10th Annual Eastern Washington Adventures
Ahtanum State Forest
Clean Up & Trail Maintenance Work Party Hosted by Eastern Washington Adventures with cooperation from the Department of Natural Resources. Sponsored by Selah Sweets Report and photos by Clay & Calvin Graham / Selah Sweets
This event was eligible for a voucher toward a complimentary Discover Pass.
On Saturday, July 22, 2017, Eastern Washington Adventures held the 10th Annual Ahtanum State Forest Clean Up. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday was Trail Maintenance work. Volunteers camped at Red Saddle Trailhead.
This was a very fun week thanks to all that came to volunteer.
Here are some photos of the Ahtanum State Forest Work Party:
Red Saddle Trailhead
Nasty CreekC1600 at Nasty Creek Road (C1000)
4W613 at 4W608
4W613 at 4W608 Louie Way Gap
Louie Way Gap Viewpoint
Rimrock & Mount RainierLong Lake down below Divide Ridge
4W613 at Strobach Mountain 4×4 TrailStrobach Mountain Vista
4W613 Upper Meadow
4W613 at Dome Peak 4×4 TrailSidewall damage
4W613 Lower Meadow
4W613 at Grey Rock Trail
Strobach Springs
4W613 at Jackass RoadMount AdamsRimrock LakeMount RainierGreen Lake & Mount AdamsLooking at the Goat RocksBlue Slide Lookout
Doc found a frog in Blue LakeBlue Lake
Doc found a bigger frog4W615 at Blue Lake Trail
Darland Mountain
East end of Sedge Ridge looking toward Yakima
Turning up Ahtanum South Fork
Whites Ridge – Tree Phones ViewpointS. McLaine Canyon Road (A3300)
Selah Sweets
Shaved ice, Souvenirs, and makes pre-order snacks.
Inside and outside seating at the shop. Off site catering.
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.
Join DNR staff and volunteers from Eastern Washington Adventures to clear debris from green dot roads and the 4W613 Trail above Rimrock to the snow level. Open to smaller 4×4 street legal rigs. Note: The trail has a lot of off-camber, it is tight through the trees in areas and most likely there will be deep snow which could help to damage your rig. 33×12.50 or taller MT type tires recommended.
The main run leaves at 10 AM on Saturday from the Eastern Washington Adventures Camp at Red Saddle Trailhead. Bring your sack lunch on the run. No Official Lunch break.
What to bring: Volunteers should bring gloves, water, lunch and dress appropriately for working outdoors. Volunteers are encouraged to four-wheel drive transportation to participate. Please Tread Lightly and follow the rules of the land.
Directions: Meet at the Red Saddle Parking Lot. Exit I-82 to Valley Mall Boulevard. Left on Longfiber Road. Right onto Ahtanum Road for 13 miles. Turn right onto North Fork Road at the Tampico Store. Proceed 10 miles to the Middle Fork Road, turn left at the Whites Ridge Trailhead and then right to the Red Saddle Trailhead. Google Directions
Camping information: A Discover Pass is required for all street licensed vehicles that are parked for camping. Everyone is welcome to camp at the Base Camp. Meet & Greets Friday and Saturday evenings.
On the Tuesday July 22nd, 2014 we met up at the Ahtanum Winter Recreation Trailhead for the Annual Eastern Washington Adventures Ahtanum State Forest Trail Maintenance, Clean-up & Camp Out. The rain came and cooled things down. We set up camp and had a good time around the campfire.
Wednesday morning the rain was coming down hard. We pulled the drain plugs on the JK, tighten up the bikini top and were ready to roll. Others were ready to go with their tops and doors. Around 10 AM we headed up Red Saddle Road for some Green Dot repair, trash removal and trail maintenance on Sedge Ridge.
We turned up the Sedge Ridge 4×4 Trail and started working. At Cultus Hole Vista we stopped for lunch. After lunch we worked our way down the South Fork then back up on the routed Boulder Trail. The rain stopped and it got warm. Once we topped Sedge Ridge we called it a day and headed back to camp.
Thursday we headed out around 10 AM going up the North Fork Ahtanum. It was a little cold and looked like rain father up the ridge we went. We started doing trail maintenance, Green Dot repair and trash clean-up as soon as we turned onto the Blue Lake Trail. At Blue Lake we took a quick photo and headed up 4W615 to Blue Slide Lookout for lunch. After lunch we headed down FS1024 and onto 4W613. We did some maintenance on 4W613 and took breaks at the view points. Once at Louie Way Gap 4W608, we headed back to camp by taking Nasty Creek Road out.
On Friday we headed out around 10 AM at worked on Whites Ridge 4×4 Trail and a few Green Dot roads. We came out off of McLane Canyon Road and headed down the North Fork, through camp and back on on Sedge Ridge to finish the maintenance on the east end of the ridge. We headed back to camp after we came up to the place we left off on Wednesday.
On Saturday we started the big clean up with many different groups. My family went with Selah Cub Scout Pack 276 and cleaned up the lower campgrounds. Around 5 PM everyone was back and we had a potluck dinner. Later a few people went up to Darland Mountain and watched the sun set.
This was a great time at the Ahtanum State Forest thanks to all who came. Some of the volunteers were from the following groups/clubs: Eastern Washington Adventures, Yakima Valley Timber Wolves, Jeeping Nomads, Selah Cub Scout Pack 276, Yakima Ridgerunners, The Cascadians and maybe a few more.
Here are some photos of the Eastern Washington Adventures Ahtanum State Forest Trail Maintenance, Clean up, & Camp out:
Every year Eastern Washington Adventures has a Thanksgiving 4×4 run on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for the Club members. A long with the 4×4 run, some come over to the EWA Club House for the get togethers. Some camp the weekend.
This year members started showing up Friday Afternoon to camp the weekend at Eastern Washington Adventures and some stayed at the North Park Lodge in Selah. There was a get together Friday Night in the EWA Club House.
Saturday November 30th, 2013, the people staying in Selah convoyed to Cowiche. They stopped at Highland Quick Stop for fuel and food. Then off to the end of pavement of Cowiche Mill Road to meet the others.
After airing down they headed up Cowiche Mill Road. The group work there way through Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ “Ahtanum State Forest” and up to “Jumpoff Fire Lookout” in the Naches Ranger District over looking Rimrock. There wasn’t much snow but it was very cold.
Next the group headed back down and then up Cowiche Ridge. They ran Cowiche Ridge up and onto the Strobach Mountain 4×4 Trail. The group stopped at Strobach Mountain Vista for the view of Rimrock but only could see glimpses off the ridge because of the clouds.
Since the days are short around Thanksgiving in the Northwest, the group headed for home around 4 PM from Strobach Mountain. They headed back down Strobach Mountain 4×4 Trail cutting a down tree off the trail along the way. They dropped down and out Nasty Creek airing up at the Nasty Creek Corrals near Tampico.
After airing up most of the group convoyed to the EWA Club House with a few stopping off for potluck supplies at the Selah Red Apple Market. At the EWA Club House the group had a potluck dinner. After dinner some headed for home or back to there motel.
Sunday morning there was a potluck breakfast in the EWA Club House before the rest headed for home.
This was a great time thanks to all who came for some part of the Thanksgiving weekend.
Here are a few pictures of the Eastern Washington Adventures Thanksgiving Weekend:
Selah Sweets
Eastern Washington Tourism and Outdoor Adventures.
Outdoor Recreation Information Center.
