Graham Family Farm NW

Durr Wagon Trail/Umtanum Ridge Adventure
Report by Clay Graham
Photos by Clay Graham & Cody Davis

On Tuesday April 26th, 2011 we met up at McDonald’s in Ellensburg Washington for a Durr Road backroads run at the Wenas Wildlife Area. Durr road was built in the 1880s as a short cut for wagons to travel from Ellensburg to Selah since the Wenas pass was much longer. It took us four hours to complete the run to the end at Sheep Company Road North of Selah. We stopped a few times for views and ran the East end of the Umtanum Ridge and back to over look the Yakima River Canyon.

Here are some pictures of our day:

Odo was my Co-pilot. Here we are waiting for the others at McDonald’s in Ellensburg.

Airing down at the North end of Durr Road.

Heading across the pass.

Durr road crosses Umtanum Ridge near the towers. We have aways to go.

Some wild flowers are starting to come out.

Coming up on the Umtanum Canyon.

We stopped for a break at Umtanum Creek.

Heading on.

Looking back across for where we came from.

At the top of Umtanum Ridge.

Heading East on Umtanum Ridge Road.

A stop to look toward Selah.

You can see into Yakima from up there.

Looking back at the Towers.

Around the corner looking at the Kittitas Area.

Looking at Baldy Mountain and the Yakima River Canyon.

More flowers.

Tourist. LOL
Cody & Foxracer.

Foxracer & Ceg.

Photo Cody Davis

Looking toward the Selah end of the Yakima River Canyon.

Back up the road going toward Durr Road and the towers.
Looking toward the Ellensburg end of the Yakima River Canyon.

You can see I-82.

Getting closer to Durr Road.

We crossed Durr Road and went up to the towers for the view.

Looking at Kittitas County.

It was getting late so we drove back to Durr Road and took it down to Sheep Company Road where we aired up.

This was a fun trip thanks to who came.

Ahtanum Spring 4×4 Snow Run
Report by Clay Graham
Photos by Clay Graham and D.J. Scadlock

On April 9th, 2011 the All Wheelers Off Road Club met up at Nasty Creek Corrals to have some snow wheelin’ fun at the Ahtanum State Forest. We ran up to Ewe Neck and found it was not passable because of the snow drifts blocked the road. We dropped back down and tried to get up to Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail but the Mid Fork Road was blocked by a big tree at the two mile marker. We did not have a chain saw with us and we could not go around the tree without causing resource damage, so we turned around. We took Whites Ridge Loop Road up but ran into an off camber snow drift section. Three of the rigs cross but turn around since it was kind of hairy for the whole group. We ran over onto Sedge Ridge and had some fun in the deep snow up there. Around 6 PM or so we came back out the South Fork Road. This was a very fun run. Here are some pictures of the day:

Airing down at Nasty Creek Corrals.

Heading up Doe Pocket.

Photo by D.J. Scadlock

The snow was deep on top of Foundation Ridge.

Regrouping just before Jackass Road.

Jeepscum stuck.

A pull from Havo Jr.

Colemancooler got stuck so I gave him a pull.

BlindPilot gave it a try but Ewe Neck was not passable.

Turning around to run Jackass Road down.

The snow was soft on one side of the road and it sucked my rig into the ditch.

BlindPilot telling me to look at the funny guy that was riding with him.

At the pavement most of us turned and ran the Mid Fork up. Three rigs headed home.

At the 2 mile mark there was a big tree down across the road.

We did not have a chain saw with us and we could not go around the tree without causing resource damage, so we turned around.

We took Whites Ridge Loop Road on up to this off camber section.

BlindPilot broke trail through. Foxracer and I followed. Once on the other side we turned around since the vote of the group was to go some place else.

This was not fun crossing.

We ran back down and then up Red Saddle to run Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail.

The snow was deep and the tree holes were big.

Foxracer drove out of this hole.

Up the hill Jeepscum got stuck and had to winch.

We turned around before the Rocky Climb and headed over to run the South Fork up.

The South Fork Road was a blast. Foxracer kept sliding into the ditch.

Here these guys are trying to run me over.

Foxracer in the ditch again.

Havo Jr. winched Foxracer out after I could not pull him forward.

Up where South Fork runs onto Sedge Ridge 4×4 trail, BlindPilot got stuck so Havo takes the lead. I follow until Havo got stuck.

I drove around Havo since Havo Jr. show up to help his old man.

The drifts were big in the open areas.

Here I was trying to pass Craigen and I got stuck. Jeepscum tried to back up to help me and also got stuck.

We took turns winching off the same tree.

Photo by D.J. Scadlock

On up everyone was getting stuck. I tried to pull Jeepscum’s rig out and my rig got stuck tied to him.

Havo tried to pull and winch Jeepscum’s TJ from the rear but that did not work.

Havo went around to the front and Jeepscum’s TJ came out fine.

Craigen gave me a pull out and we were all on our way back down South Fork Road.

Here close to the pavement of South Fork Road, we aired up for home.

What a great time thanks to all who came on this adventure!