Ahtanum Trails Log-out

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Ceg

Ahtanum Trails Log-out
By Clay Graham
Photos taken by Clay Graham & Amanda Graham.On Saturday June 25th, 2011 the Yakima/Kittitas Forest Watch Association met up at Nasty Creek Corrals for the annual Trail log out for 4W613 and Strobach Mountain Trail. We had a big turnout of volunteers in eight rigs this year. Along the way volunteers replace Green Dot markers that were broken and replaced bad reflector stickers. The first stop was at C1410 to replace a Green Dot marked that was damaged. Next we headed up 4W613 from Louie Way Gap. We moved a few trees off the trail as we climbed up to the view point over Louie Way. We regrouped at the view point and stopped to check out the view. We headed on up 4W613 toward Strobach Mountain Vista moving trees out of the trail along the way. We hit snow not far from were we regrouped. We pressed on until the snow drifts were to big to climb on the off camber trail. We headed back down and regrouped at the Strobach Mountain Trailhead on C1000. Some of the group headed out. We continued on up the Strobach Mountain Trail with four rigs. Not far up the trail we found someone had dropped off a pickup bed. We guess it was cooler for them to wheel without it. Just up the trail we ran into more snow. This trail does not have many off camber sections normally but with the snow drifts in the trees we had a lot of tree holes to wheel through. A long the way we had to move a few fallen trees from the trail and had to block off the muddy by-passes people had made. Don turned around half way up the trail since he had somewhere to be. Three rigs moved on up the trail. Once at Strobach Mountain Vista we took a break to look at the view before heading back. On the way back down we blocked off another bi-pass to stop mudding. We got back down to the Ahtanum Sno-park at 7 PM. Some camped after the long day of trail maintenance. This was a great time thanks to all who came and helped out.

Here are some pictures of the day:

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At Nasty Creek Corrals waiting for Havo Jr.
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Replacing the C1410 Green Dot marker that was damaged.

Havo, TJ40, Monster & Guido.
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Ready for Green Dots.
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After we got the tools loaded up, we headed on up C1000.

Here we are grouping back up as we topped Cowiche Ridge passing the Strobach Mountain Trail.
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Havo and the dusty road.
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Louie Way Gap 4W613 at 4W608.
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We head up 4W613 to find a small tree down not far onto the trail.

Havo
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TJ40, Jay & Guido.
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Jay & TJ40
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Jay
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Next we found a big log that was cut and left in the trail.

Havo
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TJ40 & Havo
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Havo & TJ40
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Moving on.
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Tiny
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Don
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Another tree in the trail.

Jay, TJ40 & Havo
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Jay & TJ40
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Climbing up a steep rocky section of 4W613.
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Ceg
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Havo
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

We stopped at the 4W613 View Point over Louie Way Gap to regroup and take in the view.

Looking over Rimrock at Mt. Rainier.
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Looking across Louie Way Gap at Jumpoff Lookout.
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Moving up 4W613 we hit snow. This section of the trail is off camber when it is dry. The snow made staying on the trail difficult.
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Monster clearing trail.
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Havo
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TJ40
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This big snow drift was blocking the way.
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Taking a look off Divide Ridge as the other were backing down the trail.
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Now turned around back tracking out.
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Regrouping on 4W613 at 4W608.
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Parting ways at the Strobach Trailhead.

TJ40, Don & Tiny.
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Guido & TJ40
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If you know who owns this pickup bed, please contact the DNR SE Region Office. You may have seen the truck running around town with a flag mounted in the front center behind the cab. They left the mount on and we would like to return it with the pickup bed.
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Mt Adams
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Another tree blocking the trail with a new bi-pass around it.
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We came from down there that morning.
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Guido, Don & TJ40.
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The snow drifts with tree holes made the trail challenging in places.

Ceg
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Guido
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Don
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

TJ40
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Ceg
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Photo taken by Amanda Graham.

Guido got high centered and TJ40 helped getting Guido going again.
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Another tree blocking part of the trail.
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We could see Mt. Hood from the Strobach Mountain Trail.
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TJ40 & Guido.
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Near the top of the Strobach Mountain Trail there was a big snow drift to wheel over. Great fun!
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Guido slid off the drift sideways.
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At the 4W613 junction.
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One of the Green Dot Markers was out of the ground.

