Skipjack Joe - 8-9-2015 at 05:41 PM

You're not a bona fide Baja explorer until you've been stuck in the mud.

elgatoloco - 8-9-2015 at 06:37 PM

I have been stuck a time or three just not in the mud, yet. :saint:

David K - 8-9-2015 at 09:30 PM

Mud is the worst... sand is not a problem at all, because it is dry and clean to brush off, if you need to dig out a little... really just letting more air out of the tires for sand is all you need... unless you get mad and gun it (spin the tires)!

Ateo - 8-10-2015 at 08:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Mexitron  
We were surfing at San Jacinto years ago and a guy showed up frantically waving for us to come in and help him. He'd tried to drive across the salt flat north of the point and was stuck in way over the axle.


I've been stuck there! Only place I can ever remember actually getting stuck. I had the worst hangover of my life.

Glad everyone enjoyed the video, even though it only showed the last 30 seconds of the full 1.5 minute fun.

Tomas Tierra - 8-22-2015 at 01:09 PM

Thanks for posting that up Ateo..... The deep breathing at the end of the video says it all!! Been there, never had it come over the bow though!! Whoa

I'm with Woody..... Go trade that thing in

TT

Ateo - 8-22-2015 at 01:31 PM

That's not what I want to hear TT!!! Yeah, I was quiet the whole time, until we made it out and I finally took a breath. =)

Tomas Tierra - 8-22-2015 at 10:45 PM

I'm Sure you took appropriate measures. Muchos quarters at the power wash. It will still run forever! Gear vid!!!

TT

basautter - 8-23-2015 at 05:37 AM

Thanks for sharing. Been there, done that. If you are in a position where you have to cross, I have found that you are best off staying on the path made by past vehicles. I have got stuck myself, and rescued a few others that went off the two track, and sunk like a brick. :fire:

basautter - 8-24-2015 at 06:56 PM

At the San Ignacio lagoon, and the oyster estuaries near Rocky Point (probably other places), locals dump clam/oyster/scallop shells on the roads through the salt flats to make a road bed. Sometime it does not look like the best path, but trust me, it is....the mud can be like pudding....ugh...:fire: