Winch Towing Service

Off Road Recovery Service in Utah

Utah’s seasons are beautiful, but they can present hazards for motorists no matter the time of year. When you need an off road recovery tow truck, Roadside Rescue is here for you come sunshine or sleet.

Where Utah’s winter’s are concerned, there’s plenty of precipitation to contend with. The areas surrounding Salt Lake City typically receive around 50 inches of snow per year, and the adjacent mountains can receive hundreds of inches. Icy, wet, snowy roads create slick surfaces that require extreme caution and sometimes a lot of luck to drive in safely.

Utah’s warm months may make you feel like you’re safe from road perils, but with so many cars, trucks, ATVs, and RVs out on our roads in summer, tow truck companies are kept just as busy at this time of year as in winter. In our desert landscape, it’s easy to get stuck in sand or mud, or even to accidentally back into a lake when moving an RV in unfamiliar territory. There’s also the issue of warm tires becoming more vulnerable to blowouts.

Trust Utah’s best towing company for off road recovery service when you get into trouble out on our magnificent roadways. Know that help is on the way as soon as we receive your call. And because we serve such a broad area (Utah county up to Weber County), we can get to you wherever you are in the greater Salt Lake area.

What is a Winch, Anyway?

Off road recovery service typically refers to the process of removing a car, truck, ATV, or other vehicle from areas not designated as roadways. These can include fields, ditches, desert areas, and bodies of water. This process typically requires a tow truck fitted with a winch.

A winch is a device that connects a rope or cable to the tow truck. The winch allows the rescue cord to be let out and then retracts once the vehicle that needs extraction is hooked into it. This action pulls the vehicle out of the mud, sand, or other sticky driving situation and drags it onto the tow truck. Winches can be powered either by an electric system or a hydraulic system. The cable used is typically anywhere between 30 and 120 feet long.

Reasons to Call for an Off Road Recovery Tow Truck

Keep our number in your phone under “tow truck” in case you encounter any of the following problems that leave you stranded and in need of help.

• Stuck in snow: Utah is famous for our cold, snowy winters. Most of us love it for skiing, snowboarding, or just getting in snowball fights—until we’re stuck on the roads in our cars. As you’re probably aware, it is very difficult for tires to maintain traction on ice. And Utah snowdrifts are so deep that you can become helplessly stuck in the snow with no way of getting out without a tow.
• Stuck in mud: We are frequently called to emergency situations where residents are stuck in the mud. Mud is smooth and heavy and can create dangerously slippery surfaces that cause you to slide off the road. Mud can cake up all over your tires and render the treads useless, meaning that pressing on the gas pedal causes you to go nowhere fast.
• Slid off the road: Sliding into a ditch can happen at any time of year. This can be a scary incident, especially if you’ve never experienced it before. As long as you’re safe, call us immediately for help.
• Car under water: Campgrounds with lakes can be ripe for accidents with your car. Believe it or not, we do get the occasional call to retrieve a car that is submerged in water. Flash flooding can pose similar dangers.
• Transmission failure: There are many signals that you have a transmission that is failing. A smell like something is burning, strange new sounds, a jerking motion when shifting gears, and the check engine light coming on can all signal a problem with the transmission. It’s best to have these signs checked immediately before you find yourself on the side of the road in need of a tow.
• ATV Recovery: So many mishaps can happen in an ATV. They’re a blast for vacationing, but the mystique can wear thin when you hit trouble. Stuck and overturned ATVs are all too common in our part of the world.

How to Prevent Getting Stuck Off Road

• Use the right tires: There are many types of tires, including those made especially for mud, sand, and snow. You can’t plan for all types of terrain, of course, but if you’re deliberately going off roading, be sure that your vehicle is equipped with the best tires for the terrain. You should also make sure you have the best winter tires so you don’t slide off the road and into a mess.
• Four wheel drive: Four wheel drive is a major plus in sketchy off road conditions. It’s important to understand the difference between four wheel drive and all wheel drive; only four wheel drive can handle the rough terrain likely to be encountered off road in Utah. All wheel drive is made to be safer on the road.
• Two wheel drive: It may be surprising that two wheel drive vehicles have some performance capability in off road conditions, especially when driving in sand. If you know you’ll be using your two wheel drive vehicle off road, consider replacing the back tires for those with a harder wearing tread. Turn traction control off before entering a situation that you know could be hairy and might require spinning your wheels.

If you do get stuck, sitting there slamming on the gas pedal won’t help at all. You can first try putting it in reverse gear. If that doesn’t work, try 4 high and 4 low gear if you have 4 wheel drive.

If you’re still stuck, you can try stuffing logs, dirt, and stones under the tires to give the wheels some temporary traction. You may find that tarps or plywood work, but it’s pretty unlikely. If you have a shovel, you can dig out around the wheels and replace the mud or snow with dry dirt. If you’re still stuck, you need us for off road recovery service.

We’re the Off Road Recovery Experts

It’s important not to panic when you find yourself stuck in the mud, snow, sand, or in a ditch. Obviously, your first call should be to 911 if you are in an emergency situation—that is, if anyone in your vehicle is injured or pinned in the car. If you and your passengers are OK, be sure to call Roadside Rescue immediately.

When your car is stuck in an off road situation, you want the best trained tow truck drivers on the case. Be assured that we deal with off road recovery situations every day of the year. What’s more, all of our drivers are WreckMaster certified, meaning they’ve been trained and 3rd party certified as experts in off road removal and towing. You won’t find anyone more qualified to handle your vehicle than our professional and friendly team.

We recently relocated our headquarters from Salt Lake City to Syracuse, Utah, in order to be at the ready in the underserved northern Salt Lake suburbs. Our customers may now wait mere minutes for our crew to arrive (rather than waiting for hours for the competition). A lot of off road recovery companies are in Salt Lake, but they tend to make the city (not the suburbs) their priority. We have the manpower to service Salt Lake City suburbs stretching from Utah County all the way to Weber County.

We’re ready to immediately dispatch an off road recovery tow truck to areas from Bountiful to Ogden and Salt Lake to Provo. When you’re stuck off road in Utah, every minute counts, whether you’re shivering in the cold or baking in the summer sun.

We’re eager to become your go-to off road recovery service on the Wasatch Front. We offer a full menu of towing services, from towing RVs and hot tubs to diesel trucks. Call us 24/7 at 801-803-4900 and let us show you why we’re Utah’s favorite towing company!