Open House Meeting Schedule

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Canyon Elementary School
(Silver Valley; near I-90 junction at Rose Lake)

Thursday, June 26, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Idaho Panhandle National Forests’ Supervisor’s Office
3815 Schreiber Way
Coeur d’Alene, ID

THE 60-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDS ON JUNE 30, 2008

Additional ways to submit comments:

MAIL COMMENTS TO:
Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District - Fernan Office,
2502 East Sherman Avenue
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814-5899 (Attn: Travel Planning).

HAND DELIVER COMMENTS TO:
District’s Fernan Office Silver Valley Office
2502 East Sherman Avenue OR 173 Commerce Drive
Coeur d’Alene, ID Smelterville, ID

Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FAX COMMENTS TO:
Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District office, at (208) 769-3062

EMAIL COMMENTS TO:
comments-northern-idpanhandle-coeur-dalene@fs.fed.us
Put “Travel Plan Environmental Assessment” in the subject line. Acceptable formats are MS Word, Word Perfect, or RTF. Comments should include your name and address.

For more information, please contact Don Garringer, Team Leader, at (208) 769-3005.

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The RMP is the basic document used to guide land use decisions and management actions on public lands for 20 years or more. The first step in this process is to work with interest groups and the public in identification of management issues. To achieve this, the BLM encourages the public’s participation in scoping meetings.

If you would like more information about this process, contact Jon Beck at (208) 384-3305 or e-mail him at jonathan_m_beck@blm.gov.

Additional information can be found on the Idaho State Office web site at http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/four_rivers/Planning/four_rivers_resource.html or by emailing Four_Rivers_RMP@blm.gov.

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Dennis Hilliard, Ranger on the Leadore District of the Salmon-Challis National Forest, and his staff would be glad to help you with the Idaho segment of the trail. On the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, please direct your questions to Noelle Meier, Forest Recreation Specialist, at the BDNF Supervisor’s Office in Dillon, Montana at (406) 683-3932.

The 30 day public comment period runs through close of business on June 28, 2008.

MAIL, FAX OR HAND DELIVER COMMENTS TO:
Send written comments to: Noelle Meier, BDNF, 420 Barrett, Dillon, MT 59725, Subject: CDNST: Miner-Berry-Goldstone. Those wishing to comment by telephone should contact Noelle at (406) 6833932, or by fax at (406) 683-3855.

Hand-delivered comments must be time and date imprinted at the BDNF Supervisor’s Office by the close of business on the 30th calendar day following publication of the legal notice in the newspaper of record. Office hours for submitting hand-delivered comments are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Oral comments may be provided at the BDNF Supervisor’s Office during normal business hours via telephone or in person by the last day of the comment period. Written comments must be postmarked by the Postal Service, e-mailed, faxed, or otherwise submitted by 11:59 p.m. by the last day of the comment period.

EMAIL INSTRUCTIONS
Electronic comments may be submitted to comments-northern-beaverhead-deerlodge@fs.fed.us. The subject line must contain the name “CDNST: Miner-Berry-Goldstone.” Acceptable formats are MS Word, Word Perfect or RTF. For electronically mailed comments, the sender should receive an electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not receive this acknowledgement of their comments, it is the sender’s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means.

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record and will be available for public inspection. Comments may be submitted in writing, orally, or through electronic means.

A copy of the EA is available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/projects/index-cdnst-mbg.shtml. To request a copy, contact the BDNF Supervisor’s Office, 420 Barrett, Dillon, MT 59725, telephone (406) 683-3900, or email: cmartin@fs.fed.us.

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You can follow along with the build at Off-road Tent Trailer Build.

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Public Hearings Will Be Held Around The State In June

OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is in the process of revising Chapter 332-52 of the Washington Administrative Code, pertaining to recreation on DNR-managed lands. The rules provide basic standards for public safety and natural resource protection when accessing and recreating on these lands.

The department invites the public to participate by reviewing the draft rule language and attending one of the public hearings to be held in June in the following locations: Mount Vernon, Port Angeles, Hoquiam, Issaquah, Vancouver, Ellensburg, Olympia, and Okanogan.

The public review and comment process is consistent with the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Under SEPA, agencies are required to consider any potential negative environmental impacts before approving or denying a proposal. To review the draft language, visit www.dnr.wa.gov and enter “WAC Update” in the search box.

