Walker Valley 2-25-10

Some of my pics...the rest are here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/scott_schmitz/

Went with James from PNWJeep.com.

Definitely was a fun day. I wish I knew the trails a little better, as even with my map every time I go there I manage to miss/pass/not find w/e trail I'm looking for after the expressway/Upper-mainline so of course James and I had a lot of gravel road exploring...especially since the loggers have made some new roads that through me off. I think it's fair to say we found 90% of the hardest stuff at Walker and attempted it all multiple times, I say attempt because on the rock face the two of us were denied...I blame it on the mucky mud and not trying to destroy my panels. I did get more damage, door smashed up a bit, drivers rocker caved in, etc. but nothing serious.





^This tree gave both James and I some grief. First I got to it, made a good dozen attempts over it to end up with the tree getting stuck on my axle. Finally I got enough throttle and bounce to get over it and kept going...only to realize James was still stuck so I came back down, he ended up getting it stuck multiple times on the control arms, dragged it down the hill, then it was getting stuck on his rear axle, it was just a mess. We finally gave up for him, had me locate my rig closer and he winched out of the tree off me.



^When I came up the hill to this guy the first thing I did was get out and ask wtf he was doing on the trails in stock rig, and explained to him it's things like that that get trails closed down. I said that to try and get a point across because he admitted to knowing he shouldn't be on the trails yet he did it anyways, after doing my typical accuse first ask later I realized these guys just weren't the smartest when it came down to wheeling as a whole. Hopefully James and I helped encourage them research how you SHOULD wheel, versus how you CAN. Oh and the BEST part about this was when I asked if he has it in 4low. He said, "No I'm in 4Hi because then all the tires are locked and spin together." I of course corrected him, and explained how 4low works...he puts it in 4low and just about drives out of it.





















~Scott

looks liek you guys had fun. wish i could have gone. maybe next time. i like the 2 door

looks like fun. great pics!

Muddy Beast said:

and explained to him it's things like that that get trails closed down.

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Care to explain yourself here buddy?

-Alex

Yeah, I wasn't aware that wheeling stock rigs on legal trails got them closed down. I think if some snot-nosed 18 year old said that to me, I might just punch them in the face.

Looks like a nice little run otherwise.

LOL I agree. just because his rig is stock it may not be smart but it isnt wrong. Maybe he will learn from that experience and will better prepare himself for the next run. some people arent born pro's or with capable rigs. embrace that and use it as an oppertunity to share your skills to help promote the sport not bash a beginner or under-educated four weeler. otherwise looked like a gret time.:roflmao:

Ba-Riedo said:

Care to explain yourself here buddy?

-Alex

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Well at the time it was the general idea of getting stuck and not having anyone to pull out you (wheeling without other rigs), and using a chain come-along on a tree that I was referring to. Learn to read between the lines people.

Thanks BenDiesel. :wave1:

~Scott

"When I came up the hill to this guy the first thing I did was get out and ask wtf he was doing on the trails in stock rig, and explained to him it's things like that that get trails closed down. I said that to try and get a point across because he admitted to knowing he shouldn't be on the trails yet he did it anyways, after doing my typical accuse first ask later I realized these guys just weren't the smartest when it came down to wheeling as a whole. Hopefully James and I helped encourage them research how you SHOULD wheel, versus how you CAN."


None of that indicates illegal or stupid wheeling practices. You bagged on him for daring to wheel in a stock rig, mentioned nothing about chains on trees or wheeling solo, and then slammed him here by calling him stupid. That all sounds like a know-it-all smarmy kid who might get himself punched in the face if he busts out that attitude on the trail.

If you ever consider yourself an ambassador for the wheeling community, please reconsider that perspective immediately.

And before you get butt-hurt, you know that I "like" you and consider you a nice kid Scott, but honestly, think before you post. It'll go a long ways towards peoples' perceptions and opinions of you. If all I knew of you were posts like the above one on a forum, I'd think you were a dick.

When I started I wheeled a stock 2000 Ranger and loved it. Everyone starts some where and I think we should support it. Education is what was needed for him and you Scott. If some one came to you and said what you said how would you take it?

:firedevil

Probably didn't help I wrote that description after getting in a disagreement with my parents... I'm not going to bother explaining myself so to speak, I think it was one of those "you would have had to be there" moments.

