[Quark]

Rich Baldwin & I met at 6:30 Sunday morning and headed Cleman Mtn near Naches. We ascended Cleman the lazy man’s way; via rig. I use the Bauer/Nelson book Best Desert Hikes; Rich is still stuck in the dark ages with that 55 Hikes book. The Best book requires movement to gain Cleman; the 55 doesn’t. Laziness won out, and we ascended the ridge using the 55 directions on a rough & tumble rock Wenatchee FS road with multiple fresh blowdowns to negotiate around (others already have facilitated ways around). Big mud puddles to crash through as well. The blowdown are huge old ponderosa that came down during a windstorm about 2 weeks ago, according to a handsome gent with a nice voice that we met near the summit. We drove to an obvious stopping point – in-your-face view of Mt Rainier, also most of Adams, and of the Stuart Range to the north. We could have driven most of the way to the summit, but chose to walk the remaining 2.5 miles to the site of the lookout tower. The lookout tower sustained heavy wind damage in the way of 2 of its supporting pilings are cracked in half! One of the legs is suspended in mid-air, the other is connected by a 2 cm wide splinter. The wind knocked this baby all to hell. We’re idiots and stood underneath it long enough to shoot some pictures. This puppy’s ready to topple. 2 antennae towers are smashed all to hell also. But back to the stroll. Gorgeous and peaceful, an odd combination of alpine delight complete with larches and hemlock, along with bands of columnar basalt, ponderosa pines and sagebrush. No flowers yet save for yellow bell and some white stuff; we’ll call it spring beauty. Lots of that. Bitterroot is infesting the ridge, and I expect a pink show of this lovely bloom in a week or so. You won’t be able to keep from stepping on them once you get there, so I suggest you start dealing with your guilt now, so you’ll be prepared. Lots of lupine ready to burst as well. There’s a lot of ridge-roaming to be had on Cleman Mtn. Note: the WLR roads are closed until May 1st. FS roads are open. (part of Cleman is within Oak Cr WLR, part is in Wenatchee NF). The Bauer/Nelson book suggests parking at Mud Lake just west of Naches, and heading up to Cleman Mtn. That is a more reasonable route for average vehicles. The way Rich and I went is long and slow; the road, though I admit is fun to drive, could be tire-popping and teeth-jarring. I expect the trees to be logged out soon, as the lookout tower will need to be removed or repaired SOON, and the radio towers repaired as well. I’m curious as to what they’ll do with that tower. It’s ready to fall over. I have no pics to add at this time; perhaps tomorrow. I believe Rich has some; if he posts his, that’ll be like mine ‘cause I think we took the same photos.

[lookout bob]

Quark...the amazing thing about Cleman lookout is that it's been that way since the storms last December. There are plans underway to remove the lookout and repair it and move it to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center that is being built in Entiat along Alternate 97. It would join the two lookouts already there. ( Badger Mountain and Chelan Butte....)

[Rich Baldwin]

Bob, your ears must have been burning. When we saw that wobbly contraption we figured you'd have something to say about it. I haven't downloaded my photos yet. If they are any good I'll post some, but Quark's photos are bound to be better.

[hikermike]

Well...where's the pix!!

[Rich Baldwin]

Here:

Antenna damage

Cleman Mtn

Cleman lookout and basalt columns

Cleman lookout tower

Curvy ponderosa branch

Curvy ponderosa branch 2

Lookout damage

Lookout damage 2

Oak Creek Wildlife Refuge

Quark on Cleman

Quark on a downed monster

Rainier and Nelson Ridge

Snag and Nelson Ridge

Snow patch

Yellow bell

Yellow bells and bee

Stuart Range

[Alan Bauer]

Cool photos Rich---glad you and Quark got up there and didn't just sit in Naches fighting over which book to use But where was all the rain? I like that place so much as well, you are way up above everything around you! Views go on and on and ..... Can't wait for May and the elk closures to be lifted. Lots of road hikes up out of Wenas to get back to and revisit. Don't overlook the Kelleys Hollow across the Wenas into LTMurray also.

[ree]

Nice! I almost did that hike a couple weeks ago.

[Eric]

I remember that road, it did evil things to my Accord. But still, we made it there and back. Too bad the LO is coming down but that's the way it goes. I don't think the DNR has too much interest in keeping up their lookouts, not that anyone does but perhaps even less than some other organizations.

[Rich Baldwin]

Thanks, Alan! Quark wore her rain jacket as a talisman, so naturally the rain was kept far away. Ree, Cleman should soon be at its wildflower peak if you are still thinking of going there. We were just a tad early.

[Quark]

[ActionBetty]

Great TR, I am thinking of heading there Sunday with the little man and Mr. big. I hope to get some good flower pics and some possible wild life sightings.

[Scrooge]

Mike posted this in Stewardship, which is appropriate ...... except that it really belongs in this thread.

[Scrooge]

Ditto Scrooge. He never does pay attention.

[lookout bob]

just got this news from the Forest Fire Lookout Association and thought I'd pass it along..... Cleman LO west of Naches, WA was destroyed yesterday. DNR crews attempted to salvage what they could by bringing down the 40' tower within itself, but only a few shutters, windows, and appliances were salvageable. You may recall that this tower suffered extreme damage in the December '06 windstorm, leaving it standing on only two legs. It was last staffed a couple years ago, after serving well for 60 years protecting the dry grasslands and pine forest land west of Yakima. sad news indeed....

[Rich Baldwin]

That is sad news indeed, Bob. There are too few of them left.