Godman snow trip of 2011 (Skyline road in the Blue Mountains of WA/OR)
Mike and I ate breakfast at our usual Andy's restaurant, then headed to Kennewick to meet with pjmjr508, his brother, and nephew on Christmas Eve. (Pjmjr508 came across the Cascades to visit family) Off we go east to the Blue mountains. It was 31 degrees when we went through Dayton WA, then started heading up Mustard Hollow road. The temperature climbed as fast as we did. It was, in fact about 15 degrees WARMER at 5,000' and was shirtsleeve weather complete with sunshine.
I can tell you that the high 40's is NOT your friend when there's a foot and a half of snow. Pjmjr508 was the first to get frame buried in the soft sherbert. As you can see in the photos, score was being kept. :) The Silverado pulled out the XK, which then got stuck only about 50 feet later. On a steep hill at an old quarry, his nephew tried skiing down a 30 degree slope on the lid of a recovery box. He never got any faster than about 5 MPH. The video looks like slow motion. Had it been 20 degrees up there, the lid/sled/boy would've traveled at mach 1.8 to the bottom.
We decided to turn around at a road junction a few miles this side of Godman, and I almost got stuck. The Chevy's front end dropped in, so Pjmjr508 got redemption. I was going to try out my new winch, but... :) We all got turned around via a 53 point turn. We got back down without dropping either into the ditch or down the ravine, so all was well.
We went east at a T, and headed down to the Toucannon River. We popped out about 30 miles from highway 12. We decided (on a radio conversation) that we didn't want to backtrack thru Dayton again, so we headed north to Palouse Falls. We got there within 10 minutes of sundown, and looked at the mostly frozen falls... in 26 degree temps, after dropping a mile in elevation and about 20 degree temp. Go figure.
On the way back to town, Mike and I noticed a HUGE white owl on a fence post. His head was the size of a softball, and he was looking out into a farm field. We're guessing he flew off, and into a circle around, because Pjmjr508 got him full in the windshield. Fortunately, it hit the passenger side, or it couldn't been real BAD. As it was, a shower of glass was everywhere in the XK, but Pjmjr508 kept in on the road okay.
All in all, a very fun day except for the sour note of the owl impact.
Oops.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF2235-1.jpg
Double oops. It should be the other way 'round. :)
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF2234-1.jpg
Close to the top. Here's where the sledding attempts were made.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF2239-1.jpg
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