Trail Report 14 - Ginsberg Point, Tillamook State Forest after the "Great Flood

of '96".



Comments compiled by Bill Lewey



[forwarded by Roger Christal for Bill Lewey who posted it from his

 wife's Compuserve account, causing the thing to bounce AGAIN.]



Where:

Ginsberg Pt., Tillamook State Forest, Yamhill, Oregon



When:

March 24, 1996



Who:

Roger Christal and son - 95 Wrangler

Guy Hammer - 79 Bronco

Dave Trulsen - 89 Toyota PU

Tom (endo) Brown - 88 Cherokee

Chris Meredith - 76 Scout II

Gordon Compton and daughter - 77 F-250 and Suzuki Quad

Denny Zander - 72 K-5

Doug (tipsy) Carman - 89 Suburban

Mike Millen - 78 CJ-7

Bill Lewey - 78 CJ-5



Since the group was fairly large and I didn't see all the action this report has

some comments from a few folks who submitted them.  Thanks guys.



Getting the weather small talk out of the way we had the typical Oregon trip in

that regard.  In the first 2 hours it rained, hailed, snow, rained, got cold,

got warm, was cloudy and was sunny.  The sun went down sooner it seemed although

the time was later.  Interesting phenomena when you're having fun.



Everyone showed up on time as usual.  That is one thing that is great about the

group.  You guys are punctual about your 4x4 trips.  We headed for the trail at

about 9:15am.  Stopping at a county park to air down just before entering the

woods we had the drivers meeting and decided to keep the large group together

and split off when desired for short-wheel-base or low clearance trails.  This

worked out pretty well.  The group moved along pretty well and there were two

instances where the split occurred.  First for the climb to Ginsberg Pt. and

second for the trail that made Guy (pinball-wizard) Hammer's Subaru Brat famous.

We named this trail "PINBALL" read Trip 9B for more details.



Entering the forest we started to see the devastation from the winter storms.

The logging roads were mild 4x4 trails with many sink holes, exposed rocks, mud,

trees, large branches and such.  A couple of miles in after seeing many repaired

washouts we safely passed by our first un-repaired one.  It is uneasy to be

driving next to a drop formed by unstable soil.  One slip and you are rolling

hundreds of yards down the mountain.



Roger:

"Generally, there is a LOT of downed trees from the devastation of this

winter's wind and rain.  It seems that the unprotected trees along the

roads were the hardest hit.  There was also a few places where portions

(or all!) of the roads we traveled have either slid completely away or

had started sinking.  Very scary!



"We must realize that the destruction will be evident on many of our

trips this year and for years to come.  At a meeting of the Brush

Busters two weeks ago, I learned that three heavily traveled trails

in the Tillamook State Forest have been completely lost due to slides.

At present, the Forest Service has no plans to repair or re-route those

trails.  They may well be lost forever.



"So remember, when we are out in the woods this year, we must remember

to bring a good chainsaw or two.  Oh, and we need the Suburban and as

cutting template..."  EOC (end of comment)



The first almost needed was for an 18' sink in the road about 30 feet long.  The

road was in good shape except for the abruptions at each end of the sink.

Everyone passed through with trouble but it was like driving up and down an 18'

curb.



Finally we came to the waterfall that made Marc (plumb-bob) Davis famous and

taught us all lesson about venturing down trails without an exit or

back-trackable. Read Trip-9A for more details.  See the video!  Anyways at this

"trail" there was a precarious washout on the logging road.  Passing safely by

this hazard we head to a small quarry.



At the quarry several folks try their had at slow climbing the rubble.  After

many successful attempts I go as well and keep going up a trail that leads off

into the woods.  After a 1/2 mile or so it comes to a clearing and here is 6

other trucks (from our group).  I guess this group is big when half the folks do

the "challenge" before the last trucks even show up.  Best to keep cameras at

the front of the pack to catch the action.  After an all clear we head back down

and on to "Spar" with the "rule" that everyone must go up the left side which is

a steep gravely mogul hill.



At the bottom of Spar I was fooling around and got my axles hung up in a mud

hole.  1st stuck of the day.  Yay Bill!  No one else could get stuck this

easily!  1st we try an snap strap and the Quad to pull me free.  A futile thing

to do and I feared a Quad hitting my windshield like a large Japanese bird!

After I winch myself out using Gordon's F-250 as an anchor we head up Spar.

Everyone made it up Spar without a hitch.



