What to do when stuck in sand or mud
Ocean Beach, Fiesta Island, and the Carrizo Badlands eat vehicles weekly. The first thing to do is stop making it worse.
What you'll learn
- Why spinning the wheels digs you deeper — fast
- The airdown-and-drive-out move (safe only in certain conditions)
- How traction mats work and when to use them
- When to stop trying and call a winch-out
Step by step
- Stop spinning the wheels immediately. Every 10 seconds of spin drops you another inch.
- Check if anyone is hurt or if the vehicle is unstable (leaning, sinking). Step away if so.
- Dig the sand or mud away from the front and back of each drive wheel.
- Slide traction mats, cardboard, or floor mats under the drive wheels.
- Try to rock back-and-forth gently — reverse 6 inches, then forward 6 inches.
- If it does not move after 2 tries, stop. Call for a winch-out.
Safety note
On Fiesta Island and OB, a $165 winch-out is far cheaper than a broken transfer case. We carry recovery mats and come-along rigs on the truck.
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