Snow Wheeling at the Ahtanum State Forest
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures
On Sunday February 24th, 2013 Eastern Washington Adventures Club members met up at Highland Quick Stop in Cowiche Washington for the Ahtanum 4×4 Snow Wheeling Run. We had five rigs on this run, TJ40 – TJ, Craigen – TJ, Rangerat – YJ, The Middle Kid – Dakota and Ceg – JK. Guido rode with TJ40 and MudSlinger93 rode with me. We convoyed to Cowiche Mill Road and aired down.
Once aired down, we headed up Cowiche Mill Road and then up C-1300 onto Hatton road. Not much snow on the way up. Up on Hatton the snow drifts were deep and soft. Craigen and I both got stuck right off the bat. TJ40 also got stuck trying to go around to pull me out of my second stuck. The Middle Kid parked his rig after getting stuck a few times in the same area too. He rode shotgun with Rangerat most of the rest of the day.
We moved on up the ridge trying to stay on top of the harder snow. Of coarse we fell through a lot since the crust wasn’t very thick. We turned around once the snow got to soft to move forward. The last part I got stuck many times. On the way back through that last area, I used momentum to fly over the soft spots. That worked well. The next area I tried to blow through a snow drift where no one had drove and got stuck good. TJ40 got stuck next to me. Craigen got stuck trying to pull me through. Rangerat was trying to pull us back and that did not work well since we were stuck good. With some winching and pulling we made it through that area.
The last drift where we had went around on the way up earlier, was the area we got all the Jeeps stuck at once. A little more winching and we were back on our way.
Just down from there we picked up The Middle Kid’s truck and head on out. We aired back up once at the pavement of Cowiche Mill Road.
Most of the group went to the Pastime in Selah for dinner. They were closing by the time everyone met back up so we finish off a pitcher of Widmer Hefeweizen and moved over to the T&T for dinner.
Below are the pictures of our Ahtanum Snow Wheeling adventure:
The rigs of the day lined up at Highland Quick Stop in Cowiche Washington.
At the end of the pavement on Cowiche Mill Road airing down.
There was a lot of ice on Cowiche Mill Road after the C-1000 turn-off.
At the Y on C-1300 near Hatton Road.
Up on Hatton Road there was a lot of soft snow drifts and the stuckfest began.
Craigen stuck.
Ceg stuck.
Rangerat coming to safe us.
Ceg stuck number two.
Tj40 trying to go around to pull me through.
Maybe not! TJ40 stuck.
Craigen pulling TJ40 out.
TJ40 pulling me out and out again.
TJ40 took the lead.
TJ40 looking for away around the powder snow drift blocking the trail.
We make it around the powder snow drift to find soft snow in the trees.
Three of us trying to push through.
Two made it. Ceg Stuck again.
Rangerat pulled me out and then I got stuck again within 50 feet from the last place.
Rangerat made his why around me with his new KM2s.
Craigen hooking up to pull me through the powder snow area.
The snow was not working for us so we turned around. I used momentum to fly over the soft spots and we all regrouped back here.
The kids having fun.
Craigen walking his Jeep softly across the soft snow.
Ceg stuck!
TJ40 stuck.
Craigen stuck trying to pull my Jeep through the soft snow drift.
Looking for ideas to get going again.
Rangerat tried to pull TJ40 out.
TJ40 was stuck good. He decided to winch Craigen’s Jeep loose from my Jeep.
Charlie trying to dig our Jeep out.
TJ40 stuck.
TJ40 stuck and getting ready to winch off my Jeep to help both of us. Guido pulling cable.
Rangerat’s turn to get pulled through.
Ceg stuck again.
Craigen giving me a pull.
The tree that saved us.
Craigen again walking his Jeep softly across the soft snow.
The snow drift that we drive around earlier in the day got Craigen. Craigen stuck.
TJ40 stuck.
Rangerat stuck.
All four Jeeps stuck.
TJ40 winching with Guido’s help.
Rangerat winch through and sent the cable to my rig. Craigen was nice enough to bring it.
Rangerat winching my Jeep out of the soft deep snow drift.
On the way out we picked up The Middle Kids Truck.
Of course I found another deep power snow drift to stick my Jeep.
The top of the hill the snow was harder as you can see in this picture.
The kids went sledding as we work to get my Jeep up to the top of the snow covered hill.
Guido brings down TJ40’s winch cable to my Jeep.
The kids having fun.
The pull up the hill.
At the top and on the hard snow crust.
Heading back down toward Cowiche Mill Road.
Elk on the next hill over.
Airing up near the pavement of Cowiche Mill Road.
Charlie airing up our rig’s tires.
The Middle Kids and Rangerat.
Odo.
TJ40.
Craigen.
MudSlinger93.
After the run meeting back up at the Pastime.
At the T&T Lounge for dinner.
