4W613 Trail Work Party
Hosted by Eastern Washington Adventures with cooperation from the Department of Natural Resources.
Sponsored by Selah Sweets
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Selah Sweets
This event was eligible for a voucher toward a complimentary Discover Pass.
Around 1 PM Friday, June 23rd, 2017, my three youngest sons and I headed out from the Eastern Washington Adventures Club House in Selah toward the Ahtanum State Forest to set up camp at Red Saddle Trailhead for the 10th annual eastern Washington Adventures 4W613 Trail Work Party.
We pulled into Red Saddle Trailhead at the Ahtanum State Forest to find a lot of people there. The Yakima Ski-benders were doing their annual groomed trail clean up during the weekend too.
We set up camp in the parking lot in front of our other club members since the only place was open near them was being illegally saved and never used during our time there. Saturday morning that camp spokeswoman even gave one of the volunteers that was not camping, crap for parking there. Little does she know that the man she gave a hard time, has put in many volunteer hours that help get funding for this recreation area she is using.
Saturday morning we headed out from Red Saddle Trailhead with six Jeeps with 10 EWA Club Members and 3 guest. We took the pavement down to Nasty Creek Corrals and aired down. We ran Nasty Creek Road to Louie Way Gap and headed up 4W613.
The trail was in good shape up to the Louie Way Gap View Point where we stopped for the view. On up 4W613 there were a few trees down we moved off the trail. Right before topping Strobach Mountain, we came across a down tree some side-by-side guys were getting ready to move. As they worked on moving the tree, we worked on moving our rigs off the trail to let them pass.
After the side-by-side guys pass, we had to deal with a snow drift on an off camber up hill section. James took a run at it first and slid over to the trees. He winched on up and then volunteers shoveled the up hill track to keep the rigs from sliding sideways. Once we were all past that section, we headed on up to the Strobach Mountain Vista for lunch, fixing a trail sign a long the way.
After lunch we head on up the next climb, across the Upper Meadow, and then into the Dome Peak Fire Area where we had to move a few tree from the trail.
We made our way down to the Lower Meadow and then up Foundation Ridge were we had to move a few more down trees.
Around the cattle guard we started hitting patched of snow. The snow got more challenging around Strobach Springs.
We all made it out to Jackass Road and decided we had time to do a little more trail work. We ran FS1024 to the Blue Slide Shelter. I got stuck in the snow a long the way.
We checked out Blue Slide and then headed out through Blue Lake getting a photo on the way back to camp.
My Jeep’s radiator cracked and over heated just past Blue Lake. Don towed me on out to the Ahtanum North Fork Road until it cooled down. We added more coolant and drove on back to camp.
This was a very fun weekend thanks to all that came to volunteer.
Here are some photos of the 4W613 Trail Work Party:
Selah Sweets
Shaved ice, Souvenirs, and makes pre-order snacks.
Inside and outside seating at the shop. Off site catering.
Eastern Washington Adventures
is an Outdoor Recreation Information Center that holds many free events.
Outdoor Recreation Information Center.
