I Drove My Car into a Ditch and Got Stuck (SUV Camping/Vanlife Adventures) 

All's well that ends well, right? 😁 It's all part of the adventure. Here's the gear I show in the video: ** Recovery boards (The ones I bought are no longer in stock on Amazon, but these are the same things): amzn.to/3XdGeSM ** Hitch shackle thing: www.harborfreight.com/2-in-hitch-mounted-d-ring-shackle-57255.html ** Similar to above but on Amazon: amzn.to/3io9eIH ** Flat tow strap (This isn't the exact one I have but is pretty close): amzn.to/3VTFH7s (The Amazon links are affiliate links) Tristan

I know it’s easy for somebody who watches this to probably give you advice, but lifting the car up with the jack and putting rocks underneath the front tires would probably work. The hardest part would’ve been digging down where the Jack goes on the driver side. But I believe it was doable. I’m glad you got out. these kind of things happened to all of us at least once when we venture out into the great outdoors. Glad you’re OK. did you get your T-shirt?

An all too common overlooked recovery tool is the vehicle's jack. In this case, jacking up the lowest corner (right front tire) and then filling the space with dirt or the recovery boards to level that tire with the others could have gotten you out.Be safe and thanks for sharing.

I totally appreciate your willingness to share this experience with us. All of us humans can say "been there, done that" in one way or another....

What an "adventure" ! The inclusion of Taps was hysterical. I'm disappointed that you didn't call Matt's, but I'll recover lol

I've experienced this exact same situation. A high lift jack got me out. The jack lifted the vehicle enough for me to place rocks under the front tires. That allowed the vehicle enough clearance to remove the high center situation and I was able to back out of the ditch.

11:45 NEVER step over an active winch line like this 'professional' just did ☠️

Amazing that you remain so calm, even in stressful situations. I typically quickly spit out a few cuss words after making a mistake, I'm working on being more calm like you! Stuff happens, it's all about how we deal with it when it does.

Love your positive attitude Tristan! Staying calm and having a positive perspective is the only way to deal with such situations. Panic and despair would just make it worse.

Oh Tristan. I’m so sorry…but that little RAV4 is a fighter. Remember you parked it on the side of the road and it slid down the embankment? You are only human. Don’t beat yourself up. You are awesome and always my authority on this SUV RVing thing we do. Playing TAPS on the sad parts was a riot. Keep smiling! 😊

The difference between Adventure and Vacation is, with adventure you plan for and accept problems as they come, whereas vacation you seek no drama and plan for none. You are an adventurer and handled things the best way you decide to... sounds like a perfect adventure because you made it through safely!!! My son and I started our week long adventure with me getting my Yukon and gear hauler trailer stuck the first day out in mud. Two days later we were finally pulled out... we still joke about that though it costed 2 days of our vacation and over $400 we didn't want to spend. Great campfire stories are usually about adventures rather than vacations IMHO. PS... I'll be sending your video to him so we can laugh again about our adventure!!! Thanks...

I enjoy watching all your videos, but I am really glad you posted this one. What a great example of staying calm and keeping a level head. In our house when things are clearly not gonna go smooth we say, "well, I guess we are gonna live the story of the adventures we are gonna tell at dinner tonight". Again, what a great example of how to react and respond when things just go wrong.

It is admirable how calm and positive you stayed!

Oh man, Tristin. I'm so with you here in this little adventure. Thanks for not being afraid of sharing this experience; its good for people to see that everything doesn't always go as planned even with the most experienced adventurers. Most of us who spend a lot of time outdoors over our lives will at some point experience something similar, so you are not alone. And I've certainly learned more from my mishaps than all the smooth days of exploring. As you mentioned, having a few days of food and water in the vehicle is always important. Take care.

Ugh, what a morning you had! Hope the rest of the day went smoothly. And I love Matt Off Road Recovery channel!!

Seriously Tristan! You are one cool, calm dude! We can all learn from watching you. The yin and yang at play here. 100 great adventures and then the one that comes along and balances it all out! It's out of the way now so on to new, great adventures!

