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Yellowstone Trail From Ellensburg, Wa To Yakima, Wa


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Greetings!

 

This is my first post. I have recently moved to Seattle and have taken up an interest in the Yellowstone Trail. My focus on any old highway is abandoned alignments. I traveled Route 66 three times in total (over the span of four trips in four years) and got to travel a lot of dirt/mud roads.

 

So when I moved here, I decided to change my focus to the Yellowstone Trail. I traced it using Googlemaps, mostly, east, from Seattle, over Snoqualami Pass to Cle Elum then to Ellensburg and Yakima.

 

The Trail "basically follows" interstate 90. But "basically follows" means that there's probably a good chunk of it still out there. Sure, I-90 was laid over top of it in some spots, but not in most.

 

Many of those old traces were easy to find (or easy to assume that I'd found them). So a couple of weeks ago, I set out in a car to travel some of those roads. I wasn't expecting the five feet of snow on the pass, so some roads were buried, though, to be honest, I don't know which roads were and were not the Yellowstone Trail - there were sometimes multiple roads that could have been.

 

One road that has become a mini-obsession with me is the stretch between Ellensburg and Selah, WA. I-82 carries the traffic today and US 97 did, along what is now Canyon Road for the longest time. Before that, this windy squiggle of a road was part of Washington's Inland Empire Highway.

 

There are different sources on this, but Canyon Road seems to have been built and put into use around 1922 - that's the earliest date on a bridge. The Yellowstone Trail appeared in WA around 1915, so if that road wasn't there, I should find which road was.

 

A road called Old Durr Road was built in the 1880s as a turnpike. I found the book "History of Yakima Valley" (written in 1919) online and read the section on Durr Road. It says "Mr. Durr's road was laid over the Umptanum hills on a good deal the general course of the present highway." The "present day" highway was the Inland Empire Highway and the Yellowstone Trail.

 

But my weird little obsessive theory is that that's not quite true and that this book has caused some confusion to the actual alignment of the Yellowstone Trail in this section of the state.

 

The first road through this area seems to have gone through the town of Wenas. But Wenas isn't on Durr Road. Durr created his road because it was about ten miles shorter than the route through Wenas. However, it was a fairly crappy road that cost money, so it didn't last long. Most of the road is still there today, but you need a high clearance vehicle and some mighty fine luck to drive it.

 

post-7612-1239173951_thumb.jpg

 

There is a map from the 1890's that refers to Durr's road as "Old Durr Road," which is telling since it wasn't all that old. The 42 mile route through Wenas is there as well. A 1915 road map shows the Inland Empire Highway (and thus the Yellowstone Trail) as going through Wenas. A 1921 map of the Yellowstone Trail in Washington doesn't mention Wenas, but calculates the miles between Ellensburg and Selah as 42miles, ruling out both the 30 mile Durr Road and the 52 mile Canyon Road.

 

The road that goes through Wenas (a 42 mile trip), in my opinion, was the Yellowstone Trail. At least till 1922, when it was probably moved from this road to present-day Canyon Road (though a historical marker claims it to be 1932, which is obviously incorrect). Of course, in 1925 the whole Trail was moved to its northern alignment.

 

The reason I mention all of this is because I've read in a few places (including the really great book "On the Road to Yellowstone") that the YT was on Durr Road till 1920 when it moved to Canyon Road.

 

But I don't believe it was ever on Durr Road.

 

And that's just fine by me, because, heading south from Ellensburg on Umptanum Road and then Wennas Road to Selah provides 42 miles of basically drivable Yellowstone Trail. We were in a Chevy Cavalier and had no problems at all. The same cannot be said for Old Durr Road.

 

There's even a couple older alignments to look at (can't drive them). One especially nice one is just south of Wenas.

 

While I'm pretty sure I've sorted this all out, that leaves the rest of the state. I was hoping that there would be a book or website that details a mile-by-mile, turn-by-turn modern day routing to find the old Yellowstone Trail in Washington. There doesn't seem to be.

