Well it looks like I missed another great trip. I need to get my engine finished. Jerry posted up a great trip on the trip to Gallaher Head Lake near Cle Elum, Washington. They had an excellent turnout with great people.
You can read the trip report at Gallaher Head Lake Tour.
On the forum, hutchman posted up a trip report with a lot of photos of a recent trip on his search to locate original sections of the Oregon Trail.
You can read the post and join in the discussion at My Oregon Trail Odyssey.
Join us in Naches, Washington to explore Forest Service, Department of Wildlife and DNR roads on and around Clemen Mountain. Clemen is actually a 4000′ high ridge that separates the Naches and Wenas Valleys and most of it lies within the Wenatchee National Forest and the Oak Creek Wildlife Area. It is not unusual to spot elk and big horn sheep on Clemen and sometimes in one particular area the deer are so plentiful it is almost impossible to keep count of your sightings.
Read more at Clemen Mountain Tour.
On Saturday, September 6, 2008, Columbia Gorge flood trip participants gathered at Shari?s in Troutdale to start the long day learning more about the Missoula Floods. Those of you who were not able to attend and want to learn more about these historic floods can do an internet search for Missoula Floods, or Ice Age Floods to get more information. You can also go to the Ice Age Floods Institute website and learn more there.
Read more at Sept. 6 Gorge Flood Trip Report
Help us celebrate our 10th Anniversary of exploring Northwest backroads and a new outlook for the next ten years. That’s right, Backroad Drivers Northwest is celebrating a decade of announcing, driving and reporting on backroad driving throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and beyond.
Join us in Everett, Washington and follow in the tire tracks of our very first tour ten years ago including the Mountain Loop Highway. Lunch and an informal celebration will be held in Darrington and our route from there will depend on vehicle capabilities. Most roads will be paved, but there will be a few miles of gravel. High ground clearance will not be necessary so bring what you have.
Details to follow, but mark the date on your calendar NOW!
Read more at Mountain Loop 10th Anniversary (10-25-08).
Accrete posted up a great trip report and some great photos of a recent trip into the Gnatt Creek Area of the Clatsop State Forest in Oregon.
Read more at OR_NorthCoast_Gnat Creek Area_2008-08
Join us for a day of easy four-wheeling north of Cle Elum, Washington. We plan on exploring the Fortune Creek Mining Area near Salmon la Sac and that includes three “easy” 4×4 trails and possibly a fourth rated as “more difficult”.
First will be the Fortune Creek Trail, 4W301 (rated easy). This trail offers beautiful scenery and along the route we may spot remnants of rusting mining machinery. The highlight of the Fortune Creek Trail is Gallaher Head Lake where there is a small primitive campground that would be a great place to camp if you so desire.
Read more at Gallagher Head Lake 4×4 Run (09-13-08).
Generally, I don’t like to travel on holiday weekends, especially when it involves going to Eastern Washington. However a day trip on a Sunday isn’t bad - no Monday stop and go traffic over Snoqualmie Pass to contend with.
On Sunday, my son Steven, our dog and myself headed out around 6:00 a.m. over Snoqualmie Pass to Eastern Washington on a photographic tour. After a stop in Ellensburg for gas, coffee and food (plus a few stops on the way for the dog), we headed east on I-90 to Vantage, across the Columbia River and south on SR 243 towards Beverly to head up Lower Crab Creek.
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Who would have thought that a Friday trip to the Whiskey Dick Road Management Area near Ellensburg, Washington would bring out more participants than most weekend trips.
Well Jerry (aka SoggyMountain) picked a wonderful day for a Backroad Drivers Northwest tour of the Whiskey Dick. Hands down, this was the warmest day of 2008 to date.
The meeting place that morning was the Bar 14 restaurant in Ellensburg. In attendance for the days trip was of course Jerry from Yakima driving his full size Jeep SJ Wagoneer; (and if I get the names wrong, please forgive and let me know to correct them) Phil and his son Travis from Newcastle, driving the white Ford Explorer; Paul from Tacoma driving the other Ford Explorer; Jim (stucky) driving the white Chevy Pickup (I forgot to ask where Jim was from); Trish and Tammy from Bothel driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon; John and Cindy from Monroe driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon; Sid from Renton driving his Jeep Wrangler, Peter and Don (I forgot to ask where they were from or if I did, I didn’t write it down) driving the Sportsmobile van; myself in my 80-series Toyota Land Cruiser; and Bill from Ellensburg who joined us for breakfast but had to supervise a fencing property today so he couldn’t join us.
Anybody who has Friday, May 16 available, we have a great off-road trip to the Whiskey Dick area near Ellensburg, Washington. We explored some this area last year and there is a lot more roads we missed. There’s going be some nice weather as well. Read more about the details of this trip at Scouting The Whiskey Dick