Is this one of us?

[Todd & Meg]

I see your point and can feel for you and the situation. But you lost me when you have all these reasons you can't get there to retrieve it. Seems like you want someone else to do it which would have been fine if it happened already.

Google maps says you are 5 hours from Death Valley (3 states away is a bit of a stretch), You have a sign in your window that says "Adventure is necessary"! Well is it? Tell your kids you need to go and pick up the axle you left, Because that is what we do as good stewards of our National Parks and the land in general. Find a few people to go, drive in shifts and you could be back in less the 24 hours.

Now there is an Adventure for you.

Todd

 

[A-Aron]

I see your point and can feel for you and the situation. But you lost me when you have all these reasons you can't get there to retrieve it. Seems like you want someone else to do it which would have been fine if it happened already.

Google maps says you are 5 hours from Death Valley (3 states away is a bit of a stretch), You have a sign in your window that says "Adventure is necessary"! Well is it? Tell your kids you need to go and pick up the axle you left, Because that is what we do as good stewards of our National Parks and the land in general. Find a few people to go, drive in shifts and you could be back in less the 24 hours.

Now there is an Adventure for you.

Todd

If only it were that easy, or only 5 hours you obviously haven't been to that part of DV. And if the kids are in the vehicle.. we still can't get the axle in.. and it has be coordinated with someone that can actually help lift the axle into the rig.. sounds so easy looking in from the outside. So yeah, it would be nice if someone else would do it, do we expect that.. No, that's why we have contacted the people that DO need to be informed about the situation..

 

[A-Aron]

The only people making a big deal of this are the ones that have no reason to be concerned.. the appropriate parties are aware, and if there is an issue, they know how to contact us. So chill out, there are abandoned cars, debris, construction material.. etc all over the park.. You think they called the park officials and informed them of the situation? Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, it's not my concern to know that. But I'm not going to judge them for it, now someone has a finger to point at.. and we're the ones that are doing it the correct way, legally and ethically. If you can help, please do, if not.. then don't presume to tell other people how to do what needs to be done. That is what gives people the wrong idea about the community. Instead, spread the word for help so we can get this taken care of. I know there are people that travel through there weekly that probably have the means to stop for 10 minutes and load a busted axle out, if they knew the situation, they probably would, most people are good inside. The word has to spread to them in order to do so.. if not we'll retrieve it when we can, the DV NPS doesn't have an issue with that.. why do you?

 

[Ben Cleveland]

Lord...it would seem after Michael posted up and acknowledged it, and defended @A-Aron that this would have died there.

@Todd & Meg @JungleSkunk if this is burning your britches so much why don't you offer to help @A-Aron get it yourself! I totally agree, keeping trails clean and open is important, but this is just not in good taste. He's obviously thought through this and is NOT being empty headed or irresponsible. Seriously. Why burn the mental energy to keyboard warrior this and make him look bad for no reason? I would argue that your judgey tone is possibly more damaging and negative than the axle that's sitting in death valley right now. At least that axle isn't typing out judgements for people it doesn't know at 10 o clock at night. Also, threads like this give the online overlanding/offroading community JUST as bad a name as trashed trails. Food for thought....

 

[CR-Venturer]

It's always easy to criticize and run someone down, it's not so easy to get dirty and help.

Any cali natives willing to step up and help A-Aron retrieve his axle?

 

[Todd & Meg]

Lord...it would seem after Michael posted up and acknowledged it, and defended @A-Aron that this would have died there.

@Todd & Meg if this is burning your britches so much why don't you offer to help @A-Aron get it yourself! I totally agree, keeping trails clean and open is important, but this is just not in good taste. He's obviously thought through this and is NOT being empty headed or irresponsible. Seriously. Why burn the mental energy to keyboard warrior this and make him look bad for no reason? I would argue that your judgey tone is possibly more damaging and negative than the axle that's sitting in death valley right now. At least that axle isn't typing out judgements for people it doesn't know at 10 o clock at night. Also, threads like this give the online overlanding/offroading community JUST as bad a name as trashed trails. Food for thought....

Good points, first today I had an MRI on my shoulder for an injury I've been dealing with for 8 weeks now. I don't see my wife and I lifting the axle into our Jeep and if we could I doubt it would fit. I don't have anyone that I know that I could get together to make a trip out there. If I was able I would love to do a weekend trip like that, DV is only 7 hours from me.