So anyways, Walker...cool trails...wish they were easier to find them all though. Anyone else have as much trouble as myself finding the marked trails at Walker versus the unmarked trails at Reiter?

~Scott

I've been going to Reiter since 01 and this last nov I was on trails I've never seen before. So I would say you can get just a lost at Reiter as you can at Walker. Maps get me lost :wierd:

Muddy Beast said:

:firedevil

Probably didn't help I wrote that description after getting in a disagreement with my parents... I'm not going to bother explaining myself so to speak, I think it was one of those "you would have had to be there" moments.

So anyways, Walker...cool trails...wish they were easier to find them all though. Anyone else have as much trouble as myself finding the marked trails at Walker versus the unmarked trails at Reiter?

~Scott

Click to expand...

I still have not found a so called "good" trail map. Also the trail markers are really small I think. You can drive right by them and not even notice

Yeah, I have trouble finding my way up at Walker also. I'm gonna try to find some mapping software for my Blackberry or and make a better map. It will be a learning experience. Any of you have any experience with logging GPS files and transferring them to a map?

Try contacting the DNR about getting some trail signs installed. Offer to install them, or get a fundraiser going to help cover some cost?

They're especially helpful in letting people know which trail is open to what types of orv vehicles. That way you don't have Jeeps running around on the quad trails (leave Ben out of this, he's moved on ).



I think some signs like they have at the Hammers would be kind of cool. The name of the trail burned out of a piece of steel.

I don't think the issue is related to signage, although they are a little hard to see, especially in the dark...Ok, bigger trail signs would be a good idea.

Just to give you an idea...

1. Print this map on low quality 8.5 x 11 paper
http://www.nwjeepn.com/Maps/walkerValley.pdf
2. Dim the lights in your room to 1 Lumen (approximately the output of an xj dome light)
3. Tell me how to get from upper mainline to lower mainline. :rtm:

TORX said:

Try contacting the DNR about getting some trail signs installed. Offer to install them, or get a fundraiser going to help cover some cost?

They're especially helpful in letting people know which trail is open to what types of orv vehicles. That way you don't have Jeeps running around on the quad trails (leave Ben out of this, he's moved on ).



I think some signs like they have at the Hammers would be kind of cool. The name of the trail burned out of a piece of steel.

Click to expand...

Signs are no issue IMO, although many of the ones the have were broken recently (someone ran over a ton of them by the looks of it), but the issue is more how much they all loop around and how many "roads" there are to the trails themselves...versus Reiter it's kinda one main road (power lines) and everything splitting off that.

The loggers have also made new roads (as I found yesterday) so instead of saying, "take the next left heading north" you have to say "it should be the next left but we won't know till we take the road". James and I spent an hour taking multiple different roads (logging roads included) trying to find a specfic trail that SEEMED super easy to find on the map, but I ended up passing a trail that wasn't even on the map, and never once came to a road that was as the map made it out to be (no trails where they should be).

GPSing all the routes are deffinately the way to go...now I just need a GPS.

~Scott

fubar XJ said:

Yeah, I wasn't aware that wheeling stock rigs on legal trails got them closed down. I think if some snot-nosed 18 year old said that to me, I might just punch them in the face.

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We need to go wheeling again.:roll:

-Alex

I thought you quit wheeling?

01whiteXJ said:

I thought you quit wheeling?

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What's "wheeling"? :helpme:

~Scott

Muddy Beast said:

Signs are no issue IMO, although many of the ones the have were broken recently (someone ran over a ton of them by the looks of it), but the issue is more how much they all loop around and how many "roads" there are to the trails themselves...versus Reiter it's kinda one main road (power lines) and everything splitting off that.

The loggers have also made new roads (as I found yesterday) so instead of saying, "take the next left heading north" you have to say "it should be the next left but we won't know till we take the road". James and I spent an hour taking multiple different roads (logging roads included) trying to find a specfic trail that SEEMED super easy to find on the map, but I ended up passing a trail that wasn't even on the map, and never once came to a road that was as the map made it out to be (no trails where they should be).

GPSing all the routes are deffinately the way to go...now I just need a GPS.

~Scott

Click to expand...

the map is way outdated and needs to be updated, i used to have a hard time finding trails up there too, but after a few runs its actualy pretty easy to find them, its just a matter of becoming familiar with roads and the area, going up there with someone that knows the area helps alot, wish i got on here more often, i wanted to go wheelin that day but didnt see the post till it was late in the day