Pacific Northwest Backroad Adventures

Time is running out to make your voice heard.

The comment period deadline on the draft winter and summer Travel Plan for the Clearwater National Forest is set for February 29, 2008. This is the first time a National Forest in Region 1 has attempted site-specific implementation of their new (and unlawful) de-facto Wilderness policy. COMMENTS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED!

All you need to do is send an email to make your comments.

An example email and additional details are listed at UPDATE! NEW COMMENT DEADLINE ON U.S. FOREST SERVICE ATTEMPT TO IMPLEMENT AN UNLAWFUL “DE-FACTO WILDERNESS” POLICY.

NOTE: It is highly recommended that you write your own version of the letter and submit it via US Mail. Apparently, this has more influence than a mass emailing of the same letter.

PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE THE DEADLINE.

Here is another article on what you should do (and not do) to survive when you get lost in the wilderness. The article was written by Dan A. Nelson of Puyallup and appeared in the Seattle Times. Even though the article’s focus is for the hiker, the principles apply to remote vehicular travel also. Winter is upon us and it’s even more critical to be prepared.

Read the article at How to Be Found When You’re Lost.

On a related topic, Dan wrote another article of interest titled High-tech Solutions to Getting Found where he discusses high-tech gadgets that may help you in a rescue situation.

Here is an article of interest from survivaltopics.com on assembling a wilderness survival kit.

How to Make a Survival Kit to Save Your Life

For those of us who travel in the wilderness on a regular basis, the idea of equipping oneself with a survival kit seems trivial. Survivalists are sure to have a survival kit on hand at all times and are prepared to use it. This is because the experienced survivor knows the unexpected can happen without a moments notice.

Help or rescue may not always be immediately available so you need to be able to take care of yourself come what may. Making your own survival kit from a judicious selection of gear is the first step towards getting out alive.

Below is a discussion on how to make your own survival kit. Of necessity it is a bit wordy, as I believe it is important to know something about why certain items should be included in a survival kit, rather than just blindly following instructions for creating a kit without understanding why pieces of gear are included.

Read the entire article at http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-make-a-survival-kit-to-save-your-life/

Day One: August 10, 2007.

Daily Goal: To Drive from Carson, Washington (Highway 14 off the Columbia River near the Oregon border) to Packwood, Washington (Highway 12).

Map Reference:
Gifford Pinchot National Forest Map
Gifford Pinchot National Forest Adventure Routes - SUV and Dualsport Motorcycle Routes

Today was going to be a very long day. Not only would I be attempting to reach my destination in Packwood, I would also have to include the drive from my home in the middle of Washington state to the southern border near Oregon to start the tour of the Washington Cascade Mountains. My goal was to complete the drive from the Oregon border to the British Columbia in four days (see Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 for the introduction to this adventure).

After four hours of driving I-5 and Highway 14, I reached Carson, Washington - the designated starting point of my Cascade Overland Tour. From Carson, I headed north on the Wind River Rd. to Bear Creek Rd. (FS-6808) and ascended to Triangle Pass. From Triangle Pass, I followed FS-68 down to FS-66 and headed north.

FS-66 follows the east side of the Big Lava Bed for about 10 miles. Big Lava Bed is a 10 mile long lava flow from about +8000 years ago. There are no roads into the flow, only around the perimeter. From FS-66, you can see the exposed lava flow through the sparse forest.

At the end of the Big Lava Bed, I reached an area called South Prairie. You see meadows and and a small lake.

From South Prairie, I followed FS-6615 to FS-6621 to FS-60 which leads to Goose Lake and a what looks like a nice campground. There were a few people fishing but the trout weren’t biting that day. It would have been easy to hang out there for a few days.

From Goose Lake, I made an attempt to make a side trip to Red Mountain Lookout to get a better view of the Big Lava Flow however. When I reached the access road to Red Mountain (FS-240), the gate was locked. Back to Goose Lake to continue the tour.

From Goose Lake, I to took FS-6040 to Forlorn Lakes. This was the first road of the trip that lived up to the signage “Limited Maintenance”. Nothing difficult, but the ruts and waterbar crossings limit the route to high clearance vehicles.

From Forlorn Lakes, I intended to follow FS-6035 along the east perimeter of the Indian Heaven Wilderness Area, however the sign said that the road was closed five miles ahead so I followed FS-6030 to FS-6020 instead.

From FS-6020, I made my way on FS-24 along the northwest corner of the Indian Heaven Wilderness Area, past huckleberry meadows and Indian Camps of the Sawtooth Berry fields. The huckleberries are in season in August and there are a lot of native americans out picking them throughout this area.

Once past the Twin Buttes area, I followed the native surface FS-8854 (another fun limited maintenance road) past Steamboat Lake to FS-8871 and then to FS-88.

From FS-88, I made an attempt to follow another primitive forest road (FS-150) but found the road blocked. I then followed FS-200 which eventually becomes FS-150 in a few miles and eventually dead ends where a bridge once crossed the Lewis River at Twin Falls Campground. I had to then backtrack to FS-88. At least it was another limited maintenance native surface road. The national forest map is not very clear on this route.

Once back on FS-88, I followed it to FS-90. Ahead, FS-23 was washed out, so I detoured out of the valley on FS-585 (another primitive limited maintenance native surface road) to FS-2334 and onto FS-23.

Once I reached Babyshoe Pass, it was getting time to find a campsite for the night. Just past the pass was FS-335 so I followed it up Babyshoe Ridge and found a great spot on top of the ridge to camp for the night. This spot provided a great view of Mt. Adams to the southwest and Mt. Hood further south in Oregon. Elevation 4690 feet.

I didn’t meet my goal of reaching Packwood, Washington. If a more direct route was taken, it could have easily met the daily driving goal. It turns out that I was about two hours short, considering my backtracking and driving the more primitive routes in the area.

Daily Summary:

Total Miles Driven (approximate) - 102 miles (Carson to Mt. Adams)
Paved Highway: 7.7 miles
Paved County Roads: 8.5 miles
Paved Forest Service Road: 16.2 miles
Improved Gravel Forest Service Roads: 55.4 miles
Limited Maintenance Forest Roads: 14.2 miles

See all of the photos from day one of this trip at Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Day One Photos.

Next Day: Day Two: Mt. Adams to Blewett Pass

Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Introduction
Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Day One
Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Day Two
Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Day Three
Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Day Four
Trip Report: Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007 - Final Thoughts

A survival guide for what to do if you are lost in the wilderness. The focus of this guide is the four basic needs which can be the difference between life and death: Warmth, Water, Shelter, and Food. This guide provides a basic introduction to what you need to know to survive in a situation where you are lost and waiting to be rescued.

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