Eastern Washington Adventures
Memorial Day 4×4 Snow Run at the Ahtanum State Forest
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road

Report and photos by Clay Graham / CegPics.com

Around 10 AM on Monday May 28th, 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures members meet up at the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead and aired down for the snow wheeling run. It was a nice warm day.

We waited around until 10:30 for others and then headed up the Mid Fork with Joker as the lead. We turned onto Whites Ridge Loop and then up the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail. Not far past the McLaine Canyon Road we found some trees across the trail. Guido cut the down trees and we helped get them off the trail. We moved on to hit off camber snow not to far past where the trail merges with the closed road. BlindPilot took the lead about the point where I smashed up my XJ on the 2011 Memorial Day run. We pushed on up the off camber snow covered trail cutting more down trees out of the way as we went. We pulled off to the side to let some FJ40s go past us. They did not go to far before turning around. We pressed on until we lost the trail in the area the logged out.

We decided to go back down once the group was back together and Joker lead the way. We turned off the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail and run McLaine Canyon Road down to the Mid Fork. Next we headed up the Mid Fork and stopped at Tree Phone to use the outhouse. Once business was done we head on up the Mid Fork. Not far from Eagle Nest we found two quad riders turning around. The flatter part of the snow drift above the road was getting narrow. We all decided to head back down.

On the way back down the Mid Fork “JK Lance” found a soft spot in the snow over the ditch and fell in. With a little winching he was out and we headed back down to the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead to air up for home.

This was a great run thanks to all who came. I special thanks to Joker for driving me around all day in his TJ.

Here are some photos of the Memorial Day Snow Run at the Ahtanum State Forest:

Airing down at the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead.

Up on Whites Rigde 4×4 Trail stopped to cut some trees out of the way.

Guido and his Wild Thing getting ready for the job.

Of course people had already damaged some young trees since they drove off the trail to get around the down trees.

Here is where things go tougher.
BlindPilot took the lead to break trail through the off camber snow drift that covered the trail a lond distance.

JK Lance having fun.

Some more trees down.

BlindPilot moving on breaking trail.

Here comes my ride. Joker in his Rodicon.

Another tree down.

We decided to just make two cuts and winch the part in the trail out of the way.

Using a snatch block to get the log off the trail.

Moving on.

Another tree down. This one was light enough to pick up and move by hand.

BlindPilot making a path for Joker.

Joker high centered.

BlindPilot giving Joker a pull.

Making our way up toward Make-out Point Hill.

Up in the area they logged looking for the trail.

Guido having fun.

Looking down the trail at JK Lance and TJ40.

Heading back down with an emergency stop for a pullup change.

Here we are stopped so some could use the outhouse at Tree Phones.

Moving up the Mid Fork toward Eagle Nest with Joker in the lead.

Some quad riders turning around.

The path getting narrow.

Joker decided to go on and check things out.

Joker said the trail got worse, so we started turning around where the quads did.

Heading back down with Joker in the rear on the pack.

This was an hairy spot. Either get on the drift and hope you don’t flop onto the road or drive off camber on the edge of the road.

JK Lance fell into the ditch after the snow gave way.

On down the road got dusty.

Regrouping at Tree Phones.

Airing up at the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead.

What a great day of fun!