Evans Creek=missing dad=flipped truck

[grant1]

Being an adivid outdoorsman and spending alot of time in the woods, I have put myself in alot of bad situations.
Luckily all has worked out for me.
I have often seen many people head out into the wood uneducated and unprepared.
I have learned by my lessons and hope my children learn from me.
The sad part is a young boy didnt learn from his fathers good example.
My thoughts go out to the boy and his family.

 

[dirtygoat]

He was in a F250 crew cab goind down 311 and flipped... This was around 9pm last night... He texted a friend telling him what happened and needed help...

The wife called the sheriff last night saying they hadn't made it back, but said he's been late before and wasn't real worried... So, the sheriff wasn't either...

This morning the friend called the police... Not sure if he got the text last night or this morning...

Ian found them around 11am, dad had passed away and the kid was almost frozen... He got the kid down so he could get transported to Harbor View... The kids gonna make it, but still unconscious...


This what I got from Ian at tonight's meeting...

 

[Dogboy]

I heard 3rd hand also, that it was on the 311 (upper or lower, I don't know).
I'm pretty certian that it's true.

 

[pokey]

I heard 3rd hand also, that it was on the 311 (upper or lower, I don't know).
I'm pretty certian that it's true.

upper and as Louie said.

 

[Dogboy]

upper and as Louie said.

I posted before I saw his post.

EDIT: do you know if the truck just kinda "flopped" hard, or if it rolled down a hill?
He would have had to have made it down the trail a ways, before there is any big drops that I can think of.

 

[dirtygoat]

I posted before I saw his post.

EDIT: do you know if the truck just kinda "flopped" hard, or if it rolled down a hill?
He would have had to have made it down the trail a ways, before there is any big drops that I can think of.

He was half way down to the lower 311... They had just got it flipped back over around 8pm tonight...

 

[messix]

it's too bad the wife didn't know about this forum.

i think we've gone out finding over due wheelers before but not in such die curcumstances.

just very very sad......:booo:

 

[Damnyankee]

i feel for the family and expecially the child.
However, WTF was he doing trying to come down the upper 311 in a Crew cab super duty.
sillyness i tell you!
(he would have never made it around the last corner (on teh way down)

 

[Horus]

i feel for the family and expecially the child.
However, WTF was he doing trying to come down the upper 311 in a Crew cab super duty.
sillyness i tell you!
(he would have never made it around the last corner (on teh way down)

The Forest Service spent the summer turning many of the trails into gravel roads. If I did not know better I'd see the entrance of the lower 311 and think it was a road. If the trails were still difficult and made of dirt he most likely would have gotten out and hiked into the trail a piece to investigate. This would have no doubt left him turning around and seeking another way out. Instead he saw what probably looked to him like nothing more than an interesting gravel road and into the trail he went.

How often do we hear of someone mistakenly driving their clean F-250 into the Busy? If we continue to harden and simplify ORV trails these kinds of accidents are going to become far more frequent.

Very sad to hear this happened. :booo:

 

[dirtygoat]

The Forest Service spent the summer turning many of the trails into gravel roads. If I did not know better I'd see the entrance of the lower 311 and think it was a road. If the trails were still difficult and made of dirt he most likely would have gotten out and hiked into the trail a piece to investigate. This would have no doubt left him turning around and seeking another way out. Instead he saw what probably looked to him like nothing more than an interesting gravel road and into the trail he went.

How often do we hear of someone mistakenly driving their clean F-250 into the Busy? If we continue to harden and simplify ORV trails these kinds of accidents are going to become far more frequent.

Very sad to hear this happened. :booo:

That's a hell of a perspective... Very interesting...

 

[boardbysled]

That's a hell of a perspective... Very interesting...

I actually almost came upon the same conclusion.

But, I was unaware if the top of the 311 now looks like...

 

[Horus]

That's a hell of a perspective... Very interesting...

Oh, I'm sure I'll get the usual back lash for replacing political correctness with intelligence and rational thought in the morning. Kinda sucks being blunt and honest sometimes.

:;

 

[dirtygoat]

Oh, I'm sure I'll get the usual back lash for replacing political correctness with intelligence and rational thought in the morning. Kinda sucks being blunt and honest sometimes.

:;

It's refreshing and keeps people thinking...

 

[Horus]

Two years ago the very first thing everyone had to see upon first entering the ORV park was the gatekeeper at the beginning of the lower 311. The sight of it would give everyone a good idea of what to expect in the rest of the trail system. Even if you did not run the lower 311 and chose to explore the rest of the park, the image of the 311 gatekeeper would instill a sense of respect for what may be encountered deeper in the system. It is what you would think about as you were driving your F-250 down a gravel inside the park and suddenly the bushes and trees close in and the gravel road turns into dirt. It makes people think about turning around or hiking in to investigate.

