Woods & Steele Sunday...

[nikeholley]

First time there...

Snowpark was pavement, trail from snowpark was good... 4510 started to get whooped past the 4517 road... a bit rough on the trail, but lots of fresh to play in... rode the 4517 a few miles to a turn down onto the powerlines... rode those a few miles west... snow was good... grooming was good... we need to learn where there's some open play areas up there...

Nike

 

[2Thetopp]

Try running back to Tamarack springs, flat, but open areas to play in. From there head west you'll find a few more, out towards Quartz mountain you'll find some more.

 

[NWGooser]

And the pictures are where?

 

[Lake Cle Elum]

Try running back to Tamarack springs, flat, but open areas to play in. From there head west you'll find a few more, out towards Quartz mountain you'll find some more.

Tamarack Springs is just inside the LT Murrary Wildlife area. Must stay on groomed trail of we will lose a big riding area. No playing in the meadows there, come a bit west and it's OK.

Not many open play areas close to Woods/Steel, a few off the 4510 and up Peaches Ridge.

 

[deepdiver]

Thats a long haul from woods and steel..just the trail ride will bring you back on empty..better have gas with you.

Tamarack Spgs is inside the Nat. Forest..the boundry to LT Murray is right there so its like splitting hairs as you probably wont know the difference if you are not that familure and in the winter the fence may be buried.

Cle Elum..what meadow are you refering to there are thousands up there?? Are you saying that anything in the LT Murray is out of bounds except for the roads? Thats tough as the only marked boundry is on the road at Tamarack Spgs and down on the Manastash creek road...and that sign is so old one may not see it. It is easy to go thru any of the forest on the top and end up on the LT Myrray side in between the Manastash and the Tam spgs..as there is no fence or boundry markings? tons of old roads and clear cuts all over the place..too darn easy to end up in the LT.

I dont sled up there..too flat for me but hunting is another story so I know that area extremely well. It would be way to easy to cut up from the lower manastash creek and go up and end up in the LT murray without knowing it. Ther are so many old skid trails and the area has been over logged to the point that I could get a semi thru most areas...hypothetically speaking. Do you have a map that shows the boundries where sleds are out of bounds?


Thanks!

 

[Lake Cle Elum]

Tamarack Spgs is inside the Nat. Forest..the boundry to LT Murray is right there so its like splitting hairs as you probably wont know the difference if you are not that familure and in the winter the fence may be buried.

Cle Elum..what meadow are you refering to there are thousands up there?? Are you saying that anything in the LT Murray is out of bounds except for the roads? Thats tough as the only marked boundry is on the road at Tamarack Spgs and down on the Manastash creek road...and that sign is so old one may not see it. It is easy to go thru any of the forest on the top and end up on the LT Myrray side in between the Manastash and the Tam spgs..as there is no fence or boundry markings? tons of old roads and clear cuts all over the place..too darn easy to end up in the LT.

I dont sled up there..too flat for me but hunting is another story so I know that area extremely well. It would be way to easy to cut up from the lower manastash creek and go up and end up in the LT murray without knowing it. Ther are so many old skid trails and the area has been over logged to the point that I could get a semi thru most areas...hypothetically speaking. Do you have a map that shows the boundries where sleds are out of bounds?
Thanks!

DD - This is a new rule this year. Was the result of a land swap deal between DNR and Fish/Wildlife. In summertime, you can be on any "green dot" road. In wintertime, Only on the Groomed route. This is to protect the wildlife. Not many aware. The groomer bought signs with his own money and put up. Many have been torn down....Applies to the LT Murrary area.....Ur right, you have to know the boundaries, there is no fence in most areas. Old, faded signs on some of the roads.

I worry about what's gonna be next when riders don't know or don't respect this new rule? Closure?

Yes, it's flat for the most part, but close for me and good boondocking and/or my route to the Manastash, Quartz, Bald Mtn, etc......Can ride all this from my back door...Cheers..

 

[deepdiver]

DD - This is a new rule this year. Was the result of a land swap deal between DNR and Fish/Wildlife. In summertime, you can be on any "green dot" road. In wintertime, Only on the Groomed route. This is to protect the wildlife. Not many aware. The groomer bought signs with his own money and put up. Many have been torn down....Applies to the LT Murrary area.....Ur right, you have to know the boundaries, there is no fence in most areas. Old, faded signs on some of the roads.

I worry about what's gonna be next when riders don't know or don't respect this new rule? Closure?

Yes, it's flat for the most part, but close for me and good boondocking and/or my route to the Manastash, Quartz, Bald Mtn, etc......Can ride all this from my back door...Cheers..

I had no idea about that..thanks for that info! There are some nice hills above Manastash creek that may be some great climbs..I have a boat load of trails over the years all over that area but have not taken a sled in there..long drive for me. Must be nice to be so close!

If the snow is good boondocking would be awesome in there...it is just such a big area one could ride forever!

There is an old road(now long since closed from the Lower Manastash that gets to the top plateau south west of tamarack. A short distance to the west I bet there is an awesome climb to head up to the top...Hmmmmm..the more I think about it this could be some challanging and fun stuff if the snow is deep enough...many tall stumps