NW WA BS Thread (Whatcom, Skagit, Island counties)

Somewhat new to Bellingham (~3 years) but just re-joined the Tacoma club with a 2001 extended cab. I have a couple weeks of free time and am wondering if there are any forest roads worthwhile/drivable on a stock 4x4. I'm not looking to do anything crazy, just interested in exploring the county more and scoping out some easy camping (also picked up a Wildernest). Any favorite, easy drives you'd recommend for me and the doggo? Thanks!

 

Welcome! When heading down the Mt. Baker highway you can take a left just after the Northfork Brewery and head up that forest service road. I'm not sure if you'll run into snow or not this time of year but worst case scenario is you just head back to the brewery and have some really good pizza and beer.

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks! Think I'll hold off after the weather yesterday but it seems like this sun might stick around a few days. Need to do a brake job before teaching starts again in January and would love to not freeze my a$$ off. Hoping to start building the truck up more this summer but just tackling some basic maintenance stuff in the meantime. Having fun and learning a lot with this truck.

 

Anyone here do much welding? I'm thinking about buying something from https://www.coastaloffroad.com/ this summer but really don't have the time/money for a new expensive hobby. I pay well in barley soda or regular forms of reimbursement for time and materials.

 

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article200601689.html

Rock throwing? Pretty sure I've seen this truck around. Can't remember if the front bumper is an ARB or tube.

 

Anyone have a shop they are willing to let me use for a few hours. Have to do my needle bearing. I pay well in beer.

 

Canooooooooing weather, finally!

 

Where’d ya go?

 

Just over to Padden. I paddled out to the middle with a thermos of oatmeal and drifted for breakfast. Then I cruised around the perimeter.

I need to work on my left side. I can go anyway I want with the paddle on the right bit as soon as I switch to the left then boom, circles.

 

Nothing like a great deal & a title.

 

Dead in here. Where's everyone taking their trucks out to for day trips?

 

I did a night drive up to Artist Point earlier this week. It was foggy and pretty spooky near the top, especially with the underwhelming stock lights on my 1st gen. The mountains were awesome peaking through the fog and clouds with the full moon. Only saw two cars while east of Glacier. I'm trying to fit a daytime drive up to Twin Lakes or Heliotrope Ridge but not sure when that will happen.

 

Twin Lakes is gorgeous and the last couple miles of the road up makes for a fun drive. I haven't driven to Heliotrope Ridge, I'll have to give that a go.

 

Glacier Creek heading up to Heliotrope Ridge is fun, just beware of Subarus. I swear sometimes that I think that's the real reason for getting an aftermarket steel bumper. Most people stop at the Heliotrope Ridge trailhead but few continue up the road to the top. I've camped at the big gravel turnaround at the top and even through the trailhead was packed with people (stopped counting at 30 cars) we didn't have a single person go all the way to the top. There is a great view just before the road ends.

The first left off of Glacier Creek Road (NF 37) is also a fun drive with some twisty switchbacks.

Keep in mind that from Monday to Friday they're supposed to be doing a lot of tree removal along 542 for the winter. It'll likely be slow going. The article I read said they were working from 0600 to 1600 or so.

 

Getting chilly up at Twin Lakes.

 

Beautiful. I love that place.

 

Me too. I couldn't remember how bad the switchbacks at the top were so it was a bit of a refresher trip. We're going to try and take the teardrop up there, shouldn't be a problem so long as nobody is coming the other way

 

Rad, got any pics of the teardrop?

Yeah I remember the last half mile from the top was rutted out.

 

It tracks pretty close to the truck and has more ground clearance. There's a build thread link in my sig, but sig lines don't always show on mobile devices. Here's a link: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=68563