Living in the Columbia Valley, in one of the most geographically inhospitable regions in the world can present some problems for a tow truck driver. However, for Blair Mooney of All Angles Towing, he says as long as you have the right equipment, nothing is impossible.
“There’s certainly times when people go into some places they shouldn’t go, up in the back roads and in the logging areas,” Mooney said. “There’s definitely times when you need to use your head, sometimes you literally need to go in there with your pickup truck and chains and cables and do it by hand because you can’t get in with a tow truck sometimes. There’s some challenges when it comes to the valley, but as long as you have the right equipment you shouldn’t have any problems.”
While Mooney is fully equipped to handle someone stuck in the backcountry, he’s also made a recent move to acquire two new tow trucks to help with some of the more mundane tows as well. Mooney is now the proud owner of three tow trucks after recently purchasing a 30-ton wrecker with a hydraulic lift and a three-ton medium duty tow truck to go along with his lighter duty flatbed. The 30-ton wrecker is truly the crown jewel of the bunch however, as the monstrous machine now gives him the ability to perform damage-free recoveries on vehicles as large as semis and even buses.
“This truck has tons of more options for recovery, for damage free recovery,” Mooney said. “With the older trucks you just hook a cable on it and drag it out of the ditch, and hope for the best. With this new truck, you have a lot more options.”
Mooney said his hydraulic lift is one-of-a-kind in the Columbia Valley, and that while some other companies have 30-ton wreckers, no one else has the hydraulic lift capabilities that he now possesses. With the addition of the two new trucks, Mooney now has the ability to tow practically any size of vehicle, which in turn helps him do what he loves best.
“I just enjoy helping people, it’s a good feeling,” Mooney said. “Sometimes they’re not the happiest when their car is half-wrecked in the ditch, but it’s a good feeling to help them out and get them in a warm, safe place, and get them on their way again pointed in the right direction.”
Mooney started All Angles Towing about two and a half years ago as more of a part-time endeavor, but after recovering from a shoulder injury said he’s ready to make a go of it as a full-time tow truck business operator. As the purchase of the two trucks is quite new, Mooney is still in the process of hiring some additional employees, but said he always has help nearby should he need it. Aside from recovery, Mooney also offers general roadside assistance, such as fuel delivery and tire changes, but says towing is what most people call him for.
“There’s not a lot of battery boosting and stuff like that, a lot of times when somebody can’t get their vehicle started they just have a tow truck take it to the shop,” Mooney said.
One other big development with All Angles Towing is that Mooney will be moving into a new location, as he has agreed to lease the old Mickey’s Auto Body Shop, located at 4836 Athalmer Rd, Invermere. Aside from allowing him to work on his trucks in the space, the lease also includes about 10 acres of room for Mooney to start taking in cars to be recycled in an environmentally-friendly way.
All Angles Towing operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and generally serves from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats (although they will go outside that area) and can be reached by calling 250-341-5711.