Eastern Washington Adventures Summer Meet & Greet – Aug 4 2012

2012 Eastern Washington Adventures Summer Meet & Greet
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On Saturday August 4th, 2012 we had the 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures Summer Meet & Greet at the Eastern Washington Adventures Club House in Selah, Washington. This event was hosted by Yakima/Kittitas Forest Watch (The Non-Profit division of Eastern Washington Adventures).

The day was very hot and the turn out was smaller than years past. We had a lot of fun and the potluck was very good.

The evening cooled down nice and Charlie kept the music flowing.

On Sunday morning we had coffee before the campers headed out.

Thank you to everyone for coming out and making this a fun event again this year.

A special thank you to Jeff from Complete Cabin Care for donating another $100 toward the Forest Watch Volunteer Program.

Here are a few photos of the event:

Jeff came early and we enjoyed his company.
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Doc flipping burgers.
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Getting out of the sun.
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The potluck.
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The kids having fun in the pool.
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Jeff loading up for home.
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A little help since the ramps kicked out.
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Sunday morning coffee.
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Front row camping.
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See you next year!

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PHOTOS > EWA: 2012 Ahtanum State Forest Camp-out & Clean-up

Eastern Washington Adventures
2012 Ahtanum State Forest Camp-out & Clean-up

Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road

Report by Clay Graham / CegPics.com
Photos by Clay Graham , Charlie Graham, Doc Graham & Amanda Graham / CegPics.com

On Tuesday July 24th, 2012 members of Eastern Washington Adventures started showing up for the annual Ahtanum State Forest Camp-out and Clean-up.

On Wednesday we headed out with three Jeeps (Ceg, Rangerat & Foxracer) to do maintenance on the Blue Lake 4×4 Trail, 4W613 and everything in between. We got back to camp around 7 PM. Guido came that evening to camp for the rest of the week. Craigen came up to visit us that night.

On Thursday we headed out with four Jeeps (Ceg, Rangerat, Foxracer & Guido) to do maintenance on the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail and repair the Green Dot Markers on all the roads on Whites Ridge. Rangerat took off for home that evening.

Friday morning Foxracer had to leave for work. We headed out with two Jeeps (Ceg & Guido) and a quad (for the Ceg boys to share) to do maintenance on the Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail and repair the Green Dot Markers on all the roads on Sedge Ridge. Jeepscum and TJ40 came and set up camp when we were gone.

Saturday morning more people showed up to help with the clean-up. We took off in groups to pick up trash across the Ahtanum State Forest. My group also did some Green Dot Repair work. That evening we had a potluck dinner.

On Sunday we packed up and headed home.

This was a very fun week thanks to all who came out. Thank you all for volunteering at this event.

Here are some photos of our fun week at the Ahtanum State Forest:

Do not leave food out or the locals will take it!
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Wednesday July 25th, 2012

Replacing Green Dots on the Blue Lake Trail.
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There is a deer to the right of Foxracer’s head.
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Charlie replacing the Green Dots.
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At the intersection of the Blue lake Trail and 4W615.
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There was a tree down near Blue Lake.
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We also had to replace a Green Dot post there someone ran over.
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We took a break at Blue Lake.
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Heading on up 4W615.
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We stopped at Blue Slide Lookout.
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At 4W615 and FS1020 we replaced another Green Dot post.
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The Green Dot post at 4W613 was loose.
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On down 4W613 we had to remove a few trees that had fallen onto the trail.
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Charlie adding new Green Dots.
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This is a fun section on the 4W613. We just pasted the cattle guard.
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Then through the tight turn. We opted out of taking the bypass someone made.
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Coming through the Dome Peak Fire Area.
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Someone lost their muffler. Looked to fall off their header.
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Crossing the Upper Meadow.
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Odo replacing the Green Dots.
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We stopped at the Strobach Mountain Vista to look off down at Rimrock.
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On down 4W613.
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We stopped for a break at the Louie Way View Point.
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Heading on down.
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Doc not feeling to well.
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Thursday July 26th, 2012

