For Christmas this year, I wanted to take my wife to cut her first Christmas tree ever. Wanted to…read moremake it memorable, and boy will she never forget this one, I guarantee it. Went down to Woodland Park to "cut" our tree. Took Rampart Range Rd, route 300 way, way, way down to find the perfect tree on a cold December 07, 2019. We were doing all the right things, stay on the main route, went early, had water, four wheel drive truck, had cold weather clothes. After hours of walking and looking around for the one tree, nothing. I was getting late and we were giving up, this year there was not going to be a tree cutting celebration for my wife.
Went down route 300c for one last look, and nothing, went down a little hill to turn around and this guy with a Jeep refused to get his Jeep out of the way, told me to keep going down this little path. He said the path would keep going and it would loop around, he said that another Jeep and trailer had gone down the same path. To avoid any drama I went down the path with no way of turning around even if I wanted to, which I really, really, did want to. About a quarter mile, I see the guy in the Jeep and trailer. As soon as this person sees me, he said "don't, you might want to turn around, am stuck" and so was I by that time.
My wife wanted to kill me, I wanted to kill the asshole that told me to go down that path. Our first time there, first time cutting our tree, and no cell phone reception. My wife started to count the hours before we where on the next episode of Deadline, Kieth Morrison saying "four frozen bodies found in the woods".
The Jeep guy was able to winch himself out, but there was no saving my truck, too deep in the snow. Four wheel drive in low couldn't move my truck an inch. They were kind enough to give my wife and I a ride back home, leaving my truck behind for the night.
The next day at 6am Sunday morning, I called Fred's Towing. Zach answered the phone, after explaining the situation, he said, no worries, we can get you out without a problem. He was super polite and very professional. I met Zach at the shop where Micheal was assigned the task of getting me out of my terrible situation.
When Michael and I got to this spot, he assessed everything, he said in a very "cool,calm, and collective" voice "I got this" him and "princes" (the recovery vehicle) went to work. First 30 minutes, I was confident, 1st hour I was scared and had gave up hope, I started to think my truck would stay there until April of 2020. Michael would continued to assure me that leaving without my vehicle was not an option. He educated me on the art of snow driving, winch, and snow chains. Finally after 2 hours, Michael did the impossible, he never gave up, he never stopped to take a break, to have lunch, I don't think I even saw him take a drink of water. He was respectful at all times, never made me feel like that guy, even though I was totally that guy stuck deep in the woods on a remote location.
To say the Michael went above and beyond is an understatement. There are those that give it their best shot and give up, however, there are those that refuse to give up and never accept half ass jobs as their best. Fred's Towing, Michael, Zach thank you for what you do, for helping people like me, who never thought that being stuck in the woods, in the middle of December would never happen to them. Then it did. The pricing was straight forward, no hidden fees, no extras, no bait and switch.
Thank goodness I didn't need a helicopter recovery to come get me... A million thanks guys!
