Saev
Observer
It’s September 13th, and my mind is set on the Mexican Independence holiday break wich is just a couple days from now, I have been waiting for a camping trip for a while, since my son was born a few months ago. I started to pack my jeep with all of my camping equipment for a great upcoming weekend in the sierras of the Cumbres de Majalca National Park in northern Mexico.
The camping check list come to play, sleeping bag, tent, survival knife, solar power light, stove and a few more gadgets, on top of all my camping gear I need to pack a couple of bags, my son´s stroller and car seat which barely fits in the rear seat of my Wrangler unlimited. Finally the jeep is fully loaded and ready to hit the road. It’s a 2 hour drive from my home town to Chihuahua City, where my In Laws are waiting for their Grand son and daughter, and maybe for me too. As soon as I get there I head to buy the supplies for the trip, a couple of rib-eye steaks, olives, water, coffee, fruit, and of course cookies.
The night prior to departure everything is ready, I have transfer my 5 gallons of gasoline from my jerry can to the jeep, check my lights, rain jacket, the winch is working properly, the Gopro battery is full, recovery bag ready, it’s just a matter of time to go. The very next morning I can’t wait any longer, I say good bye to my beloved wife and my son who I can’t wait to join me for the future camping trips.
A few minutes later I am on my way among with my Father in Law who has decided to join me for the adventure. My cooper at3s can´t wait to leave the pavement for once and get covered in mud. After a few kilometers we are finally of the grid, a cool breeze and the fresh air from last night rain emerge on my senses. My eyes are now full of green pines in the mountains, I am here.
After paying the park entrance fee we drive the jeep through the river stream in order to get to our selected camping area, at this point 4 wheel drive is necessary, so I put the jeep into four high and started rolling in the river, yes like the song. Only a couple of Toyota Tacoma’s are on sight, a few ground tents and a large family having some breakfast. As soon as we get to our designated area we started unpacking all of our gear. Firewood will be hard to find because off the rainy weather in the past days, never the less we walk our campsite and find a huge log on the ground, hand saw and axe became our tools. After the hard work I grab a cold sandwich to get my belly full I decided to find a place to put my ground tent, anxious to open my newly REI Dome 2 Plus backpacking tent that my old friend Pablo gave me as a wedding gift, the set up was so fast and easy that now I can help my Father in Law set his humongous Coleman 6 person instant tent, men that thing is big.
We brought a new baseball mitt and it’s time to get it soft and dirty, a catch game has started accompanied by a good talk that keep us entertained for a while, until we saw a spider crossing from one tree to another using it’s spider web, we both are attentive to the spiders hard work, nature never ceases to amaze you.
After a few hours we decided to fire up the Coleman stove and grill some polish sausage and couple of one inch thick rib-eye steaks that have been marinating in Jack Daniels for more than 12 hours by now, my mouth is so full of flavor that I just can´t think about anything else, this is one of the best camping meals I ever had.
After the banquet a hike it’s in our mind, so we venture into the forest, a strong smell of pines and wet grass is up ahead, a couple of minutes later the sound of a small water fall catch our attention, there are so many rock formations from which water drains so I can´t wait to get my camera out and snap a photo.
After a long walk we decided to get back to our campsite because the weather is going to change, there´s a storm in the horizon, luckly for us we deployed the awning earlier and we put our camp chairs and the stove to cover. Only a couple of minutes went by and the rain has come, the awning sure paid its worth by keeping us dry and providing shelter from the storm.
The firewood is all wet so all the early effort was in vain. With not much left to do, another talk has started, once again we fire up the super reliable Coleman stove and let the smell of warm coffee accompanies our old days stories.
The sun has set and the rain continues, a full moon in between the endless clouds tries to light our camp, but it’s just not enough, so I open my storage container and bring into play the Luci solar light, I was surprise of the amount of light that such a small lantern can provide. After such a nice chat, coffee and cookies it’s time to go to bed, maybe not so much sleep this night.
It’s 5:30 am and the rain has finally ceased, I can hear an angry river roar from my tent and began to wonder, how are we going to get out of here?, sure the jeep has a snorkel but the river it’s just too strong at the moment.
We break camp at 10 am and pack everything in the jeep again, by then the river has lost some strength and we are ready to go back to our family, my JK Rubicon which I call Rojo has 4 wheel drive engaged and I started driving in the river with current against. The first crossing was a success, but there’s more to come, after driving about 300 meters upstream the soft bottom of the river takes advantage of the jeep weight and we are stuck, the water is above my rock sliders, just a few inches from disaster, we step out of the jeep and quickly pull out the winch wire, a shovel, my Treds 1100 and a couple of straps to extend my winch line, after finding a huge rock in the river to winch out the jeep the recovery process has begun, we place the recovery boards in front of the jeep and the 9500 lbs. winch started working to get Rojo out the water, the jeeps weight full of our camping gear and supplies complicate the situation, fear floods my thoughts, what if we can’t pull it out of the water, if the river increases its flow Rojo will be in some serious problems, at that time nobody was close to help us, so the only thing I could do is try to cool my head and be smart with the winching process. After an hour or so Rojo is finally out of the water, it’s a moment of joy, we have won this battle, sadly not the war.
