[MtnGoat]

After a fantastic weekend on the Naches last weekend, I am psyched to go check out some more backroads in that region, with the intent of finding some new flying hills for my glider fixation and hopefully some sweet camping, views, and fun along the way. My target for this weekend is Darland Mtn and Divide ridge, SE of Rimrock lake. Area looks incredible for exploration, lots of jeep roads, high ridgelines, probably incredible views of Rainier, Adams, and other such. Darlands summit is supposedly reachable by road at the insane and cool altitude of, I kid you not, 6950'. I'm ready to check it out. Darland mtn, zoom out and head N a few miles for divide ridge.... http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?t=2&s=12&x=796&y=6441&z=10&w=2 We will be leaving 8AM Sat to make the most of the shrinking daylight, anybody with a rig sufficient for jeep roads is welcome. Rendezvous will be 8:20 in Preston Park-n-Ride. If interested in going make sure you post here so we can arrange in more detail.

[Stefan]

I would like to know all the roads and conditions of those roads..... I am interested in the area but I plan on being at the end of the Hamma Hamma road this coming weekend. I try to stay west when the weather forecast is good.....

[MtnGoat]

I'll fill you in when I get back. Last weekend I checked out Bethel Ridge from the E, Timberwolf Mtn from Nile creek, and Raven's Roost from the L Natches. All roads open, all in good condition *except* for a preponderance of really nasty washboard, but especially going up Bethel ridge. Timberwolf had better flying than the other two not that anyone cares, but the view from the top of Ravens Roost literally had me slamming on my brakes and saying "holy sh*t!" as I skidded to a stop at the viewpoint ....Rainier and the backside of Fife's peaks are really something from RR.

[Stefan]

Mtngoat or anybody: Try Little Bald Mountain (6108') a former lookout above and to the west of Cliffdell. The road is very rough near the end but goes to the top. (Keep in mind I am looking at Green Trails maps with roads and trails dating back to 1977…..) How was the road up to Timberwolf? Passable by passenger car? Do you remember how you accessed it? Road numbers? Can you drive to the top of Bethel Ridge or is there a trail? There looks to be a “lookout” at 5670’ of elevation on the far NE end of Divide Ridge just north of Reynolds Creek and east of Kloochman Rock. Do you know if the road is still drivable to that “lookout”?

[MtnGoat]

I was going to try little Bald also, but decided to do Ravens instead. The road up to Timberwolf was just fine. I don't see why you couldn't take a passenger car up, the road is OK until the last turnoff to the summit that stretch is a little worse but still passable. The simplest approach is from Nile Road along the Nachez, it's actually paved for the first 5 miles or so up the hill. Just stay on the main road, I don't remember the numbers. You do have to pay attention near the top or else you'll miss the turnoff and wind up going to Bethel Ridge the back way. All of Bethel is accessible by car, either from the Tieton, from Timberwolf, or there's a road from the N as well I didn't check out.

[Stefan]

Thanks for the info. Do you know anything about road accessibility on Cleman Mountain further to the SE (south of Manastash Ridge)?

[MtnGoat]

I haven't been up there but do have some scuttlebutt, I understand the roads are open, that the main one up the central region of the mtn on the S side crosses some very steep terrain and is pretty rocky, and that it's supposedly a couple thousand acre rattlesnake farm!

[Dslayer]

Access to Clemans Mtn via the Bald Mtn Road off Hwy 410 is good up to about the old lookout-about in that area in passes from NFS to DNR land and the road deteriorates to 4WD country. Once past here this is as about rough a road as I've ever been on. I've never seen a rattler on Clemans except maybe down by Wenas Creek. You can access Cleman a couple of different ways from the Wenas side-Hardy canyon which is strictly 4WD and another route on the Newland Road which takes you all the way west to Jones Canyon and to the top-not as bad as Hardy but I'd reccomend 4WD. There's a general muzzleloader season that starts Oct. 5 and goes through the 11th, the 5th and 6th would be worth avoiding unless you got a smokepole. The Bald Mountain Rd. , the one that gets you up Clemans is 1700-I think the ridge road is 1710? Rattlesnake Rd to Timberwolf is 1500-the spur to the top is signed.

[MtnGoat]

is it possible to get from I90 to Naches without going all the way to Eburg, Yak, and then back west? Do any of the roads for Quartz mtn region connect to those near Bald?

[Dslayer]

Yep-boy that would be quite a drive-You can go up and over from Taneum Creek to Buck Meadows, from there I think there are a number of ways to hook into the Bald Mtn roads-one I know for sure of is to take the Manashtash NFS road to the Barber Springs Rd which will get you up on Manastash Ridge Rd which hooks into Bald Mtn Rd somewhere-it's been a long while since I used to 4X with some buddies up there-but there's a whole series of 4x roads up there I believe-probably some more direct than the route I described.

[MtnGoat]

I've been on a few and there is quite a maze of roads in there. Previously I'd poked around up there a bit, now that I hear there is probably a connection I'll have to try it.

[Randy]

Sounds like a pretty fun trip!

[Dslayer]

I wish I could be a little more exact on roads W. of Buck Meadows that might hook into the Manastash Ridge Road-the NFS has closed/blocked a lot of roads, designating some for motorcycles some for 4X-I know there's a sign/map posted on the Manashtash side, but I've never really stopped to look at it but I'll bet there's something like that as you come over the Taneum side...otherwise to get to this Barber Springs Rd that I speak of-you drive the Manashtash Rd. (wish I could remember the #'s) about 8 miles E of the meadows-it'll be the only road to take off to the S past the road into the Manashtash Lake TH. It may or may not be signed, but it's real obvious. That'll take you on top of the ridge, again, hopefully signed-the Manastash Ridge road which will get you to Bald Mtn Rd and way to hell and gone across the top goes to the west or you can drop down onto a road that will take you into the North Fork of Wenas Creek and down into the Wenas Valley-a hop, skip and a jump away from Naches-or you could drive up and over Clemans from there and down onto Hwy 410 that way. The view from Clemans won't disappoint you either. Anyway sounds like fun-be interesting to hear how it goes.

[Four Eyes]

So... why do they call them off-road cars "4x4"? I know one number is the 4 wheel drive. But do they all have 4 speeds or something? 4WD seems like a more generic term. My 2WD car has 5 gears. 2x5=10, which is less than 4x4=16. Darn. Outdone again.

[MtnGoat]

4 wheels, 4 wheel drive. Vehicles with 4 wheels and two wheel drive are 4x2s, you'll see this designation for models which come in both flavors when looking up parts.