A Heads UP TO GUYS WORKING IN THE NORTHERN MUSKEG AREAS!!!

[score]

Many of you may be aware of this but for the newbies up there, beware. However, I was no newbie and had been doing this work for years but I learned an important lesson that day.

Several years ago working a proposed pipeline route (can't remember exactly where) we had four quads and we had no choice but to cross a very wet water filled muskeg that was approximately 300 yards across. We went for it.

After a couple of hours of chain saws and winching we finally made it.

We were very wet, tired, hungry, thirsty, cut up and scratched, and completely bug bitten. But, we made it with no damage to the machines.

Anyway, though my legs were sore I had to walk around. While doing so I suddenly in the blink of an eye, in a second, dropped straight down over my head with no bottom that I could feel into an unseen water hole cover with moss.

I managed to grab onto something and with he help of some of the others got out, soaking wet and full of slimy mossy ****. It was heavy and dangerous. It happened so fast and could have been much worse.

Just be aware of those kinds of things out there. I'm sure I'm not the first.

I could have been found by some archaeologist some day and could have been famous.....in a bad way.

Take care out there!

[NewAlbertan]

Pay attention folks.
Sometimes nature wins. Respect it

[Talking moose]

If the muskeg can swallow up D9's and trac hoes, it can definitely swallow up a man.

[Positrac]

A great reminder Score. Thanks for posting it.

[score]

Yeah, I had been doing that for 14 years and never once had I seen that. I can tell you it put a hell of a scare in me. I obviously still think about it from time to time. Yes be careful out there. It might have been different if I was alone.

[honda450]

We use tracked argos in Muskeg. And don't dare to get out and walk. hehe

I have also herd storys of large machines sunk in the muskeg that are still there.

[CaberTosser]

I had the exact same thing happen to me in 1991, I was on a seismic heli-portable crew working outside of Grande Prairie and was walking along with a roll of cable over each shoulder when I stepped into just such a moss, etc covered hole. The large cables I was carrying saved my butt as they spread out sideways as I fell and provided me with a pair of 'wings' that offered me some support out to my sides, I think without them I'd have sunk further than up to my chin. Crawling out was a real trial. Between that and the insects eating me alive I quit a day or two afterwards, 7 months and a winter season was enough.

[score]

Originally Posted by honda450

We use tracked argos in Muskeg. And don't dare to get out and walk. hehe

I have also herd storys of large machines sunk in the muskeg that are still there.

That's the ticket but I bet I can get into some areas with a quad that that couldn't I think. Some places are pretty tough to go through. And can a helicopter carry that?

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by score

That's the ticket but I bet I can get into some areas with a quad that that couldn't I think. Some places are pretty tough to go through. And can a helicopter carry that?

You may or may not know this, but aside from the flotation from the tires, Argo's also have a boat hull type tub, so they can't sink the way a quad could as they displace water and float rather than sink. I'd be way more confident in one of those than I would be in a quad in such conditions, to the point where I'd not even be on a quad in such conditions, one of those experiences is already one too many for me.....

[honda450]

Originally Posted by score

That's the ticket but I bet I can get into some areas with a quad that that couldn't I think. Some places are pretty tough to go through. And can a helicopter carry that?

Bet ya couldn't. 100% garenteed.

No need for a chopper. We just drive the argo there.

[wahbush]

Here we have muskeg and floating muskeg.Some small ponds get entirely grown over with floating muskeg,and is indistinguishable from muck based muskeg-until you go thru.
We also have a lot of string bog,which we call golf courses.

[score]

No doubt argos are great rigs. Pros and cons I guess for both.

Argos do go where quads can't but quads can also go where argos can't.

All in all though argos are probably a better all around machine.


But back to the point. Be very careful in the bush far away from anything no matter how experienced you are. Accidents and unexpected things can and do happen.

Be careful out there guys! Every year someone bites it.
And now we have to worry about the ******* bears.

[score]

Originally Posted by wahbush

Here we have muskeg and floating muskeg.Some small ponds get entirely grown over with floating muskeg,and is indistinguishable from muck based muskeg-until you go thru.
We also have a lot of string bog,which we call golf courses.

Dangerous stuff if you aren't familiar with it, especially if alone.