Thank you for sharing and teaching us through your experiences. We thank God for watching over you 🙏

Tristan, I’m glad you filmed and posted this situation. Thank you! It’s comforting to know that even Very experienced people sometimes get into jams too, and not everything goes according to a well thought out plan. Especially cars! Things snap, burst, leak and fray, overheat and freeze. So helpful that talked through your situation, and problem solving process. We need that every day on the road ; good planning and problem solving skills. It’s super encouraging for us less experienced folks to see it’s not the end of the world. And we’re glad you got unstuck!

It would have been fun, if Matt's off-road rescovery had rescued you. 😉 Thank you for your great content, I always love watching your videos

Hey Tristan, glad to see you were not hurt, and you kept the camera rolling 😅. Frankly, I’m surprised this sort of episode has not happened more often, given the paths you take in your adventures.

Being a Minnesotan who has been stuck in snow many times, I know that straightening the front wheels make it much easier to back out of a stuck situation. Your wheels were turned. You might have been able to back out if the wheels were straight. Maybe. Maybe not. It is something to think about if you are caught in a similar situation someday. The good news is, you weren't hurt, your RAV4 only had minor damage, you have an interesting story to tell, and you have a good excuse to buy a new camera. Best wishes!

Playing taps while you explained what happened cracked me up!! Thanks, I needed a laugh.

Hey Tristan, I know you don't want to hear this, but this probably could have been avoided if you would have simply waited another hour for sunrise so that you would have better visibility of the dirt roads. Then you could have simply drove to the left about 10 feet and never have gotten stuck. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Please keep making your videos!!!

This is so wonderful! If this had happened to me, I would have run screaming down the road and had a total meltdown. Seeing how you remained so calm and worked out a plan is such an education for me. It can be done!

Oh damn, the few things we never want to see. But I have to admit, when terrible things happen, you really do keep your cool. It helps me because I don't always, and a good reminder to relax. You are okay, and the Rav seems all good. Just breathe, get some breakfast, and move on to the next adventure.

You are a shining star even when you get stuck! 🙂 I think this was a great teaching video ...in patience and awesome attitude. $200 for the all the years you have gone where very few attempt to go is like a few pennies a day and no bodily harm and you kept that awesome smile! Hope you treated yourself to an awesome breakfast! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

should have a "lock" into 4 wheel drive, dig a lot. try using the jack to raise the front, put some dirt under the wheel then let it down. Or as some would say, "When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles scream and shout". Well you are humble enough to share it. I feel for you. Always enjoy your film/story.

Loved the use of Taps. Great sense of humor!

Thanks for sharing. Love the great attitude you have when things go wrong in life! An encouragement for us all!

Tristan, this reminds me of a disaster I had in 1994. I was in Arches NP. Took a left opposite balanced rock onto what I thought was Salt Creek Trail. I followed an orroyo, to a large abrupt climb, made that ok... felt great having achieved the impossible( I thought). Further on, my map indicated a left. This turned out to be very wet and what looked like clay. Stuck completely, hiked several miles to 191 and thumbed a lift back to Slickrock campground where I had a site. No toiletries etc, has to rent a cabin, overnight, arranged a haulout the next day. Cost me 300 dollars ! Oldtimer Englishman learnt the hard way, what not to do !!

Thanks to Matt's i was able to get my high centered awd car out by building a wall under one wheel. I was in the middle of the Idaho high desert and remembered seeing Matt's doing this. I'm an old lady too!

What a rough morning. I'm glad you got out of there all right.

Glad you are okay, Tristan. Thanks for continuing to video your predicament and share with us. Much better than just you telling us. Safe travels, sir.

I'm glad you went back to town to have breakfast. You needed a break to collect your thoughts and re-group. I go into a total tizzy if I have car trouble and feel stranded. You handled it very well.

