Photos: EWOR Independence Day ORV Run at Ahtanum State Forest

Posted on July 4, 2008 by Ceg

Independence Day ORV Run
at Ahtanum State Forest
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road

On July 4th, 2008 we met at Mischief Maker’s camp at Tree Phones around 10 AM. Our group was; Mason – ATV, Sparky – ATV, Test Dummy – Dirt bike, Mischief Maker – ATV, Ceg & family – XJ.

We headed up the Ahtanum Mid Fork Road and stopped on top of Darland Mountain for a picture. We headed down the North Slope of Darland Mountain, turn onto the Blue Lake 4×4 Trail, and stopped at Blue Lake for a short break. We watch the 4x4xNorthwest club come in from Rimrock and then the Timber Tamers.

We headed up 4W615 onto FS1020. A few miles down we played in a few snow drifts and stopped for the view off Foundation Ridge.

We headed back up FS1020 through the snow again. Mischief Maker had fun showing off to my kids in the Tweety Jeep.

We are dropping down 4W615 from FS1020 toward Blue Lake. Test Dummy crashed the bike (Roll Over’s bike) in one of the many rocky areas. He only broke of some plastic.

Our next stop was at Snow Cabin Campground so the ladies could use the out house. The boys played in the Forest since the Creek was closed because of Bull Trout BS.

We took the North Fork Road down and used the McLaine Canyon Road to get back to the Ahtanum Mid Fork Road and up to Tree Phones. Fatboy met us there in his TJ.

Next we headed down the Ahtanum Mid Fork Road and up the McLaine Canyon Road and onto the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail. We went up to find a good place to see the fire works. We decided Make-Out Point would work.

We ran to the top end of the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail to kill some time.
On the way back down we stopped to read a No Quads Sign on the Grey Rock Trail.

Next we went on down to Norm’s Check-point to look down at the area around Tree Phones. You could see Shawn Montee logged a lot of the area we were closed out of in September 2005. Some quads were in the closed area. They may have not known it is closed if they came into the closed area from one of the trails above. The only closed signs I have seen are at the bottom of the road they are going down. I have talked to the DNR about this problem and I was told they don’t want ugly closed signs hanging everywhere. I say signs are education and ticket the ones that don’t care to read the signs instead of ticketing people for being in non-posted areas.

We headed on back up to Make-out Point to watch the fire works. We could see the ones at the fair grounds in Yakima and the ones at Legends in Toppenish. They were really small from Whites Ridge.

This was a great day thanks to the people that came.

Here are some photos of the EWOR Independence Day ORV Run:

Darland Mountain

Ahtanum State Forest

Blue Lake

Ahtanum State Forest

Bull Trout

Ahtanum State Forest

Yakima Valley

Ahtanum State Forest

Cultus Hole

Ahtanum State Forest

Posted in News | Tagged 4 Wheeling, 4x4, 4x4 trails, Ahtanum, Ahtanum State Forest, All Wheelers Off Road Club, Cherokee, Eastern Washington, Jeep, offroad, Snow Wheeling, TJ, trails, Washington State Tourism, XJ, Yakima Valley | Comments Off

Photos: EWOR 99’s Getting Out of the Heat Run at Ahtanum State Forest

Posted on June 29, 2008 by Ceg

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

Darland Mountain from North Fork Ahtanum Road.

Ahtanum State Forest

Blue Lake

Ahtanum State Forest

4W615 above Blue Lake

Ahtanum State Forest

Blue Slide Lookout Cabin

Ahtanum State Forest

Rimrock Lake from Foundation Ridge

Ahtanum State Forest

Foundation Ridge’s Annual Summer Snowdrift

Ahtanum State Forest

Jackass Road at 4W613

Ahtanum State Forest

Wildfire from Lightening

Ahtanum State Forest

Doe Pocket Trail looking toward Tampico.

A deer watching us drive by.

Posted in News | Tagged 4 Wheeling, 4x4, 4x4 trails, Ahtanum, Ahtanum State Forest, All Wheelers Off Road Club, Cherokee, Eastern Washington, Jeep, offroad, Snow Wheeling, trails, Washington State Tourism, XJ, Yakima Valley | Comments Off

Photos: EWOR RTI Play & Potluck Get Together

Posted on June 28, 2008 by Ceg

RTI Play & Potluck Get Together
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road
Report by Clay Graham. Photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road

On June 28th, 2008 we had a Eastern Washington Off Road Get Together.

