Snow Wheeling at the Ahtanum State Forest
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On Sunday February 24th, 2013 Eastern Washington Adventures Club members met up at Highland Quick Stop in Cowiche Washington for the Ahtanum 4×4 Snow Wheeling Run. We had five rigs on this run, TJ40 – TJ, Craigen – TJ, Rangerat – YJ, The Middle Kid – Dakota and Ceg – JK. Guido rode with TJ40 and MudSlinger93 rode with me. We convoyed to Cowiche Mill Road and aired down.

Once aired down, we headed up Cowiche Mill Road and then up C-1300 onto Hatton road. Not much snow on the way up. Up on Hatton the snow drifts were deep and soft. Craigen and I both got stuck right off the bat. TJ40 also got stuck trying to go around to pull me out of my second stuck. The Middle Kid parked his rig after getting stuck a few times in the same area too. He rode shotgun with Rangerat most of the rest of the day.

We moved on up the ridge trying to stay on top of the harder snow. Of coarse we fell through a lot since the crust wasn’t very thick. We turned around once the snow got to soft to move forward. The last part I got stuck many times. On the way back through that last area, I used momentum to fly over the soft spots. That worked well. The next area I tried to blow through a snow drift where no one had drove and got stuck good. TJ40 got stuck next to me. Craigen got stuck trying to pull me through. Rangerat was trying to pull us back and that did not work well since we were stuck good. With some winching and pulling we made it through that area.

The last drift where we had went around on the way up earlier, was the area we got all the Jeeps stuck at once. A little more winching and we were back on our way. ...

Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival – Dec 16 2012

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Clay Graham ("Ceg")

Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On Sunday December 16th, 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures members met up for lunch at the München Haus in Leavenworth Washington for our annual Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival get together.

After lunch we had a good time walking around town enjoying all the Christmas spirit. It was snowing most of the afternoon but really not too cold. Around 4:30 PM we gathered in front of the gazebo for the main event, the lighting of the town. That was very cool.

After the town was lit up, Jeff and I took a walk. We stopped in at the München Haus and they had a movie playing in their courtyard. It was the first time a had watched a movie outdoors during a snow storm. My wife met us there for a beer and then we moved onto the Tumwater Inn Restaurant & Lounge for dinner where Jeff’s wife met with us.

The day was a lot of fun thanks to who came and to the people of Leavenworth that put so much work into making the Christmas Lighting Festival happen.

My family stayed Sunday and Monday nights at the Evergreen Inn so we could enjoy the Christmas spirit Leavenworth had to offer.

On Monday morning we woke up to deep snow. ...

Eastern Washington Adventures
Wagons East! Naches Pass Trail 4x4 Run
Report & photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

The Historic Naches Pass Wagon Trail is one of the most poplar trails in the Northwest. Some years we run this trail a few times during the time the west side is open. We really like to run this trail in the fall after the dust is gone and we do it in the opposite direction of the settlers for more of a challenge climbing the west end.

At 10 AM Saturday October 13th, 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures members met up at intersection of NF19 and FS1914 for the annual "Wagons East! Naches Pass Trail 4x4 Run". After letting some air out of our tires, we headed across Pyramid Pass with 6 rigs and met up with Mario at the end of the Naches Pass 4x4 Trail on FS70.

We took a hike down to see the cliff where the Longmire Party lowered their wagons down in October 1853. We hiked back up to start the 4x4 part of the run.

We stopped to see the sights along the way as we made our way East on the Naches Pass 4x4 Trail.

At FS1913 a few rigs headed for home and the rest of us finished the tight part of the trail.


Here are some pictures I took of our trip:

Meeting up on FS1914 right off of FS19.


On the west end of the Naches Pass 4x4 Trail we walked down to see the Naches Cliff where the Longmire Party lowered their wagons in October 1853.




I found this ...

PNW4WDA Region 4's
"Pick Up A Mountain"
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

Every year on the third weekend of September, Region 4 of the Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel Drive Association holds a big event at Jim Sprick Park to pick up trash in the surrounding mountains of the Naches Drainage.

People started setting up camp Thursday afternoon and by Friday night the park was packed.

Saturday September 15th, 2012 the day started with a driver's meeting at 8 AM. Naches Ranger Irene Davidson came out to talk with us before we headed out into the mountains. There were many fires in the area and we needed to be out of the way of he fire crews. She also wanted us to report any fires we saw as we were out.