OK onto Murphy Camp!  We head down and off.  After safely passing yet another

washout we stop for lunch at Murphy Camp.  A couple folks start to nibble at

there lunch and few other decide to bite into the two challenges available here.

1.  a big pile of gravel and 2. a big mudhole.  1st one in as usual was Roger.

the Wrangler stops dead with four 33's free spinning and churning water.  I am

reminded of my young days on the Mississippi watch the muddy water churn from

under the tugboats.  I forget who yanked Roger out but the next one in is Denny.

Same story as Roger.  Tom pulls him out.  And again.  Tom pulls him out.  From

the other direction.  Tom can't get the traction to pull him out.  Denny now has

significant looking bubble thing going on at his front left tire.  Bill (me)

positions the CJ5 on a bank above the hole and pulls at an angle.  After some

effort Denny is plucked from the hole.  Next is Gordon's daughter in the F-250.

Valiant effort gets her in deep.  Bill pulls her loose.  She gets into position

and makes an impressive launch out the side of the hole.  Next Chris goes in and

of course.... I pull him loose and he takes the launching pad way out as well.

If my foggy memory serves me Chris tried twice.  I lost count of the pulls the

little CJ was making.   Well meanwhile back at the gravel pile....



Roger:

"Very memorable was Tom's trip down the gravel pile at Murphy Camp.  I

was watching when he decided to drive down the very steep backside

portion of that thing.  The gravel pile was only about 2 car lengths

high.  The trail down the backside went near vertical in the middle.

As Tom drove down, BOTH of his back wheels left the ground!  Good thing

he didn't try stopping at that point; otherwise, he would have done an

ENDO!"     EOC



Rick's comment on video:

"I watched Roger's video footage of this trip.  Man alive - I was dying

laughing when I saw Gordon on the ATV in that mud hole near Murphy's

Camp.  Not only was he manhandling that baby, but he was mooning the

camera the whole time.  What a CRACK-up!    :-)"  EOC



We decide to go to Ginsberg Pt. and try the hill no one could master before.

After arriving at the trail head I split the group (unintentionally) to check an

alternate trailhead that was blocked last time (Elk hunters).  It is clear and

so Roger, Doug, Dave, Mike and Bill (me) head up.  Bill is leading dodging

fallen trees providing low clearance challenges for the Suburban and Rogers

chainsaw.  An erosion problem rears its ugly head.  A 3 foot deep rut in the

middle of the two track trail.  I study it an take my line.  Not very far into

it and because of a misjudgment on centering my left rear slips in and BOOM!

I've got terrain to the top of my tub.  I climb out and hook the winch to a

tree.  The next few moments I am plowing dirt with my front bumper and axles and

finally I am out leaving behind a trail in much better condition.  Next the

"Suburban of many horses" blasts through moving dirt and filling ruts.  The Toy,

Wrangler and CJ make it through without a hitch and we unintentionally leave

behind a nicely graded road.



Just past the challenge there is a saddle.  Our group reforms there and after

some bragging the trucks start to trickle up the most difficult trail so far.

It is a steep climb with softball size rocks and a neat hole on the left side to

bounce up and get stuck in.  The Suburban blasts through proving the worth of a

looong wheel base.  Almost everyone else has some trouble.  We all make it

though using several attempts and spotting from those who made it up.  The

Toyota takes the alternate route.  A good idea me thinks.  



At the top there was a fork.  Doug and Bill went left (the wrong way) and

everyone else went right.  There was apparently another challenging hill to the

point...



Roger:

"Watch where you back up!  Mike Millen ended up backing into a large

rock on the final ascent of Ginsberg Point.  He dented the skid plate

for his gas tank, a shock mount and scratched his pumpkin pretty good."  EOC



Guy:

"I was impressed with Gordan's trail combo. He and his daughter traded

off driving the quad and the F-250. I was most impressed with the way

she handled the big Ford. I couldn't follow her up the left side of the

Ginsburg Point trail. We need more women drivers!



"After we got to the top of the first hard climb on the Ginburg Point

trail, (Take that, Rick! :) Tom decided to try going down a motorcycle

trail. This trail started out life as a two-track, but presently has

a large bush growing out of the middle. Tom starts around the bush,

then starts to tip. It really looked like he was going over! The left

rear went WAY up in the air, wavered a bit, and settled back down a

little. Nobody moved. Tom gingerly grabs the mic and asks "Could

someone pull the bush back?". I replied "Isn't it the only thing

holding you up?". Gordan clambered down and spotted Tom around the bush.



"With the M/T's aired down to 17-18 lbs. I think I found the "sweet spot".

Roger accused me of slipping in a locker. Not yet Roger, but thanks for

making my day! :-)"   EOC



After everyone joined up with Doug and Bill back down on the road we headed out.

Chris, Tom, Doug and Gordon wanted to play some more so Guy lead us over to

"pinball."  





Doug:

"I know one thing you can add that all those who didn't go down pinball

missed out on and I really feel sorry for those who missed it because I

don't have plans of doing a instant replay. I almost rolled the Suburban

towards the end of pinball and it was pretty exciting to say the least. I

have a tilt gauge like yours Bill and I was sitting well pass the 40 degree

mark and at one point had zero oil pressure even though I was still

running. You can get more details from Tom, Chris, Gordon, & Gordon's

daughter as they had a better view. I really want to thank those guys for

their quick action and help. Other then that it was great and the Burb made

it home alright and seems to be intact and running okay. Many thanks

everyone for a great trip."  EOC



Rick's comment from previous experience:

"And you had experience on this trail from the last trip!  Has the trail changed

at all from the last time we went on it (more rutted, slippery, etc.)?  Did

anyone get any pictures or video?  You probably felt like I did at Sand Lake

when my

tilt-o-gauge was measuring a cool 38 degrees."  EOC



After we left those guys there we continued down Toll Rd. only to find a major

washout (30ftx30ft deep) that stopped us.  Then we had to back track out on the

incoming route.  On the way out we put out a camp fire left behind by some

moron(s).  At the park where we were airing up George Reiswig, Marc Davis, and

Fred Fitsgerald showed up from an equally challenging ride.



Roger:

"Finally, there are a LOT of trails in that area that we have yet to

explore.  On the way out, a Toyota Pickup got in the middle of our

group.  I was suprised to find out that it was Leonard ??? of the Brush

Busters and his family.  I'm planning on calling him to get more

information on places in the Trask River area which offer potential for

trips later this year, perhaps in October or November.  Yeah, it's

quite a trip in and out, but it's worth the effort."  EOC





I think I can speak everyone that this was a very fun trip.  There are lots of

other trails in this area that we can check out as well.



A special KUDOS to Guy and Roger for their guidance into this area.  Thanks



Bill Lewey

blewey@peak.org



ps.  Below is a letter I am sending off to the TSF ranger regarding trail

conditions.





Randy Peterson,



Well I gathered up some folks (Oregon BushHackers) and we went on a ride Sunday

to Ginsberg Point.

So we did not get a lot of mileage in the Tillamook State Forest.



The trail to Ginsberg Point from the south was in great shape.  In fact all the

trails we saw were in great shape.  The roads however, were in very poor

condition with lots of sinks, holes, rocks, trees, washouts.  Of course we are

specifically looking for bad roads for our recreation. :-)



So the worse conditions we saw were outside the forest but just for your

information and anyone who may call I will provide the following list of road

hazards:

On the way in from Yamhill

1. (44 25 08, 123 21 04) (Turner Cr Rd) Severe washout that is passable but

precarious and needs attention.

2. (45 24 40, 123 24 50) Murphy Grade (2-8-9.1) Sink in the road that was about

18  deep and 20 feet long.  It seemed solid and safe.

3. (45 24 22, 123 25 01) (Near Camp One) Washout, passable but precarious.

4. (45 23 07, 123 29 05) Toll Rd Washout, passable.

On the way back to Yamhill

1. (45 22 54, 123 24 22) Toll Rd.  A bit less than a mile or so east of the

Fairchild By Pass a 30 ft wide by 30 ft deep washout with undermining.  Very

dangerous! Impassable except that motorcycles made a trail though the woods.  We

turned around and backtracked out.



We also stopped to put out a full on campfire.  Someone had been camped there in

morning as we passed by.  On our way back through in the late afternoon the

campers had left a stack of fresh wood on the fire and it was not going to burn

out anytime soon.



There were a couple of spots on the Ginsberg Pt. trail we were on that could use

maintenance but everything we saw was passable and not too bad.  Of course we

only covered the ground from Bark Shanty Rd. (45 23 01, 123 29 43) to Cruiser

Cr. (45 25 02, 123 30 33) which is not very far.  But it does cover some steep

terrain.



So sorry we did not t have a better report for you.  Maybe we will get deeper

into TSF on the next trip.



Bill Lewey

blewey@peak.org