Noting that the rules for recreation and public access on DNR-managed lands were last updated 36 years ago, Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland said, “The language and rules have been revised to reflect the way we recreate now. Our commitment is to provide the broadest possible public access and enjoyment of these lands. The key is balancing public access for enjoyment, generating income for trust beneficiaries, and protecting the environment.”

In addition, the department initiated HB2472, a bill unanimously passed by the Legislature, creating a working group to make recommendations on a vision for the future of recreation on DNR-managed lands. “These rule revisions will complement the working group?s efforts and policy considerations,” said Sutherland.

The rule update addresses such topics as sanitation, traffic, firearms and target shooting. New language has also been drafted regarding roads and trails, campground use, water recreation facilities, and anchorage. The focus of the revision is to provide information in a clear and understandable way. The question and answer format is designed to help the reader find the desired information with ease.

The department initiated the recreation rules revision project in 2004 with a series of public workshops to gather comments on what should be included in the rules, and issues in the existing rules that need analysis and clarification. DNR conducted public meetings around the state to hear from a wide variety of recreational users and to identify needed changes. An ad hoc advisory committee with members representing a range of recreation interests worked with staff to provide input on the needed updates.

For information on the rule-making process, go to www.dnr.wa.gov and enter “rules for public access” in the search box.

SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

All Hearings Begin At 6 P. M.

Tuesday, June 10
Mount Vernon
Best Western Cotton Tree
2300 Market Street
(360) 428-5678

Thursday, June 12
Port Angeles
Senior Community Center
328 E 7th St, Port Angeles
(360) 457-7004

Tuesday, June 17
Hoquiam
Timberland Library
420 7th Street
(360) 532-1710

Tuesday, June 17
Issaquah
King County Library Service Center
Public Meeting Room (2A/B)
960 Newport Way NW
(425) 369-3200‎

Wednesday, June 18
Vancouver
Red Lion at the Quay
100 Columbia Street
(360) 694-8341

Wednesday, June 18
Ellensburg
Student Union and Recreation Center, 137B
Central Washington University
1007 N. Chestnut Street
(509) 963-1111

Thursday, June 19
Olympia
Phoenix Inn Suites
417 Capitol Way N, Olympia
(360) 570-0555

Thursday, June 19
Okanogan
Sun Valley Restaurant
1 Appleway Road, Okanogan
(509) 422- 2070

Wednesday, June 25
Spokane
Hilton Garden Inn
9015 W Sunset Hwy
(509) 244-5866

DNR - Land Manager And Protector Of Natural Resources

DNR, led by Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland, manages more than 3 million acres of state-owned trust forest, agricultural, range lands and commercial properties that earn income to build schools, universities and other state institutions, and help fund local services in many counties. In addition to earning income, trust lands and the conservation lands the department manages help to protect habitat for native plant and animal species, clean and abundant water, and offer public recreation and education opportunities statewide.

DNR is steward of more than 2.4 million acres of aquatic lands - the beaches and lands under Puget Sound, the coast, navigable lakes and rivers. They are managed to protect the fish and wildlife, provide commerce and navigation, and access for all the people of the state.

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An environmental impact statement (EIS) will be prepared to analyze the potential impacts the RMP will have upon resource elements. An RMP can be compared to a county master plan where management direction and objectives are defined for specific resources and areas. They address issues including livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, off-highway vehicle use, camping and even energy and mineral development.

The BLM will identify issues that the new RMP will address and then develop a range of alternatives each addressing the issues slightly differently. The BLM will also develop a ?preferred alternative.?

The BLM is in the initial stage of the RMP development, so it?s important for recreationists to become involved now. To provide you with an opportunity to learn about the planning process, to share information and to submit feedback on the RMP/EIS, the Snake River Field Office has scheduled a series of public scoping open house meetings during the month of June.

Upcoming Open House Meetings

Monday, June 9, 2008 4-7 p.m.
Business Center
159 N Idaho Street
Arco, Idaho, 83213
(208) 527-3060

Thursday, June 12, 2008 4-7 p.m.
Bureau of Land Management District Office/Upper Snake Field Office,
1405 Hollipark Drive
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401-2100
(208) 524-7500

Monday, June 16, 2008 4-7 p.m.
Chamber of Commerce, Madison Room
450 West 4th South
Rexburg, Idaho 83440-2319
(208) 356-4646

The meetings are open to the public and will be held in an informal, open-house style, which means that you may attend any (or all) open house(s) at any time during the scheduled 3-hour period. The open-house format was chosen to provide you flexibility to attend and give you direct access to information and the interdisciplinary team members that will be developing the Upper Snake RMP.

