How to anchor a winch in deep snow?

[Abbe Osram]

Hi guys
Today I did a trip with my snow machine and it happened that I nearly drove into a deep and steep hole, a very nasty ditch in the ground I am sure I never would have gotten my machine out again.

There where no trees nearby. Now the situation gave me some thinking.
What would I have done if I had driven into that hole? Well, my Lynx 59 is way too heavy for a person to pull out by human power alone, I am sure that even two people would not get it out of that hole. I guess only a winch would could do the job.

Next question is how would you anchor a winch in soft snow. Any ideas?


Cheers and thanks
Abbe

 

[innocent bystander]

With great difficulty would imagine !!

You may need something like these :
http://www.pullpal.com/aboutPP.html

But it may be possible to make a soft anchor, maybe out of a large sack that you can bury ?

 

[Carcajou Garou]

Abbe, carry a come-a-long with you, some steel/nylon cable of the proper dia. You can bury/anchor a log, branch, even a shovel etc.. in the snow away from your snow machine and with the cable attached drag out your snow machine, You might even pass your cable through a pulley attached to an "A" frame made of 2 logs to increase the vertical lift out of the "hole". I have used this system unfortunately a few times when I bogged down the quad and my bush buggy. CG

 

[torjusg]

I don't know, there are trees almost everywhere where I come from. But related to what Carcajou Garou says: I supposed one could anchor a spade or something deep in the snow. Pack it hard and let the snow settle for a half an hour or so. Or maybe it would be more effective to make a tripod of three tools then bury it.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Abbe Osram]

Thanks guys,
its fun to come here and get so quickly ideas.
There are trees but not near enough to hook up the winch directly I would have to work very hard to get some trees to the area.

I am happy that I didnt drive into that hole, it looked quite nasty, I am sure it was a covered brook with very steep banks.

thanks for all the ideas
cheers
Abbe

 

[Goose]

Have you seen a deadman belay?
http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Ice_Screws_35.html
They are generally considered bombroof when used for climbing but not sure if they would be suitable for what you need. Maybe you could improvise something using the same idea or use two together to give more power?

 

[george]

In that situation I would want three or even four "deadmen". A long slow pull on a deadman will cause it to bury deeper - but only until it cant go any further - then it will start to pull through the snow until it comes out.

Another alternative might be to use something like innocent bystander suggests - perhaps an orange plastic bivvy bag filled with snow and buried. Wrap a strop around it and let it settle for a while before winching. It will weigh almost as much as the snowmobile when its filled with packed snow.

George

 

[British Red]

Hi guys
Today I did a trip with my snow machine and it happened that I nearly drove into a deep and steep hole, a very nasty ditch in the ground I am sure I never would have gotten my machine out again.

There where no trees nearby. Now the situation gave me some thinking.
What would I have done if I had driven into that hole? Well, my Lynx 59 is way too heavy for a person to pull out by human power alone, I am sure that even two people would not get it out of that hole. I guess only a winch would could do the job.

Next question is how would you anchor a winch in soft snow. Any ideas?


Cheers and thanks
Abbe

Abbe,

Try using a purpose designed ground anchor to winch with. We use them all the time for winching where there are no trees.

Here's what they look like

Hope that helps

Red

 

[Goose]

Abbe,

Try using a purpose designed ground anchor to winch with. We use them all the time for winching where there are no trees.

Here's what they look like

Hope that helps

Red

At first look the plate that gives the grip looks a similar principle to a deadman, but the deadman or even 4 deadmen will be easier to carry.

 

[Abbe Osram]

Thanks again guys,
one question I got from georgs letter:

he wrote:....perhaps an orange plastic bivvy bag filled with snow and buried. Wrap a strop around it and let it settle for a while before winching.

sounds quite cool if it works. But what it a strop? How do I connect the winch to the bag without breaking it?

cheers
Abbe

 

[innocent bystander]

Strop = Strap.

Thick webbing basically, and connect it using shackles.

The bag idea basically works like a parachute. Might be quite workable with something like a snowmobile, cos they're lighter than a 4wd !!!

 

[Abbe Osram]

Strop = Strap.

Thick webbing basically, and connect it using shackles.

The bag idea basically works like a parachute. Might be quite workable with something like a snowmobile, cos they're lighter than a 4wd !!!

yes they are as I can turn over the snowmobile to its side. I have to work a bit but I dont believe you can do that with your 4wd.

cheers
Abbe

 

[weekend_warrior]

Pushing a 4wd over is easy - getting it back up is fun though...

 

[Abbe Osram]

Pushing a 4wd over is easy - getting it back up is fun though...

// Abbe

 

[innocent bystander]

yes they are as I can turn over the snowmobile to its side. I have to work a bit but I dont believe you can do that with your 4wd.

cheers
Abbe

Not without a winch....

And something to anchor it to

 

[innocent bystander]

Actually, if you look half way down this page, you'll get the idea. Just needs scaling up a bit...

 

[Abbe Osram]

Actually, if you look half way down this page, you'll get the idea. Just needs scaling up a bit...

got a much better picture about the principle! Cool, I believe even it could work.
I have to try that only for the fun of it. And when I realy need it I am prepared.
Got quite a cold sweat today when I saw the hole and had no idea what to do.

cheers
Abbe

 

[Nemisis]

Abbe what about a cheap poly tarp folded in half with cord threaded through the eylets on the two folded sides to make your bag then ropes from the eylets to the snowmobile would be light to carry easier to attach to the machine as an anchor and stronger too. also emergency shelter/ground sheet making it multi use
Dave.

 

[Abbe Osram]

Abbe what about a cheap poly tarp folded in half with cord threaded through the eylets on the two folded sides to make your bag then ropes from the eylets to the snowmobile would be light to carry easier to attach to the machine as an anchor and stronger too. also emergency shelter/ground sheet making it multi use
Dave.

mate, I was thinking about the same thing. The shamefull thing is that I just had such a ground sheet with me but would not have got the idea to use it as an anchor. I probably would have worked hard to get some trees etc etc.

Cool idea, I want to test it and see if it could work.

cheers
Abbe

 

[pierre girard]

Hi guys
Today I did a trip with my snow machine and it happened that I nearly drove into a deep and steep hole, a very nasty ditch in the ground I am sure I never would have gotten my machine out again.

There where no trees nearby. Now the situation gave me some thinking.
What would I have done if I had driven into that hole? Well, my Lynx 59 is way too heavy for a person to pull out by human power alone, I am sure that even two people would not get it out of that hole. I guess only a winch would could do the job.

Next question is how would you anchor a winch in soft snow. Any ideas?


Cheers and thanks
Abbe

Nothing easy, and nothing without some wood to haul in. You are dealing with something very heavy when you are trying to lift a snowmachine out of a hole, and I don't think half measures will do it.

Sometimes in heavy snowcover, the ground is soft enough under the snow to dig in. If not, large fire to thaw the ground, then dig and put in a post with another one or two posts at a 45o angle to the first. A large iron crowbar pounded into thawed ground, and used as a stake, might work too, but I don't know if you'd get it back out. Anchor cable to the base of the post or stake and run the cable over a two post scissor or tripod near your snow machine. The scissor or tripod will give your winching efforts a lot more lift.

Someone was talking to Plaisted (first snowmachine trip to north pole in 1960s) recently. The person made the comment that Plaisted's trip would have been much easier with todays snowmachines. Plaisted replied that with the weight of the new machines (about double that of the 1960s machines) they would never have been able to wrestle the machines over ice ridges.

PG