YouTuber Pits Unstoppable Colorado ZR2 Bison Against Major Snow Bank!
Jared Outlaw’s Colorado ZR2 Bison fails to counteract an extremely foolish endeavor on a bitterly cold mountain.
Chevy created an incredibly capable off-road truck the with Colorado ZR2 Bison. Essentially, the mid-size instantly became segment leader when it debuted last year. Critics hailed its incredibly robust components and ability to tackle pretty much anything they threw at it. Dealers are ultimately having a hard time keeping them in stock.
Obviously, despite the Chevy’s off-road excellence, it can’t go everywhere. At some point Mother Nature wins. Jared Outlaw failed to understand that simple act when he thought the ZR2 would power through some extremely soft yet deep snow. As a result, he practically froze his butt off trying to counteract his near complete inability to prepare for such an outcome. And he broke his truck in the process.
Major Snow Mishap
It doesn’t take long for Outlaw to get his ZR2 Bison completely stuck. He probably should have realized there would be problems when he plowed the Chevy into the snow initially and almost failed to get out. Fortunately, the beefier tires and lift kit probably saved him during those encounters. There was another complication though. The truck experienced issues with its front and rear electronic locking differentials. They simply wouldn’t engage. “Ever since I’ve owned the truck I’ve never been able to lock the rear one in and for some reason it’s still not working right now,” says Outlaw. The truck’s issues may have been cause by his modifications. Regardless, they should have been a major red flag. But at this point in the video it’s pretty clear he is dead set on ignoring any warning signs of potential disaster.
Outlaw’s goal involved taking the ZR2 Bison on some snow trails that he technically wasn’t allowed to drive on. He never accomplished his mission because deep snow traps the truck right off the road where he first started the video. “Dude, we ain’t even been on a trail yet and we’re already stuck!” says Outlaw. Instead of a trail, he plowed the Chevy into a deep snow pack of relatively soft snow, which quickly overwhelmed the ZR2 Bison. If his lockers worked, he might have been able to weasel out of the snow. But they never engaged. The single digit temperatures probably didn’t help.
Self-inflicted Traction Fail
Perhaps the only impressive technical feat in the video involved Outlaw’s aftermarket winch. After considering their options, he decided to hook the winch onto a far off tree. Amazingly, his setup actually reached the intended target, which was at least 100 feet away. His buddy was impressed. “We’re in the red!” says his friend. Despite the extremely deep snow, it did pull the ZR2 Bison out of the frying pan…and right into the snow-related fire. “Stuck! I ain’t ever been this stuck before. Like, you don’t even move. Snow is worse than mud!” says Outlaw. Compounding issues included their lack of preparation. They didn’t bring any shovels or Maxtrax boards. Ultimately, they attempted shoveling with their snowboards, which wasn’t terribly productive. Outlaw is forced to ask a nearby pickup owner to pull him out. Ironically, the front and rear lockers start working once the truck was free.
More ZR2 Bison Fails
In an effort to compensate for the decidedly pointless off-road shenanigans, Outlaw takes the ZR2 Bison to what looks like a lightly snow-covered parking lot. “I mean, we can’t just quit. Gotta do donuts or something, right?” says Outlaw. That’s precisely what they do. Was it a good decision? Probably not. The parking lot he goofed around in looks like it could have been easily traversed by your basic front-wheel-drive car on all-season tires. Four-wheel drive is only supposed to be used when owners genuinely lose traction. Unsurprisingly, the truck malfunctions and becomes immovable to due the abuse it had been subjected to earlier.
The moral of the story is that the Colorado ZR2 Bison can do a lot of things but it cannot turn water into wine. Preparation and common sense are key when you’re out in the wilderness. That being said, it is very fun to live vicariously through Outlaw because none of us will suffer the consequences of his actions. Although we hope his Chevy gets the proper repairs it deserves. Make sure to watch the humorous, profanity-laced video outside of work hours. It’s worth it.