The BLM is asking for your input, and to help provide comments they will have comment forms available at the open-house meetings. Additionally, you may also provide your written comments by note or letter, or through electronic mail (e-mail). The team will review all of your written comments and use these to identify issues to be analyzed throughout the planning process and development of a draft EIS. Public meetings will be held again at a later date to facilitate review and comment on the draft EIS.

Your form/written comments must be received at the Upper Snake FO no later than June 27, 2008 and may be delivered to us via:

E-mail:
upper_snake_rmp@blm.gov

In Person or Mail:
Bureau of Land Management
Upper Snake FO RMP
Attn: Terry Smith, Project Manager
1405 Hollipark Drive
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401

If you have questions, please contact Joanna Wilson at (208) 524-7550.

PLEASE, IF YOU RECREATE IN ANY OF THESE AREAS, GET INVOLVED NOW! PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN.

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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.

From the small community of Beverly, we traveled east on the Lower Crab Creek Road and through the Crab Creek Wildlife Area and on into the Columbia National Wildlife Area just east.

We made quick stop into the Beverly Dunes ORV area to check the site out. A lot of people were camped out with their RVs and ATVs as expected for the holiday weekend. It was only about 9:30 a.m. when we drove through the ORV area so only a few kids were out riding their quads.

We continued on up the valley and the nicely graveled road turns to pavement near the community of Smyma. A short way past Smyma, the paved road turns to the left (and becomes E SW). Here the Lower Crab Creek Road continues east. At this spot is an old railroad trestle and an old abandoned railroad junction. One thing different from last year at this time was the old shack near the railroad crossing and junction is no longer there. It appears that a fire may have swept through the area and probably consuming the old railroad shack.

From the railroad junction, the road narrows and eventually climbs up the small cliffs that border the green valley of Lower Crab Creek and into shrub-steppe terrain. We eventually made our way through the community of Corfu, onto Gillis Road and back to SR 26 and into Othello.

From Othello, we headed north out town on the McManamon Road and then turned right onto S. Morgan Lake Road. This road leads back into seep lakes below the Potholes Reservoir and into the Seep Lakes Wildlife Area.

It’s about 13+/- miles from McManamon Road to the O’Sullivan Dam. There are many lakes along the way, however the only lake that was open to road traffic was Soda Lake. All other lakes, including Upper Goose Lake was gated and only open to foot traffic.

When we reached the O’Sullivan Dam Road (SR 262), we traveled east to the junction with SR 17 (the Coulee Corridor Highway) and traveled north past Moses Lake to the city of Soap Lake and into the Lower Grand Coulee. SR 17 travels past Soap Lake, Lenore Lake (where we stopped for a break and some photos), Blue Lake and Parke Lake before reaching the Sun Lakes State Park on the north shore of Parke Lake.

Of course, Sun Lakes State Park was very busy. We traveled past the busy campground area and headed towards the Dry Falls area. We first drove to Deep Lake but the parking lot was a little crowded so we turned around. We then made our way on a rough, gravel-surfaced road past Umatilla Rock, Perch Lake and to the roads end at Dry Falls Lake.

After touring the Sun Lakes State Park, we traveled the short distance on SR 17 to the Dry Falls Visitor Center where there are extensive views from the top of the dry falls cliffs into the coulee below. After shooting a lot of photos, we headed back onto SR 17 and then headed west on US 2.

From the map, it appeared that it was possible to travel from US 2 south on some primitive roads and reach the Moses Coulee and to SR 28 on the Columbia River just north of Crescent Bar.

From the junction with SR 17, US 2 travels primarily through areas of cultivated fields on each side of the road. One change in the landscape is when US 2 drops into Moses Coulee and climbs out the other side.

We made a stop at the old Highland School House that is just off the highway. Unfortunately, vandals have left their mark to the old school house. I’m sure it’s a matter of time before this landmark is no more.

A short ways past the Farmer Grange, we started our only true adventure for the day. We turned left and headed south on “H” SW, which is a straight, smooth gravel county farm road. “H” SW eventually becomes Slack Canyon Road (or Stotts Road, depending on the map you are reading) and drops down into the Douglas Creek Canyon via a narrow gravel road.