 

If there is someone working on such a project, I'd love to help out. Summer is coming and I'm up for anything.

 

If you like, you can see the pictures we took of our trek to find the Yellowstone Trail. They are here.

 

Thanks for reading. Any corrections, help, etc is definitely wanted.

 

-Eric

 

 

 

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Eric

 

First WELCOME!!

 

As a fellow Washingtonian and a Yellowstone Trail fan, you are most appreciated. And your research is excellent!

 

You have definaterly come to the right place!

 

John and Alice Ridge moderate this section of the forum, and they are hands down the world experts on the Yellowstone Trail.

 

They also publish a feature article regularly in American Road, so subscribe.

 

I am sort of the old map man here and my collection includes a fair set of 1917 strip maps of Washington and several other washington maps and guides. When you get ready for your next outing let me know and odds are I can help.

 

I am busy this AM, but will get back to your reseach with comments soon....and it is great to see a new member with history and map knwoledge.

 

WELCOME AGAIN!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Thanks, Dave!

 

I'm in the midst of planning a trip around Washington for this summer. I'll probably end up doing a sort of Yellowstone Trail loop. If that's the case, I'll have to figure out as many of the old segments as possible. The 1917 strip maps are gems. Have you thought about scanning them and putting them online?

 

I fell in love with Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway right away, but the Yellowstone Trail still hasn't won me over. I don't "get" it yet. Hopefully that will soon change.

 

-Eric

 

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Thanks, Dave!

 

I'm in the midst of planning a trip around Washington for this summer. I'll probably end up doing a sort of Yellowstone Trail loop. If that's the case, I'll have to figure out as many of the old segments as possible. The 1917 strip maps are gems. Have you thought about scanning them and putting them online?

 

I fell in love with Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway right away, but the Yellowstone Trail still hasn't won me over. I don't "get" it yet. Hopefully that will soon change.

 

-Eric

 

 

Eric

 

Thanks for the come back.

 

I have scanned a very small fraction of my maps and put them up at my www.historicalroadmaps.com. I think the Yellowstone Trail Hobbs Guide is there, but I don’t think I have added the strip maps. I have been too lazy. I may do it, but if I don’t, I do make copies for American Road Forum friends.....within limits of time and effort :)

 

I have traveled the Wenas section you traveled, and tracked the Yellowstone through the town of Ellensburg as well. Great stuff!

 

I have driven the Yellowstone along both its “loops” in Washington, and enjoyed every minute. It still has many surprises for the observant, like you. Take a look at a few of my posts here.

 

I am going to say something that is probably blasphemy among my friends here. I often prefer to discover the old route, not follow someone else’s highly accurate guide. You obviously enjoyed discovering the Durr road matter. Reading that in a guide book would be only half as much fun.….at least for me.

 

But for most travelers, John and Alice Ridge have been putting together the detailed route, and I’m thinking they may be nearing publication. They also have a good book out, which I assume is available at the American Road store. Go to the American Road Magazine home page, go to the store, and then search on Yellowstone. The Meeks book is good also, and there are some newer ones there I haven’t read, but want to.

 

I am tossing around the idea of following the old track all the way to and through South Dakota this spring or summer. There are dirt sections I might not redo. I was stopped by a snow drift in June the last time I tried to go over the dirt Lookout Pass section in Idaho, and unless I get a pickup, some sections in Montana get pretty rough on the family sedan.

 

You will have no difficulty finding abandoned sections of old and important roads in Washington. I tracked the Pacific Highway (US99) in detail a few months ago in my area near Olympia, and was surprised at the several short abandoned sections I discovered…and I do mean discovered….no guide book’s have “spoiled” the fun.

 

Gotta go, but Keep the Show on then Road!

 

Dave

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Hey Dave,

 

I definitely agree that discovering the old road is best. One of my favorite things to do was find old sections of US 15 through Pennsylvania. There's definitely not guidebook on that. It's a wonderful combination of common sense, wild speculation and a whole lot of free time (for looking at maps).

