[chromisdesigns]

We just got back from a 5300 mile, 4-week driving trip from SFO through north-eastern California, the Oregon outback, Washington Palouse, a bit of Idaho for a few days relax time in Sandpoint, then on up into and around BC for 10 days, back down to the Washington Cascades, to Portland and over to the Oregon coast, and finally back to San Francisco. It was a fine trip, and the 335i performed flawlessly the entire time, including about 250 miles of dirt, gravel, and rock backroads in Canada and Washinton, and then...

Comes the road between Winthrop, Wa and Conconully, Wa, about 35 miles of relatively OK dirt and gravel Forest Service Road 42, a bit rough and rock-strewn in spots, but nothing the 335i couldn't handle, until just over Buck Pass about 10 miles west of Conconully, where there is a steep downhill chute that became increasing wet and muddy on the way down. Too narrow to turn around in, and too slick to back up the hill, the only way out was just keep on going. That is, until we hit the 20-foot mud hole at the bottom of the chute. Nothing to do but try to bounce through, but too much mud and too deep ruts, and there we are, stuck fast. Screwing around with branches and rubber mats under the tires gets us nowhere.

No cell signal, no SOS signal with BMW Assistance (it says "data error" on the display after a couple minutes of trying), and it's about 3 pm, 42 degrees in the mountains and already getting colder. We're equipped for this sort of thing, so it's not a life-threatening situation, but on the other hand, neither of us are keen on spending the night hoping for somebody else to wander by, which isn't real likely to happen anyway.

So, I wind up having to hike out 7 miles (mostly downhill, thank God!), to the nearest farm, call up BMW Assistance on the farmer's land line (still no cell service), give them the name of the local tow company, and about 45 minutes later, here comes the truck grinding up the hill to the farm. A half hour, we were winched out, no worse for wear, and on our way into town.

Meanwhile, back at the car, my wife is trying to remember whether bears can break into cars (they can), watching the temperature drop, and listening to the weather forecast on the sat radio (rain later that night).

I think she was REALLY glad to see us when we turned up in the truck four hours later!

Gotta give high marks to BMW Roadside Assistance, too. They initially had some trouble figuring out where we were, as the forest service road wasn't in their database, but with a GPS position and some discussion between them and the local guy about where the roads went, they got us hooked up.

It was actually a beautiful drive over the pass and a great road, except for about 30 feet of it, and I can recommend it, though you guys with the X-series would probably have an easier time, overall.

[Alexander]

Lol wow. You have balls to put your 335 through that. Sounded fun.

[Nightfly]

I grew up in the Pacific NW and you were defiantly out in the boonies on that run. Glad to hear you were taken care of, believe me over the years there have been plenty of folks that haven't fared as well.

[chromisdesigns]

Nightfly --

Yep, we were! And, of course, neither of us thought to take a picture of the Bimmer stuck in the hole...!

It could have turned out differently, of course, but we are experienced mountain and wilderness drivers and don't go into those situations without food, water, and equipment. At worst, it might have been an uncomfortable experience for a while, but even if we'd had to pack out a much longer distance, we'd have made it eventually.

We've taken our BMW sedans all sorts of places you'd never expect they would go, and this is the first time we ever had to have assistance to get back out. We've reached impasses before on a few roads, but ordinarily, you can either turn around or back out of deteriorating conditions. In this case, it came on so suddenly neither was possible.

Mud is the one thing that puts me off on back roads. Rocks and holes, if they don't just get ridiculous, you can go around, or move out of the way, in the case of rocks. Mud, though, is another situation entirely, as our "adventure" shows. Normally, I won't go near it, but on this one, we just got trapped.

If we'd had a winch, or even a come-along and a hundred feet of cable, we could probably have gotten ourselves out. May have to add the come-along to our trip kit...or, maybe, what do you think a front-mounted winch would look like on the 335i?

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by chromisdesigns

Nightfly --

Yep, we were! And, of course, neither of us thought to take a picture of the Bimmer stuck in the hold...!

It could have turned out differently, of course, but we are experienced mountain and wilderness drivers and don't go into those situations without food, water, and equipment. At worst, it might have been an uncomfortable experience for a while, but even if we'd had to pack out a much longer distance, we'd have made it eventually.

We've taken our BMW sedans all sorts of places you'd never expect they would go, and this is the first time we ever had to have assistance to get back out. We've reached impasses before on a few roads, but ordinarily, you can either turn around or back out of deteriorating conditions. In this case, it came on so suddenly neither was possible.

Mud is the one thing that puts me off on back roads. Rocks and holes, if they don't just get ridiculous, you can go around, or move out of the way, in the case of rocks. Mud, though, is another situation entirely, as our "adventure" shows. Normally, I won't go near it, but on this one, we just got trapped.

If we'd had a winch, or even a come-along and a hundred feet of cable, we could probably have gotten ourselves out. May have to add the come-along to our trip kit...or, maybe, what do you think a front-mounted winch would look like on the 335i?

You need a FJ...

[bmrcfreak]

Glad you made it out! Pics woulda been nice :-/

[328RR]

damn!!! glad you guys where ok!

[jeremicium]

Through the Palouse huh? Did you stop in Pullman for some Cougar Gold Cheese? You went through some beautiful country! I've driven mine through some of the Okanogan...but not on forest service roads...that's what my 4runner is for. Post some pics if you have em'.

[Oulixes]

Originally Posted by chromisdesigns

...
what do you think a front-mounted winch would look like on the 335i?

Good idea, and a snow plow for winter driving, but I think OEM versions are only available for M3.

A great trip - glad you made it out OK.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by Aonarch

Lol wow. You have balls to put your 335 through that. Sounded fun.

+1 and to leave your wife out in the middle of nowhere for 4 hours!! Do you really hate her that much?!

[chromisdesigns]

She was safer with the car than hiking out with me on an unknown road, starting late in the afternoon. She had food, water, sleeping bag, and gas in the car. And it would have taken her longer to do the hike than it did me. Admittedly, it's sometimes harder to just stay and wait than to do something active, but that was the best approach in this case. If I hadn't gotten back by noon the next day, she would have packed up and started out on her own.

We knew from the GPS that it was 10 miles to the next town, so she would have been able to make it before dark the following day, if she had to walk.

[IancoleTX]

haha cool story

[ENINTY]

Now this is a man who has complete faith in the 335i HPFP!

Not that I'm being a nanny here, and I highly applaud your adventurness (I've had similar experiences on a 800 pound, full dress, street bike nonetheless), but based on the fact that you seem to routinely take these types of trips, maybe an X5 diesel would be the better BMW choice for you.

[TheBaronSG]

I don't even want to drive over speed bumps - that sounds like an awesome adventure you had though!