Once we reached the canyon bottom, we passed a few nice occupied campsites along the creek. At this point, we didn’t know if the road actually went though or not. The road led us through several water crossings, including one crossing up to the body of my Land Cruiser. We eventually met up with a group of people on ATVs (all packing rifles) that told us that the road does go through. We continued on through a few sections of road that required the use of four wheel drive and high clearance, but nothing too technical.

We came to a fork in the road and took the lower fork. There were a few people camped along the creek below where there were water carved bowls in the bedrock and small waterfalls (I would be worried if a flash flood occurred if I camped there). The road ended but we could see another road above us that may lead out to the cars we could see on the hillside above us. After verifying the route, we made our way to the end of the Douglas Creek Canyon and into Moses Coulee. I was able to flex my suspension a bit (low range four wheel drive is definitely required on this section, but again any decent clearance four wheel drive with low range could make it.) I’m not sure how much longer this last section of road will be passable. It gets pretty narrow where the roadbed is washing away. Right now it’s tight but passable for a full size truck.

From the end of the Douglas Creek Canyon, it’s a relatively short downhill drive down a gravel road to the Palisades Road and pavement (passable to roads end by cars). On the way down, we crossed an old railroad grade that continued up the Douglas Creek Canyon. Our guess is that it was from a mining operation up the canyon. On the way out on the Palisades Road, we visually followed the railroad grade to where it disappeared onto the valley floor near the community of Palisades. We then followed the Palisades Road through the farmlands of the Lower Moses Coulee, through the community of Appledale and finally reaching SR 28 near the Columbia River.

Once we reached SR 26, we turned left (which is actually eastbound) and headed south toward Crescent Bar. As we were approaching Crescent Bar, we had some great views across the Columbia River to West Bar.

Once we reached the turn off to Crescent Bar, we decided to take a drive down to see Crescent Bar. I was expecting to see a small town over run by new resort development but I never realized it was just a resort (at least that?s what it appeared to be before we turned around and left the chaos.

From Crescent Bar, its only seven miles to Quincy, where we fueled up for the trip home and had a quick fast food dinner before heading west over I-90.

Overall, we had great weather for most of the day. At times it was down right hot (for us coast people). We didn’t get on and off rain showers until we were almost to Moses Lake. Then the rain was with on and off again throughout the remainder of the day.

We were only able to see small wildlife on the trip. The wildlife count for the day including a rattlesnake, a turtle, frogs, rabbits, ground squirrels, herons, ducks and lots of other birds (not to forget the thousands of cows). The worst spot for mosquitoes was along Lower Crab Creek (a spray down of mosquito repellent made it tolerable).

In the end, we drove over 500 miles and still didn?t see all of the coulees in eastern Washington. Gas prices ranged from $3.97 (Ellensburg) - $4.12 (Quincy) a gallon. Don?t ask how much the gas bill was. Ouch.

Another great road trip completed.

You can view all of the photos from this trip at Eastern Washington Coulee Country Tour.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle, May 28, 2008
ARB 4×4 Accessories

Due to the ever growing popularity and recent release in Australia, ARB 4×4 Accessories is proud to announce the release of the newest accessory in the Hummer H3 ARB product line up, the ARB Deluxe Winch Bumper.

Considering ARB’s twenty-year history manufacturing both original and after market accessories for vehicles around the world, you can be sure to expect a customized mounting system and sleek yet, functional winch compatible bumper system specifically engineered to enhance the look and operation of your H3.

Constructed from premium sheet steel with a tapered wing design, this bumper has been crafted for optimum strength and improved approach angles. ARB’s unique airbag compatible mounting system ensures both occupant and vehicle safety. A hard wearing powder coat finish completes the look of this stylish new bumper.

As with all ARB Bull Bar Bumpers, the utmost attention to detail has resulted in a variety of built-in features including recessed indicators, optional recessed fog lamps, Warn Winch compatibility, Hi-Lift jacking points, driving light provisions, twin CB antenna mounting positions and the option to reuse the factory tow shackle recovery points.

ARB will release two bumpers, one to suit models with factory installed flares, and one that will accommodate models without the factory installed flares. With an estimated arrival date of late June for the first batch of bumpers to fit models with flares, ARB has opened the doors for pre orders. The current ETA for the bumper to fit models without flares is Summer 2008.

In addition to the Winch Bumpers, a rear bumper, roof rack, snorkel and Old Man Emu suspension system are currently being developed.

