Trip Report: Moses Lake Sand Dunes (09-27-08)

[Jerry]

Moses Lake Sand Dunes
September 27, 2008


Evelyn and I drove 105 miles from our home in Yakima to the Moses Lake Sand Dunes where we spent most of Saturday with some fun guys and gals from the Eastern Washington Off Road Forum.

The dunes, aka Grant County ORV Area, is located about 4 miles south of the town of Moses Lake and they cover 3000 acres of sand and scrub. The facility is bordered on the north by the Crab Creek channel where it drains water from Moses Lake. To the west is O’Sullivan Reservoir, aka Potholes Reservoir, with its many shrub and willow covered islands, shallow lagoons and quiet coves that finally give way to open water as you head to the southwest corner of the dunes. And to the south and east is farmland, miles and miles of farmland.

This was our first time to visit the dunes so we followed a map taking us over backroads from the town of Moses Lake to the main entrance. Just beyond the entrance and near a most welcomed restroom facility we found the Eastern Washington Off Road gang. After getting acquainted we grouped up and followed our Trail Boss, ToyZuki. He led us into the heart of the dunes, climbing sand hills, digging doughnuts and just having a sand-flinging good time. It was fun watching the two Suzuki’s climbing the loose sand hills and seemingly effortlessly crossing the face of the hills with only their momentum keeping them from rolling sideways. And the Toyota pickups did a great job, too. But putting everyone to shame were the guys and gals on their quads; which is the ONLY way to go in the dunes! Evelyn and I were chugging along in our old-person-Bronco II barely able to keep up with the young folks. Heh, heh, heh???



ToyZuki found a great spot on top of a decent sized sand hill where we all lined up for photos before going back to playing in the sand. The Moses Lake Sand Dunes are not very tall between crest and trough and that makes clearing the top a bit easier, but virtually every hill is preceded by spring flexing whoop-de-dos making it difficult to get much of a run. Perfect for quads!

From the photo-op area Evelyn and I headed away from the group and followed the perimeter of the dunes. We saw only a few groups of quads on our trek around the facility and no other 4x4’s until we met up with our group at the far northwest corner. The Sand Scorpions - Moses Lake Washington ORV Club were having a mud bog event that we wanted to see. We got there early and watched them setting out the cones to mark the track.

Ev and I had enjoyed the day and as would have it we had other plans for the evening so we headed for home before the mud bog races got underway. After saying our goodbyes we followed a different route out of the facility and crossed a small dam at Crab Creek. We had a blast and saw some country first hand that we had formerly only imagined from looking at maps. It was a pretty cool.

[Binford]

I didn't even know that place was out there! Cool!

[Jerry]

Here are some pics I "borrowed" from other participants of the Moses Lake Sand Dune trip.

Thanks to ToyZuki for the following bunch.

THIS IS OUR MINI-CARAVAN LEAVING THE MEETING PLACE ENROUTE TO THE DUNES


EVELYN AND ME, THE OLD FOLKS, PUTTING ALONG IN OUR LITTLE RED BRONCO II


GETTING SOME AIR. LOTS OF BERMS AND WHOOP-DE-DOS IN THE DUNES


LOT'S OF FUN THROWING SAND. THE ZUKS AND TOYS DID A GREAT JOB




THE OLD FOLKS AGAIN. SOMEBODY WAKE THEM UP WHEN IT'S TIME TO LEAVE!


THE 4X4'S LINED UP ON TOP OF A DUNE WHILE THE QUADS PLAYED BELOW


Thanks to BigBoysToys for the following photos:



4X4'S AND QUADS RAN TOGETHER MUCH OF THE TIME


IT AIN'T EXACTLY A SAND RAIL, BUT WE HAD FUN


THE MOSES LAKE DUNES ARE NOT VERY TALL


And here's a few pics of the mud bog races by Jeepscum:

QUITE A FEW PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR THE MUD BOG RACES


IT WAS FUN LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT RIGS


THE RACES AND THE COURSE WAS SANCTIONED BY GRANT COUNTY


THE ENTIRE AREA IS UNDER WATER WHEN THE RESERVIOR IS UP IN THE SPRING


THIS GUY WAS STUCK FOR OVER TWO HOURS (BINFORD?)

Thanks to the guys who unknowingly supplied the photos. You guys will probably will never see them on this forum, but if you do I want you to know how much we appreciate them. And thanks for taking pics of my wife and me in our rig. I'm happy you caught us while we were still able to take nourishment.

[Binford]

Originally Posted by Jerry

THE RACES AND THE COURSE WAS SANCTIONED BY GRANT COUNTY


THIS GUY WAS STUCK FOR OVER TWO HOURS (BINFORD?)

I was going to say, notice the M715s were onhand there to pull the li'l Jeeps out of the mud! Heh, heh, heh....

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Binford

I was going to say, notice the M715s were onhand there to pull the li'l Jeeps out of the mud! Heh, heh, heh....

I was wondering how long it would take for you to respond. I gotta' say you got in here faster than I could have ever imagined! .

I din't get a chance to talk to either of those guys, but I did give them a thumbs up when we passed on the road.