Monster & Guido
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Here we are at Strobach Mountain Vista.
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Looking at Rimrock Lake and Mt. Rainier from Strobach Mountain.
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TJ40
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Looking southwest down Divide Ridge. Mt. Adams, Dome Peak and Blue Slide in the photo.
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Looking across at William O. Douglas Wilderness.
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Mt. Rainier.
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Dn’t park to close. It is a long drop to the bottom.
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Looking back at Cowiche Ridge and the valleys below.
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Guido.
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Goat Rocks.
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Guido’s snack warmer.
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TJ40 and Guido enjoying under the hood food.
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There are a lot of flower this time a year.
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Looking off Strobach Mountain.
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Heading back down the Strobach Mountain Trail. This area is real dark because of the old growth.
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A lot of cool views from the Strobach Mountain Trail.
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Here we are blocking an area someone decided to mud.

TJ40 Jr.
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Guido, Monster & TJ40.
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Libby the wheeling dog.
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Once back down at Nasty Creek Corrals we aired up to run pavement. Monster is helping out. You can tell she loves Goodyear MT/Rs. LOL
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Whites Ridge Trailhead

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Ceg

Whites Ridge Trailhead
By Clay GrahamAt the Ahtanum State Forest, the new Whites Ridge Trailhead for the non-motorized users is near completion. They moved and widening to the Ahtanum Mid Fork Road to accommodate access to the new trailhead. The road dropping off of the Ahtanum Mid Fork to the Sno-park has been rerouted. This project turned out nice.Here are a few pictures of the Whites Ridge Trailhead project.

Looking at where the old road to the Sno-park is blocked off.
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Looking from new Ahtanum Sno-park Road at the new Whites Ridge Trailhead.
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Heading down toward the Ahtanum Sno-park looking at where the road was.
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Wenas/Naches Father’s Day 4 Wheeling Run

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Ceg

Wenas/Naches Father’s Day 4 Wheeling Run
By Clay Graham

On June 18th, 2011 we met up at Eastern Washington Adventures in Selah Washington for the Father’s Day Run. The plan was to go on some backroads around the Wenas Area and to check out the views from Clemen Mountain. We convoyed to the end of North Wenas Road and aired down. Next we headed up Maloy Road to find a locked gate across the Green Dot Road. Well that killed the original plans we had.

Plan “B”! We ran Hog Ranch Road up to FS1701 and then ran FS1701 up to the 4W694 Trail Head. We stopped for lunch at the 4W694 Trail Head and let the kids play.

After lunch we headed across the top of Manastash Ridge running trail 4W694 through dust, mud, water and snow. We stopped along the way to take in the view over Manastash Lake. It was very cold at the view point so we did not stay very long. We headed over to Funny Rocks. The snow was deep where the trail dropped down in the trees around Funny Rocks. I broke trail through that area since I was driving my Brother’s James Bond XJ. That was a lot of fun. We knew we would not get back up that section without winching but did not plan to back track 4W694. Nevada got stuck coming out the bottom since his rig was not set up to snow wheel. Remember this was planned as backroads run. Waycrazy drove back down to help Nevada and he got stuck. Guido helped Waycrazy get out and going again.

Once everyone was through the snow at Funny Rocks, we headed on toward Moon Rocks. Well we never made it to Moon Rocks because of snow on an off camber section right before Moon Rocks. We could not stay up on the trail. Not to cause resource damage by sliding off the trail, we turned around to back track back to FS1701.

Back at Funny Rocks we came into the problem of how we were going to get back up to the top of the rocks. I got stuck in the snow trying the easy line up Funny Rocks. Fatboy pulled me out as Guido lead the way around the rocks on the other side. The trail Guido took had a section we had to rock crawl. Nevada gave us a good show with his open diff rig. Waycrazy gave him a pull up and we were moving again.

Once everyone was on top of Funny Rocks, we headed backtracking 4W694 and then dropped down 4W670 to FS1701. Somehow TJ40 lost a bead coming down the hill. As TJ40 fixed his tire, we added air to ours. The kids got to play with each other one last time before we headed down FS1701. We took FS1701 down to Hwy410 and headed home.