When you enter the park today there is no such gatekeeper. Without a map in hand, you would be hard pressed to see the difference between the road to the left of the Evans Creek sign or the beginning of the 311 on the right. Regardless of a user's direction into the system from the main entrance, there is no longer the visual impact the 311 gatekeeper once put into their minds. By the time you drive your F-250 right down to the top of Brake Line Hill (the only technical section left on the trail) you are no longer in a good position to turn around. Why not keep going? You have seen nothing all day to indicate that place is anything more than gravel or hard dirt roads. No nasty looking obstacle you had to pass to get to where you rolled your truck.

90% of the accidents at Reiter happened under the powerlines. Why? Accessibility?

The lower 311 gatekeeper served as both a filter and a warning to all users. Now that is is gone and similar treatments have been given to the rest of that and other trails, could it be that all this time the 311 was saving lives?

 

[Damnyankee]

i'm not sure what the UPPER 311B looks like, where he was supposedly comming down.
unless there is somethign i don't knowl.

anyhow.. i have to agree with your way of thinking horus.

 

[bigred_086]

Its too bad that the Forest service,and DNR don't think of such issues,need gate keepers to help prevent this type of accident's.

 

[Symon623]

First of all he shouldn't have been out alone...... I know many of you do it without incident, just a rule I like.

Second, he went unprepaired "just in case" he had to spend the night for some reason?

Third, he developed a rep for being late frequently......therefore the urgency of didnt hit until it was too late.

Fourth, I agree with Horus 100%, Then again he was in a Super-poopy and thought he could conquer anything....

I feel for the family and the kid...... which may be damaged for life? the Dad got off easy, he isnt feeling and pain or regret.....

JMO......:;

 

[Horus]

i'm not sure what the UPPER 311B looks like, where he was supposedly comming down.
unless there is somethign i don't knowl.

anyhow.. i have to agree with your way of thinking horus.

Oh, I missed Pokey's upper 311 confirmation post. Now I'm puzzled. This had to happen right at the top as they were first dropping in. It's been more than a year since I last ran the upper 311 but I can't imagine where else on the trail you could put your rig over.

The regular rules we as wheelers follow (Don't go alone, unprepared, etc) are one thing. It disturbs me that a guy managed to get a rig of that caliber into one of our trails and get himself killed. I wonder if this truck was his wheelin rig? You know, tires, lockers, winch and the usual body damage. The news story so far comes off as a missplaced individual of minimal offroad experience in a next to stock gigantic truck. Am I wrong?

 

[Damnyankee]

it puzzles me too, i own a super duty crew cab, and if i came to the upper 311B going down, i would look down the hill and think.. NO FAWKING way am i taking my diesel down that.

 

[crash2]

The Forest Service spent the summer turning many of the trails into gravel roads. If I did not know better I'd see the entrance of the lower 311 and think it was a road. If the trails were still difficult and made of dirt he most likely would have gotten out and hiked into the trail a piece to investigate. This would have no doubt left him turning around and seeking another way out. Instead he saw what probably looked to him like nothing more than an interesting gravel road and into the trail he went.

How often do we hear of someone mistakenly driving their clean F-250 into the Busy? If we continue to harden and simplify ORV trails these kinds of accidents are going to become far more frequent.

Very sad to hear this happened. :booo:

If he hit the 311 at the entrance I can see this clearly being the case but he came from the top.

Maybe he did enter the 311 at the entrance and made his way to the top and was coming back down?

 

[pokey]

Oh, I missed Pokey's upper 311 confirmation post. Now I'm puzzled. This had to happen right at the top as they were first dropping in. It's been more than a year since I last ran the upper 311 but I can't imagine where else on the trail you could put your rig over.

The regular rules we as wheelers follow (Don't go alone, unprepared, etc) are one thing. It disturbs me that a guy managed to get a rig of that caliber into one of our trails and get himself killed. I wonder if this truck was his wheelin rig? You know, tires, lockers, winch and the usual body damage. The news story so far comes off as a missplaced individual of minimal offroad experience in a next to stock gigantic truck. Am I wrong?

From what Ian said he was halfway down from the top to the midway point where the trails intersect. Who know how he rolled. Trying to get a fullsize down that trail in the dark ecspecialy if he was unfamilar with it would be very difficult at best. He could have just found a stump and it tossed him over who knows. We can all speculate on all kinds of things but we all know no matter what things like this will happen . Next season there will be gate keepers (poles) put in at stratigic(sp) locations to enforce the width restrictions and that may help with future issues like this.

