Hopelessly Stuck Jeep Wrangler Worth $100k Gets A Radical Rescue

We’ve seen some impressive saves from Matt’s Off-Road Recovery, but this one calls for all hands on deck. In fact, four vehicles ultimately come to the rescue of a Jeep Wrangler that faced off with a river and lost, but this mission required more than just a quick tug out of the water. It was a legit marathon because this pricey Wrangler wasn’t just stuck. It was dead, and miles away from a paved road.

The video opens with the familiar faces we’ve seen in previous videos, not to mention the awesome custom Corvair off-roader. For this run, the crew is joined by two other experienced off-road recovery pros, and all that expertise is needed because the Wrangler in distress is in serious distress. Not only is it in water up to the hood, but the tires are sunk into silt and mud up to the base of the wheels. And once those challenges are overcome, there’s still the matter of towing a dead Wrangler through miles of trails, hills, and rocks.

As for the Wrangler, we don’t know what modifications are hiding beneath the water but it’s not a stock vehicle. The video says it’s a $100,000 rig, but it seems a snorkel for handling deep water wasn’t among the upgrades. Not that it would’ve kept the Wrangler from getting stuck, but it may have at least been drivable once freed from the watery tomb.

And actually, pulling it from the water seemed relatively easy. Simply getting a strap on it with the tow hooks underwater was a bigger challenge, along with getting the Wrangler’s transmission into neutral. To help combat the suction effect, an off-road buggy drove into the river to serve as a type of fulcrum point for the strap. Instead of pulling straight back, the force on the strap pulled the Wrangler up as well, lifting it from the sticky river bottom while pulling it from the water.

The strategy worked like a charm, but then came the real challenge. Anyone who’s towed a lifeless vehicle without any power steering or brakes knows it isn’t easy in the best of circumstances. Navigating narrow trails and open terrain with large rocks and hills required all four tow vehicles at various points, but with night falling around them, the crew successfully made it back to the main road.

As for the Wrangler, we don’t know if it’s salvageable or not. But at least the owner has one heck of a story to tell.