ARB Hummer H3 Deluxe Bumper Features

• Mounts reinforce and strengthen chassis
• Suits IPF 800 and 900 Series driving lights
• Combination turn signals/running lights in wings
• Five fold upswept and tapered wings
• Large diameter 60mm tube complements the vehicle and offers maximum strength
• Durable black powder coat finish
• Cover panel for non winch applications
• Compact front overhang for excellent front approach angles

About ARB

ARB Corporation Limited is Australia?s largest and industry leading manufacturer and distributor of quality, 4WD vehicle accessories, with distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide. The
company manufactures and stocks the world’s most respected and sought after brands including ARB Air Locker locking differentials and bumpers; Old Man Emu (OME) customized suspension systems, IPF high performance lightning, and Safari snorkel systems.

ARB’s Seattle office is the North, South & Central American headquarters and importer of ARB 4×4 Accessories.

Media Inquiries

For more information about ARB or to obtain production quality images please contact:

Steven Bisig, Marketing Assistant
ARB 4×4 Accessories
720 SW 34th Street
Renton, WA 98057
Tel: (425) 264-1391 | Fax: (425) 264-1392

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You can see the thread at What the deuce is this thing?.

Well I went ahead and popped the plastic cap off and tightened the screw a couple of turns. Initial impressions while driving around my house seemed to be an increase in low end torque (a very unscientific approach).

I now need to take a test run over Snoqualmie Pass to check against my baseline mpg of 13.4 when traveling from Federal Way to Ellensburg, Washington. Hopefully, I’ll have a little more power on the climb to the summit. When I have the data, I’ll report it back here.

Thanks Brandon for the tip.

Steve

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Forest Service to Host Next Series of Open Houses on Motorized Access

The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River Grassland are formulating a new travel plan that will limit ALL vehicle use to designated roads, trails and areas. The public is invited to attend any of several upcoming open houses scheduled in Central Oregon communities. The Forest Service (FS) is asking for your input during the 45-day public comment period, which will run through June 15, 2008.

Over the past year, personnel at the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests have been working with citizens, as well as state, county and local governments to identify how to provide for motorized access to dispersed campsites. The FS is now ready to begin environmental analysis of the proposal.

The proposed action will be presented at a series of open houses during May and June, providing opportunities for feedback from the public on the proposed action. The information is also be available for comment on the website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/travel-mgmt/index.shtml.

The proposed action will continue to provide opportunities for motorized access for dispersed camping in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland. The proposed action also provides reasonable levels of public safety on mixed use (highway licensed and non-highway licensed vehicles) roads. This action will not apply to snowmobile use.

PUBLIC MEETING DATES & LOCATIONS

May 20th 5:00-8:00 pm
Madras Senior Center
Madras, OR

May 21st 5:00-8:00 pm
Deschutes National Forest
Supervisors Office
1001 Emkay Dr.
Bend, OR

May 27th 5:00-8:00 pm
Ochoco National Forest
Supervisors Office
3160 NE 3rd St.
Prineville, OR

May 28th 5:00-8:00 pm
Gilchrist High School
201 Mountain View Dr.
Gilchrist, OR

June 2nd 5:00-8:00 pm
Redmond High School
Hugh Hartman Building
2105 W. Antler Ave.
Redmond, OR

Please send written comments to:

Deschutes/Ochoco/Crooked River National Grassland Travel Management EIS
1001 SW Emkay Drive
Bend, Oregon 97702

Fax (541) 383-5531

Send comments via email to: comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes@fs.fed.us. Electronic comments must be submitted as part of the actual email message or as an attachment in plain text (.txt),
Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf) or portable document format (.pdf). Emails submitted to email addresses other than the one listed above, or in formats other than those listed or containing viruses, will be rejected.

For more information or to discuss the project, contact Mollie Chaudet, Peggy Fisher or Laurel Skelton at (541) 383-5300. Information on the local effort and national management rule can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/travel-mgmt/index.shtml

As always, if you have any questions, please give us a call.

Thanks in advance for your support!
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

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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.

After breakfast, we all headed out of town on the Old Vantage Highway. On the way there, we met up with Brandon and his son (sorry I didn’t get your boy’s name) driving a 87 Toyota FJ60 Land Cruiser. Just past the Wild Horse Wind Farm, we entered the Whiskey Dick Road Management Area on the Whiskey Dick Corral Road. With the Wind Farm on our left, we started climbing out of the valley.