Thanks for sharing and your great attitude when things go wrong in life! You're an encouragement to us all! Humor with the taps, lightens the load.

Goal - Get Out And Look Is a good lesson to learn and be more cautious. Always enjoy your adventures.

That’s frustrating and a bit humbling. However it’s a good lesson shared that we have to be aware of our surroundings especially in the wilderness. A nice hike in the St George area that my son and I did was Elephant Arch Rock and Dinosaur Cliffs both were moderate hikes for those of us who are a bit older, but well worth our time.

I love the fact that you share it all! So glad you are unscathed in all the important areas!

Thank you for these videos. Figuring out what to do when something goes wrong is life saving. Then reading comments from Community of other ideas. I’m 60 yr old female on my own in small SUV. I’m sorry this happened to you. many lessons learned including the biggest one: patience. Thanks Again!

Your head was more level than your vehicle. Great calm approach. Safe travels!

Sorry that happened. You really handled that so much better than most of us. Glad you got it sorted. With what you do for your channel this is a definite risk. Appreciate what you bring to your viewers.

This is the definition of “having a bad day. “ You are very sanguine about your troubles, but, to quote a famous person, “all is well that ends well. “ Looking forward to your next adventure. Safe travels.

No fun to get stuck, but sure would have loved a SuvRV/Matt's Off Road collaboration.

Wow! So glad you’re safe! Wonderful how well you handled such a situation! Inspiring to me! Thanks!

I was having flashbacks watching this! lol! We got stuck in our 1-ton Dodge P/U several years ago on our northern trapline. It was spring and we were heading out to a lake to pick up some supplies we had stored there the previous year. The road we were on was an old one built to fight a forest fire many years before. We've used this old road before so weren't at all concerned, but a little tree had fallen over and blocked 1/2 the road. To avoid it, rather than moving it, my husband steered around it, still on the road, and then splunk! The front right wheel sunk into mud up to the axle. Even with 4 wheel drive we could not get out. Tried everything, but couldn't budge it. Finally walked to the height of land and were able to get enough cell signal to call BCAA, the equivalent of AAA to get them to send a tow. We are pretty remote and it was going to take a couple of hours to get help to us. Eventually an ancient International tow truck arrived, and wouldn't you know it, he got stuck!! He was trying to back in to where we were but kept going off the road! So, after cutting logs to throw under his tires and him getting stuck over and over, he went and called for help. A flat bed brought out a big piece of equipment, and to be honest, I can't remember what it was. I think it was a Cat. But, the young cocky operator managed to get it stuck too! He tried driving it through the bush to avoid the soft parts of the road, but managed to hit muskeg and there he stayed! We decided to abandon the gong show and hiked out to the highway and caught a ride back to our cabin. About 2 weeks later, we drove our quad out to the truck. By this time the tow truck and the big piece of machinery were gone, leaving quite the mess behind! We anchored the quad to a log, hooked the ATV winch to the back of the truck and out she came, no problem! The mud had dried up and it was now just a hole. It reminded me of that Corb Lund song The Truck Got Stuck. It was a comedy show! Life's adventures!! Glad you got help, but sorry about your camera.

Dang!! That’s a bummer. But I do appreciate you walking us through your thought process of how you would proceed if the circumstances/location were different. This is a very good reminder of how you can inadvertently get into trouble. Glad you made it out. Hope the camera got fixed

Sorry to see you had this trouble. At least you were calm enough to get some footage and make an episode out of it. I look forward to watching your next adventure!

One downfall to heading out so early, yet u have adventured so much further by doing so! Ur advice is appreciated! Amazing job!

Thanks for sharing an unexpected reality of the off-pavement roads that we are likely to travel at some point in our journeys. Safety and caution being another aspect of your great videos!

Watch Matt's OffRoad Recovery all the time! Good people!👍

thanks for showing the good and the bad in adventuring. You did a good job making reasonable decision to get yourself out of the jam.

