2018 4WDrive Overland SE - June

The smoke was now hanging like a thick blanket of fog in the
trees, the constant smell of campfire filling the Jeep. After a close
bear encounter, we popped off the small trail and out onto a
main service road where we surprised a group of fire fighters
pulled off the front lines to recover. After a quick situation report
with them we learned that A: we were not supposed to be where
we were, and B: our route over Thrapp Mountain and Woody
Mountain was in flames.
Forced to backtrack to highway 20, we pulled out the map and
realized we would have to circle around Thrapp on highways 20
and 153 to then link up with the next section of the BDR.
The next section was Gold Creek. It didn’t take long for our
hopes to be dashed as yet another fire blockade impeded our
progress. Out came the map but again, there were no gravel
roads that would see us through to the next leg. The decision was
to push on to Chelan.
Setting up in a coffee shop in Chelan, the situation was clear.
Pretty much all of Washington state was on fire. Entire ranches
and towns were razed to the ground and charred black. Nearly
every mountain range was closed to traffic but thankfully, the
next leg in the route was clear, and we could push to Cashmere
to end an already painfully long day.
The route over Chelan Mountain (aka Stormy Mountain) was
striking. The sun was setting, the smoke filled air making it glow
an eerie red. The higher we climbed, the more arresting the view
as old forest fires had cleared the top of the mountain. Before long
the road meandered down into the next valley as darkness set in.
It was at this time I started feeling uneasy. It had been an
incredibly long day and Blake’s energy was beginning to fail with
the light. Coming into a rutted section of road, I could see the
bike swing wildly as Blake fought to stay upright. He just saved
it; the consequences would have been a long fall down a steep
embankment. It was time for a break, some water, some calories and
a chat about pushing on. Blake sparked up a little and really wanted
to make it to the next town, so off we went into the darkness.
This was not the best decision, as the road we would come
upon would prove to be the most challenging of the trip. Massive
ruts and washouts gave way to an incredible drop into a black
abyss beyond the headlights. It wasn’t an impossible trail, but
with fatigue, lack of food and potentially lethal consequences,
our pace had slowed to a crawl. After a particularly tough
section, we took a hike 500 metres up the trail and we decided
enough was enough. Another map studying session under LED
light revealed a maintained road down to the highway. We made
the decision to get out while we still could and live to drive
another day.
Arriving Ardenvoir, we found a sleepy little town with
nothing open. Even worse, a fire crew camp closed the route that
would take us into Cashmere. By now it was well after midnight,
no choice but to head straight for Wenatchee.
We arrived in Wenatchee physically beaten and mentally
defeated. By this point, all we wanted was some food and a hotel
room with a hot shower. To add insult to injury, a local concert
had every single hotel in town sold out. Getting some cheap fast
food for nourishment, we headed towards Cashmere and set up
camp as soon as we hit the forest. What a difference a day makes.
The first day was easy and tranquil, while the second was long,
dirty and exhausting. Four of our seven legs were impassable, and
we weren’t even a third of the way through Washington.
A beautiful trail leading to a smoky end
The trails we did find open were
spectacular, along with a smoky sunset.
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