After the drivers meeting we took a group photos of the rigs and headed out

Our group Yakima/Kittitas Forest Watch (a division of Eastern Washington Adventures) headed up FS1701 which is across the road from Jim Sprick Park. We stopped at the intersection of FS1701 & FS530 to clean up the camps. Next we ran to the end of FS1701 and turned up 4W694. We picked up trash along the way. We took a lunch break at the Manastash View Point. After lunch we continued on 4W694. We drive around Funny Rocks since other were there. At 4W695 we turned up it and stopped to pick up trash at Moon Rocks. Next we headed down 4W695 and turned back onto FS1701. We normally run FS530 up to Bald Mountain and take 4W675 down but there looked to be a fire near 4W675. This year we just ran FS1701 back down.

In the afternoon they had games for the Junior Jeepers.

In the evening they had the Corn Shucking Contest. Joleene Vessey won the Corn Shucking Contest the second year in a row.

After all the corn was shucked and cooked, they had a potluck dinner. Pollock's Rears and Gears donated the pork for Pulled Pork.

Around 6 PM the raffle started. There were ...

Darland Mountain Loop Drive
Report & photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On Sunday September 2nd, 2012 we took our friends for a drive to the Ahtanum State Forest to do the Darland Mountain loop. They had never been to the Ahtanum State Forest so we showed them some of the different places we like to go.

We first took a drive though the Ahtanum Campground and then made an outhouse stop at the Ahtanum ...

31st Annual Central Washington Antique Farm Equipment Expo
Report & photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On the Sunday morning "August 19th, 2012" I took the family to the Central Washington Antique Farm Equipment Expo at the Central Washington Agricultural Museum at Fullbright Park.

We walked around checking out the old equipment. We got to see an old saw mill working, some of the tractor pulls, threshing and some other cool stuff.

Havo Jr (an Eastern Washington Adventures member) won 3rd place in his class of the tractor pulls.

Our boys got to drive a small tractor and that made their day.

The day was very hot so we did not stay for the rest of the events. We did have a lot of fun and hope to come back again.


Here are some photos of the Central Washington Antique Farm Equipment ...

Leavenworth Backroads Adventure
Report & photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

On Wednesday August 15th, 2012 Foxracer and I headed out from the Naneum Ridge State Forest Backroads Run parting from Toy Man near Wenatchee to continue our Eastern Washington adventure around the Leavenworth area.

We stopped in the town Leavenworth around 5:30 PM. We parked at the Northeast side of town and walked through the Bavarian village to the München Haus for dinner. It was nice to sit in the biergarten under the misters on this hot day.

After dinner we wen back to our rigs to get our growlers and then got them topped of at the Icicle Brewery.

Next we head out of town on Icicle Road to go find a campsite. We found a very cool campsite near the end of the road. Map

On Thursday August 16th, 2012 Foxracer and I headed back through Leavenworth to go explore some backroads Northeast of town.

We headed up Darby Canyon Road (FS7400) from Peshastin and drove up to Chumstick Mountain. The views was great. After a short break and cell calls to our families, we headed back down the mountain to US-2 by the way of FS7415 & FS7412. This route dropped us near Cashmere.
...

Little Rattlesnake Jeep Run
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures
Photos by Clay Graham & Doc Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

Around 10 AM Sunday August 12th, 2012 Eastern Washington Adventures members met up at The Wood Shed in Nile Valley for the Little Rattlesnake 4x4 Run. Only three rigs made this run: Ceg (CJ5), The Middle Kid (CJ3A) and Issytj (TJ).

We convoyed to up FS1500 and aired down at the gravel. We turned on FS1503 and then run FS1501 to the end where the Little Rattlesnake 4x4 Trailhead (4W680) is.

The Little Rattlesnake 4x4 Trail was very dusty. The trail did not seem as tight as it was two years ago when I ran it with my same CJ5. I saw where some trees were cut down and some by-passes were made. If people don't want to dent their rigs, they should not be on a trail that is meant for vehicles not to exceed 75 inches in width and a wheelbase not to exceed 95 inches in length. It is very sad to see people are screwing it up for others.

Once at the end of the Little Rattlesnake 4x4 Trail, we went up to Timberwolf Mountain. We really did not have a good view because it was hazy.

Next we headed ...

A list to help you vote to lose public land/water access!!
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures

The Sierra Club is for saving the environment. Sound good right? Wrong if you ...