So glad it all worked out and you're OK. I got myself in a similar situation many years back.. happened by accident and so quickly!! Thanks for Sharing ❤️

And then it snows! This incident just confirms our dedication to your program.

UgH, I've done that! I really banged up a rental car (smashed the radiator.) The dirt roads and seeing a dip in that road is so hard almost impossible. Glad you got out.

You handled the situation well enough, though I would have tried a few other things before calling in the troops. Especially when you're high pointed, digging alone won't save the day. You need to use jacking and ramp building. I understand that your digging behind the front tire WAS a form of ramp building, and might have worked if not for the high pointing. 1. "Rock stacking" is a great technique in spots like that. Jam rocks under the tires and in the paths forward/back to create a more level/raised surface, often a ramp. Whether to build a ramp in both directions, or commit to moving in one direction only without rocking the vehicle forward/reverse is a judgment call in each spot you get to. As much as I dislike recommending Matt's videos, his one on recovering a Prius v station wagon, is a masterpiece of recovery via rock stacking. It was entitled "You Took Your Prius WHERE?!!" 2. I presume the car has a scissor jack. There are lots of things you can try with it. If you can jack the suspension arm the wheel is on, to raise the tire without raising the whole car, that is best, to jam more rocks under the tire and keep raising it out of the ditch. If you can't get the jack under there, using the jacking points on the rocker panels, or anything else solid you can get to, can raise the tire also, just not as far off the ground with each attempt. In some cases, I would even consider backing up with the jack in place, knocking the jack over but maybe not before getting the tire onto high ground. But best to just jack and raise the car/tires a bit at a time, adding rocks underneath, and/or to get your recovery tracks directly under the tires. 3. Cut an 8ft 2x4 into about 10 or 12 pieces, identical pairs, each pair a bit different, and map out what nooks and crannies you store them in if you don't want to use that much space keeping them together. Bring a cordless drill/driver and a bunch of 2.5 or 3 inch decking screws (or just some nails) to be able to make various blocks or Ts to use as a jack platform, a car protector to jack against, a semi-sketchy jackstand (for instance to hold the rocker panel up while moving the jack to the suspension) etc. 4. A bigger impact driver, intended for lugnuts etc, can be used with a socket, to raise and lower the scissor jack, to save space and time. A big concrete drill bit and socket to drive it almost like a hammer drill, is great for busting up the rock you're high pointed on, after the car is securely jacked/supported above it. I've had a concrete drill bit about 1 inch diameter and over a foot long, with a hex shaft, for almost 40 years. Tough stuff. Likewise, an inch diameter cold chisel can do a lot of stuff. 5. About a 3 pound steel hammer is super useful. I have one that's a normal sledge on both ends, but I rarely use it. The one I use a lot is normal on one end, and rounded V shaped (like a very dull wood splitting wedge) on the other end. If you can't find a rock the exact size/shape you need, a few whacks, directly or with the cold chisel, makes any size rock you need. 6. The 3 pound hammer and a 4 foot steel pipe driven into the ground, can make a nice anchor for winching. Even without a winch or a come-along, a 50 or 100 foot steel cable or 1/2 inch nylon rope manually pulled sideways at the middle of its length gives a tremendous amount of leverage. Play around at home with what you need for anchors on the main cable/rope, and on the sideways-pulling smaller rope, to get your vehicle up and over a curb, for instance. I like keeping some distance between myself and the main cable/rope in case it snaps or the anchor or hitch link break and become projectiles. 7. Things are much easier if not alone, so someone can be working the gas while you work the winching contraption. But then she becomes the witness to every mistake, hahaha.

Tristan , We have all done something stupid at least once in our lifetime. Thanks for sharing your experience with getting stuck. As I always say lesson learned. Randy/GA

Glad you had no more damage than you had and not way out in the middle of nowhere. Stay safe and enjoy your life

Well handled, stayed calm. Didn't see anyone in comments mention a shovel. Seems like a simple solution. Keep up the great videos.

Wow Tristen, what a day, luckily it was day time, and your a patient person. A good video , thanks.

