The Impossible Lift: The Ultimate Excavator Recovery

By George L. Nitti

Pepe’s Towing Service of Los Angeles faced one of its toughest recoveries yet: a rolled-over, 60,000-pound excavator stranded on a steep, unstable slope.

The scene was daunting — soft, slippery dirt, blazing heat, and almost no viable lift points on the machine. But with two heavy rotators, strategic rigging, and a lot of experience, the Pepe’s crew managed to accomplish what seemed impossible.

Getting to the site was the first challenge. According to general manager Joshua Acosta, the route felt like something out of Mission Impossible. Narrow, winding residential streets were packed with parked cars, some of which had to be moved just so the trucks could squeeze through. Low-hanging trees, power lines, poles, and fire hydrants added even more obstacles. “The streets were not designed for trucks our size,” Acosta said. "It took nearly two hours just to position the equipment."

Once on scene, the team found the excavator overturned on a steep mountainside where excavation work had been underway. There were no alternate access points, and the intense heat made the physically demanding work even more exhausting.

Positioning the rotators required a staggered setup because overhead power lines prevented the trucks from lining up in a traditional front-to-back configuration. Instead, both booms were extended off the sides and as close together as possible. “Working off the corners with 60,000 pounds at stake would have been suicidal,” Acosta explained. “This staggered setup was the only safe option.”

The recovery itself moved at a painstaking pace. Winch lines, chains, shackles, and rigging gear had to be hauled down the steep incline and attached to the excavator, which was partially buried and still hot to the touch.

Rigging proved especially difficult. Using custom Bailey’s synthetic rigging, Acosta and operator Alex Hernandez each took responsibility for different sections of the machine. “The body was fragile and had zero proper lift points, so we couldn’t ‘hug’ it like normal or we would destroy the cab,” Acosta said. Every move required careful coordination as the two operators controlled their rotators remotely, making constant adjustments and re-rigging as needed.

A key breakthrough came with the innovative use of a second excavator on site as a “dead man” anchor. By running auxiliary lines through a snatch block attached to the additional machine, the crew was able to create a controlled downward force that helped stabilize and guide the lift. “That gave us the extra control we needed to get it upright,” Acosta said.

The team also had to contend with tight working space, the excavator’s proximity to a house, poison oak covering the area, and a neighbor warning them about underground water lines. Despite the pressure, the crew stayed methodical — and even found moments to joke to keep morale up.

“This isn’t something you learn in class,” Acosta said. “It’s experience you earn on real jobs. Turning work down just isn’t in our DNA.”

After hours of careful maneuvering, the excavator was finally brought upright. The crew then used the second excavator to pack dirt underneath it, creating a stable base, and drained diesel fuel to prevent any issues overnight.

Cleanup followed, but the job still wasn’t over. Leaving the site proved just as difficult as arriving, with now-crowded streets lined with residents’ cars.

Through heat, fatigue, and nonstop problem-solving, Pepe’s Towing once again demonstrated why it’s known for handling the jobs others won’t. As Acosta reflected, “This was one of the top three hardest jobs Alex and I have ever done.”