January 2018 Seattle-Area Meet

The other concern may be around the status of the route, Can we actually make our way through the route or will it be snowed in?

 

slow day at work today... i'll look into it and i think @JimSnell is as well

 

No, I definitely don't have the know how to work on gearing in these trucks. But I had fun walking around and checking it out.

 

Pretty sure WABDR is going to be snowed in or at least large sections of it.
I did sections 6 and 7 last summer and the former (sec 7 aka Bethel Ridge) may not be as stock friendly as @TexMeg89 might hope. And there's the snow factor. I think we'll be over 2000-2500 elevation. I'll double check my recorded routes.

Section numbers decrease as you head North on the BDR. You're pretty much driving on the spine of the Cascades. Again, trust but verify. Parks lime to close these so snowmobiles can have their seasonal fun.

Oregon's sand dunes should be stock friendly though. Hint hint nudge nudge wink wink

 

I want to go, but I won’t be able to meet anyone at Safeway in North Bend at 7:30. Anyway this could get pushed to 8:30? Or I could just try to catch up.

 

I've got no problem with pushing it back an hour.

 

Believe me, I've been bitten in the ass by that before. We'll make sure not to get into a situation like that.

 

Okay, so it seems like everyone (else) is bent on staying in the WA area, yes? I'm not opposed to that but I am currently planning for an Oregon-based trip. I am planning to drive down to Flagstaff, AZ for Overland Expo West this May and I want to use this [free] 3-day weekend as an Overland practice run.

Maybe my aspirations (of an OR based trip) aren't reasonable but I've got to first put a proposed route together to know for sure.

With the planning here on this thread, I'm not really sure what you guys are planning, TBH. At first it seemed like y'all were planning for a 'simple' Sat-Sun over-nighter at Blewett Pass (?) but perhaps not anymore? @Korndog1284 asked earlier if overlanding was of interest to anyone and I didn't see anyone respond.

I'd hate to miss this great opportunity to meet some cool TW folks but there aren't many other 3-day weekends between now and May, and I've got to save my vacation for the trip in May.

 

I'm working on a route right now. Not sure if it's going to pan out though. Stupid snow parks.

 

Good luck and thanks for doing it. it's no easy task, I did it for last month's meet. I didn't know how good the turnout was going to be nor the actual road and camp site conditions. I got so nervous about recommending anything I decided to leave work early and go out to Beckler myself! I'm glad I did, too.
I also called a lot of the NF ranger stations and they all told me the same thing -- everything is closed for snow parks and snowmobiles.

This is why I'm hoping to have better luck down south in the OR area. I'm also still working on a route and my hope is to finalize it to the best of my ability. I definitely want to play on the coastal sand dunes in and around Florence/Coos Bay area, perhaps even the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes (but getting hints it might not be a good idea for a truck), etc. I have a list of places in OR, I just need to stitch together what's possible and so on.

 

Yeah, Snow parks are the bane of my existence. And yes, I edited out all the four letter words I wanted to use.

 

She's a quick learner...

 

Thanks for saying! A lot is in motion right now, especially the electrical. Those Switch Pros couldn't come any sooner!
Anything in particular you liked?

 

That's one of the reasons I like snow. It's a lot less damaging for the most part.

 

What about the Olympic Peninsula, isn't there less snow over there? Probably more rain though?

How far a drive are those places in OR? @Rocco-Taco

 

Olympic peninsula was relatively bare. Went last weekend

 

I think the snow will give us the most challenge without breaking shit, and the most options. We'll be able to tailor the trail to the group. Out on the peninsula though, it's all new territory to me. I like that too.

 

Not just snow parks, but snow in general. Sounds like a lot of people are 100% stock including tires which you and I know don’t do very well in even little snow

 

Yeah, I'm thinking that initially at least, doing just Blewett will be more than enough fun for us. I'm not confident that we have any other safe routes for rigs on less than 40s.

 

Yeah I just don't think there is any good overland route this time of year.