Pro Tip: Whenever possible, cross obstacles one tire at a time, at an angle. ..and turn OFF traction control.

Tristan, I'm so sorry that you had to go through this. Like others, I want to comment on your positive attitude and calm disposition. It never helps to panic. This was a helpful video to watch as it got me thinking about my recovery tools. I drive a converted Promaster, which is not known for its off-roading capabilities. Last summer, I got stuck due to wet grass (crazy, I know). A kind man with a pickup and a tow strap pulled me out. I now carry a tow strap and recovery boards. I also have a Garmin with one of the cheapest plans-just in case. Thanks for the video!

I’m glad you got out of there without more damage and went back to town for breakfast and to check the weather! I hope you had no damage where you high centered. You got help fairly quickly considering where you were! Whew!!!

The best part of this is your calm demeanor. I got stuck by myself and got our with a winch attached to a tree. But no trees here. Time to use the land cruiser more:) May what to get the a front end alignment.

Many many great memories come from our oops adventures. All part of the fun, just as in life - eh? Glad you were ok. Loved the appropriate music cuts too. Ha.

I own a 2011 Rav 4 sport.. I F-IN LOVE IT.. Best car i've ever owned!

Yikes. Glad you got out and glad you're ok. Safe travels Tristan!

Glad you are OK. This kind of predicament is a "fear" of mine. I like that recovery strap and know I need a better shovel. Thanks for this great reminder that "stuff" happens.

My stupid 'got stuck' experience was in a rental car on a sandy dirt road area in SW Utah. Luckily the local tow truck pulled me out for free. Definitely made a good impression about the people of rural Utah. In fact, when I was free, he used a 4WD to drop me off at a trailhead. Just cemented my love for Utah as an 'East-coaster'.

Thank you for sharing this. I worry about stuff like this happening, and it probably keeps me from doing all the things I want to. But, while it sucked for you, you showed that it is not a tragedy.

Great teaching moment for us all. Happy you keep a Garmin Satellite for true emergencies.

When things like this happen I feel like it saved me from something much worse had I not gotten stuck. You always handle things calmly and with humor, I always say if you’re not lauging your crying! 😅 Stay Blessed and Happy Travels! 🙏🏼💜✌️🏼

What a good lesson for us to experience. Thank you for sharing what happened and how you tried to remedy it.

It happens to the best of us when on the back dirt roads! This is how we learn to deal with these types of situations!

In the outdoors everything is an adventure. Great video!

Bummer, At least the car survived, but the camera is another story. "Tails from the trails"! Lol

Lessons I learned traveling around the back roads is to always carry 2 spare tires; a high lift jack with a wide base and some where to easily connect your jack lift bar to the frame on the front, back and sides; and if you are carrying any weight, you'll need something like 12 ply tires with sidewall protection. If you could have raised up the front end, you could have put rocks under your front tires to get out. When you get older it will be a lot harder to hike out of those areas.

Sorry you had this inconvenience but glad it was just an inconvenience. You seemed calm and didn't panic AND you were prepared with several things to try. You handled it well. When the tow truck was leaving, he had to give it a little extra gas to get over that ditch as well. I'm going to get some recovery boards... I needed that reminder. See you on the next adventure!!

Thank you for showing the mishaps of adventuring. Traveling in the backcountry can be treacherous. Thanks for sharing your adventures. 🥸👍

I'm glad you showed what can happen in the back country. Good times to disaster can happen in a second.

Hey, I'm sorry but that was one of your most informative and entertaining videos. It answered a lot of my worries that I have had for you in the 'outback'.

You're AWESOME !! Other people who do this get stuck as well but don't show us that part..of their adventures. When u play u must pay...I always try to be mentally prepared (sounds like you are, as well) for 'unwanted surprises' 😘 No panicking, just common sense

All in the day of an adventure seeker! I echo the thank you for sharing this mishap!! Take care!