We decide to walk the river and check the few kilometers ahead, it’s nearly impossible to get out, the river soft bottom has become our worst enemy, we can only wait for the river to slow down and try it the next day, so with that in mind we change our wet clothes and set them on the sun to dry them. We are exhausted, we grab a bite to eat and sat on the rocks watching the river flow, luckily the cellphone reception was good and we were able to let our family know about the current situation. By 5 pm in the afternoon a local riding his horse came to us and let us know about a hidden road in the mountains that could be our way out, the only problem is that the road is way back from where we are right now, wich means we have to come back and cross the same spot again. Now with some local Intel we decided to walk our way back to find the road, after a long hike we found the road, it’s an unmaintained rocky road, but nothing the jeep can´t handle.
That night we slept on the front seats of the jeep, if you can call that sleep, by 1:30 am rain has started again, that was our biggest concern. Early morning we went to check the river, it had grown again, but we wanted to get out of there for once. Now we won’t be driving against the stream so that was in our favour, before our second attempt I lowered my tire pressure a little bit more and disconnected the front sway bar for better performance, Rojo engaged 4 low and we venture again through an endless river. The engine rumbles, a splash of water cover my windshield and a cloud of steam arises below the hood, we are back on the water, Rojo is fighting to get us out of there with all the power on its gears, one crossing after another for a couple of kilometers, I keep driving until I reach the exit, the soft bottom of the river lost the battle and the jeep has succeed. We are finally off the river. No winching or recovery was necessary this time.
I pointed the jeep uphill and engaged my rear locker to provide more strength, the road became a walk on the park for Rojo, the climb was easy but long, after we encounter the main road we take a minute to reset everything before we head home, wet tow straps, jackets, muddy boots, among other things, I secured my recovery boards and shovel I started driving for one las time, the landscape was amazing and our minds were peaceful at that time.
The mountains are fading on my rear view mirror, and the pavement covers the ground, the smell of pines is gone, we made it. After arriving home I can’t wait to kiss my wife and hug my son, such a moment of joy for me, I can’t wait for him to grown up and accompany me on these adventures and make great memories. After delighting our family with our adventurous story food and a warm shower became my priority. I was thankful for being home with my family.
Now it’s time to clean up Rojo and get him ready four our next adventure. Can´t wait.
Instagram @saev
The camping check list come to play, sleeping bag, tent, survival knife, solar power light, stove and a few more gadgets, on top of all my camping gear I need to pack a couple of bags, my son´s stroller and car seat which barely fits in the rear seat of my Wrangler unlimited. Finally the jeep is fully loaded and ready to hit the road. It’s a 2 hour drive from my home town to Chihuahua City, where my In Laws are waiting for their Grand son and daughter, and maybe for me too. As soon as I get there I head to buy the supplies for the trip, a couple of rib-eye steaks, olives, water, coffee, fruit, and of course cookies.
The night prior to departure everything is ready, I have transfer my 5 gallons of gasoline from my jerry can to the jeep, check my lights, rain jacket, the winch is working properly, the Gopro battery is full, recovery bag ready, it’s just a matter of time to go. The very next morning I can’t wait any longer, I say good bye to my beloved wife and my son who I can’t wait to join me for the future camping trips.
A few minutes later I am on my way among with my Father in Law who has decided to join me for the adventure. My cooper at3s can´t wait to leave the pavement for once and get covered in mud. After a few kilometers we are finally of the grid, a cool breeze and the fresh air from last night rain emerge on my senses. My eyes are now full of green pines in the mountains, I am here.
After paying the park entrance fee we drive the jeep through the river stream in order to get to our selected camping area, at this point 4 wheel drive is necessary, so I put the jeep into four high and started rolling in the river, yes like the song. Only a couple of Toyota Tacoma’s are on sight, a few ground tents and a large family having some breakfast. As soon as we get to our designated area we started unpacking all of our gear. Firewood will be hard to find because off the rainy weather in the past days, never the less we walk our campsite and find a huge log on the ground, hand saw and axe became our tools. After the hard work I grab a cold sandwich to get my belly full I decided to find a place to put my ground tent, anxious to open my newly REI Dome 2 Plus backpacking tent that my old friend Pablo gave me as a wedding gift, the set up was so fast and easy that now I can help my Father in Law set his humongous Coleman 6 person instant tent, men that thing is big.
We brought a new baseball mitt and it’s time to get it soft and dirty, a catch game has started accompanied by a good talk that keep us entertained for a while, until we saw a spider crossing from one tree to another using it’s spider web, we both are attentive to the spiders hard work, nature never ceases to amaze you.