Here we are on Whites Ridge Loop Road at Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail adding a missing Green Dot Marker.
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On up Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail we cut off the top of this post since it was splintered from bullet holes.
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Another splintered from bullet holes.
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We took a break at Norm’s Check Point.
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The rigs of the day.
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At the intersection of Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail and Make-out Point Trail, Charlie replaced the Green Dots.
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At Make-out Point to check out the view.
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Heading on up the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail.
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We stopped at the Whites Ridge Grey Rock Trail View Point.
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Looking across at Darland Mountain.
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On Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail crossing the Grey Rock Trail we replace the Green Dot post.
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We backtracked Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail and headed down McLain Canyon Road. Here Foxracer replaced the Green Dots.
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We headed on down to the North Fork Road and back to camp. Rangerat headed out for home that evening.

Friday July 27th, 2012

Here is another one of the locals that kept coming to visit us.
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Up on Sedge Ridge clearing the A1490.
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Doc used the quad to pull the log off the road.
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Heading onto Boulder Road.
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Looking down at Tampico.
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There was a few trees down on Boulder Road.
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I am replacing the Green Dots.
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Down on the South Fork around the 5 mile marker, someone left their campfire unattended. We put it out.

Guido pulling logs out of the fire.
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The kids dumping water on the fire.
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On up South Fork Road at Red Saddle Road we cut the bullet hole part of the sign off.
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New Green Dots.
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We did the same to the Green Dot post facing Red Saddle Road.
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Up on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail as we topped the Cultus Hole rim, we found a little snow to play in.
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Taking a lunch break at the Cultus Hole Vista.
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Charlie dropping down from the Cultus Hole rim on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail.
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We stopped at added Green Dot Markers on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail at the Cultus Hole Trail.
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On down the Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail we had another bullet holed post to fix.
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Charlie dropping down the Duel Climb on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail.
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Another bullet hole post.
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Doc dropping down the Rocky Climb on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail.
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Back at our camp (Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead), TJ40 and Jeepscum were waiting for us.
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Saturday July 28th, 2012

A lot of people just showed up for the day to do the clean-up. Groups headed out across Ahtanum State Forest.

I took a few volunteers with me to do some Green Dot repair as we picked up trash on Sedge Ridge.

Colemancooler making a place for a new Green Dot marker post.
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And the new post going in.
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The old broken post had to be dug out. RDub, Colemancooler, The Middle Kid & Monster working on it.
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The two rigs in our group.
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Replacing the Green Dot Marker on the top of the Boulder Road.
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The Middle Kid topping the Rocky Climb on Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail.
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Lunch at Cultus Hole Vista.
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Looking across Cultus Hole at the Goat Rocks and Mount Rainier.
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The same snow patch as the day before.
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Back at the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead, I.O.R.E. showed up with a lot of carpet he found at Nasty Flats.
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Here we are at the DNR dumpster removing the carpet from the truck.
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Charlie, Odo & Doc getting ready to clean the woods around camp.
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Monster leading the boys to the mess in the trees.
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The volunteers that stuck around until everyone was in.
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We had a great potluck dinner in the evening.
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This was a very fun week thanks to all who came out. Thank you all for volunteering at this event.

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PHOTOS > DNR/WDFW Naneum Ridge Field Trip

DNR/WDFW Naneum Ridge Field Trip

Report & photos by Clay Graham / CegPics.com

I am on the Recreation Planning Committee for the Department of Natural Resources‘ Naneum Ridge State Forest which also includes the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife‘s Colockum, Quilomene and Whiskey Dick areas. See Map

On Saturday July 14th, 2012 we met up at the DNR office in Ellensburg at 8 AM for our first field trip to see the recreation area. We headed out around 8:30 AM toward Parke Creek Road.