Wow! Double whammy 😮, glad your safe though and keep a positive attitude

I had the same problem many years ago. I was driving a small Toyota pickup with two wheel drive. It had an extended cab and a long bed, all very convenient but not too practical in rough country like Utah's back roads. I came down off a ledge knowing the road ahead wasn't too bad and I could get out at another spot. What happened was the back bumper got hung up on the ledge leaving the back tires about ten inches up in the air. I had to pile rocks up to the tires and then use the jack to boost it up higher to get the bumper up off the ledge, then gun the engine to jump the back-end of my rig off the ledge. It worked but I soon got a used 4x4 and a much better jack plus a towing belt. You're learning on the fly and I admire your Cool.

SUV vs MINIVAN : I've been driving an SUV for years, because I have old lady knees, lol, not because I want to off-road. I love this channel! Lots of great ideas, and I get to live vicariously via this nice, young man! This video reminds me why, in a few years, when I can draw Social Security, and semi-retire, I'm going to get a minivan with stow-n-go (and other things that allow me to stealth-camp) while traveling less rugged places.

I did the same thing! My ditch was bigger. I hesitated doing anything cause I didn't want to make it worse. I have 4 wheel drive, but I didn't know how to use it. A guy easily drove it out. He tried to explain it to me but I was clueless. I sure was glad and grateful that I didn't have to pay for a rescue.

Problems happen when go to the less traveled trail, but that is to be expected. The only thing that surprised and disappointed me was the tow truck operator. You never cross over a cable that is under load! If it breaks it’s all over except the crying. Safe travels.

Getting stuck like you did is my worst nightmare. Thank you for sharing the experience, as it is very helpful to walk through your though process and results. One thing I’m going to buy, right now!, is a shovel.

Glad you were able to get some help.

Very glad you are OK. Everyone who adventures ought to consider the Garmin inReach, Spot Gen4 or similar emergency device. Pricey, but worth having.

Bummer. Hopefully situations like this won't become the norm for your content. Appreciate your showing some of the surprises adventuring can bring. Thanks, Tristan.

I’ve done a lot of 4-wheeling in SUVs. Use a Jack to lift up the front axle and continue to add dirt or rocks under the wheels. I’ve honestly never gotten stuck “for good” with a shovel and a Jack.

I'm so impressed by your ability to just remain calm and think through the problem logically. I would have used pleny of colorful metaphors! Sorry about losing another camera and hopefully nothing is broken on the Rav4. I was really worried about damage where it high centered.

Sorry to see you stuck. I have wireless front and rear license plate cameras to try and see ahead for rocks and ditches. Mounting a front light bar on the front fender and adding a skid plate on my 2002 Yukon XL. Will take a “come along” with me with a shovel. Can always create a “land anchor.” Backing it out even 6 inches might have enabled supporting your recovery boards across the ditch. Always good to prepare for options. A little damage to the ego and pocket book is better than a lot of damage to the car or your health. Thanks for sharing this experience.

Well, Tristan, what lessons did you learn? Darkness can hide many things (that daylight will reveal) that can stop or harm your vehicle. And if you don't exactly re-trace your path you entered upon arrival, you are effectively blazing a new path. We're so excited to start the next day's adventure we forget some of the simplest things. Glad everything worked out okay.

Wooo glad you made it out safely! 🙏

Hang in there bro. Everything works out in the end.

Glad you got out fairly quickly and back on the road! I watch Matt’s channel also and thought how cool it would be if you all did a crossover video…BUT hope you don’t need him! Sorry about your camera, thanks for sharing this as well as all your beautiful scenery videos.and I also laughed at your sense of humor, playing Taps!

Some tough luck on that one! Glad you got it out without much more damage.

Bummer you got stuck but its good to show the audience what can happen when traveling off-road in a street vehicle. I have told a friend of mine a few times who likes to go on rough roads with their SUV that there’s a real difference between an AWD SUV and a 4WD vehicle that is modified for off-road. Glad you were in cell range and got out all right. Keep the adventure going!