Here are a few pictures I took:

Eastern Washington Off Road

Posted in News | Tagged 4x4, All Wheelers Off Road Club, Eastern Washington, Jeep, offroad, RTI ramp, Washington State Tourism, Yakima, Yakima Valley | Comments Off

Photos: EWOR Father’s Day 4×4 Camp Out on Manastash Ridge

Posted on June 15, 2008 by Ceg

Father’s Day Weekend Camp-out & 4×4 Run on Manastash Ridge
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road
Report by Clay Graham. Photos by Clay & Hank Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road

On Friday June 13th, 2008, we headed up FS1701 to set up camp at the FS1701-530 intersection for the Eastern Washington Off Road Father’s Day Weekend Camp-out & 4×4 Run on Manastash Ridge.

Saturday morning most of the people showed up at camp and others were planning to met us up at Funny Rocks. Around 10 AM we headed on FS1701 and turn on 4W694. We stopped for a break at the Manastash Lake Viewpoint on the way to Funny Rocks.

At Funny Rocks we met with the others and then headed out turning onto 4W695. We had a hard time getting some of the rigs through the snow around Moon Rocks. We drove through Moon Rocks and headed down toward FS1701. At the creek crossing we hit a lot of deep snow in the trees. Again it was a challenge to get through the deep snow covered area. At the tree line, I had to cut a down tree off of the trail to get through. We made it down to FS1701 at ran it back to camp.

After a break at camp, we headed up FS1701-530 and went across Bald Mountain to 4W644. As we got into the trees where the trail started down hill, the snow was deep and off camber. I started down through that area and slid sideways on the off camber snow and came very close to hitting a tree. I made it around and then Test Dummy did the same thing. Everyone behind him decided they didn’t want to try it. We were to committed to change our minds. We told the others we would meet them back at Moon Rocks and we continued down.

Test Dummy and I had a great time working the rigs, trying not to hit the tree on the downhill slope. We keep falling through the snow were water was running underneath. With some winching and pulling we made it down to the bottom and out of the snow. We could not put through the snow going uphill on 4W644A to get the Moon Rocks. We had to run 4W644 out to 4W694, then onto 4W695 to get to Moon Rocks. We made it there before the other part of our group.

Once everyone was at Moon Rocks, we headed back out 4W695, onto 4W694 and then down 4W686 to FS1708. Most headed for home and the rest of us head back to camp.

On Sunday Blind-Pilot came up to camp for the day’s run. I drove our family XJ, my wife drove her Tweety Jeep, Test Dummy had his XJ, and Blind-Pilot had a TJ. The ran FS1701-530 up to where the Bald Mountain Lookout once stood for the view. Next we ran back down and turned on 4W966. We ran 4W966 to FS1702 and down to SR410. We turned on SR410 and headed toward Little Naches. My XJ had a bad case of death wobble from the tires we had just put on. We stopped at Gold Creek Restaurant to see what was wrong with the XJ. Test Dummy pulled some weights off the front rims and we were on our way again. That helped a lot.

We turned onto NF19 and then went up FS1902 toward Raven Roost. We pasted the Peak Putters coming down. They pointed out my XJ’s rear shocks were hanging. The top bolts had pulled out. We headed on up to the snow level. The ruts were deep and my XJ tires were not great. We turned around and headed back down. We did some exploring campgrounds in the area and headed out. We stopped off at Whistlin’ Jack’s before going back to camp to get our tow rig.

This was a great Father’s Day weekend thanks to all who came.

Here are some photos of the EWOR Father’s Day 4×4 Camp Out:

Naches

Eastern Washington Adventures
is an Outdoor Recreation Information Center that holds many free events.

Posted in News | Tagged 4 Wheeling, 4×4 Trail, 4x4, 4x4 trails, All Wheelers Off Road Club, Cherokee, Eastern Washington, Jeep, offroad, TJ, trails, Washington State Tourism, XJ, Yakima Valley | Comments Off

Photos: EWOR Carnage Run at the Ahtanum State Forest

Posted on June 7, 2008 by Ceg

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:

Ahtanum State Forest