Graham Family Farm NW

Memorial Day “Saturday” Run to Blue Lake
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road.
Report by Clay Graham. Photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road

Saturday, May 24th, 2008 we met up at the Ahtanum Sno-park and aired down. In our group we had these drivers: Ceg, Test Dummy, LayemStr8, Wantawheel, 89 yota and Blackdog. Another group joined us. I can’t remember names but they were driving the following: CJ5, YJ, Toy pickup and a quad. Very nice people.

We left the Sno-park around 10:30 and headed up the North Fork Ahtanum Road. On the way up “Wantawheel” had some heater hose problems. He got them fixed and we were back moving again.

Not far past Snow Cabin Camp Ground we hit snow. The new bridge was a little off camber with the snow on it. A nice drop to the bridge on one side.

We came up on an off camber area with a big drop off with the snow level. That was fun sliding to the bottom. Not! They dug the snow out so the new wheelers could cross the off camber area. Wantawheel and 89 yota decided that was enough too hairy for them so they headed back.

On up past the last bridge, we ran into Punisher’s group coming down from the Blue Lake area. We stopped and talked with them about the trail ahead.

At the end of the open area switchback, there was a big snow drift at the trees. I had to take a few runs at it to get on top and on up. The snow was sloppy. Test Dummy made it up next. Some of the other guys had to winch up. LayemStr8 winching a few rigs up with his CJ5.

At the Blue Lake turn off the other group decided to go back down. LayemStr8 went with them. Test Dummy, Blackdog and I headed on. At the pond turn off Blackdog said he wanted to go back down. Which left only two XJs.

We headed on. I got the Tweety Jeep stuck at the bottom of the first hill climb in Punisher group’s tracks. We got the Tweety Jeep out and kept heading toward Blue Lake.

We made it up and over two more hill climbs. We could see 4W615 but could not get to it. The trail was covered by a big drift. My rig kept sliding sideways down into the trees. Since it was getting late in the day, we decided to turn around.

We went across the gate keeper going out. On the other side I found water under the snow. Second time stuck for me. Test Dummy pulled me out and I turned around. We started going the other way and Test Dummy lead. Driving on his tracks the Tweety Jeep fell through the snow into water again. Stuck number three. Test Dummy got stuck trying to pull me out. We hooked up my winch and tried to use Test Dummy’s stuck XJ as an anchor. He was on the brakes and I winch him out of his holes. I was still stuck. Next we tried to winch out hooked to a tree. Even using the snatch block the XJ would not move.
I thought the strap around the tree was going to snap. We dug the ice out from under the Jeep and used the hi-lift to put logs under the rear tire that was in the ice water. We never did see the ground in that deep hole.

On the next little hill I smeared the new driver’s mirror on a tree and got stuck for the forth time after a few runs at the hill. We winched on up and headed back down the mountain.

This was a great day of wheelin’ thanks to those who came along.

Here are some photos of the Memorial Day “Saturday” Run to Blue Lake:

Mother’s Day 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 Saturday, May 10th, 2008, most of us left the Ahtanum Sno-park and head up Whites Ridge Loop around 10:30 AM. I was riding shot gun in Test Dummy’s XJ. ToyZuki and ToyEvy were running late. They were coming from Wenatchee.

It was not to far up we found snow. I think Scuba is the first to be stuck. Scott did better than we thought he would since he had a heavy rig with open diffs. The snow got real off camber on the North Slope of the Whites Ridge loop so we head back down.

We got a hold of ToyZuki on the radio and we got them up there with us.

Next we headed up the other end of the Whites Ridge Loop and onto the Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail. Scuba and Test Dummy got stuck next to each other. Scuba winched through and then pulled Test Dummy out. Icesis walked right through everything so far.

Up the trail Scuba got stuck and then Test Dummy did. Icesis winched both of them out.

ToyZuki having a hard time with the ruts. Icesis helped ToyZuki through the deep ruts. ToyEvy was behind enjoying the road that was packed.

Next was the hill climb. This was a fun challenge and a lot happened. Icesis met a tree with his rig. Scuba and Icesis both had to winch. Test Dummy took a run for the hill. Then Scuba got stuck on the climb. Icesis pulled Scuba out and then ToyZuki tried to climb the hill. No one topped the snow covered hill climb.

At the bottom of the hill, Scott found a log under his rig and then ToyZuki found a stump under his. A little help from Icesis and Scuba’s winches got ToyZuki’s rig off the stump.

We headed down McLaine Canyon Road to the Mid Fork Road. We turned up the Ahtanum Mid Fork to go to Tree Phones Campground. Test Dummy got stuck on the way since he was breaking trail with bald MT/Rs. Toyzuki pulled him out.

Next we turned into Tree Phones Campground and drove up to the upper Tree Phones parking lot for a picture.

We took a group picture and then headed back down to the Ahtanum Sno-park to part ways.

This was a very fun run thanks to the people that came out.

Here are some photos of the Mother’s Day Run at the Ahtanum State Forest: