Christmas Tree Run Dec 15, 2007

[nightfoam]

Its a delayed posting, I know. I've been busy

So, we had a HUGE turnout. At the peak there were 14 rigs
10 Cherokees including myself along with my family and Jim from the BackroadDrivers group (we'll get back to him later)
A Grand Cherokee and a Jeep TJ (Wrangler)
There were also a pair of Toyotas.
Sorry I don't have all the names, there were SO many people

We started off from the Estacada Ranger Station. When I got there a few minutes after 9, everybody was already there. We sat around chatting until 9:30 before we hit the road. We only made it a few hundered feet before the guy behind me radioed that my fender flare was flappin loose. I pulled over to fix that and the group went ahead and pulled over. Once I caught up, we headed up Hwy 224 to the Memaloose Bridge and crossed to the south side of the clackamas river and immediatly headed up hill along NF-45, which we would follow for the remainder of the trip.

We stopped at a intersection to air down and detrailer one of the rigs.



Continuing on, we climbed up hill until we started getting into the snow. It'd been a several days since the snow had fallen so it was fairly icy and crunchy. After exploring some side trails, the group made a beeline for the summit of Goat mtn, stopping to play in a quarry.



After pulling the show-off off the rocks he get stuck on, we continued on towards the summit.
Only a few of us actually came to get trees, the rest were there for the snow.
On one of the last stretches up to the top of the mtn was extremely icey. So much so, that one of the Jeep drivers slid backwards into Jim D's brand new (to him) Cherkoee, punching a hole in his grill. Bummer

Fortunately, that and my fender and a bent tie rod after I left were the only damages done on the trip.

It was a good trip and I'm sure there'll be another one next year.
More pictures and video are available on the NAXJA thread

[imgettinby]

Had a great time, even though I wasn't after a tree. I guess some of us will use any excuse to go out and get dirty. Got to see a bunch of other XJ's (Jeep Cherokee) which helps with ideas for my own. Thanks for the invite, now all I have to do is clean up the dirty beast, sigh!

[Steve]

Great turn out to go play in the snow. Looks like a fun time.

Thanks for sharing.

Steve

[Jerry]

You guys had quite a time! And it looks like you found a nice tree. Thanks for the report.
Jerry

[RidgeRunner]

Looks like a good trip. Sorry I had to miss it. If I wouldn't have been tied up Friday and Saturday in tax classes I would have trundled on up there.

Mick