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

Here are some pictures of the run:

We aired down at Maloy Road and the kids played.
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Heading up Hog Ranch Road.
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Lunch at the 4W694 Trail Head.
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Not far up the trail we found snow and water.
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Little off camber with the snow gone on only one side of the trail.
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This section was fun. I came close to sliding into a tree with my Brother’s James Bond XJ. TJ40 did better than me.
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We stopped at the view point above Manastash Lake.
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Odo wanting to go swimming.
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Waycrazy shooting at me.
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Moving on past 1350.
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Waycrazy coming out the bottom of Funny Rocks.
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Guido doing the same.
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Waycrazy stuck trying to help Nevada.
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Waycrazy helping Nevada get going.
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Waycrazy on his way back up.
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Nevada and family finely out of the trees.
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Moving onto Moon Rocks.
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As I **** walk across this section, Waycrazy takes the lead. He was making it better than I was but having trouble staying on the trail too.
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Guido packing the path.
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Nevada had some trouble in this section with being open.
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This trail had some giant snow banks.
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We trying to press on toward Moon Rocks by staying on the trail. We did not want to slide down into the tracks below. Looked very soft.
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Here I turn around and Guido had to get a pull to stay on the trail as he backed up.
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Hear you can see the XJ I was driving crab walked to where it sat.
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Back at Funny Rock I got stuck in the snow.
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Fatboy gave me a pull.
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Nevada working his way up the trail above Funny Rocks.
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A little help from Waycrazy.
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Here it is my turn to rock crawl. TJ40 took pics for me so I can show my Brother what kinds of things I do with his XJ. Wenas/Naches Father’s Day 4 Wheeling Run 149

Photo taken by Kevin Elliott.

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Photo taken by Kevin Elliott.

Photo taken by Kevin Elliott.

Photo taken by Kevin Elliott.

Photo taken by Kevin Elliott.

TJ40’s turn.
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Fatboy’s turn.
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Once we were all on top, we headed on out 4W694 the way we came in.

This section was fun. Nevada worked his rig well to get through. I think he only hit one tree.
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Regrouping after passing one Toyota truck. We hope they made it back out.
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We dropped off the ridge on 4W670. At FS1701 we aired up some as TJ40 re-beaded his tire. The kids played.
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Another great Father’s Day Run!

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Columbia River over flowing near Beverly Washington

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Ceg

Columbia River over flowing near Beverly Washington
By Clay GrahamOn Saturday June 4th, 2011 I was traveling to Beverly Dunes when I notice a mist over the Wanapum Dam. As I drove by I saw a lot of water was being dumped. I got near the old train trestle and saw trees under water. I turned around to get a few pictures. I headed onto Beverly Dunes to find the campground was under water since the Columbia River was backed up Crab Creek. Here are a few pictures:

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Memorial Day Ahtanum 4×4 Snow Run

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Ceg

Memorial Day Ahtanum 4×4 Snow Run
By Clay GrahamOn Memorial Day (Monday May 30th, 2011) Eastern Washington Adventures members met up at the Ahtanum Sno-park for a run looking to snow wheel. The snow level was not to far up the hill.

We ran Whites Ridge Loop Road and up Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail Just past McLane Canyon Road we hit snow. We could not get past an off camber snow drift section so we had to turn around. My rig (The Tweety Jeep) slid off the trail and got some damage as we were trying to get back up on the trail. The front grill assembly got ripped off, the passenger side front fender got smashed, I blew a bead on the front passenger side tire and I ripped part of the right lower control arm bracket as I smashed it.

Once my rig was back up the trail, we headed on down taking McLaine Canyon Road to the Mid Fork Ahtanum road. At this point we ran up to Tree Phones. We snow wheeled the camp driveway loops then took a break to let the kids run.

We all decided to head home from Tree Phones. After getting back down to the Sno-park and giving my keys to Sparky so she could drive my tow rig home, Craigen, BlindPilot, Test Dummy and I ran over Red Saddle and head out the South Fork Ahtanum Road.

This was a very fun day thanks to all who came. The Tweety Jeep may not feel the same way. Memorial Day Ahtanum 4×4 Snow Run 180