Calvary 4-Wheelers

Rumors of my near-brush with death are greatly exaggerated.

Stan had been working some insane hours getting his new clinic in Boulder up and running while still being able to pay the bills and feed his family. This meant working most weekends and it had been a long time since he had been able to get out on the trail with us. Ken and I took matters into our own hands and forced Stan to take a Tuesday afternoon off for a little fun in Left Hand Canyon. We met at Stan's clinic and, after a brief tour for Ken and I and a quick change of clothes for Stan, we headed for the trail.

Just past the turn-off for Big Mother Hill we noticed a "No Motor Vehicles" sign knocked down and fresh tracks heading up the illegal route. We took a few minutes to prop the sign back up, surprising a small field mouse in the process. The poor little mouse was too frightened to even run away. He just cowered among the rocks pretending we couldn't see him.

We continued up the trail to where Big Mother Hill comes out. The hill was much rougher and washed out than I have ever seen it. Stan made it up without too much trouble having to choose his line carefully so as not to get too tippy. I made several valiant but fruitless tries in the Suzuki but couldn't get past the first hole. Stan was a little worried about coming down the tippy spot so we tossed a couple rocks in the deepest hole for him and he carefully worked his way back down. We headed on up past 5 Points and down past the top of Carnage taking the route I believe heads toward Fairview Peak. After a couple of minor obstacles we came to what I think is Fireman's Hill.

This was a very steep climb, a couple hundred yards long, very rough with large rocks and ruts, and a very off-camber turn at the top. We quickly decided it was not to be done that day but spent a few minutes discussing what lines we will take when we come back to assault it later.

Fortunately there is a bypass which is only steep and loose, the only problem being a small outcropping of rocks right where you have to make a sharp turn at the top of the hill. The rocks weren't a problem for Stan but I knew the Suzuki didn't have the clearance to straddle them. After looking it over I decided I could go around the rocks on the high side of the hill without getting too tippy. Well, it felt a lot different in the driver's seat than it had looked standing outside. I got nervous and cut the corner too tight taking the Suzuki right over the rocks and high centering.

Now I was in a predicament: sitting on a significant side hill with both uphill wheels in the air and the frame solidly perched on a large rock. After discussing several options we decided it would be best to have Ken pull me back off the rocks. We hooked up the strap, fired up the vehicles and started to pull when my life flashed before my eyes as the uphill side of the Suzuki rose another two feet into the air! Fortunately Ken was paying attention and let off before I went tumbling down the hill.

After re-assessing our options we used a high lift to raise the downhill front tire and stack some rocks under it. We also were able to pull one of the rocks I was hung up on out from under the truck. Then, with some careful manuevering, I was able to back off the rocks. However, my attempts to get straightened out on the hill weren't working. The Suzuki just kept sliding sideways down the hill. About this time it started raining. We looped a strap around the A-pillars and over the roof of the Suzuki and tied it off to Stan's winch as a safety. Stan kept just enough tension on the strap to keep me from tipping over as I worked the truck around straight to the hill. After we unhooked the safety, I was able back down the hill without incident and we headed back to Boulder for a nice dinner at Applebees before heading home.

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