CLE elum/woods and steele/elk heights
- Thread starter JohnF
- Start date
Good question; are any of the sno-parks open? Stampede? 
John - I got up there today (Friday) and rode about everything from Elk Heights to 5 corners. Sno-Park is closed, gate locked, but plenty of room to park on the road in.
Only a few inches of snow at Elk Heights and more as you go west. 5 to 7 inches of powder at 5 corners. You feel every rock in the road until the snow gets deeper.
I was the 1st of the season thru 2 of the lesser known trails.
You'll be fine, just remember 2 things:
1) Legally, the roads are open to vehicles and closed to snowmobiles, but the FS won't bother you if you are using your head.
2) It's still hunting season for bow hunters. I only met 2 sleds, but over 25 pickups, jeeps, etc - several on the trail I was on.... Enjoy
Only a few inches of snow at Elk Heights and more as you go west. 5 to 7 inches of powder at 5 corners. You feel every rock in the road until the snow gets deeper.
I was the 1st of the season thru 2 of the lesser known trails.
You'll be fine, just remember 2 things:
1) Legally, the roads are open to vehicles and closed to snowmobiles, but the FS won't bother you if you are using your head.
2) It's still hunting season for bow hunters. I only met 2 sleds, but over 25 pickups, jeeps, etc - several on the trail I was on.... Enjoy
Our group got tickets several years ago above buck meadows with one foot of snow on the road. The game warden cited us for driving on an open road.
Clem - Thanks for the input. I've heard those stories. Forest Service was checking tabs at Gold Creek and letting sleds up the road that was open to 4 wheel traffic.
Sometimes between the FS, DNR, Fish/Wildlife, WA State Parks and county Sheriff, you get conflicting info and policies......Any of the above can write you up.
as I heard it at the last groomer meeting in Cle Elum, we may be in danger of loosing the new sno park (evergreen I think) on the wood and steel road due to the failing of the park levy. Cant remember all the details but it doesnt look good for it, we will still have to park on the road.............That sounds to me like complete bull****. I don't think there was a "levy" in place prior the the recent attempt at passing a new levy.
Why would keeping an existing snopark open be dependent on a new levy? If this proves to be true, the guys that ran the campaign for the new "parks and rec" levy did a piss poor job as they never once mentioned that loosing existing sno parks would be the result of a failed levy.
Why would keeping an existing snopark open be dependent on a new levy? If this proves to be true, the guys that ran the campaign for the new "parks and rec" levy did a piss poor job as they never once mentioned that loosing existing sno parks would be the result of a failed levy.
maybe a little miss information or something, the evergreen snopark was ( to my understanding) never an exesting sno park, the land had been donaited, funding was set aside, for construction, but a lawsuit by some home owner put it on hold , the money that was in a grant was lost because the time ran out to use it.......... we won the law suit, and had to reaply for more funding, the levy was ( as I understand it ) matching funds to go ahead with the construction of the park.......... I dont know all the details, but if you attend the next grooming meeting in Cle Elum, I am sure all your questions will be answered,,,,,,,,,,,, than again maybe not............
Here's the deal: After 2 or 3 false starts, there is grant money to build the Evergreen snow-park just off the Woods/Steele Road. The grant was to be administered by the Kittitas County Parks Commission. The Parks Commission had a levy (and bond) on the recent ballot to keep an operating budget. The levy (and bond) failed and they threaten to disband the Parks Board and say the Sno-Park won't be built.
It seems like some other agency could oversee the construction on the 5 acres that have been donated. As Greenskeeper said, more will be known after the next CE Groomer Mtg.
It seems like some other agency could oversee the construction on the 5 acres that have been donated. As Greenskeeper said, more will be known after the next CE Groomer Mtg.
Bad behavior on my part in previous post. Guess I should get involved before spewing uninformed blather. 
You guys sound like you have the time to stay involved with this so I'll wait to hear what happens. Would like to help if I could but I'm not sure what I could do.
You guys sound like you have the time to stay involved with this so I'll wait to hear what happens. Would like to help if I could but I'm not sure what I could do.
, no problem you can take my place as I will in the next week or so head south for a few months of sun..... just attend the meetings there isnt anything to do but a lot of information will come out, that you can pass on to others........you can get first hand info on what is going on with the groomers and their work, also info on the sno parks and the clearing ect at them, plus you meet nice people............. hope to see you at the next one.............than again maybe not............
You could be right, I am a little hard headed at times. I would like to try and understand the issue clearly. Where and when do the meetings take place?
No problem Van - you don't know about this unless you ask.
Groomer Mtg. 7:00 PM, 2nd Monday of each month at the Forest Service Conf. Room. Come on down, a lot of good info there. I think we live close to each other, PM if you want a ride....
Groomer Mtg. 7:00 PM, 2nd Monday of each month at the Forest Service Conf. Room. Come on down, a lot of good info there. I think we live close to each other, PM if you want a ride....
Thanks for the meeting info, I'm going to attempt making the next one.
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