crash

I know many of you don't know where the nachies area in washington is, but I just wanted to share a part of my labor day weekend

Like all years in the past, I headed over east right after work on Thursday afternoon getting to the camp spot at the base of bald mountain around 10pm.
Nobody from my group was planning on heading over till later Friday eve so I had the whole place to myself. I was up Friday morning at 7am and had all my stuff ready to head
out around 9am. I had me a game plan, kinda adventure.. It had been almost a year since I had really gone out
and hit the trails and I knew there were places I had not seen yet.. One thing I do suck at, the trail #'s but I know the area pretty good so getting anyplace in the trail system isn't a problem.
So, off I went, heading up the main road to the start of the trail that you would take to enter funny rocks from Manashtash river road (after the climb up the dirt roads)..

It was kinda eerie, there were no tracks in the dusty(actually there was very little dust) trails and the funny rocks looked like a dead zone(so did the moon rocks).




So, I headed down the mainline, towards buck meadows, but took the trail that takes you past the old 601 and on top of Manashtash ridge. For years I had just passed
the trail that heads to rocky saddle, well, not this time. So, headed that way, and damn, did I get the scare of my life. I am
not one for HIGH drop offs, and that damn trail takes you right along the edge near the end, I'll admit it, I about pissed my pants.
I was in such a hurry I didn't take a damn pic,lol..

I wanted to head down to Lilly pond, and take the dirt roads towards 19 and come back up kanar, but opted not to. So down the shoestring I headed.At this point I still havent seen any fresh tracts, when I finally ran across somebody, 3 old gents on quads having a good time.. After some talk, I was back at it. Next stop, shoestring lake. It looks like the barricades that were put into place to keep rigs away from the lake are holding up nicely..
Sat down and ate lunch and walked around a portion of the lake, it was dead silent, and the lake is quite beautiful..



Now that I have fed my face with twinkies and pudding(man food,lol) I was back off and running. I took the trail through region 4, and back onto the mainline, and just north of where you hit the main line there is a trail that heads down( have driven past it alot over the years). I decided, was time to go take a look.
Now, there are no markings on the signs, so, If it was a no no to take that trail, I apologize. It was actually a neat little trail, It weaved through some large second growth timber, and bam, right to a lake. A portion of the trail is off camber and right along the edge of the lake, no place to mess up. I wanna say it was manashtash lake, and looking at the ridge line, I think it was but wasn't positive..

So I turned around, and headed back up the trail, back to the main line and headed into buck meadows to see who was out there camped.. A few tamers, and alot of bikes,lol..

Back up shoestring I went, and headed to tri-pod flats where I wanted to finally take a look at the cabin there.I gotta say, neat little place, and has withstood alot, and considering all the vandals out there, it was in great shape.. Went in side for some more man food, and read the journals of past visitors, all the way
back to 95..After some investigation, back to rig 80'smusicrockin



I headed back up the mainline torwards moon/funny rocks where there are 2 trails (just before the hill climbs from milk lake), one parallels the hill climbs,the other I have never been down. So I took the trail to the right.. Along the trail, here is whats left
of an old hunters cabin, and from the looks of it, some work, and it would be nicely setup.



Heading down the trail you can see the ridgeline on the left thru the trees and after a little distance you could now see a ridgeline on the right. Then the trail just stopped at the edge of a nice little (ok, not so little,lol) drop off. And here is what you saw, the rocky saddle from the other side



I am going to assume there is a bike trail across it, no way you are going to get a rig across that thing,lol..
From this standpoint, you can see tri-pod flats..



So, I shot down the other trail, to the bottom of the hill climbs, and saw the intense work that was done, great job..
There was one trail, I have seen, but never went down, the 682 I believe. I wanted to head down it, but it was getting late, and didn't wanna be on the trail in the dark...

So I headed over moon rocks, and down second creek, and back to camp. I gotta say, definitely one of the best days I have had in a long time.
Now, I know there will be alot who will say "don't wheel alone", but, I am well equipped, and definitely
take no chances that might result in danger to myself..

enjoy..

EWAYota

awesome photos, and looks like some beautiful scenery. how did the rig handle?

outdoorfever

lol not your average looking rig.

Yoter

You always have your cell phone and AAA right?

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Nice pics Mike.
I have only been on the Naches trail once, and it was a trip running my tires at full street pressure.
Made it through without a scrape with careful spotting.

A good video I think for those who are interested in running the Naches is the one that has the guy's from Kents Central 4WD in it.

I bought that vid a few years back.
It is the one where the guy in the Jeep has his rear end off the small bridge.
Driving over those brdiges on that trail is fun.

Have not seen the Funny/Moon rocks area though, only from pics on here and Snort.

914runner

Looks like I will have to take a drive up there one of these days!

SloPoke

Beautiful pics Crash!!! Man, they make me home sick.

Thanks for sharin'!

Mrs. Crash

Our cell phones lose reception up there.

GRNTACO

Nice pics Mike.

That area back there is awesome, and great wheelin'. Some friends and I spent the weekend out there and had a blast. I would like to do it again before the snow hits.

*on the soap box* You shouldn't wheel by yourself. No matter how equipt you are it's hard to take care of yourself when your body is broke. *ok, I'm off*

crash

Let me ask a simple question (not to beat on anybody), how many times have you, or anybody else for that fact gone on a drive down a forest service road by yourself? I gues I look at things from a different prospective, to me, I feel safer being out on a trail in my rig than I would taking any other vehicle loaded with people down a forest service road...

GRNTACO

Hehehehe. I do it all the time.

crash

Thank you for proving my point

RidgeRunner

Good story and pix, Crash! I go it alone most of the time too and have since the mid 80s...But I'm sure there are some who should NEVER go alone, if you know what I mean.

Mick