Sam Krahn 
Earlier this week, news broke across the automotive world that a Southern California Jeep enthusiast thought it would be a bright idea to drive their Wrangler on a ridge that’s so narrow, it frightens bikers. Unsurprisingly, it ended poorly, and the poor Jeep has been stuck on the ridge for days. But now, thanks to the help of the surrounding Jeep community, the Wrangler has been rescued safely. Many people across social media thought only a helicopter could rescue it, but alas, teamwork got it done.
According to The Drive, those familiar with the area say it’s public land that doesn’t allow vehicles to drive in that area, so it’s unclear how it got there in the first place. It also is so narrow, many dirt bikers won’t even go across it. It’s nicknamed the “Trail of Death” for good reason. Supposedly, the Jeep was left dangling off the edge for around 36 hours before the rescue operation began. Check out the 11 minute process below:
The first stage in the mission involved winching the Jeep backwards to get to more stable ground. But because half of the Wrangler was off the ridge’s trail, there was a risk that with any movement, it could roll off the edge of the ridge. Even worse, it could drag the winching Jeep along with it. A group of somewhere between 10 and 15 people held onto the Jeep with some straps to make sure it didn’t tumble sideways.
Once it got on the main part of the ridge, the winch was reset, and a brave soul got in the stranded Jeep Wrangler to assist the steering when going backwards. In the end, the Jeep was saved. It’s owner was saved too, as helicopter airlift would be a very expensive bill.
If there’s anything to learn from the situation, it’s that you should never off-road alone, especially in a risky situation or area you aren’t familiar with. In many ways, this Jeep Wrangler owner is lucky things went as well as they did, as he was one mistake away from plummeting off a cliff.
