Carnage Run at the Ahtanum State Forest
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road
Report by Clay Graham. Photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road
On June 7th, 2008 we started with two groups on this run. Three rigs started at the Cowiche Mill Road parking area at the end of the pavement and two rigs started at the Nasty Creek Corrals. Our group at Cowiche Mill Rd was Ceg, Colemancooler and Toyzuki.
We stopped on Cowiche Ridge for a short break from the bumping trail. Then moved on up the Strobach Mountain 4×4 Trail. Close to the end of end of the trail, the trees were heavily frosted.
“Phantom 309” and “roller bear” were the ones who started at Nasty Creek. They were ahead of us and had a lot of down trees to cut to get through. Toyzuki had some fun driving through that area. A was little tight.
“roller bear” and “Phantom 309” were waiting for us at the Strobach Mountain vista. I was on my way across the clearing when I got a call on the CB from the guys in back. They stop for a deer and her baby to cross the trail in front of them.
Up at the Strobach Mountain Vista it was cold. Bubz got out of the Tweety Jeep wearing his jacket up-side-down.
Moving up 4W613 toward Dome Peak, the climb up to the Upper Meadow was slick. Since we kept sliding back down the hill with the Tweety Jeep, we decided to walk up to see how the trail around the corner was. It was about the same. My co-pilot “Wantawheel” wasn’t to sure he wanted up to go any farther.
We decided since we did see anyone behind us and could not get them on the CB, we would turn around. We came back down and had to winch Toyzuki up so the others could get by. Toyzuki had a ripped valve stem and needed to go back down to change tires. “Phantom 309” worked my winch to get Toyzuki turned around.
The group headed on up. We headed back down after Toyzuki changed his tire. On the way down we ran into BenW and JayW going up. We turn onto the Strobach Moutain 4×4 Trail and ran it down. We turned down Nasty Creek Road and headed toward Nasty Creek Corrals. We stop on the way down for a break.
Down near the Nasty Creek Corrals, we turned up Doe Pocket and ran it to Jackass Road. We turn up Jackass Road and hit snow right before the log decks and I got stuck. Toyzuki pulled me out and we were on our way.
After the log decks we hit more snow. The snow drifts were getting real deep and the off camber was getting bad. As Toyzuki was working his way through we went on to see how the trail was ahead. We stopped at a big drift where the trees opened up. We sure didn’t want to get stuck without some place to winch to. We stopped and looked across at 4W613 in the Dome Peak fire area. You could see Rimrock Lake from there.
We turned around and had a blasted hitting the snow drifts fast. My co-pilot didn’t like it, but my son Bubz egged me on. We found Toyzuki stuck. We winched Toyzuki out and started head back out. I got stuck in Toyzuki’s holes. Toyzuki pulled me out and then we head on down the mountain running Jackass road to the North Fork Ahtanum Road.
We stopped at the small Sno-park to use the restroom. I took photos of the Tweety Jeep after the Carnage Run. It came out without any damage this year.
This was a fun run thanks to the people who came.
Here are some photos of the EWOR Carnage Run at the Ahtanum State Forest:
