Wheeling spots in Southern Oregon

I’d like to test my truck, legally that is without ripping up someone’s property, in some mud. Any ideas?

 

Thats some nice country up there. I hunted for years up on the greensprings summit area on opening days until it got locked up. Used to be able get up to little hyatt reservoir and over to burnt creek from there, suppose thats still open, used to be my old stomping grounds, beautiful country!

 

Why yes it is....

 

Some Hyatt for you from a few years ago

 

Yeah, that mudding thing is a tough one, not really a tread lightly sort of activity. Although I can see the need to test your truck in those kinds of conditions given the trip your planning.

There used to be mud holes up behind Howard Prairie off the Keno Access rd. Believe they (blm) blocked many with boulders because of the damage to the area from that type of activity.

But, I believe you can still get in through that area to access the lake, (nasty road) which would put you directly across from the marina at Howard. Much of that area has been barricaded or gated to prevent damage caused by vehicles. Last time I got in there it was 4 wheel drive all the way in, some years ago though.

Tough, muddy road conditions can usually be found in areas with active logging. With our winter weather any of those would have tough muddy road conditions. I’m thinking of Ashland for you, so another tough road is the power line road above Hooper Meadow, the top section was always a tough road in the winter and pretty gnarly even in the summer.

 

This brings back found memories of camping/hunting/ fishing up there! Really miss the Little Chinquapin country out of Wildcat. All locked up now.....

 

Top of table mountain a couple years ago

 

Nice shot! Never been on the Table Rocks, heard it’s covered in wild flowers in the spring!

 

Im only done there in the fall hahaha

 

lol, that’s the best time of year down here! imho!

 

Yeah its not tread lightly. my problem is that I'm the General Manager of what was once the Weyerhaeuser lands east of Howard Prairie Lake which stretches all the way to Keno. I in fact installed gates last year on 50,000 acres on a portion around Aspen Lake which is south of hwy 140 before you get to Klamath Falls. I put them in for several reasons garbage dumping, repeated theft, winter wildlife harassment but also for people ripping up our dirt roads and meadows with their 4wd trucks. so here i am looking to do a similar thing but for my own reasons. I could do it on "my" own land but it's doing what I say and not what I do.

Maybe what I should do is abandon the mud test and head to Christmas Valley east of Silver Lake for the dunes. Anyone been there??

 

On my daily commute on Dead Indian Memorial Road this moring I saw 1 degree; kept the heat on full

 

my picture is from the first week October a few years ago.... probably the lowest I’ve seen while hunting down there is 16 degrees.

 

I do know the area we hunt has a ton of berries that, depending when I go down there is still a lot or none at all because of the animals.

 

Yep, lots of huckleberry’s up there. -6 windchill in the Applegate was the lowest I’ve ever worked in around here.

 

Well, I surely understand the need to preserve and protect the landscape you manage. From what I’ve observed, not all, but some damage to logging roads is caused by lack of maintenance by the agencies causing the roadbeds to fail. Also from 4 wheelers, dirt bikers and atv’s tearing up the cut banks and road beds traveling at high speed for kicks and not staying to areas already designated for OHV activity, like John’s Peak.

All the resource agencies and private timber companies who leave access open have the same issues with fire seasons and prevention, vandalism, illegal dumping, timber theft and poaching. I think that most people use the resource in a respectful way but the few that don’t ruin it for those that do. I do wish the private resource managers would consider leaving a few of the mainline through roads open and block or just barricade the secondary skid roads to enable some through travel by the public but realize the cost involved with that scenario, its more cost effective to just lock it all up. Sad to see so much country locked up for the actions of a few boneheads! I’ve been living and playing in those woods since the 1960’s, that is all a thing of the past because access is being denied for protection concerns. I don’t like the practice one bit but understand the need, its an unfortunate reality in the woods these days. I would even consider paying a fee to private timber companies to allow seasonal access to their lands, outside of fire season, such as the forest parking fee/permit, at least you’d know who was out there using the resource and for what. I miss the open access to the chimney rocks on lake creek, little chinquapin, greensprings summit, soda mtn, just to name a few, the list gets longer every year.

I’ll hop down off my soapbox now....but I’m still looking for some sippy holes for your test, lol. I’m sure there are some out there you could still access. I have a few inquiries out to friends, so don't give up hope just yet.

 

There are some pretty good mud holes up around Prospect. Ulrich rd to Flounce rock area. I could be available for a run the weekend of the 15th.

 

that’s nice and close, thanks. I’m tied up until March 6th though.

 

no you’re good - you bring up good points. I estimate it’s about 2% of the people are the ones we create rules for, the rest are good people. I have thought about instituting a pay to play system. We have an existing one up in the Olympic Peninsula on some Of our lands up there. The best way to keep on the good side is to belong to Rocky Mountain elk foundation or Oregon hunters association and help when they sponsor clean up days. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone who had mud bogged in their four-wheel-drive in one of our Meadows or dumping their household trash. Some of these people are dumb enough to even leave their name and addresses on their mail behind - they get a surprise visit from our State Police patrol!

Before I retire I’ll be renewing an agreement with the state of Oregon to allow access to 600,000 out of 630,000 acres of our private timberlands to the public starting 6 miles East of green springs over to Keno, south to the state line and north to Keno access road, the program is called Access and habitat program. Only 100,000 acres of that it is seasonally closed during the winter time for winter wildlife protection. The remainder is open year-round to public use.

 

Thats Outstanding!