PEAK PUTTERS

Hi Everyone! Long winter for some, but I like running and racing dogs, so it was too short for me!

Grooming just ended on the Cle Elum Ranger District and we will start opening roads AS THEY MELT OUT. I am working on "summerizing" www.cleelumtrails.com as we speak, so please check in once in a while to see any news.

I will also update this page as we log out this season....I'll let you know where we will be and, after, how the area looks.

The Pacific NW 4-Wheel Drive Association will again be working on clearing the Liberty trails for us the week before the big weekend BUT....there is some big news.....

For years our District has sort of been hammered during the Memorial Day Weekend.....sometimes we only have about 5 miles of snow free trails, so peeps are busting through and going around trees that haven't been cleared yet.....sort of silly, but to be honest, I have had that "get there first" fever many, many times.....Unfortunately, we get SO MUCH traffic during the big weekend, that the trail system just gets beat up....

Naches has been talking about closing their trails to motorized until June 15th, and the Cle Elum RD has been part of that discussion. In the end, we felt that a hard date just wouldn't work on the Cle Elum. Some years things open really fast....in rare years, the snow stays a long time, but year to year just differs so much.....So, we are trying a flexible date idea. Once a loop is logged out and fairly snow free (on the tread), the trail will be opened. You can check in with cleelumtrails.com to see the latest - and I will keep updates posted on Facebook. BTW, as of today, we still haven't heard what Naches RD is planning to do. When I know, you will know....but I would suggest calling them for the latest info.

I need a lot of help though, as we still aren't certain NOVA $$$ will ever come back. That means, we may not have a crew....So, if you are in for an early season work ride, I sure would appreciate your help. Let me know if I can count on you and I'll keep you in the loop.

So, mountain bike and moto are now in the shop getting ready for the season...and I'm waiting like everyone else for the snow to melt....

Hope you all stay active on Cle Elum Trails Off-Road FB Page, and I am looking forward to riding and wheelin' with you this spring/summer/fall!

RIDE ON!

Subject: Seasonal Closure Information
Hi Everyone....I just received this info to post on http://www.facebook.com/l/7136eRuU3XbAZ ... trails.com and thought I would send it to all of you first. As you know, Cle Elum and Naches have been talking about implementing a seasonal closure for the motorized trails....well, this makes it official. I can only speak for the Cle Elum...

THIS IS NOT A HARD DATE CLOSURE, although the order will be terminated on June 15th regardless of conditions...this is a flexible date closure. I will be working with volunteers and our very small crew to log out trails and to open them as they become clear of debris and snow. The user group is very involved in this decision making. The primary areas effected are the Liberty, Manastash, and Taneum trails. The other systems are rarely ever snow free before June 15th. Taneum is always the first to melt out. I will start working out there (on foot) next weekend. As soon as we can start pushing the snow line, I will be needing help logging out. I can take volunteers with me, so if you are interested, keep checking this site or the ORV page on http://www.facebook.com/l/7136eqXwye_El ... Trails.com. Here is the "official" announcement by the Forest....

"SEASONAL CLOSURE IN EFFECT ON MOTORIZED TRAILS THIS SPRING

The Cle Elum Ranger District will implement a partial closure on motorized trails this Spring. This closure applies to motorized recreation only. Individual trail loops will be opened to motorized traffic as they dry out and seasonal maintenance is completed. Maps will be posted at trailheads and on websites showing which trails are open, and these will be updated regularly. Typically on the Cle Elum District, there are a few low-elevation loops in the Taneum and Liberty areas that are dry and logged out by Memorial Day, but the majority of trails are still wet. Motorized groups have encouraged us for years to keep the trails closed while they're wet because the damage that's done is often much worse than what can be repaired the following summer. We are committed to opening trails as soon as possible, and we will have a number of employees and volunteers working on these trails to get them open. As soon as a trail loop is dry and logs are cut out, we will open it within 24 hours. Watch http://www.facebook.com/l/7136eRuU3XbAZ ... trails.com for details and/or contact the Ranger Station at 509-852-1100. Please note that the Naches Ranger District will be implementing the same type of closure, but it is not anticipated that that any motorized trails on the Naches District will be dry enough to open by Memorial Day. "


4/11/11

Subject: Cle Elum Trails Update
Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. Dawn Fouts and Jeff Myhre helped out today (THANK YOU!!!!). We started logging out at Taneum.

Just FYI...I cannot access Facebook from work, but the gov lets us access Twitter, for whatever reason. I update the FB page from home after work, but if you want to get updates sooner, follow the MOTOSHOTS TWITTER page. I have been updating that as soon as I can get cell service.

The http://www.facebook.com/l/63371skAoQBkg ... trails.com off-road vehicle page is almost finished, and I am maintaining a diary account of our work progress. You can find that on the NETWORK page.

Okay - here is the weekend report....

There are a lot of trees down! It might be another crazy season (like 2006). There is A LOT of snow hanging on. In fact, there is still snow at the Junction parking area. We drove two miles up Peoh Point Road before hitting impassable snow. Snow is on road 33 immediately after the Junction turnoff. You run into snow on the road immediately on Gnat Flat Road, #3330. We won’t be opening any trails until we can loop Taneum Ridge with Fishhook Flats trail which is at least a month out. Johnny Mac will be helping me push the snow line this Friday, so I will update the Twitter account (under “MOTOSHOTSâ€