If it was my axle I would have done things different, I would have made time to get out there to get it. If that wasn't possible I would have paid to get it recovered.

You are right about this thread should have never happened. There was an easy way for that, but it didn't happen. Maybe the thread should be locked now that A-Aron has things worked out.

Todd

 

[Ben Cleveland]

Good points, first today I had an MRI on my shoulder for an injury I've been dealing with for 8 weeks now. I don't see my wife and I lifting the axle into our Jeep and if we could I doubt it would fit. I don't have anyone that I know that I could get together to make a trip out there. If I was able I would love to do a weekend trip like that, DV is only 7 hours from me.

If it was my axle I would have done things different, I would have made time to get out there to get it. If that wasn't possible I would have paid to get it recovered.

You are right about this thread should have never happened. There was an easy way for that, but it didn't happen. Maybe the thread should be locked now that A-Aron has things worked out.

Todd

I get it dude. Honestly, your reasons for that are just as valid as his are. I'm sure you would also have made every effort to be responsible. But this wasn't you, and you weren't there. You know, the whole "don't judge a man till you've walked a mile in his shoes" thing. I think that would apply well here.

Also, I don't necessarily see a problem with the thread as a whole, more just the part where you and Jungleskunk chose to take a really critical angle. You're reasonable, I doubt it was meant as harshly as it came across. But that's still what happened.

 

[JungleSkunk]

I get it dude. Honestly, your reasons for that are just as valid as his are. I'm sure you would also have made every effort to be responsible. But this wasn't you, and you weren't there. You know, the whole "don't judge a man till you've walked a mile in his shoes" thing. I think that would apply well here.

Also, I don't necessarily see a problem with the thread as a whole, more just the part where you and Jungleskunk chose to take a really critical angle. You're reasonable, I doubt it was meant as harshly as it came across. But that's still what happened.

I meant no ill words by my response. I was raised with the idea you are always responsible when in the outdoors and pack out what you bring in. As others have said this would have been a non issue for me as I would never leave an entire axle on the trail for over a month.

Its clear he has no plans to retrieve this unit himself in the near future and that is what bothers me the most. I get it your busy and have kids ect ect ect but its time.... Do the right thing and call a recovery company and pay them what it costs to clean up after your mistake if you dont have the time to do it yourself. Never leave it up to someone else tho.


Until this is cleaned up by someone I think it is fair that the thread stays open.

 

[Anak]

Could we just get this thread re-titled to "The Wrapped Around the Axle Thread"?

 

[Smileyshaun]

don't take this the wrong way but I think the funniest part of all this is the assumption that you can just pick up a 14 bolt and throw it in the back of a rig . Please by all means show us how light it is . And I'm really doubting his plan is to just leave the axle there since the authorities already have his information and know he is the one that left it there it's not leaking oil so it's not causing any harm to the environment. If it was an actual Hazard to the environment the authorities already would have had someone go out and pick it up and billed the owner for the trash removal and fined him for illegal dumping . It's so easy to be a keyboard Warrior and point the finger in faults at people without fully understanding the situation

 

[Smileyshaun]

oops its a 12 bolt , still not a light or small axle to just toss in the back of a rig

 

[v_man]

The..."there's other junk and debris all over the park" line of reasoning is a poor way to think about things IMO. Let's not start using other people's poor behavior as justification for our situation.

I will say that Dedeckera canyon is probably one of the most remote, isolated parts of DV, guarded by two long, rough 4x4 approaches from either end. We have two small kids and it's hard to imagine being in this situation with them in the back seat; stuck far far from anything, in winter, with a tough mechanical repair to make in order to get home.

But now that there's a happy ending and everyone is safe, why not turn this into a teachable moment for the kids and go retrieve your axle.

 

[SiDbaru]

I was by no means trying to poke fun of the situation or judge you. Every post you made on this forum topic had cleared you of any wrongful doing in my eyes. You did everything right and if I were in your shoes I wouldn't have changed a thing. II' glad you and the family were able and capable to overcome this unexpected obstacle. Overland on

I'm 3 states away and have a family and a full time job, I've reached out to people that have gone there that I have been aware of to help and asked for assistance, DV NPS officials have my info and are aware of the situation. I can organize and participate in local events, day trips, and work on my rig after my children go to bed... My brother.. is even farther away. It's not like I we can take an afternoon and run down to pick it up. How many have driven past with the capacity to remove such items and left them where they sat?

