Tesla driver gets stuck using snowmobile trail as shortcut in Adirondacks, cops say

One Tesla driver seemingly overestimated the car’s abilities by taking it on a snowmobile trail through the Adirondacks, according to investigators in New York.

The car made it four miles before getting stuck on the Elm Lake Road Snowmobile Trail, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said in a Feb. 6 Facebook post.

It happened around 4 p.m. on Jan. 30 as the driver tried to reach the Siamese Ponds Wilderness trailhead, about 90 miles northwest of Albany, officials said.

The winding trail is restricted to snowmobiles — for good reason. A tow truck had to be summoned to free the car from its predicament and pull it back to the nearest road, the department said.

“The Adirondacks can be difficult in the winter,” the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office reported. “Even chains on the tires could not save this Tesla from being stuck.”

The identity of the driver was not released and officials did not report any injuries from the mishap.

Responding officers ticketed the driver “for illegal operation of a motor vehicle on posted easement roads/trails,” officials said.

News of the odd discovery prompted a wide range of reactions on social media, including some commenters who were impressed the car made it four miles before getting stuck. Others wondered if it was on autopilot, which is among the capabilities of the vehicles.

Among the commenters were officials with the Town of Indian Lake, which decided to state the obvious.

“Hmm...don’t do this! Snowmobile trails are for snowmobiles, not cars,” town officials wrote.

This story was originally published February 7, 2024 at 7:29 AM with the headline "Tesla driver gets stuck using snowmobile trail as shortcut in Adirondacks, cops say."