[wsm04rubi]

Yesterday we (Rock'd-n-Lock'd) ran a joint run with BEST (Boeing Employee Stump Thumpers) over the Naches Wagon Trail, then ran Kaner, and then ran Naches in reverse back to the west side of Government Meadows, coming out on FS70 from there back to the trucks. Had a great day, decent amount snow on Naches, lots of mud on Kaner.

Here are the pics:

Bob from BEST had some tire issues, running 34x9.5 tires on 8" wide rims, couldn't air down without popping a bead, so he had to bail out at the first FS70 crossing.

This little snowman is only about 18" tall. Someone made him in the parking area at the Cabin.

Half expected to see Sasquatch run across the trail in the fog in the meadows!

Kaner was a mudbath...

In this next sequence of pictures, I was hitting my rev limiter the entire time until I got to the trees.

 

[gregert12]

Great pics! I hope to make it out there for wheeling before I die.

 

[wsm04rubi]

Thanks Greg! Come on out, and we'll show you around!

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

Great pics Bill! Would you believe I've STILL not done the Naches Trail!?!?! Really want to run that one at some point. What elevation was the snow? I talked with Tenacious around the 7th or so I think after returning from elk hunting. He'd mentioned an upcoming run over the Naches and possible snow and I told him he'd be lucky to find it as I just came down from a bit over 6600' and it was some 60 degrees! We had snow in the high country early on in the trip, then it warmed up and all the snow up there melted off, with NONE to be seen anywhere except for Mt.Rainier. Looks like you had a good bit of snow, kinda curious when/where you found it. Would have been a blast! Muddy as all get out, but fun none the less...

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

[desertfox1]

Another group from the local forum ran it too, they must have done it earlier in the day, or maybe saturday. (I wonder if they are the ones that built the snowman)

As of today, the trail is now closed on the west side of Gov't Meadows (seasonal closure goes from Nov 15th-July 15th for wheeled vehicles).

The cabin is a popular destination for the snow mobile crowed in the winter, hence the big pile o' firewood on the porch. I was up there about a month ago (the trip when my jeep's motor puked) and was amazed to see a huge pile of firewood inside the cabin as well. All the times I've been there were probably before the sledders started stockpiling firewood for the winter.

The cabin looks out over a very large meadow. When the snow get 2' deep or so at the cabin/meadow, then it becomes a play area for the sledders. Notice the reflectors on the front of the cabin? That's so they can find their way back to the cabin after playing in the meadow after dark.

 

[kidmugg]

Bill, beautiful! (except for the mud! :laugh

 

[stangmata]

Those are some awesome pictures. Looks like a great day of wheeling.

 

[wsm04rubi]

Thanks everyone!

Mike, we hit snow somewhere around 4000 ft, pretty good cover by 4500, and winter wonderland at 5300 where the trail tops out.

We did the same trip, the same weekend last year, and there was way more snow then - over 3 feet deep on FS70, and we were breaking trail in the deep stuff. Dry powder too, so lots of fun to play in. This year was still good though, just more mud and less snow...

 

[inline6]

Looks like fun

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

Thanks for the info Bill, just realized the dates, the week after, and we did have snow come through-even a bit at my house! First of the season actually around here. Will see what comes next week-looks like it could get interesting... :lildevil:

Still need to run that trail-especially since BFG recognized it a couple years ago as one of their trails for the year. Looks like it won't be till spring though at the earliest now.

Again, Great pics!

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

[mac]

Bill...awesome pics!!

 

[Red Dog Leader]

Cool pics Bill....looks like some greasy mud.

 

[wsm04rubi]

Thanks guys! Yes it was greasy mud...

 

[sacdaddy03]

I got some friends that are from WA and laugh at "trails" in LA...Now I see why!

 

[Norminator]

Great pics! Cold damp and snowey forests are awesome.

 

[Okies]

Those tree's make our's look like shrubs... LOL

Great pics.

 

[desertfox1]

Those tree's make our's look like shrubs... LOL

Great pics.

That's what keeps me here in WA, is the trees, and the beauty of the landscape.

The Kaner Flats trail can even have muddy spots during the summer, but most of it does actually dry out.

I've only ran the trail once and got mired in a sippy hole in late August, when the rest of the trail was bone dry.

 

[wsm04rubi]

Those tree's make our's look like shrubs... LOL

Great pics.

Thanks Mike! Imagine if those forests hadn't been logged out 100 years ago. Here is a stump we came across this summer on a backpacking trip (that is my sister inside the stump). I've actually seen much larger ones out there, but this is the biggest one I have a picture of. And down near Mt. Rainier is a hiking trail that goes through one of the few remaining old growth forests, called Grove of the Patriarchs. There are many trees in there that are over 10 ft in diameter at the base.

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

Those tree's make our's look like shrubs... LOL

Great pics.

And down near Mt. Rainier is a hiking trail that goes through one of the few remaining old growth forests, called Grove of the Patriarchs. There are many trees in there that are over 10 ft in diameter at the base.

That is a nice little trail with some great scenery. Haven't been to Rainier in a LONG while. My grandparents used to take my sister and I there every year, stay at Paradise for a few nights, was lots of fun. Also camped at Ohanipikosh (sp?) camp ground a lot through the summers. Love it up there, hiked all over that place.

Best of luck,

Mike

 

[fry]

great pics, thanks for sharing. fun place to wheel, need to go back again next year.

In this next sequence of pictures, I was hitting my rev limiter the entire time until I got to the trees.

...

lol, so was chadsport11, same hill. we ran a bunch of rigs around the little naches the 12th-14th.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22S95i6y ... r_embedded