TheSamba.com :: View topic - WBCDR section 2 + Gallagher Head Lake trip 2014

Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:35 pm

In an effort to not muddy up the existing "The Portland Oregon Area is Happening! (clicky das linky - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7304435#7304435), this is a new thread for this past weekend's Washington Back Country Discovery Route (WBCDR) trip. Well, it started out as the WBCDR trip, but due to the fires in the northern part of WA, we all decided to start at the south part of section 2 near Indian Creek campground, travel over to Ellensburg, then on up Fortune Creek Trail up to Gallagher Head Lake.

Jahbah and his wife, photodave, SyncroJack, FrankenSubySyncro and myself with my daughter were the crew. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that this was truly a trip for the books. Great group of people, incredible country, unforgettable experiences and just plain fun in the Syncros. Between the broken parts, the "crazy eyed" local at Rattlesnake Spring/Rattlesnake Creek, being "locked in" and let out by mountain bikers in Wenas, meeting Astro Guy out of the blue and "Legend of Crankshaft Hill" (thanks Astro Guy), this is a trip that I will never, ever forget.

I'll post some photos and I hope that the other people involved here will do the same and share some of their stories...once they recover that is.

Indian Creek campground:

FrankenSubieSyncro coming down "CV Hill":

Jahbah naming "CV Hill":

Yes, there were that many bugs up at Gallagher Head Lake:

Gettin' late as we set up our camp site at Gallagher Head Lake:

Quite a view up there at the lake. Even better when your up on top of the van:

FrankenSubySyncro at the bottom of "Crankshaft Hill":

Jahbah at the bottom of "Crankshaft Hill":

Check out these next few photos, especially the difference between the first and the second one. Jahbah's rear tire hits a rock that shoots the entire rear end over to the driver's side, then it grabs traction and literally does a wheel stand and breaks an axle and CV joint. The photo does not show the driver's wheel off the ground, but trust me, there was some serious air under both front tires at one point. It was WILD!:

FrankenSubieSyncro spoting for Jahbah as he backs down the hill. This photo illustrates just how steep the "Crankshaft Hill: is and why it is named that:

To me, coming backdown "Crankshaft Hill" is hairier than going up. It's much more sketchy in both directions than photos show:

Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:03 pm

That looks like a great trip. I was about about to ask if its possible to do it in a 2wd, until I saw CV hill. That looks sketchy. :shock:

Is that a water system on your roof?

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:08 am

Great trip! Where is crankshaft hill?

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:29 am

Nice shots Christopher!
The one of David drinking a beer under his mosquito hat (with Goldfish box conspicuous in background) is priceless! :lol:

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:33 am

awesome trip report! looks crazy!

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:52 am

That looks like a nice trip - one I'd drive over to see some day. Do the mosquitos ease off at all later in the summer, or is that simply the norm? We have almost none here in Idaho and that makes a huge difference when camping.

DougM

Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:06 am

Looks like an awesome trip, except those goldfish eating mosquitos

Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:44 am

Great pics. For posterity sake, I'll quote my post from the other thread regarding this trip:

It was a great surprise climbing that hill on Hawkins (a fairly obscure section of a popular Northwest Cascades trail) to meet four awesome Syncros at the top heading down,

and then hooking up again at the big intersection on the way down Fortune Creek. Just wish I would have caught you guys earlier to spend more time following Syncros on the trail.

Nice job on the big hill climb, that's no small feat. (Hmmm, the Legend of Crankshaft Hill lives on!)

Great chatting with you guys.

That trail and the Cle Elum River area in general is a favorite of mine."

Brian Rutherford (aka Railvan) was in the e350 Sportsmobile and he took these pictures:

Heading down a hill After we crossed paths on Hawkins.

Heading down the upper section of Fortune Creek.

Railvan said he's got a couple more pics to send, so I'll post them when I get them.

Crankshaft Hill is past the lake near the end of Hawkins. The vast majority of people tend to stop at the lake and not continue on as Hawkins has some spots that take a little more "rig" and/or skill to navigate. (Railvan doesn't take his Sportsmobile up there mainly because of the narrow shelf trail with a couple washouts.) I've been warned against it by Land Rover buddies who've broken axles on the hill.

It is indeed a truck eating hill.

I've been to GH lake maybe 10 times and this was only the second time I've noticed bugs. Later in August they should be few, and I've never noticed them in September.

Mud hole at the top of Fortune Creek trail signifies the beginning of the meadow. Its always been fun picking a line through it. It's turned into a bit of a mosh pit this year.

You guys are a fun group, seemed quite capable, and a great attitude for the trail.

Cheers,

Astro Guy (aka T.Low)

Tue Jul 29, 2014 6:33 pm

Here's some of my photos:

First viewpoint:

Jahbah's first CV fix:

Vanagons in the wilderness:

Intrepid trailblazers navigating the next pass:

Christopher's rig looking proper expedition-ready:

Campsite near Gallaher Head Lake:

Taking it in stride; second CV repair:

Group shot!:

Epic trip for me! The WABDR section was really scenic and fun with just a couple of "pucker moments". The Fortune Creek Trail was definitely hairier and my balding low profile street tires weren't very happy! All worth it though!
I'm almost glad I blew a tire on the trail because watching the group come together and practically communicating non-verbally to get the tire changed quickly was like watching a well-choreographed ballet; Christopher working the wheel, David jacking up the van, Jack bringing me the flat and taking over the newly-inflated spare, Dustin scratching his butt :P
Actually it was especially cool of Dustin to purposely break two CV joints just to give us a master class on field repair. That's dedication! 8)
Good times!

