Climbed to the top of the ridge again- NO snow anywhere on the trails, just a little slick here and there but hopefully weather this week will clean that up. Here's how the Teanaway is shaping up:
She's just screaming for me to drop in and rumble around instead of going back to work.... but today I was a responsible adult.... *sigh*
The wife and I will be over on Friday. We are trying to decide between riding the Manastash Metric route on our road bikes, or taking the Mountain Bikes into the 'Way.
No moto trails open yet. Too much mud = damage. Best thing is to 'like' the Cle Elum ORV FB group and keep an eye on how things are clearing out, Mikki Douglass from the FS keeps everyone updated and organized very well there.
Usually lower Taneum are the first to open, and that should be only a few weeks away.
Oh yeah. The upper stuff will have snow until late June/early July as always. You may be able to braaaap around Ronald a little though or maybe the lower Taneum. Just don't chow that spring thaw up too much....
You can see the River Ridge trail in the foreground and the West Fork is indeed behind that. The Frog Pond slab is about 2 o'clock. Sparse info could ba attributed to the maze of old roads/game trails in the valley. All routes are fun but if you really wanted a step by step, of any route, I think I may be able to do that. Could you follow it? Doubtful. Westra has a GPS track for some of the routes there which may help those encumbered with relying on that technology.
How many miles and what piques your interests? The other thing to do is print out a few maps and then look at the area on Google Earth or whatever. The tree cover is such that you can make out where a lot of the trails are in the satellite views. The Ridge Trail on the south side of the West fork going West to East from Dingbat Creek is always a favorite.
Mainly looking for shuttle trails, things with huge berms and big doubles we can hit over and over without having to pedal too much.
Not sure what is out there, the few times I've been with my wife to hunt mushrooms the trails looked pretty sandy and loose, so I wasn't expecting to hear so many people talking about how good the riding is. My friend and I are thinking about doing a weekend trip out there this summer, find somewhere to camp (Two Pines?) and maybe get in a fun 10-15 miles each day. Possibly more, not sure if the terrain is more like Bend-miles or MF Snoqualmie miles.
You probably can find a few videos out there. It can be sandy and loose in places and especially in the mid summer months. But, like Bend, you just follow the snow line. Once you get out of the lower valley, it quickly becomes basalt and a lava flow covering of the traditional Cle Elum coal bearing sandstone layer. Nothing sandy about Esmeralda, upper West Fork, Miller,Bean, Beverly, Standup, Stafford, or Iron Bear/Iron Creek. 29 Pines is better for later in the year and is at the end of the paved road on the North Fork. Earlier, the T-way campground on the West Fork works better.The Cle Elum ridge to lower basin trail are best from now until about mid-June and then in the fall once the rains come back.
The .gpx file that Westra posted on the Evergreen Wiki has the standard "May in the Way" loops. I've downloaded it and followed them and they are spot on.
Tarekith, sent you and Dan a different Saturday loop that goes out past the big slab to the top of the valley for a 25+ mile ride. Other than that, all the stuff I have is the same as Mike's.
Any thoughts on the Teanaway vs the Taneum over the 4th of July weekend? I'm wondering if dealing with possible snow on the higher elevation trails in the Teanaway is better than sucking dust from the motorcycles on the Taneum Creek Loop. I'm thinking about doing one or the other on July 6th.
I was checking out the Evergreen Trail Wiki and came across the Cooper River trail, the description sounds interesting, but it looks like this one is popular with the hikers. Thoughts?
I will also be spending the mornig on Friday the 5th riding Rat Pac.
We'll be staying at the Flying Horseshoe Ranch. Last year the owner mentioned that she had trails from the ranch down to the Teanaway River. Thoughts on these?
If anybody is around over the July 4th weekend, it would great to ride with somebody that knows the area.
Teanway will be good. Stuff is melting out fast. Esmeralda and Miller should be fine by then. I think Warmonkey was going to go check out Iron Bear/Iron Creek this weekend. (Way better IMHO as an over and back from either side than Cooper.) Cooper is a ways away up out of Salmon La Sac too and will indeed be busy mid-day with hikers. I'm sure Verslo will chime in about the Ranch. I've ridden from Rat Pac (West Fork CG really) to the top of the ridge to the ranch along the ridge and it's mostly double track and road until you get closer and there's an actually pretty fun trail that leads back over to the river. Don't think she has a map though. You can google Earth the hill behind the ranch and see most of the trails. Including the ones that go to the river. There was even a MTB race there a few years back. The close in trails will be beat though as they have trail ride horse trains daily on those close in. I may be up for an Esmeralda by then. The higher up stuff will be better.
Haven't ever rode any of Penny's stuff out of her ranch, so can't comment on that one. I'll be around although working the 4th itself and plans are up in the air as usual that far out....
I usually play it by ear based on trail conditions, the weather, and what I have/haven't got to yet. If it's cooler conditions and possibly wet closer to the crest, you can sometimes still nab a nice sunny ride by just moving farther east. Or vice-versa re heat.
At little sumpin' sumpin' from last Saturday on the way back. Some of you may recognize these riders and the semi-famous trail. Brought to you by kit Motofish get outta my way Travis... Contour | Stories | Upper Ridge Trail
Is this the trail out to the rock on the north end of the ridge (the one that roughly parallels Dingbat?) Its been so long since I've ridden any of those trails but there were some good ones.
My wife and I rode Bob's Saturday loop today. It was a really nice day. Flowers are coming into bloom and the dirt was firm. Well, except for the sections that the motos roosted through. They chowdered the singletrack near the lunch rocks (which is loose to begin with) and along the ridge (upper ridge trail?) pretty good. At least they have not found that section of singletrack that drops you out right next to the bridge over the W. Fork yet...
Awesome! Sounds like you did the "old" Saturday loop. Need to show you the new one on the other side of the river. WAY more trail and less sand too. The last section "BST" actually got some moto love abut 3 weeks ago by 4 riders (Kevin Curd among them) and seemed to have actually been better for it. Hmmm. The last descent along the cliff above the river though has been sublime and super fast.
No, this is to the East of that. Coming from the same junction at the Dingbat bridge. Cabin, blue bus, etc... Just head up the road behind the cabin going east and then take the first left after the 45mph speed limit sign. At the top, you will see the trail climbing left up through an open sandstone area. Ends at the river below the remnants of the sheepherder's cabin deeded in 1867. Some tracks courtesy of Happy Trails from last weekend.
Hoping to head out there this Saturday for a ride finally! Spent the last few weekends out there (roughly) with the wife doing the mushroom thing, now it's time to put wheels to dirt. Thanks for the new GPS routes, that will help us plan what to ride.
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