Came across another back road wreck

Okanagan · January 25, 2017, 11:28:48 AM

A few minutes after the pick-up in the photo above plunged down the mountainside, I came along. A nice young woman in her 20's was standing by the road edge looking down and I could see wheel tracks going through the snow berm and over the side. Another fellow had stopped to help before me and was turning around at the next wide spot. A young man who had been in the pick-up with her was coming up the bank on all fours, grabbing brush to pull himself up. Neither of them hurt. She told me that she had been driving. When he got to the top he told me that it was a scary ride down the mountain.

The photo above shows the skid mark. Where the pick-up went over the snow berm left very little sign. She came around the far bend, driving toward the camera position. Around the bend just out of sight, the road is wet mud, almost as if painted with thin splashy mud, but in the shade all is ice from long packed snow. Most of the two miles leading to this spot was uphill and south facing and mud most of the way. When she came around the bend and the road changed to downhill on ice in the shady swale, I'd guess that she touched the brakes.

Hawks Feather · January 25, 2017, 11:35:15 AM

I would say that they were pretty lucky. If they would have been hurt there sure wasn't any sign that a vehicle had gone off the road. I hate ice and fog.

Jerry

slagmaker · January 25, 2017, 02:55:08 PM

Glad the people are not hurt. trucks and vehicles can be replaced.

Looks like it might be fun getting the truck back up on the road.

pitw · January 25, 2017, 10:25:50 PM

Is she ready to move to flat land? I'm headed to Panorama on Monday and absolutely hate mountain terrain.

Okanagan · January 25, 2017, 11:19:36 PM

Enjoy the resort as much as you can! Never been to Panorama but have killed some deer and elk not far from it. Pretty country but I sure don't envy you the winter drive to get there. Wishin' for dry bare pavement all the way for you. I generally hang out across the Trench in the Kootenay River watershed.

Hey, if you take Hwy 93 from Castle Junction to Radium, if you think of it, watch for the turnoff on Settlers Road. Heading south, it is about 21 kms before you get to Radium. It goes off to the left. Down that road is the main place I've hunted the East Kootenays since 1976. I can't think of any landmark along the road to let you know you are coming up on it. It is just empty highway running along in the Kootenay River valley with a big range of mountains on both sides.

pitw · January 26, 2017, 07:17:08 AM

I'm so busy watching the road I never get to see much. Last year on the trip to Revelstoke it was so miserable with fog and snow that I started following a semi, they always know what they are doing, right. When I finally figured out the knothead was on the wrong side of the road I gave up on the idea.

FinsnFur · January 30, 2017, 08:19:54 PM

Looks like as unlucky as they were, they were actually pretty lucky.
I ran into one last night too. A girl with a child in a car seat. Came around the corner, hit ice and laid the car on its side.

I have preached and preached to my kids when driving on ice to leave the brakes alone. White knuckle the steering wheel and very gradually steer through it. No swift movements. I think it's something that is acquired with age and driving experience and cant be taught with speeches. It's like second nature to me to left my foot off the accelerator and try to roll through trouble when I hit it. Very carefully turning the wheel out of it.

pitw · February 02, 2017, 01:58:28 PM

Well I got the crew here without too many incidents.

The trip into Calgary for a pair of ski's would have gone without a hitch if'n it hadn't been for that one idiot.

Did meet a nice hooker in a subway though, although she described herself as a hustler.

I can still say I don't like mountain driving. Roads were open with little snow but wet/icy as normal.

Was wondering if you guys see different "Things" in the land scape?

Hawks Feather · February 02, 2017, 06:08:30 PM

Quote from: pitw on February 02, 2017, 01:58:28 PM
Was wondering if you guys see different "Things" in the land scape?

I am still looking, but I don't see the hooker/hustler.

Jerry

Okanagan · February 02, 2017, 07:00:26 PM

Glad you got there safely. I'm gonna guess that the photo was taken a mile before the first exit to Banff as you are driving west from Calgary, near the airstrip. Along about there I'm usually looking for buffalo and elk in the grassy parks between trees on the right side of the highway.

FinsnFur · February 02, 2017, 10:03:35 PM

I see ninja's!