For the most part, the trip was in open shrub-steppe desert. The roads consisted of native soil and rock - typical of much of Eastern Washington. The roads in this area typically climb ridges and drop into canyons - some dry and others with a small creek running through them. Some roads travel along the ridge tops and others through green, brushy canyon bottoms. With a closer look, this time of year there are many plants in bloom, including the hedgehog cactus and many others.

At the first fork in the Whiskey Dick Corrals Rd. we stayed to the left and followed the Whiskey Dick Creek Rd. for several miles. Our next junction was with the Cayuse Rd. and Road 19.2. We stayed to the left and followed Road 19.2 in a northerly direction. After short distance on Road 19.2, we came to the intersection with the Hartman Rd. (which appears on the map to dead end after about 4 miles). Road 19.2 continues on to the right at this point.

Along the way, we passed multiple closed roads (not marked with a green dot). We passed through multiple drainages, some key ones marked on the map include Rollinger Creek, Bryant Creek and Little Bohinkleman Creek. Most of the creek drainages were not labeled on the map. In this section of travel, we passed a marker (I don’t if it was an actually gravesite or a memorial) of Darrell F. Jones that was right next to the road (I could not find any information while doing a quick search on the internet).

At Bohinkleman Spring, we passed on old building with stone wall. I’m guessing it was an old cabin, possible a homestead? From Bohinkleman Spring, we climbed out of the canyon and intersected the Skookumchuck Ridge Road that led off to the West. We stayed to the right and continued on Road 19.2 until eventually reaching the Quilomene Ridge Road.

Once we reached the Quilomene Ridge Road, we traveled in a westerly direction, leaving the Whiskey Dick area and entering the Quilomene Road Management Area. Again, the Wild Horse Wind Farm was in plain view to our left.

Along the way, Jerry’s Jeep Wagoneer decided it didn’t want to run while driving up a hill. Stuckey gave Jerry a tow up the hill and things seemed to be fine after that.

After approximately six miles or so, somewhere along the way, the Quilomene Ridge Road becomes Road 18 and then intersects with the Little Brushy Creek Road where it becomes Road 14 (also known as the Caribou Road - according to GPS).

Along the Caribou Road, Paul’s Ford Explorer dies and needed a jump. Luckily, that was the last of any vehicle problems.

While following the Caribou Road out the the Colockum Road, we came upon our first and only snow crossing about a mile or so from the Colockum Road. Shortly thereafter, we saw two elk in the open meadows. We eventually reached the Colockum Road and headed down to the lowlands near Ellensburg. To the North on the Colockum Road, the road appeared to be still snowed in. I’m sure after this weekend, a lot of that snow will be melting.

Once we reached the pavement, we aired up our tires and said our goodbyes. I’m sure everybody had a great time and of course, Jerry was a great organizer and tour guide.

It appears that Fridays are great days for Pacific Northwest backroading.

You can view of all the photos I shot on this trip at Exploring the Whiskey Dick.

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The photos I shot during the Backroad Drivers Northwest trip to the Whiskey Dick Road Management Area are now posted for your viewing. You can view them at Exploring the Whiskey Dick

Enjoy.

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What were you doing the day Mt. St. Helens blew it’s top?

I realize that anybody under the age of 28 wasn’t even born so this question does not apply to you.

I was 16 at the time. I was with my dad and cousin Frank at a bass fishing tournament with the Evergreen Bass Club on Silver Lake in Cowlitz County (only about 30 miles West of Mt. St. Helens). It was a beautiful clear sunny morning (much like it is this morning as I’m writing this). All weekend, we were hoping to see a puff of steam or a small ash plume, but all was quiet. I has witnessed several before on my frequent trips to Kelso.

Sometime around 8:30 AM, my dad had to head back to the resort to use the facilities. So he powered up the motor and we were heading back to the resort and he pointed at the mountain and when I looked up, we watched the initial blast and then Mt St Helens disappeared (just like the footage you always see of the initial eruption and landslide).

So we continued heading back to the resort. When we arrived, a lot of people were freaking out that they were going to die. My dad just calmly observed the chaos and decided to wait a little while until all the drama died down. Eventually word got to us about the I-5 bridge over the Toutle River was closed. That’s when my dad made the decision that we were staying for a while longer.

