Washington (PNW) meet and greet

bitburger · 09-08-2008, 05:40 PM

Fellow residents of the wonderful Pacific Northwest,

Is there any interest in another meet and greet?

As a first draft, how about the first Saturday afternoon in October
in the greater Seattle area.
With a little luck, we may still have some good weather.

That said, I am pretty flexible on the location and date.

Mark (Bitburger)

geoffff · 09-08-2008, 06:57 PM

Though it's more complicated, it'd be fun to make it a trail run this time.

Psomaki · 09-08-2008, 11:21 PM

As a newbie I'd certainly be interested. We're open to any suggestions (have never done one of these - only had our "antique" SMB for a few months). Lots of great state and county parks out our way on the Olympic Peninsula and on Whidbey Island too (e.g., Salt Creek Rec Area, Fort Ebey State Park, Fort Worden in Port Townsend).

deminimis · 09-10-2008, 10:18 AM

Well, if you find yourselves a bit closer to Oregon, I'd probably be in. Keep in mind, upland game bird season starts Oct 11 around here, so I'd be out that weekend.

Velogeo · 09-12-2008, 12:49 PM

The first couple weeks of October are pretty much open for me and I'm game for about anything. Doing some sort of drive or boondock camping seems like a good plan.

Railvan · 09-13-2008, 08:35 PM

I'm interested, but have to work Saturdays. If it's a Saturday night camp-over or a Sunday meet, I'll try to make it.

Brian

bitburger · 09-13-2008, 08:54 PM

The pics from the recent trip report of the Gallaher Head Lake for Velogeo looked great. After seeing the pics, I thought it might be a good meet and greet location.

Perhaps we could set a Saturday afternoon time for everyone to get together that would allow people to either come out for the day or come out earlier or longer to stay and camp.

Given my family commitments, I'd probably go out on Saturday for an overnight event nothing longer.

Thoughts?

John and Dana · 09-18-2008, 03:05 PM

We would me in for a meet and greet provided the date works in our schedule.

John

twolost · 09-23-2008, 11:33 PM

I would be interested depending on how my schedule works out. My only preference would be to avoid places where people are actively hunting (per the link below).

http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasons.htm

Cheers,
---TWOLOST---

Velogeo · 10-01-2008, 03:55 PM

I have to agree. Getting shot is pretty low on my list of things to do this month. I think a convoy of vans has a lot less chance of being confused for a bear or elk than a lone hiker, though.

We've been contending with a few things around our house lately. The highlight being a failed septic system. So I could really use a good trip in the van. I'm still up for something this weekend or next, if we still have interest.

Gallaher Head Lake wouldn't be the top of my list simply because I was just there. I also know it's pretty popular on the weekends. I know of at least three or four groups that've been in there in the last month and a half. The problem being is there's only one spot for a group at the lake, that I could see. There's another spot for a single vehicle. If those are taken I'm not sure there are any other options but driving back out again a fair bit. There are at least a couple nice forest service camp grounds up that way if needed.

Any of the WDFW lands around central Washington would be an option. Hunting is obviously allowed, though, so could be a concern. L.T. Murray (sp?) is supposed to be nice. I did a couple trips through the Whiskey Dick/Quilomene areas earlier in the year. I know Geoff has been through a few times as well. There are lots of places to camp, it's pretty much wide open, and it's a beautiful area. There is at least one spot I know of where you can camp on the river. If that's taken it wouldn't be hard to find somewhere else to set up camp.

If we're on "the other side" of the mountains I have a route between Enumclaw and Cle Elum (or vice versa) via forest service roads I'm still wanting to try. I don't know if it'd count as a "trail ride" but it's supposed to be a beautiful drive. I think it's about 70 miles. I don't know the availability of camp spots. There are usually plenty sprinkled around the national forests around here. I just doubt there'd be any group size places.

I wish I knew a place to camp on or next to one of the beaches in SW Washington. That'd be nice this time of year.

I have to say, looking at the list of game and game birds in the area hunting season isn't sounding like such a bad thing. It's been a long time since I've been. I might have to take it up again. It actually makes me hungry looking at the list.