We drove up Parke Creek Road and stopped around 10 AM after turning onto Beacon Ridge Road. We looked at the Shub-steppe and talk about the wildlife that lives there.

Next we moved on up Beacon Ridge Road and turned up the Colockum Road and then up Pettit Road. We stopped around 11:45 AM at a meadow near the Aurther Coffin Game Reserve to talk about the how important these type of meadows with that type slope are to wildlife. There were cows grazing eating stuff the wildlife don’t like.

Next we moved up to the end of the road for lunch at a place called Inspiration Point. After lunch we back tracked out to the Colockum Road and headed on up.

Our next stop was around 1:30 PM at the WDFW Colockum Cabin in the Aurther Coffin Game Reserve so people could use the outhouse.

Next we headed down to Coleman Creek Road. We stopped around 3:00 PM to look at a dispersed campsite that was too close to the creek. We talked about the fish habitat that gets effected by the sediment runoff and lack of trees. It started raining hard at this point.

We moved on down and stopped at Coleman Orchard around 3:30 PM. Here we talked about how the area was open to target practice and how many trash the place by not picking up after themselves. Kittitas County Field and Stream Club and the Master Hunters have clean ups to keep the shooting area open.

That was the end of the field trip. We headed back to the

Return to DNR office in Ellensburg to get our vehicles to go home.

This was a very educational trip. Here are a few photos of our day:

Getting ready to leave the DNR office in Ellensburg.
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The first stop at Beacon Ridge Road.
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The WDFW talks about Shub-steppe and the wildlife.
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Shub-steppe.
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Here we are on Pettit Road at a meadow near the Aurther Coffin Game Reserve. There were cows grazing eating stuff the wildlife don’t like.
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Here we talk about the how important these type of meadows with that type slope are to wildlife.
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Lunch at Inspiration Point.
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Aurther Coffin Game Reserve.
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The WDFW Colockum Cabin in the Aurther Coffin Game Reserve.
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We were not there long before a Game Warden pulled in to see what was going on. Lucky we had permission to be there.
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A stop along Coleman Creek Road to look at a dispersed campsite.
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Mike Williams speaks about what is required when building campgrounds.
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Here we are at Coleman Orchard talking about the shooting range.
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The rain coming down on our group.
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What a great field trip.

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Photos: Yakima Valley Two Day Vacation (Part 2 Sunnyside)

Yakima Valley Two Day Vacation (Part 2 of 2)
Sunnyside
By Clay Graham / CegPics.com

July 12-13 2012, my wife took two days off work so we could get some stuff done for the upcoming house upgrades. We did a lot of running around and stopped to see a few things a long the way.

Click to see part one

Friday we did our business at Banner Bank and had a few hour to hang around for paperwork. We went to Snipes Mountain Brewery for lunch.

Next to Banner Bank the city is building the Jerry Taylor Veterans Memorial Plaza. Here are a few photos of the start of it.

Back in Selah we stopped in at the Pastime for some nachos and beer.

This was a fun two days running around with the wife.

Here are some photos of the local vacation:

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Photos: Yakima Valley Two Day Vacation (Part One)

Yakima Valley Two Day Vacation (Part 1 of 2)
By Clay Graham / CegPics.com

July 12-13 2012, my wife took two days off work so we could get some stuff done for the upcoming house upgrades. We did a lot of running around and stopped to see a few things a long the way.

Thursday we headed to Yakima and Union Gap to get some things done. Along the way we saw a trolley parked out front of AJ’s CB Shop.

Got a photo of Union Gap’s welcome wagon. Before stopping for an Adult Slurpee at Applebee’s. On the way home we stopped for another one at Los Mariachi’s.

Friday we headed to Sunnyside to talk with a loan officer at Banner Bank. We were running early so we stopped by to see the Teapot’s new location in Zillah.

Click to see part 2 of 2

Here are some photos of the local vacation (Part 1):

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