So what did we do, we motored the boat over to a store on the lake where one could dock a boat, he went inside the store and bought a case of beer, and we motored the boat into the middle of the lake and watched the ash plume (obviously this is nothing I would recommend doing today - time were different then).

After a few hours, we eventually got word that the Toutle River bridge was open again, and that’s when we loaded the boat on the trailer and headed home.

We never got any ash on us. I think most of it ended up in eastern Washington. The sky got dark (because it blocked out the morning sun) and the coolest part was all the lightening in the ash cloud. We never heard the explosion from our location. I’m not sure if that was because the motor idling or not.

This experience is something that I’ll never forget. I feel very lucky to be in the right spot at the right time to actually witness history and see the actual initial explosion and landslide occur.

What were you doing that day?

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If you receive the “server busy” error message, be sure to log into your account.

Steve

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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

read more | digg story

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As reported by the The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP):

Governor Gregoire established Bear Awareness Week to encourage people to learn more about our ursine neighbors, how to avoid conflicts with them, and to appreciate these majestic creatures in Washington - one of just four states that is wild enough to still support both species of bear.

This is great information for all of us who spend time enjoying the outdoors. If you haven’t encountered a bear yet, you eventually will.

Read more about Bear Awareness Week Activities at Governor proclaims official Bear Awareness Week

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The way I figure it, I own my Land Cruiser free and clear. If I was to go out and finance a new vehicle, the payments alone would probably exceed $500 (and probably be much more). That’s a lot of gas I could buy each month.

I found a post on pricewheels.com that lays out the true costs of replacing your old vehicle. You can read it at Dumping Gas Guzzler For Fuel Sipper May Cost More Than You Think

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Pett Toilet - A discussion on the Pett Dry Toilet System and some related topics

Cot Tent - Discussion on using tent cots.

Ahtanum trails Clean-up (July 26th, 2008) - An invitation to participate in the clean up area of trails in the Ahtanum area including Sedge Ridge, Whites Ridge, and Foundation Ridge.

Portable Hitch Kitchen - Discussion on creating a portable kitchen that could be easily carried on a hitch and removed at a campsite for use.

And of course, there are many on-going discussions.

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Steve

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Right Channel Radios is giving away complete Uniden Off-Road CB Kit that includes everything you need to install a CB in your 4×4 vehicle.

All you have to do is submit your email HERE by June 15, 2008.

Good luck.

NOTE: I am in no way associated with this give-away or the site.

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Trip Planning:

Scouting The Whiskey Dick - May 16, 2008 [Friday] - A weekday trip to explore the Whiskey Dick Road Management Area just east of Ellensburg, Washington.

Papa’s Toys Tour, 05-10-08 - the 6th annual trip to Papa’s Toy Collection in Cornelius, OR.

Completed Trips:

Tracking Ice Age Floods - April 19, 2008 - The trip report from the previous Saturday’s road trip through the coulee country of Eastern Washington.

And of course, there are many on-going discussions.

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You can view the complete photo collection on my Flickr site at Tracking the Ice Age Floods.

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Our goals for the this rainy spring day were to:

• Locate the train wreckage from the 1961 film titled “Ring of Fire”. During the filming of the movie they set an old railroad trestle and some passenger rail cars on fire and dropped them into the canyon. (See Brians site at Georgia-Pacific No. 9 and Ring of Fire Wreck Site for a great write up of the details of the movie and the wreckage site.)
• Visit the Wynoochee Dam and Lake.
• Visit the High Steel Bridge over the Skokomish River.

I’ll make my best guess on the direction of where we traveled throughout the day. I made as many notes as possible while driving (safely of course). The roads we traveled consisted of a mix of Simpson Timber (recently renamed as the Green Diamond Resource Company), Forest Service, and County roads. Some roads were marked well, others were not. Road names were pulled from either road signs/marking, the forest service map, or my GPS. Most of the area is consisted of clear cuts and 2nd or 3rd growth forest of various ages.

After breakfast, we headed North a short distance on US101 and headed West on the Shelton-Matlock Road through Dayton and into Matlock. From Matlock, we followed the Matlock-Deckerville Rd. until it reached the Deckerville Rd. where we continued West until we reached the Kelley Rd. where we headed North.

From the Kelley Rd., we turned left on Simpson Rd. #600, which on my GPS showed up as FR2153, however the Forest Service map shows it as FR2260. The road wound around through several drainages (including the Canyon River and the West Fork of the Satsop River) until reaching the Wynoochee Rd.

