2017 PNW GGG v 3.0

CCC

Chaffy Cuben Club?

Oh, the excitement!  Bill has been experimenting with strapping stuff on the Ural, and he’s absolutely determined to get the big tent on the Ural.  We may be using our UL sleeping gear (no room for full size mattresses or double sleeping bags), I may be cooking on a Starlyte or StarlyteXL like I would on a backpacking trip, one spoon each, no plates, and one set of clothes for the whole week-end, but by goodness, we’ll have a tent you can stand up in!  It may take 12 hours to drive 70 miles, because the weight may hold us back, but once we’re there, we’ll be styling!

Is it UL car camping? Is it motorcycle glamping? You decide!

Looking forward to seeing you and Bill again, Dianne!

Just a friendly bump and reminder that this is less than two weeks away.  We can accommodate 20.

I’m not getting too much in the way of confirmations and I think our head count is sitting somewhere below 10.  If you haven’t already confirmed on this thread that you’re coming, please either respond here or message me.

reconfirming that I will be there

I’ll be there!

What’s our campsite number?

G1

Ill be there a day late… work.

But im gonna lock-step on the way there, so it shouldnt take me too long.

Under 10?  Aww man!

Looking forward to this.

I’m mostly benched as I’m still recovering from Achilles tendonitis so any hiking I do will need to be under 10 miles and not a lot of climbing.  Not overly familiar with this area but I’ve been to St. Helens before with the family and wouldn’t mind heading down there on day two to do a day hike.

Of the choices listed here, Lakes Trail and Harry’s Ridge look good to me but are a bit under two hour drive each way, which I’m fine with but others may want something closer.

http://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/summer-destinations/mount-st.-helens-hikes

If you have other ideas in this area, please share.

Edited to correct “Saturday” to “day two.”

I hike a fair bit around Mt. St. Helens, and those are 2 good hikes.  I prefer the Harry’s Ridge trail–awesome views of the crater, Spirit Lake, and Mt. Adams on a clear day.  Other good hikes include:

The Hummocks + Boundary Trail 1–The Hummocks is a little signed 2.5 mile nature trail, but it has some good views of the Toutle River, plus a close up of lots of the damage from the blast.  I like to hike it counter-clockwise, and include  part of the Boundary Trail, where you get better views of the mountain after you get up on the ridge.  Can hike as far as Johnston Observatory, and could set up a car shuttle if you didn’t want to hike back the whole way.

South Coldwater Lake Trail–Works its way up onto the ridge above Coldwater Lake.  Has examples of broken logging equipment from the blast, like an up-ended bulldozer.  Views of the lake, good.  Views of the mountain, sketchy depending on the weather.  Does connect in with the Harry’s Ridge trail, but that will be a slog.  Can make a 13 mile loop using the Lakes Trail, and a 1 mile roadwalk–ask me how I know.

Truman Trail–Johnston Observatory Boundary 1 to Truman Trail–crosses the blast plain in front of the crater.  can be riddled with willow and run-off on the trail, have gotten wet feet.  12 miles round trip to Loowit Falls.

There would be options off White Pass and Highway 12, and in the Gifford Pinchot, like PCT, but I’m not as familiar with those.

I’ve hiked the White to Chinook Pass section of the PCT (27ish miles) a couple times and while a fun hike, scenery doesn’t really open up until the midway point and Chinook.

Naches Loop looks like a pretty loop hike but I’ve only hiked the PCT portion of it.

Doug and I hiked Laughingwater trail a few weeks ago.  Had a great time but the trail lean on scenery.

I’ve hiked the Naches Loop 3-4 times–but always in the rain!  Nice little loop, but off Chinook Pass rather than White Pass, so a little more trouble to get to.

Longmire via 507-7-706 to Ashford is do-able too, with 1 hour 46 minutes.  Nice hiking out of Paradise, adds about 20 minutes to the trip, definitely plenty of UP.  Don’t much care for Rampart Ridge, myself, never been up Kautz Creek or up the Westside Road, except for the Wonderland Trail.

Another thought is that the Ape Caves are within two hours as well.

Okay, y’all, pray for dry weather, because Bill is seeing showers predicted for Sunday and Monday, and he does NOT ride motorcycles in the rain if he can help it.  I’ll be there rain or shine, but he may ditch if it’s wet.

‘Ditch’ is a scary pun

Two years in a row for rain!!!  We should call ourselves the mossy butt club.

I’ll be there as well and there’s a shelter for us to socialize under, I believe.  I’ll double check.

The upside is hopefully this rain will help with the wildfires and air quality.

Figures… pick the one weekend it rains this summer. 🙄

How the hell?

Update.  We can’t check in until 2:30.  I’m coming from eastern Washington and am dropping someone off in Seattle on the way.  I expect to be there between 2 and 230.  I’ll update this thread if I get caught up in Seattle traffic and it looks like I’ll be any later than that.

I can also email a copy of the confirmation to whoever if you think you’ll beat me there and they are willing to let you in early.

See you tomorrow.

Like I said to Ian, I got too many conflicting things going on to attend this year

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-122.91532592773436&lat=46.918312810305366#.WY-SllF97IV

Small amount of rain Sunday, none Monday-Wednesday

Jerry you traitor.

Doug has a copy of the reservation confirmation as well.  Everything is already paid for.

He has to get his hurr did

Our group campsite is next to the ranger station.  As soon as you pass the stop sign, take a hard left and park.  You’ll see my Tundra

See y’all in a coupla hours… crashing tonight, brunching or whatever then bailing noonish.  (3 weeks vacation coming up next Sunday so I gotta tie up loose ends on my day off which is Monday)

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Just landed from weekend in Chicago. Headed home to repackage and heading down. Will be there in time for final campfire embers.</p>

Hi, guys, had a safe trip home. Would rather have had another night, but our cat Lucky is happy for the opportunity to get outside instead of being locked up in the house. Fun to hang out and talk gear and trails.