Eastern Washington Off Road
Shoestring 4×4 Trip
Hosted by Graham Family Farm
Report & photos by Clay Graham
On Saturday August 8th, 2009 we met at the Eastern Washington Off Road camp on FS590 off of Milk Creek Road.
I rode shotgun with Scuba.
We headed up FS590 toward 4W617 (Lilly Pond Trail).
We found a land slide on FS590.
Turning onto 4W617 (Lilly Pond Trail).
Here is a little dirty bridge next to a mud hole.
The next bridge was hard to get up onto since you have to get mud on your tires to get to it.
Scuba came close to sliding off the bridge.
On up past the first steep climb coming up to the second.
On up at Lilly Pond we found Guido waiting for us.
We turn up 4W676 (Kaner Flats Trail).
On up the trail Waycrazy broke his steering on his CJ.
We tried to weld it back together with jumper cables and batteries.
Some of the PNWJeep.com guys came by as Waycrazy worked on his CJ.
PNWJeep.com makes their women walk. LOL
Next the Shindig Wheelers came up with some of their friends from Oregon.
Lucky for Waycrazy they had a welder and a professional welder with them.
After Waycrazy’s rig was put back together we moved on up the trail past the Shindig Wheelers.
Mrs. Bobcat was digging my new shades I borrowed from Scuba’s Daughter.
Moving up past the tombstone.
We turned onto the 4W306 (Manastash Ridge Trail) toward 4W308 (Shoestring Trail)
Next we dropped off the ridge and ran 4W308 (Shoestring Trail) down.
I always thought this was a good idea.
The Scuba 4×4 Team.
We stopped at Region 4 Meadows for a break.
At the end of 4W308 (Shoestring Trail) we turned up 4W307 (Tripod Flat Trail).
We turn off 4W307 (Tripod Flat Trail) onto 4W330 (Tip Over Trail).
The hill climb in the background looked to be a mean one.
At the bottom of that hill climb Waycrazy’s steering broke in another place.
As he was working on it, this guy in a 4runner comes down the trail running a flat tire.
He did not have a jack to change it out so Waycrazy loaned him his.
The guy in the 4runner told us he was in a hurry to go find the Search & Rescue
because his friend rolled his rig trying to take a short cut off the mountain.
Waycrazy got his rig fixed enough to drive back out going up and over to the 5 fingers.
Guido followed Waycrazy back to camp.
We headed on with Scuba as the lead vehicle.
The mean hill climb was nothing.
At the end of 4W330 (Tip Over Trail) we turn up 4W309 (String Trail).
Some quad riders in the area were there helping by the time we got to the roll over.
The quad riders said the driver was in pain but could walk around.
The passenger was conscious but could not move.
We stayed to help until the Search & Rescue got there.
We had to guide the helicopter in by phone.
The Search & Rescue and Forest Rangers on the ground showed up as the helicopter was landing.
Yakima Herald report: Rider hurt when pickup rolls down cliff
More pictures I took: Truck Drives off mountain from String Trail (4W309) – Aug 8 2009
After the Search & Rescue and Forest Rangers did not need our help anymore we headed on up 4W309 (String Trail).
At the top of the ridge we turn on 4W306 (Manastash Ridge Trail) toward 4W676 (Kaner Flats Trail).
This section of 4W306 (Manastash Ridge Trail) is pretty mean to the bottom side of the rigs.
BlindPilot might have been cussing me on this part.
Test Dummy looked to almost flop it right before this part.
We turned off the 4W306 (Manastash Ridge Trail) back down 4W676 (Kaner Flats Trail).
As soon as we turned something in Test Dummy’s Dana 30 broke.
Test Dummy ran it hoping for the best.
It wasn’t another 50 feet later, Scuba’s Dana 30 was popping bad.
We found the axle u-joint broke and took out the axles.
Here is a picture of it down the trail after running it a ways.
We turned off 4W676 (Kaner Flats Trail) and ran 4W617 (Lilly Pond Trail) back to camp.
On the way BlindPilot pointed out that the only two Jeeps not to break on this run were TJs. He’ll have his day. LOL.
This was a very fun run thanks to all who came and to some cool people we seen on the trail.
