Greenwater 12/16/2012 Here's your sign!

[ridnwreck]

Was up at Greenwater today. Had a great day of riding, deep powder. Broke trail all day. Then I returned to the truck to only find out that the road had been blocked for a long time (couple of hours). Once again at the 12% grade. Mulitple Trucks and trailers stuck and blocking the road. Funny thing is that we all towed in trailers that morning and had no problem getting up there. Maybe because we all had good snow tires with studs??? If the conditions were bad we also all had chains and were willing to use them. Also had no problem driving out once the road was not blocked. I do not know why people do not know how to drive or carry the proper chains and equipment. A wrecker had to come in to get the road opened back up. Then a 2 wheel drive RV towing a trailer and a pickup towing 4 sleds, tried to drive out and got stuck on the first hill going out and blocking the road again. "Here's your sign" Only then did they think to chain up. Not when they were in the parking lot. Sorry to see this so early in the season. Before you know it the snowpark will be moved to the lower gate and we will be driving on concrete again. If you plan on riding at Greenwater, PLEASE, PLEASE know how to drive in snow and ice, have the propper equipment, snowtires, chains, tow straps, ect, and know how to use them. Chains only work when on tires not inside the truck. Please do not ruin a good day for others and force the Forest service to lower the snow park because of your actions and being unprepared. Go to snoqualmie pass and close i-90, see how that goes.

 

[Geezer]

I second this. This happened to us last year and what a cluster it was.

 

[STAFFORDIRT]

Amen. Then when they are all wadded up on the hill they get their chains out and they don't fit. I agree if you are not prepared please go to I 90.

 

[blk9038]

i agree with this also the only thing i did find is my chains need 1 more bungie to keep them from slapping after 22 mph will remidy that tonite and buy 4 more. by all means don't go to greenwater if you don't have 4 tire chains that fit and know how to use them as when you do stop in the middle of the road on the 12 deg grade up and your chains don't fit your 36 to 48 big tires then is not the time to look for a way to make them fit and try to borrow rope (if you would have only been 3 to 4 feet over 1 way or the other it would have saved me chaining up also) i know the guy in front of you screwed you up also. and when towing a loaded 24 ft even with great snow tires it does take 4 chains to get restarted on that 12 deg grade when stopped and waiting.

 

[ridnwreck]

Grooming

Also with 30% grooming budget cuts from the State, grooming from the lower gate will eat up more grooming time and money. Greenwater will turn into a long bumpy road ride of miles before you can even get off trail.

 

[WHEREDAFUGAWEE]

I was up at green water riding on Saturday and decided to continue down and stay overnight at my cabin near Whistling Jacks. Riding back to the truck at the snow park arriving around 5 pm I was the next to last to leave the snow park. Another rider was all chained up leaving and told me about rigs getting jackknifed down the 12% grade. Of course all four of my tires were chained and lucky for me I missed all that circus show........Chain Up People!

 

[xpspenziv]

Same ill prepared people every year.
Sounds like its time to break out with the lawn chairs,bbq and let the camera roll. There is a sign as you leave enumclaw that states you must carry chains.
What are the odds of getting a sign posted on the lower gate post stating chains reguired. A sign 2 bolts,2nuts and 7 mins shouldnt did to far into the funds. .02

 

[JETJOHNSO]

chains cannot be enforced on the forest service roads

You might be required to have them going up 410 but the forest service will not enforce a chains required sign on the hill, they dont have the man power ect to enforce it. It's up to us

 

[TNTCOPP]

I don't know , I had a freind last year that got stuck on the hill, no chains , FS followed him to the SnoPark and promptly wrote him a $200 ticket. Maybe they would not enforce a sign but will write tickets if you screw up???

As a sidenote - we were up yesterday and it was deep! Lower gate was open but we parked there as there was a lot of snow on the road and my buddys Expedition was pushing snow. Can make it to the end now though as the sled traffic packed it all down - although there is another 2 feet forecasted!!!!!!!!!

You might be required to have them going up 410 but the forest service will not enforce a chains required sign on the hill, they dont have the man power ect to enforce it. It's up to us

 

[BROX]

Can make it to the end now though as the sled traffic packed it all down

Totally disagree. I was there too and the only one that drove to the end and parked at the snow park. Had no trouble at all going in, much harder coming out. All the snowmobiles packing down the road made it much harder to come out. Its not like in jeeps with the tires aired down, you aren’t going to stay on top with a truck and trailer. It is much harder to cut tire tracks through sled packed snow. In the few spots where all the sleds were off to the side you could feel the truck instantly gain traction and speed until I hit the sled tracks again.

Great snow and a great day of riding though.

 

[IGBT]

I ride a 4x4 Tundra with Blizzack DM-V1 super sticky snow tires but still carry 4 chains

I actually haven't found a place I needed to chain up, but a 12% grade sure might do it. I should find a remote place to practice and test the limit of no chainup before I become one of the a-holes you guys are talking about heh heh.

 

[rsamsel]

Gates

Ok....been up to Greenwater 4 times.

Have a couple of ??'s with for you guys regarding where these gates and such you speak of are.

