Slid into a ditch, stuck in a snowbank, or bogged down in mud on a rural road? Dave's Towing Services pulls vehicles out safely, 24/7, across Calgary and the surrounding area.
A vehicle that's stuck isn't always broken. Often it just needs to be pulled back onto solid ground, and then you can drive away. A winch-out (also called a pull-out or recovery) uses a cable and controlled pulling force, often with snatch blocks and careful anchoring, to bring a vehicle back to the road without making the damage worse. If the vehicle can't be driven afterward, we load it and take it wherever it needs to go.
Common calls include:
Every recovery is different, so the first thing we do is look: the angle of the vehicle, the ground, what's underneath, nearby traffic and where we can anchor. We attach only to proper recovery points, use protective straps where needed, and pull slowly and under control. Rushing a recovery is how bumpers, frames and suspension get damaged. On busy roads we position the truck and lights to protect the scene and will work alongside police when they're there.
If you're stuck, stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on if you're near traffic and it's safe to do so, or move well away from the road if it isn't. Don't keep spinning the wheels. It digs you in deeper and can overheat the transmission. Keep your exhaust pipe clear of snow if the engine is running. More tips are in our snow, mud & ditch recovery guide and winching vs. towing.
Calgary weather can swing from chinook to blizzard in a day, and every big snowfall brings a wave of vehicles in ditches. We've been pulling Calgarians out of the snow for more than 30 years. When roads are bad, call as soon as you're safely able to. Give us your exact location, direction of travel, nearest exit or landmark, and whether the vehicle is upright and drivable. See our winter breakdown guide for preparing your vehicle before the cold hits.
If your vehicle is damaged after the slide, we can tow it straight to your body shop with our accident towing service, or on a flatbed. Larger pickups and work vans are covered by our light and medium-duty towing. We do recoveries across all four Calgary quadrants and in Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, Strathmore, Okotoks and High River.
Every photo on this site is a real job by our crew. See more in Latest Jobs.
A winch-out is a recovery where we use a winch cable to pull a stuck vehicle out of a ditch, snowbank, mud or other spot back onto solid ground. If the vehicle can be driven afterward, you go on your way; if not, we tow it.
Usually not. Spinning the wheels digs the vehicle in deeper and can damage the transmission or tires. Stay safe, put your hazards on and call 403-272-3944.
Yes. We do winching and recovery across Calgary and in surrounding areas including Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, Strathmore, Okotoks, High River, Rocky View County and Foothills County.
We attach only to proper recovery points, use protective straps and pull slowly to keep the risk of damage as low as possible. Every situation is different, and we'll explain our plan before we start.
Yes. We answer 24/7, including during storms. When many drivers are stuck at once, give us your exact location and situation so we can plan the recovery safely.