From the Wynoochee Rd, we headed North a short distance and turned left on Simpson Rd. D600 toward the train wreckage. This is a gated road but luckily, the gate was open the day we visited. We eventually came to a windfall across the road that had to be removed. I got my exercise for the day by chopping off the end of the tree. We all moved the remaining debris so we could get the vehicles through.

Once we removed the tree from the road, Ray’s 4Runner wouldn’t start. It ended up being a case of a loose and stripped out battery terminal. So after a quick repair we were on the road again. It wasn’t long after the downed tree that Randy realized that we had gone too far on the road, so we turned around. We ended up parking right next to the downed tree to access the rail to the train wreckage. In case anybody is interested, the coordinates of the area we parked are 47° 19′ 48″ N, 123° 38′ 35″ W.

It was only a short hike to the overlook into the Wynoochee River canyon below. From the lip of the canyon, we walked down a short distance (aided by a rope already in place) to a ledge so we could see the railroad wreckage below. There was a another rope that led down into the canyon. Kevin made the hike down to the railroad car and was able to poke his head inside. None of the others (including myself), had a strong enough desire venture down there. It looked pretty steep from where we stood. Kevin said only the first 40 feet was steep and the rest of the way was ok. And the rope down to the river was in good shape. After a few pictures we headed back to our vehicles and back to the Wynoochee Rd.

Once back on the Wynoochee Rd. (it eventually becomes FR22), we passed the old site of Camp Grisdale, Washington, the location of the last operating logging camp in the lower 48 states. Apparently there isn’t much left of the site so we continued on.

Just before Wynoochee Lake, there is an intersection of Forest Service roads. We headed north on FR2270 as it follows the east side of Wynoochee Lake. We were only able to drive to FR200 (a short distance past the head of the lake) because of snow. Believe it not, the elevation was only 835 feet and the road was snowed in.

From the head of the lake, we made an attempt to reach the fish collection site just below the Wynoochee Dam, but again, our path was blocked by a windfall. After a short stop at the Wynoochee Dam, we backtracked the way we came in. If the roads were snow free, one could drive FR23 from the Wynoochee, past Spider Lake and into the Skokomish River area (see Day 3 of Olympic Peninsula Backroad Adventures).

After we made our back to Matlock and a quick stop in the Matlock store, we turned left on the Dayton Airport Rd. (past the Shelton Prison) and another left on the Eells Hill Rd. which dropped us near the Shelton Trout Hatchery off Vance Creek in the Skokomish River Valley.

We headed upriver on the Skokomish Valley Rd. The road splits and the right fork becomes FR23. A short distance, we truined right on FR2340 towards the Skokomish High Steel Bridge. Along the way, we passed West Lake on the right side of the road.

The Skokomish High Steel Bridge is a very impressive site to visit. The bridge crosses a deep canyon of the South Fork of the Skokomish River far down below. It was originally an old railroad trestle that was built in 1929 and was later converted into a single lane bridge for vehicle traffic. The river below is over 400 feet down, making it one of the highest bridges in the United States. (Again, Brian has some great information about this area on his site at Simpson Timber Company Railroad.

After our visit at the High Steel Bridge, we attempted to continue on FR2340 and make the loop back to FR23 and back to Brown Creek, but we found the road gated at what was listed as N. Cushman Ridge Dr. From what we could tell from the GPS, we were on the ridge overlooking the West (or South) shore of Lake Cushman. This appeared to be a private gated community (or future community). Unfortunate for us, no views of Lake Cushman were to be had from our vantage point. On the way out, we made several additional attempts to view the lake via side roads with no luck.

From FR2340, we headed back to US101, through Shelton and back to the Taylor Towne restaurant were we ended the day’s trip.

From anywhere in the South Puget Sound region, this area is a relatively short drive to be able to explore a such a large area via logging roads. This was only my second time in the area, however I will be back to explore more of it once the snow melts.

You can view all of the photos I took on this trip at Wynoochee-Skokomish Adventure Photos on my Flickr page.

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• 2008 CRD Jeep Grand Cherokee 4×4 Limited Test Review
• 7 Bar Grille Camp Cooking Video Series
• Arctic Excursion in a Jeep JK Wrangler
• On the Trail with Sedona Jeep School
• Splendor of America’s Hidden Treasures
• Lizardskin Ceramic Insulation Install
• and more

This issue also features integrated video footage.

Visit www.jpfreek.com

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