Wednesday Gifford Ride, open Invitation

[TigerTanker]

I'm guiding a guy that is visiting from California. We are meeting at Adams Cafe at 930am. I plan on doing a 50 ish mile ride that covers Boundary/Juniper area, with a visit to Windy Ridge to see Mt St Helens first. Supposed to be a clear day so... 

 

[DroppinDeuces]

1 minute ago, TigerTanker said:

I'm guiding a guy that is visiting from California. We are meeting at Adams Cafe at 930am. I plan on doing a 50 ish mile ride that covers Boundary/Juniper area, with a visit to Windy Ridge to see Mt St Helens first. Supposed to be a clear day so... 

 

Wish I could go, gotta work. Have fun and STAY WARM!

[Doc Bones]

 The cafe in Randle? I'm free, but the 2 hour drive each way sounds rough. 

[TigerTanker]

Just now, Doc Bones said:

 The cafe in Randle? I'm free, but the 2 hour drive each way sounds rough. 

There will be only so many days in your life that you can see Mt Rainier, Hood, Adams, Mt St Helens while riding a dirt bike in God's forest. Seize the day...Your life is wasting away one minute at a time...

[Doc Bones]

2 minutes ago, TigerTanker said:

There will be only so many days in your life that you can see Mt Rainier, Hood, Adams, Mt St Helens while riding a dirt bike in God's forest. Seize the day...Your life is wasting away one minute at a time...

Fair enough.  I'm running mouse, are you planning all trails?  Little tarmac? 

[TigerTanker]

Just now, Doc Bones said:

Fair enough.  I'm running mouse, are you planning all trails?  Little tarmac? 

Meeting at Adams Cafe in Randle, right in the intersection. There will be very little if no pavement, perhaps a bit of FS gravel road. Have range for 70 miles. I anticipate 40-60 miles. I've never run over a moose, but I did hit a deer going 55mph. I think your mousses will be safe from me. 

[Doc Bones]

Stock tank on now, but I do have a new 4.5 gallon tank ready to install. Let me see if I can get that thing swapped out in time after work tomorrow.  Sounds like an epic ride. 

[TigerTanker]

I'm running a stock 50 mile range tank, sliding a rotopax with a gallon into my back pack.  

[TigerTanker]

The intended route; #1 Boundary from Elk Pass on FS25 to #261 Juniper Trail, Juniper Trail to fs2904, to fs2900, to fs2800, back to Elk Pass staging at FS25. This trail is going the easy direction but does contain some tricky sections and periods of exposure. A decent intermediate rider in good physical shape working with others as a team should be fine. I would have warm clothing, spare gloves, nitrile gloves and a spare dry top along with 70 miles worth of fuel. I anticipate our total mileage to be around 50. 

Bailouts in order;

• #1a to fs2810, to fs2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25
• #263 Dark Meadow Trail to FS23, to FS2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25
• #262 Sunrise Trail to FS2324, to FS23, to FS2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25

I've never ridden 263 or 262, if someone could please indicate difficulty would be appreciated. @Leftdagrid perhaps you can weigh in on the latter? 

 

  

[TigerTanker]

I have checked mileage on a previous ride of this route. The ST portion of this is the first part, it is 35 miles. The FS road back to staging is 25 miles for a total of 60 miles. I expect to get 25 mpg on the former, 45 mpg on the latter for a total fuel consumption of 2 gallons. I should be fine with stock tank but will bring the extra gallon just in case. 

[Harder1]

42 minutes ago, TigerTanker said:

The intended route; #1 Boundary from Elk Pass on FS25 to #261 Juniper Trail, Juniper Trail to fs2904, to fs2900, to fs2800, back to Elk Pass staging at FS25. This trail is going the easy direction but does contain some tricky sections and periods of exposure. A decent intermediate rider in good physical shape working with others as a team should be fine. I would have warm clothing, spare gloves, nitrile gloves and a spare dry top along with 70 miles worth of fuel. I anticipate our total mileage to be around 50. 

Bailouts in order;

• #1a to fs2810, to fs2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25
• #263 Dark Meadow Trail to FS23, to FS2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25
• #262 Sunrise Trail to FS2324, to FS23, to FS2800, back to Elk Pass at FS25

I've never ridden 263 or 262, if someone could please indicate difficulty would be appreciated. @Leftdagrid perhaps you can weigh in on the latter? 

 

  

Dark Meadow 263 isn't bad at all.  Just a fun drop into the dark forest and out to a creek crossing at FR23.  Sunrise is easy as well, but the forest road down to 23 has some deep washouts that can be ridden without much difficulty.  I've snuck in, or exited on those trails many times.  

[TigerTanker]

The information about this ride has been assisted by the National Geographic Map for the area which is excellent. I have 3 yrs of ride experience at the area and as I started to ride Gifford I was assisted by a number of other riders but most notably by @Leftdagrid Not only has he been helpful to other riders in need of guidance of the area, he is the man behind the huge effort needed to maintain that trail system and has an army of other volunteers assist him each year. We all owe that army some gratitude.  

[8675309]

3 hours ago, Harder1 said:

Dark Meadow 263 isn't bad at all.  Just a fun drop into the dark forest and out to a creek crossing at FR23.  Sunrise is easy as well, but the forest road down to 23 has some deep washouts that can be ridden without much difficulty.  I've snuck in, or exited on those trails many times.  

This seems pretty accurate to me regarding those bail out options.

[TigerTanker]

4 hours ago, Leftdagrid said:

This seems pretty accurate to me regarding those bail out options.

Will we encounter much snow?

[8675309]

My guess is yes but I haven't been past the ST 240 which is at 3,300 feet. Six inches or so at 5,000 feet but that was a week ago so I have no idea of snow conditions.

[TigerTanker]

I suspect snow fell in the last 48 hours. Suspect it passable with tubliss and a cheerful attitude 

[joeaverage]

I just read there's a winter storm warning from tonight until tomorrow night for that area. 5+ inches above 3500' elevation. You might want to consider a plan B. That's not a place I'd want to be stranded in.

[DroppinDeuces]

 

38 minutes ago, TigerTanker said:

I suspect snow fell in the last 48 hours. Suspect it passable with tubliss and a cheerful attitude 

Found this,  looks accurate for that area                                                                                                                                                                                                                               https://www.willyweather.com/wa/skamania-county/gifford-pinchot-national-forest.html

[richard7944]

On 10/7/2019 at 6:35 PM, TigerTanker said:

I'm guiding a guy that is visiting from California. We are meeting at Adams Cafe at 930am. I plan on doing a 50 ish mile ride that covers Boundary/Juniper area, with a visit to Windy Ridge to see Mt St Helens first. Supposed to be a clear day so... 

 

A buddy and I were just up at Blue Lake ORV last Wednesday and his truck was broken into. All they stole was his gear bag and some tools and the weird thing is they locked his canopy back up. They couldn't get into the front of his rig since there was a big mean dog in there. With a little more notice I could go but I have work so I can pay taxes.

[TigerTanker]

7 minutes ago, richard7944 said:

A buddy and I were just up at Blue Lake ORV last Wednesday and his truck was broken into. All they stole was his gear bag and some tools and the weird thing is they locked his canopy back up. They couldn't get into the front of his rig since there was a big mean dog in there. With a little more notice I could go but I have work so I can pay taxes.

Wow, that’s crazy man...