 

[crash2]

From what Ian said he was halfway down from the top to the midway point where the trails intersect. Who know how he rolled. Trying to get a fullsize down that trail in the dark ecspecialy if he was unfamilar with it would be very difficult at best. He could have just found a stump and it tossed him over who knows. We can all speculate on all kinds of things but we all know no matter what things like this will happen . Next season there will be gate keepers (poles) put in at stratigic(sp) locations to enforce the width restrictions and that may help with future issues like this.

Isn't that spot a deep cut into the ground with some S shape to it? One thing about a stock full size is they have little to no flex and don't take much to twist up and fall over--seen this first hand...

 

[pokey]

If he hit the 311 at the entrance I can see this clearly being the case but he came from the top.

Maybe he did enter the 311 at the entrance and made his way to the top and was coming back down?

No he took the road to the top and headed down. Parts of the truck were found scattered down the trail from the top (mirrors,trim ,rocker step) when he rolled the truck they got out and walked down the trail for a while then turned around and headed back up to where they were found.

 

[pokey]

Isn't that spot a deep cut into the ground with some S shape to it? One thing about a stock full size is they have little to no flex and don't take much to twist up and fall over--seen this first hand...

Its a pretty straight shot down from the top nowdays :booo: steep and loose but nothing like it used to be. He "should" have got out and looked before heading down but thats just more speculation.

 

[pokey]

On another note We are going (I am) put together a list for a search and rescue type thing for Ian and Bob. If you are able and willing to do such things and are able to be available on short notice please contact me and I will put your name on a contact list that I am putting together. If you are available during the weekday please say so. I will start another thread about this but I gotta get to work. Jim

 

[RusM]

This seems like a weird deal, it would be interesting to see the coroners report on the cause of death. Did the roll over happen at the big rock face about the middle of the trail? I'm impressed that this guy got his truck that far down the trail. I heard a phrase once, 'Evolution in action', that would seem to apply here. I feel bad for his family though.

 

[Bill]

**** happens and I feel real bad for the family and I hope the kid doesn't remember any of this....
I have gone out countless times by myself, in -20 weather...once got stuck in a beaver pond for 8 1/2 hours at -20 but I was prepared and laughed the whole time even after my winch exploded due to the cold weather I think.
The reality of our sport is that it is dangerous

 

[crash2]

**** happens and I feel real bad for the family and I hope the kid doesn't remember any of this....
I have gone out countless times by myself, in -20 weather...once got stuck in a beaver pond for 8 1/2 hours at -20 but I was prepared and laughed the whole time even after my winch exploded due to the cold weather I think.
The reality of our sport is that it is dangerous

There is the key--Being prepaired. But on the other side of the coin the same goes with the vehicle. I am willing to bet there was no cage in the truck and that played a part(roof being crushed) in the scenario.

I too have done many solo trips and I am always prepaired to my best ability. We can all agru the fact that certain things happen out of our control that we cannot prepare for.

 

[Jaydog]

From what Ian said he was halfway down from the top to the midway point where the trails intersect. Who know how he rolled. Trying to get a fullsize down that trail in the dark ecspecialy if he was unfamilar with it would be very difficult at best. He could have just found a stump and it tossed him over who knows. We can all speculate on all kinds of things but we all know no matter what things like this will happen . Next season there will be gate keepers (poles) put in at stratigic(sp) locations to enforce the width restrictions and that may help with future issues like this.

At that spot there is a tight corner and could easily flop a long wheelbase rig. Pretty Sad, maybe you could have signs made up at the entrance to an emergency contact.

On another note, Horus it right, there should be gatekeepers at both ends of the trails.

 

[dirtygoat]

Jim is correct... He did come in from the top and made it somewhere around the half way point before getting to the lower 311... If he started down, I don't see how he could have gotten back out after committing... I can't see him getting turned around being in a f250 crew cab, he probably didn't have lockers either...

With the squeeze poles going in for the width restriction this may still have happened... The pole will just be there to keep really wide rigs from getting on the trail... There still needs to be gate keeper type obstacles to keep out vehicles that shouldn't be on the trail that are narrow... Someone could get a car up there and start down...

Like messix said, if the wife had know about this site and posted, things could have turned out a lot different... Jim working on a contact list of phone numbers for Bob is also a good thing...

No matter what, things like this will happen... We can be prepared and do things to try and stop these things, but you all know that you can't stop everything...