[honda450]

Originally Posted by score

Argos do go where quads can't but quads can also go where argos can't.

Wrong. I can go anywhere a quad can go and beyond. No problem

Check out my video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9atGQHJXSyo

[KGB]

Holy crap, this thing is like a tank!

[score]

Originally Posted by honda450

Wrong. I can go anywhere a quad can go and beyond. No problem

Check out my video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9atGQHJXSyo

Yes I get that Honda, however, there have been times when we have had to detour through, I'd say sometimes a mile or so of old growth forest and wiggle around large trees that your argo couldn't knock down nor fit around.

Quads are lighter and easier to handle. Sometimes we had to be helicoptered into places your argo could not have got to. Mountainous areas for eg..

I'm not running down argos and would love to have one.



***Moral of the thread was to be very careful in the bush always no matter how skilled and experienced one is. The wilds are full of dangers. Lets all think and be careful and come back home safely.***

*** If I was alone that day I fell into that hole with just a little different circumstance, I highly douby anyone would have ever found me!***

[honda450]

Originally Posted by score

Yes I get that Honda, however, there have been times when we have had to detour through, I'd say sometimes a mile or so of old growth forest and wiggle around large trees that your argo couldn't knock down nor fit around.

That's why we have a chain saw on board. Ain't nothing stopping us. hehe

Sometimes we build bridges as well.

Argo wiggles more than ya think as well. I can make a 90 degree turn on a dime.

[score]

Originally Posted by honda450

That's why we have a chain saw on board. Ain't nothing stopping us. hehe

Sometimes we build bridges as well.

Argo wiggles more than ya think as well. I can make a 90 degree turn on a dime.

Yeah sure I like argos a lot. We built many a bridge as well and traversed beaver dams. Sometimes we were (a lot of times) so remote that we had no communications at all (maybe it's different today). We were prepared as we could be. But that was working not playing or hunting.

When I sold my quad, a Polaris 500, it had 3 thousand and some miles on it.(no problems at all with only regular maintenance) 99% of those miles were on cut lines. That's almost all the way from coast to coast. Lots of good experiences for sure during those times. Some wipe outs and falls. Loved it most of the time.

But again, everyone use caution, common sense, care. There are dangers out there that have the ability to really ruin your day....or kill you.

ALWAYS BE CAREFUL EVERYONE. If you are careful you limit accidents large and small.

[Grizzly Adams]

You haven't lived till you've had a horse fall in the stuff. Lot of northern Alberta is just one bottomless morass of muskeg. Gotta pay attention. I've been told there are a few expensive Cats buried , cause there was no way to retrieve them.

Grizz

[Boogerfart]

I had a experience years ago- I was riding on a Honda trike in a boggy area near my place and got stuck. Forgetting that trikes float I stepped off to give it a push and was lucky enough to maintain a grip on one end of the handlebars as I plunged into seemingly bottomless muck. I managed to pull myself back onto the machine and rock it to get moving again but avoided that area after that unless it was frozen. I was alone at the time and extremely lucky to walk away with nothing more than a few mosquito bites.

[score]

Originally Posted by Boogerfart

I had a experience years ago- I was riding on a Honda trike in a boggy area near my place and got stuck. Forgetting that trikes float I stepped off to give it a push and was lucky enough to maintain a grip on one end of the handlebars as I plunged into seemingly bottomless muck. I managed to pull myself back onto the machine and rock it to get moving again but avoided that area after that unless it was frozen. I was alone at the time and extremely lucky to walk away with nothing more than a few mosquito bites.

Yep lucky for sure. When you are alone you just can't afford to take risks.

If I was alone during my mishap, they might have found me a thousand years from now and called me "the bog man" or something. Jesus, it was amazing. I dropped like a rock with no bottom. They might have found my hat floating there.

EDIT: I 've walked on much mossy muskeg and never encountered something like that before. It was a shocker, and uncomfortable until I got cleaned up.

[artie]

hey you guys are stirring up too much silt and killing all the sharks

[Opa]

Originally Posted by NewAlbertan

Pay attention folks.
Sometimes nature wins. Respect it

Good old mother nature never loses. Been there and had it happen!!