99’s Getting Out of the Heat Run at Ahtanum State Forest
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road
Report by Clay Graham. Photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road

On June 29th, 2008 it was very hot in the Yakima Valley so my wife, AKA 99 wanted to drive up to the Ahtanum State Forest hoping it would be cooler.

We took the South Fork Ahtanum Road (A1000) and then ran Boulder Trail up to the stop of Sedge Ridge. We stopped on the Sedge Ridge Road so people could air down more.

Test Dummy rig started having fuel pump problems so he headed back down. The rest of us turned down A2420 and then on A2400 to the Ahtanum Sno-park.

Next we went up the Mid Fork Ahtanum Road (A2000) and onto the Whites Ridge Loop Trail (A2600). We took the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail up and then turned down the McLaine Canyon Road (A3300), then went up the North Fork Ahtanum Road (A3000).

On the way up the North Fork Ahtanum Road, I took some photos of the snow on Darland Mountain.

Next we ran the Blue Lake Trail onto 4W615 and stopped at Blue Lake for the kids to get out to play. The bugs were bad so we headed on up 4W615 to the Blue Slide Lookout. My kids had fun playing up there.

After a short break we headed on down FS1020. We stopped for some quick photos of Rimrock Lake from Foundation Ridge.

Here we ran into a big snow drift. I got stuck because of the Swabbie tires on the family XJ. Tiny also got stuck. Roll Over came to the rescue and pulled us out with his MJ.

On down FS1020, we stopped to regroup at 4W613. That is were the road changes numbers from FS1029 to A2300 aka Jackass Road.

Next we turned of Jackass Road onto A5000. As we were heading down toward the Nasty Creek Corrals, the weather turned. There was a lot of lightening. We saw lightening hit and start a fire. I think it was on the ridge Southwest of Sedge Ridge. We moved on down to a cattle closed gate. There must of been cows grazing in the area.

We stopped to see why there were beers a long the trail. It was a marker for Papa Bud. Does anyone know the Papa Bud’s story? Maybe the marker was his hunting spot?

We finely got out on the phone to call about the fire. Sparky’s dad had already called the DNR. They could see the fire from there house in Tampico.

Before we hit the bottom of the mountain, there was a deer standing next to the trail as we drove by.

This was a real fun run thanks to the people that came.

Here are some photos of 99’s Getting Out of the Heat Run at Ahtanum State Forest:

Ahtanum State Forest