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:38 pm

photogdave wrote:

Intrepid trailblazers navigating the next pass:

!

BEST...PIC...EVER!!!

Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:47 pm

Thanks Christopher for getting this thread going....
It was an epic trip! Such a good time including breakdowns!
This is my story and I'm sticking to it! Thursday late arrival.....
Sleeping at Indian creek campground would have been ordinary except for the company! Great starting point for the trip but unexpectedly had absolutely no gas near by.
Friday- Naches Wa for gas and discovery passes. Here's the crew...

Beginning on nf-1500 to bethel ridge. Nf-324 goes to the top of bethel ridge and carries on nf-325 toward Nile. Great views and bumpy terrain including some sweet mud pits.

At Nile we found a little dirt hill that claimed my rear drivers side axle and outboard cv joint. Following the leave no trace ethics, I lost some cv grease on the ground and had no choice but to mop it up with my head.. :lol:

Cool and quiet camping next to the rattlesnake creek, just a half mile from deliverance. Bah dah ding ding ding ding
Saturday- driving through Nile and up onto the Cleman mountain ridge line via nf-1711 and 1712. The approach was ruff but the ridge line was pretty smooth and easy going. Very beautiful scenery.

.

Great decent down into wenas WA, little technical yielding to fast and smooth at the bottom. We elected to skip the second harder section to Ellensburg due to time constraints. Pit stop in Ellensburg to prepare for Gallaher lake. Fs- 4330 winds up a beautiful to the well marked 4w301 trail. This trail leads you up through a young forest filled with rocky steep terrain. Many small technical spots with non-stop action in between.

The lake is tucked between rocky peaks with beatiful views in all directions.

Sunday- attempt at a spur trail Hawkins mtn. Mines 4w304...
This trail was very open and beautiful, with a few really tricky sections. Really chewed up by jeeps big holes and ruts.

Crankshaft hill demanded a sacrifice... Cv and axle was all it wanted and I couldn't say no. I'm pretty sure I had all four wheels off the ground in a two second time span. :shock: . I cut my repair time in half due to an abundance of practice!

Out of parts and time we carefully descended to the safety of paved roads..
But on the way David Hines dragged a jeep of a rock high centered on his diff. And Photogdave tore hole in his right rear tire. The gang sprung to action and put his spare on in no time flat...

Meeting astroMan on the trail.

Ahhhhh the safety of pavement!

Some random Picts.

The trip claimed many beers, two cv's and axles, one tire. It was a great time and a big thanks to everyone involved. I would highly recommend this route to anyone with a Syncro ready for the trails. Hopefully some short videos to come later...
Thanks guys,
Jahbah~CVD

Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:15 pm

Epic! I hope to join someday, when i have my appropriately functional Syncro 16 fully operational and local! (and assuming i can bribe my way on board :D )

Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:02 pm

What an awesome time! It was great to challenge myself and the van like never before.
Here are my photos:
Jahbah pointing out the scenery.... two Leti's :)

On the way to Gallagher lake.

Bottom of crankshaft hill AKA mosquito meadow.

View from top of crankshaft hill.

Thanks for organizing a fun adventure!

Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:09 pm

Damn, makes me wish my 2WD was more capable....

Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:24 pm

So, where did the Cherokee come from? Was he just stuck in the mosh pit by the meadow when you guys were on your way down, or was he an extended part of your group?

Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:37 pm

Awesome trip report!

I haven't had a look at the track yet, but we did the UTBDR year before last and most of the technical sections had bypasses (we were in a lifted Jeep JKU and took none of them) - is that the case with the WABDR?

Cheers!

Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:59 pm

Astro Guy wrote: So, where did the Cherokee come from? Was he just stuck in the mosh pit by the meadow when you guys were on your way down, or was he an extended part of your group?

He was at the lake when we were coming down. Not part of our group. Extracted from the mud pit by Frankensubysyncro. ;)

Tue Jul 29, 2014 11:07 pm

Nicely done guys! Looks like you had a hell of a good time! Thanks for sharing the pics.

Tue Jul 29, 2014 11:19 pm

Great pix and reports guys!

If you're going to drive a Syncro, you might as well use it in the appropriate setting, eh? ;)

Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:00 am

iliketowalk wrote: Awesome trip report!

I haven't had a look at the track yet, but we did the UTBDR year before last and most of the technical sections had bypasses (we were in a lifted Jeep JKU and took none of them) - is that the case with the WABDR?

Cheers!

Yes, the WABDR has bypasses for the more difficult sections. We only took one bypass in the interest of trying to get to our camp site destination before dark. I think we were all a little bummed about having to skip that last "more difficult" section, but in the end, it worked out perfectly.