Everytime last year we parked at the very bottom. Maybe 5 miles off 410 where the road forks. The gate on the right fork was closed and sleds go around. Then its at least 5 miles of iffy riding till you gain some elevation. I know where the "gravel pit" is....remember seeing that on the right on the way up.

Can someone give me an idea of where these other "gates" are. I am looking at heading up on Saturday. With all the snow, it seems like parking where we parked last year would be most likely but it sounds like that first gate is open now. I want to be prepared for what I may/or may not have to drive in/on.

Rob
05 Silverado
2 place trailer

 

[BROX]

The lower gate was open yesterday and that is below the gravel pit where the road takes a sharp right up the hill and the gate is at the bottom. The snow park moves around based on road conditions. Sometimes it is at the lower gate, sometimes at the gravel pit and yesterday it was at the upper snow park near the out houses.

I was surprised the gate was open yesterday with all the new snow but i didn't want to park lower and then have the plows come up and leave 6 miles of plowed road between me and the truck. I also didn't know how the forest service would react to parking below the snow park and riding up the road. Technically i'm not sure if it is legal to ride snowmobiles up the road below the snow park (where ever it is at that point) since that road is open to wheeled vehicles. Jet Chev is up on this and can probably clarify what the expectations are with the forest service/snow park.

 

[nikeholley]

so...

Ok....been up to Greenwater 4 times.

Have a couple of ??'s with for you guys regarding where these gates and such you speak of are.

Everytime last year we parked at the very bottom. Maybe 5 miles off 410 where the road forks. The gate on the right fork was closed and sleds go around. Then its at least 5 miles of iffy riding till you gain some elevation. I know where the "gravel pit" is....remember seeing that on the right on the way up.

Can someone give me an idea of where these other "gates" are. I am looking at heading up on Saturday. With all the snow, it seems like parking where we parked last year would be most likely but it sounds like that first gate is open now. I want to be prepared for what I may/or may not have to drive in/on.

Rob
05 Silverado
2 place trailer

Hey there Rob...

you're referring to the 'lower' gate, or the 'first' gate...

it is at the 'Y', (sort-of)...

The 'old' road used to go straight along the river up to the snowpark...

after a couple of washouts, someone with no common sense (my words) decided to make a 'by-pass' that is now referred to as the 'Matterhorn'...

the stretch of road after/above the first gate...

it is very steep with lots-o-curves - use chains - don't ask - JUST USE CHAINS -

there is an 'upper' gate on the road/trail way up the hill near Government Meadows that is normally closed until they close the road to vehicles, then they open the gate & that road becomes the groomed trail to the cabin at Govt. meadows...

In the past, plowing has been iffy, & on & off the forest service has decided to close the lower gate, & this becomes the snowpark... ride the road from there...

A few times, people would find the gate closed & park there... ride up all day, come back down to find that the gate had been opened & the road plowed... ugh..!!..

it's a great place to ride...

by the way... USE CHAINS..!!..

Nike


.

 

[rsamsel]

This is great info guys! I agree the riding is great up there. My best day last year was doing the weekly ride with Clem from Enumclaw to go get some prime rib at WJ's. It was a great day. Other than that, I enjoy going up there with my wife because many other areas are over her head (she prefers mostly flat meadows).

I think I know what hill they call the Matterhorn but hills are much less dramatic from the seat of a sled.

Sorry for the uninformed post but, seeing as much snow as we have gotten, it surprises me they would be plowing past what I now know as the first gate. I'll practice chaining the new rig tonight to make sure I don't have issues.

Rob

 

[TNTCOPP]

I would have been right there with you as I was in a F350 with a deck and had no issues and would not have had to chain as the traction was great.
I guess I was coming from the perspective of my buddy and low clearance vehicles. His bumper/spoiler was pushing snow and he was towing a heavy enclosed trailer. Believe me, I like to drive in as far as possible as I hate sledding on that road that far. Were you up there on the Pro's with your wife by chance?

Totally disagree. I was there too and the only one that drove to the end and parked at the snow park. Had no trouble at all going in, much harder coming out. All the snowmobiles packing down the road made it much harder to come out. Its not like in jeeps with the tires aired down, you aren’t going to stay on top with a truck and trailer. It is much harder to cut tire tracks through sled packed snow. In the few spots where all the sleds were off to the side you could feel the truck instantly gain traction and speed until I hit the sled tracks again.

Great snow and a great day of riding though.

 

[BROX]

No Pro, I wish! A buddy and I were on the IQ RMKs. That was the first time we were there early enough to get first tracks to the cabin and through the meadow. couldn't believe how deep the snow was on the back side of the pass. We were moving slow today from all the stucks.

 

[Mrs. Mtnsledder]

So where is the parking at now that we had a couple more feet of snow, up top, or down at first gate?

 

[rsamsel]

So where is the parking at now that we had a couple more feet of snow, up top, or down at first gate?

+1 on this question.

 

[TNTCOPP]

Technically , as of yesterday - at the end of the pavement. Forest Circus will probably close the gate I suspect though (unless it gets plowed) as the weekend crowd has a select few that are not prepared or don't know how to get over the by-pass without incident!