Meadow Lake Rd Report

[Kendo]

We camped along Sagehen Rd this weekend and did a run up to Meadow to check out the road condition. I wanted to see if I should even bother trying to get the trailer up there or not. Weeelllll........

The first 7 miles, are just as they always have been, like a gravel freeway damn near. The FS takes very good care of their part of the road. At the 7 mile mark though, where the road splits to White Rock Lake and Meadow Lake, it turns to crap. At first, it's just rough, fist size rocks here and there and just a rough ride. Then as it crests before heading downhill to Meadow, there are a few places where the water runoff has cut large grooves into the roadbed and made it sketchy for anyone towing anything other than a small camping trailer or ATV trailer. Combine that with loose dirt/gravel and coming back up that way with several thousand pounds behind you would prove to be a test to your vehicle and it's abilities. The last mile and a half as the deciding factor for me - no trailer this year. Just too nasty and risky. The road thru the campground isn't bad, even the last 1/4 mile or so into the PGE camp isn't too bad, rough, but doable.

I tow a 35 foot fifth wheel that weighs 15k fully loaded. This is just my opinion of the road and maybe an over worrisome nature. I have towed a smaller trailer up there a couple of times (26 foot bumper pull about 10k) and made it. It was slow going, but I made it. Not gonna take the chance with this one.

Camp looks good, last weekend of archery season though and it was crowded. Hopefully being between bow and gun season, we should be OK.

[Ken]

Thanks Kendo...

I'm not surprised by this.....last year, was just a little worse than the year before....

[Kodiak]

i towed my ring on an 18ft trailer in last weekend. the one spot that i thought was gonna be bad that kendo mentioned was where the water had cut up the road wasn't bad at all or maybe i just got lucky with my line choice. the tow rig was in 4 hi and i just crawled it through. however im only 7500 lbs and that trailer is all steel not an RV.

[hemingray]

Not than anyone would try it, but the section of Meadow Lake Road on the Bowman side that climbs alongside English Mountain is awful - it's getting challenging even for the bikes. I would not take my stock 4WD truck up there anymore.

[EigerMike]

so will my wifes tahoe make it? not the best off road tires but does have 4 wheel !

[Kendo]

Oh yeah Mike, no problem, it's just rough. I was more concerned about trying to drag 15,000 of dead weight behind me. The road is just a little rutted in one of the worst places it could be for towing a big pig of a trailer.

I would almost try it except for this one 300 foot section. That was the clincher. And the "incident" that occurred this past weekend.....

[EigerMike]

ok thanks kendo! sounds like a story for miyagi!

[GrizzlyGuy]

I was out there too to do some overnight ham radio stuff in the area, and that road is so bad that I wouldn't even bring my dog on it. But I know someone who did....

[hemingray]

Based on how much dust my bag gets, that has to be one dusty pooch at the end of the day!