LaDee Flats/NF-4610 September 11th, 2011

[nightfoam]

Some of you may have heard of LaDee Flats, the new officially sanctioned OHV area in the Mt Hood National Forest. It is located along the 4610 road north of the Clackamas River, just a few miles east of Estacada. I got together with a few NAXJA guys, along with a couple others to go explore the area.

You can read all about the trip on my newest blog post. (It's only been a year!)

Ryan Mishler's Regional eXploration: LaDee Flats & NF-4610, September 11th, 2011

[Toy Man]

Good trip report.

I had not heard about LaDee Flats. Sounds like a typical Mt. Hood OHV area - damn little to actually run.

Toy Man

[TeamCF]

Yeah Gregg and I explored the "trails" that don't quite exist yet too a few weeks ago. Mostly what they did was open gates to closed roads and reclassified them as trails. Turned around in that spot where you guys did, the one that should do a loop ends right before you get back to the road. Did ya see what looks like a homeless camp back there? Was there when we went through. Right along the "trail" once it's tighter in the brush.

I remember a few years ago I drove 4610 all the way through. Kept thinking I hoped that it did actually go all the way through and the washout was the worst of it. At the time I was on 13" street tires and didn't know if I'd get back out the way I went in. Big no no when exploring by yourself but I did it anyway.

If you look in the back left corner of that gravel pit there is a way to get to the rest of it. Some big nasty hill climbs back there. Lots of debris from people shooting though, so watch out for tire slashers. (people need to clean up after themselves.......)

The drive up to Sqaw Mt. used to be big pucker. They have since smoothed it out some. Was off camber and rutted real bad. Kind of thing that has you thinking you just might take a ride sideways down the cliff.... upside down. Now I think it only has one kind of challenging turn due to it being tight and kind of rocky. Though flexy rigs would have no traction issues.


Overall I'm pretty dissapointed in the FS on that one. I know they do not want the area to be the next TSF. But a few good trails might keep the locals from just wheeling where they want out there. They missed the boat on that one.
Maybe they want it to be a failure for an excuse to just lock up a gate at the bottom at hwy 224.........

[daredevil1166]

I remember a few years ago I drove 4610 all the way through. Kept thinking I hoped that it did actually go all the way through and the washout was the worst of it. At the time I was on 13" street tires and didn't know if I'd get back out the way I went in. Big no no when exploring by yourself but I did it anyway.

I did the same in my '88 DL. That was about five years ago now. The washout was a lot better then.

I like this road, I intend on going through the washout in my Outback before this season ends. Just to have done it.

But that'll be easy - rear winch .

I'm hoping for more development of the LaDee area. I don't see it coming any time soon though. We need to keep people on established trails somehow, and giving them established trails is the right way to do it.

[TeamCF]

Yeah I remember when I first was reading about getting trails in the area the FS was saying they were working with biologists and 4x4 enthusiasts to map out and build several miles of moderate difficulty trails.
Seems like they just said screw it and opened up a gate or two and that's about it.

Been finding stuff on some of the dirtbike/dual sport forums and they pretty much got the same kind of thing.

I even have the maps for it that a ranger gave me at the office (I guess you get the maps from the sheriff when they see you heading up towards Goat or Wildcat and they tell you to leave and go to LaDee now too......). But nothing is actually marked out there, and what we matched up to the map with the GPS is not finished.

Just gotta keep digging for info I guess.

[mwyoung]

Made a solo trip up there today with my dogs. The washout was muddy, slick, further eroded, and impassable in my stock Discovery II. I stuck around for a while watching some guys on DS (including a KTM Adventure 990) work their way through the washout. It was inspiring and makes me want to get another KLR.
Estacada towards High Rocks - Offroading trip | EveryTrail

[daredevil1166]

Finally got to go through here again a couple weeks ago. My buddy and I winched down and then floored it up the other side. It was muddy and slick, raining the whole time. glad I got to go through before the snow came.

Also went to Squaw Mountain. It was foggy and couldn't see anything.

We also looked at the LaDee trails designated as Class I and III(ATV and Motorcycle). They suck. Most are as of yet, just old roads that have been closed off for 4 wheel drives.