I can't count the bags of trash I've hauled out of places we've visited, there is no excuse.. there are things we can do, and things we can't. Can we retrieve it.. yes, have the stars aligned to enable us to.. no, but that doesn't mean we've stopped trying..

The times that an attempt could have been made the weather has horrible and that is not a place where anyone should be in poor weather.

People will judge and be negative no matter the situation... I bust my but for 60 hrs a week, see my children 1.5 hrs a day, and after they go to bed I work on my rig and actively participate in things I enjoy, Sundays I have religious obligations and I have not traveled more than 60 miles from my home since this happened...

Please don't even pretend to be judgemental, you don't understand the situation, and it's not like it's hidden from the world. The OB community is about helping people, not smearing their problems around in the web. The appropriate officials are aware and I have been in contact with them.

The appropriate action should be to share with others that the off road community is aware and has been in communication with the officials in the area and sharing so the problem can be resolved.. not finger pointng and blaming.. that doesn't help anyone.

 

[CR-Venturer]

oops its a 12 bolt , still not a light or small axle to just toss in the back of a rig

I'm thinking a team consisting of someone with a full size pickup rig and maybe 2 nicely built jeeps or other SUV's to burn out there, load it up and bring it back. It definitely sounds like this canyon is no joke - it wrecked the axle in the first place - so some well built rigs and a bit of preparation would be wise.

 

[ntsqd]

For a price Miller's Towing in Lone Pine will go get it. They've pulled lots grimmer and uglier out of DV than that. They're good people, but they don't work for free I'm sure.

Been a few years since I passed thru there. You guys make it sound like it's one of the Hammers now. It sure didn't use to be. Never were going to make it thru the narrows at the bottom in your gramma's '68 Town & Country station wagon, but one TAD took my '91 Suburban thru there no problem.

 

[MonkeyProof]

I'm thinking a team consisting of someone with a full size pickup rig and maybe 2 nicely built jeeps or other SUV's to burn out there, load it up and bring it back. It definitely sounds like this canyon is no joke - it wrecked the axle in the first place - so some well built rigs and a bit of preparation would be wise.

The Canyon is basic, there are 3 little ledges to traverse. Most experienced drivers with a mildly built rig won't need the help of a spotter to pass through. What hasn't been mentioned is that they had 2 large travel trailers in tow.


This for example is the bottom of the 3 ledges, and I am taking the most extreme line. The average line is to the right and out of the picture..

 

[A-Aron]

The Canyon is basic, there are 3 little ledges to traverse. Most experienced drivers with a mildly built rig won't need the help of a spotter to pass through. What hasn't been mentioned is that they had 2 large travel trailers in tow.


This for example is the bottom of the 3 ledges, and I am taking the most extreme line. The average line is to the right and out of the picture..View attachment 86102
View attachment 86103

I remember you coming through, thanks for your help with the family back at camp, the people at warms spring took good care of our families while we were out. Knowing there we're good people to help them if we got stranded or hurt on the repair trips brought great comfort to us. Some that passed through delivered updates and messages of encouragement. What a wonderful community! Thank you all, we hope the message reaches you. My God bless you!

 

[MonkeyProof]

If anyone has a ham ticket, be sure you pre-load your phone/tablet with RepeaterBook or take down all the repeaters in the area.

I had to shorting your original reply because this forum did not allow me to quote the links that you provided..

I was able to send a few APRS packets on Saturday in the Hunter Mtn. area. The path of the packets mostly went to Vegas surprisingly. I also had decent Tx/Rx with the Mazourka Peak (W6TD) repeater from about halfway up Lippincott Pass to a few miles at the top and going towards Tea Kettle Junction. Also had the same reception going up Hunter Mtn from the Hidden Valley side to well past the Hunter Mtn/ South Saline Road Junction going towards 190. The Mazourka Peak repeater is also linked to the Lone Pine repeater (W6PH)

 

[MonkeyProof]

@A-Aron , what would you like me to do with your axle housing?




The stashed trailer fenders are still at the location. They are as long, or longer than the length of my cargo area. And they are extremely heavy. I was not able to pack them out with me.

 

[CR-Venturer]

Huzzah!! Well done, man! @A-Aron, may I respectfully suggest you buy this man a beer? ;)

Whatcha going to do with the axle? Turn it into a trophy as I suggested? :D lol Let the inaugural Snapped Axle Cup commence!

Looking at those fenders, I don't think those are actually from A-Aron, they don't look like they would in any way fit on his rig.