After a few hours we decided to fire up the Coleman stove and grill some polish sausage and couple of one inch thick rib-eye steaks that have been marinating in Jack Daniels for more than 12 hours by now, my mouth is so full of flavor that I just can´t think about anything else, this is one of the best camping meals I ever had.
After the banquet a hike it’s in our mind, so we venture into the forest, a strong smell of pines and wet grass is up ahead, a couple of minutes later the sound of a small water fall catch our attention, there are so many rock formations from which water drains so I can´t wait to get my camera out and snap a photo.
After a long walk we decided to get back to our campsite because the weather is going to change, there´s a storm in the horizon, luckly for us we deployed the awning earlier and we put our camp chairs and the stove to cover. Only a couple of minutes went by and the rain has come, the awning sure paid its worth by keeping us dry and providing shelter from the storm.
The firewood is all wet so all the early effort was in vain. With not much left to do, another talk has started, once again we fire up the super reliable Coleman stove and let the smell of warm coffee accompanies our old days stories.
The sun has set and the rain continues, a full moon in between the endless clouds tries to light our camp, but it’s just not enough, so I open my storage container and bring into play the Luci solar light, I was surprise of the amount of light that such a small lantern can provide. After such a nice chat, coffee and cookies it’s time to go to bed, maybe not so much sleep this night.
It’s 5:30 am and the rain has finally ceased, I can hear an angry river roar from my tent and began to wonder, how are we going to get out of here?, sure the jeep has a snorkel but the river it’s just too strong at the moment.
We break camp at 10 am and pack everything in the jeep again, by then the river has lost some strength and we are ready to go back to our family, my JK Rubicon which I call Rojo has 4 wheel drive engaged and I started driving in the river with current against. The first crossing was a success, but there’s more to come, after driving about 300 meters upstream the soft bottom of the river takes advantage of the jeep weight and we are stuck, the water is above my rock sliders, just a few inches from disaster, we step out of the jeep and quickly pull out the winch wire, a shovel, my Treds 1100 and a couple of straps to extend my winch line, after finding a huge rock in the river to winch out the jeep the recovery process has begun, we place the recovery boards in front of the jeep and the 9500 lbs. winch started working to get Rojo out the water, the jeeps weight full of our camping gear and supplies complicate the situation, fear floods my thoughts, what if we can’t pull it out of the water, if the river increases its flow Rojo will be in some serious problems, at that time nobody was close to help us, so the only thing I could do is try to cool my head and be smart with the winching process. After an hour or so Rojo is finally out of the water, it’s a moment of joy, we have won this battle, sadly not the war.
We decide to walk the river and check the few kilometers ahead, it’s nearly impossible to get out, the river soft bottom has become our worst enemy, we can only wait for the river to slow down and try it the next day, so with that in mind we change our wet clothes and set them on the sun to dry them. We are exhausted, we grab a bite to eat and sat on the rocks watching the river flow, luckily the cellphone reception was good and we were able to let our family know about the current situation. By 5 pm in the afternoon a local riding his horse came to us and let us know about a hidden road in the mountains that could be our way out, the only problem is that the road is way back from where we are right now, wich means we have to come back and cross the same spot again. Now with some local Intel we decided to walk our way back to find the road, after a long hike we found the road, it’s an unmaintained rocky road, but nothing the jeep can´t handle.
That night we slept on the front seats of the jeep, if you can call that sleep, by 1:30 am rain has started again, that was our biggest concern. Early morning we went to check the river, it had grown again, but we wanted to get out of there for once. Now we won’t be driving against the stream so that was in our favour, before our second attempt I lowered my tire pressure a little bit more and disconnected the front sway bar for better performance, Rojo engaged 4 low and we venture again through an endless river. The engine rumbles, a splash of water cover my windshield and a cloud of steam arises below the hood, we are back on the water, Rojo is fighting to get us out of there with all the power on its gears, one crossing after another for a couple of kilometers, I keep driving until I reach the exit, the soft bottom of the river lost the battle and the jeep has succeed. We are finally off the river. No winching or recovery was necessary this time.
I pointed the jeep uphill and engaged my rear locker to provide more strength, the road became a walk on the park for Rojo, the climb was easy but long, after we encounter the main road we take a minute to reset everything before we head home, wet tow straps, jackets, muddy boots, among other things, I secured my recovery boards and shovel I started driving for one las time, the landscape was amazing and our minds were peaceful at that time.
The mountains are fading on my rear view mirror, and the pavement covers the ground, the smell of pines is gone, we made it. After arriving home I can’t wait to kiss my wife and hug my son, such a moment of joy for me, I can’t wait for him to grown up and accompany me on these adventures and make great memories. After delighting our family with our adventurous story food and a warm shower became my priority. I was thankful for being home with my family.
Now it’s time to clean up Rojo and get him ready four our next adventure. Can´t wait.
Instagram @saev
Last edited:
