Washington Back Country Discovery Route

[1911fan]

Went up Mission Creek out of Cashmere again today, this time with the honeybunch but only five dogs. Closest washout to Cashmere, as reported above, is big-bike doable- with help, and take the panniers off, is how I'd do it. Choke point is above the white rocks, just past the big rock left of the stream. Rideable surface is about a foot wide, and the bank on the right side of the trail limits you- no overhang allowed on the right. Pic:


There's another washed out section, further south, that's not as bad. Just a couple of rock stretches where the road surface has washed away and a good creekbed in the road. Best line here is to the left in the pic, to the right as you head north. Pic:



This pic is looking north/downhill, towards Cashmere. It's the other end of the washout in the second pic above.



I'd do it on the 990, but as I posted a page or two back, I'd maybe want a spotter at the choke point in the first pic. Second pic washout is just a rocky stretch.

Remember that the gate on each end is closed, and don't whine if you get a fat ticket for riding it.


1911fan

[wbedient]

I use my GPS for hunting and navigation, but I've never done anything with routes. It is a DeLorme PN30, and has full color topo maps. Seems like it would be good for navigation of the WABDR?

I downloaded the GPX file from the wabdr website but I don't know how to edit it down to fit on my PN30. We'll be going from north to south.

Anybody have the GPX file in a format that would work with my PN30 (<1,000 waypoints) ?

Suggestions? Other options (navigate with paper map and GPS w/o routes?) ??

?

[Sapling]

Awesome 911!!

[88NX250]

Thanks for the great pics/report!

[Fooch]

My two homies and I will be cruising up from Stevenson this Thursday, I'm thinking we'll turn around at or near Ellensburg and be back Saturday. Maybe check out Liberty and see if the ghostses there are scurry. Sounds like Bethel Ridge will have snow, we'll take a look. We're to be on an XR650L, a DR650 and a KLX250 so if you see us flip us the bird!

[pdxmarcus]

Rode WABDR Section 1 ~60 miles in from Stevenson today: Got turned back by substantial snowdrifts on FR 8810, about 11.5mi north of FR 88(N 46 07.197' W 121 40.100'). This would be about due west of Eckhart Point on the Butler map. Picked my way around for awhile, but the snow got deeper and my options became pretty limited:


The route up to this point was clear, aside from a few downed limbs and branches. Might suggest try bypassing to the west by staying on FR 88? Or, if you're on a smaller bike(I was solo today on a nimble but heavy KTM 950) you may be able to skirt around through the duff and trees. I hiked the drifted-in road for about 1/4 mi or so and couldn't scope the end of the difficulties from my turnaround point.

Fun, fast riding...shared the road with an elk, a couple of deer - and a very surprised black bear!

Next up? Best Luck!

[Fooch]

Thanks for the recon, Marcus!

[Maddaddy]

Originally Posted by pdxmarcus

Rode WABDR Section 1 ~60 miles in from Stevenson today: Got turned back by substantial snowdrifts on FR 8810, about 11.5mi north of FR 88(N 46 07.197' W 121 40.100'). This would be about due west of Eckhart Point on the Butler map. Picked my way around for awhile, but the snow got deeper and my options became pretty limited:

The route up to this point was clear, aside from a few downed limbs and branches. Might suggest try bypassing to the west by staying on FR 88? Or, if you're on a smaller bike(I was solo today on a nimble but heavy KTM 950) you may be able to skirt around through the duff and trees. I hiked the drifted-in road for about 1/4 mi or so and couldn't scope the end of the difficulties from my turnaround point.

Fun, fast riding...shared the road with an elk, a couple of deer - and a very surprised black bear!

Next up? Best Luck!

[88NX250]

Well done guys, I love seeing these "on the ground" reports come rolling in.

[Maddaddy]

Keep em coming! They are getting posted to the map on page one as they come in.

[Hoppster]

Thanks for the reports Markus, et. al.. Looks like it will still be a while before the full route is open. A buddy and I were hoping to do as much of it as possible this weekend. Anybody have suggestions about which sections (if any) we could string together free of snow?

Thanks!

[Fooch]

The 88 and 8851 both look like the photo pdxmarcus posted. 24 has similar snowage near the Smokey Creek Campground.

[wbedient]

Planning on doing a North to South over the week of the fourth of July... hope most of this snow goes away before then!

[abswa]

Originally Posted by wbedient

Planning on doing a North to South over the week of the fourth of July... hope most of this snow goes away before then!

We'll be seeing you whilst going north :-)

[wbedient]

Originally Posted by abswa

We'll be seeing you whilst going north :-)

You might, that depends on how lost we get and how close we can actually follow the route.

I couldn't get tracks on my GPS so we're gonna use paper maps and the GPS.

Hope to see you on the trail!