Over Stampede Pass

Andy is a good friend of our who also does a significant amount of back country exploring. However he does it on two wheels instead of four.

He had mentioned there used to be a route from Greenwater, WA on highway 410, through the Cascades to Easton, WA on Interstate 90, and he wanted to see if it still existed.


Make the jump for more stories and pictures.

One of the benefits of having a four door Jeep is you can bring friends along with you and still have room for any gear you want to take as well. So our friends Melinda and Don came along as well keeping Emma company for the duration of the trip in the back seat.

While it was quite dusty for them, I think they had a pretty good time getting to see some of the back country that was just a short drive away.

We stopped at Andy's house where his wife and him cooked us up an awesome breakfast made up of duck eggs and home made bacon.

Our first stop was the ranger station in Enumclaw to pick up a couple of maps and ask about road conditions. The roads open, route planned, we headed into the hills.

It doesn't take long for the views to become awe inspiring and picture worthy. We were perhaps an hour out of Enumclaw, and maybe 20 minutes up a dirt road before we rounded a corner to find this view of the Cascades looking due north.

The views like this continued throughout the rest of our trip. This is the type of place that draws you back time and again.

A mile or two up the road from the last stop was a great place to pull off and take a coffee break. Sunny and 75 degrees, clear skies, and a perfect view.

So we got out, enjoyed the view, had some coffee, and wandered around for a bit. Looking due south this time is Mt Rainier.

We make stops often along the road. While we did have a plan and a destination in mind, this wasn't about the destination. Emma always takes the chance at a stop to explore. This time finding some flowers which were plentiful. She also enjoys picking up the scent of animals that have been through here before her. Quite often finding a trail and following it for a bit, then running back to find something else off in a different directions.

Were flowers mentioned yet? Another one of Debbie's amazing photos showing what can be found if you just stop and look around for a bit.

Back on the road again, then another stop. More pictures, then on the road again. While the trip wasn't that long of a drive we took a lot of time to actually enjoy where we were.

If you rush through a trip like this, you really miss out. You miss seeing the mountains, you miss seeing the small lakes, and you miss seeing wildlife that is everywhere around you.

As we dropped down into the valley on the north side of the mountains we were just on, we came across a nice shaded spot along the river. A perfect time for lunch. We packed all the fixings for sandwiches, with Andy supplying some home cooked pastrami. It was a nice cool break from the sun and the dust.

Emma loves water. As soon as we stopped and she was allowed to run, her first task was to get some of that dust off herself. She spent the next half hour playing in the river.

The route we chose goes near the ghost town of Lester and travels close to an active BNSF rail line. It is this rail line that gives Stampede Pass it's name. While the railroad goes through the mountain in one of the country's longest tunnels, we will be going over the mountain, but still following the line very closely. It would be quite a site to see a locomotive traveling across this trestle.

This area is known as the Tacoma Water Shed. Between the railroad company and the water shed area, this land is quite locked up. The rail company doesn't want you near the tracks, and the government says they are protecting the water shed, so there are a lot of areas along here with restricted access. There are still some places left open to enjoy though.

Andy had read on a forum about the route we were on. There was a question about the route being open or closed due to a washed out road. The question wasn't really about it being closed, but rather was it still passable by a 4x4 or motorcycle. That sounded like a good enough excuse for us to go find out.

The first washout we came to was passable. But only if you didn't mind a few scratches from tree branches and being next to a very soft, narrow ledge. Given the rain following our trip, it is possible this is even worse now.

Being on two wheels instead of four has it's advantages. Andy made quick work of this section of the trail.

Alas, this was as far as we made it. We were within 5 miles of our intended destination of Cle Elum only to find the road completely gone. Not passable by either 2 or 4 wheeled vehicle. We answered the forum question though. Satisfied with that, we back tracked a few miles to Cabin Creek road and made our way back to Interstate 90 just east of Lake Keechelus completing the loop from Highway 410 to Interstate 90 all on dirt roads.

Wonderful day with friends out in the sun and in the woods. And another day of adventure!

We've got more pictures of the trip. Lots more views to see.
Pictures: Greenwater to Lake Keechelus