 

But when I did 66, there was no way to really know where some of these old alignments were. It's easy when you're on a two lane that goes through a cut and there's an older dirt road that goes around the cut. But sometimes the guidebooks come in handy. So I guess I'm in the middle here. But I very much agree with the joy of finding the old segments.

 

My favorite way to explore is on a scooter. You can take it places you can't take a car (and in some cases where you can't take a 4x4). It's light enough to pull yourself out of situations you shouldn't be in too.

 

I've been reading the posts here and am thinking about making a quick run to Moses Coulee. I rode past it last year on my all-too quick ride across the country. I had a bad headache that day and didnt even notice anything but the road. I even noticed a couple of old alignments and just didn't care. So it's definitely worth a second look.

 

Also, I've been to your site before. One of the maps that I used in my bit of research on the YT was one of yours. Thanks! I hope to see more of your collection put up online. Thanks!

 

I've got The Ridge's book and it's really nice. I'm really glad they're doing another one. I've got the Meeks one as well. I've seen a couple of others on the YT site, I'll end up getting those soon.

 

Is there anything on the older named roads in Washington? I found a pretty good map on the .gov site and it was a big help. There doesn't seem to be as big of a historic interest out here as there was in Pennsylvania. The common thought seems to be "we don't have history on the west coast." Coming from the east, I can definitely see their point, but it's not quite true. There's just not as much history out here. You guys have crammed everything into the last 150ish years. :)

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Eric,

 

I am busy with getting the car repaired this morning, but I want to offer some suggestions for your trip to Moses Coulee as soon as I get a chance.

 

I also owe you an apology. I somehow missed the photos from your Yellowstone Trail trip. My loss! They were great, and I especially enjoyed your fresh perspective. Thanks mga707 for bringing the oversight to my attension!

 

I have never explored Pennsylvania so I can’t compare the interest in history. From visits to other nearby areas in New York, I imagine there is a lot more roadside architecture there, while we have the “wide open spaces.”

 

As you have already discovered, the Yellowstone Trail in Washington was seldom so identified. It was the Inland Empire or the Sunset in most places. That seems to be because Washington gave names to her roads early on, and stuck with them.

 

Gotta get the car to the shop….

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

Dave

 

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The road that goes through Wenas (a 42 mile trip), in my opinion, was the Yellowstone Trail. At least till 1922, when it was probably moved from this road to present-day Canyon Road (though a historical marker claims it to be 1932, which is obviously incorrect). Of course, in 1925 the whole Trail was moved to its northern alignment.

 

The reason I mention all of this is because I've read in a few places (including the really great book "On the Road to Yellowstone") that the YT was on Durr Road till 1920 when it moved to Canyon Road.

 

But I don't believe it was ever on Durr Road.

I recently read the Meeks book as well as the Ridges' so I have a vague (and I do mean VAGUE) idea of what you're talking about but no personal experience. That, I hope to change someday.

 

This was a wonderful first post and I enjoyed your photos too. Welcome to the forum. It's obvious you'll be a great addition.

 

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Eric,

 

Your interest in the Yellowstone Trail prompted me to look through my “archives.” I found the strip maps for the Moses Coulee route, and some maps I didn’t remember I had. I have copied the relevant strip map below and provided a “guided tour” HERE (pretty big file so allow time to download). (Correction: where I say the old road and red brick house is "east" change to "west")

 

AREric15.jpg

 

In the process I came across some maps I didn’t know I had, something that happens fairly often as I dig into the “archives.” One, from the Western Washington Automobile Club done in 1921 recognizes and maps the major transcontinentals. Of course the Yellowstone Trail is included. But so is the National Parks Highway. I know of the National Parks Highway, but have paid it little real attention. It was relatively well known in its day, and in fact where it overlaps with the Yellowstone Trail, I recall it often got first billing…in the old days.

 

As you know, the Yellowstone Trail did not take the northern route via Moses Coulee and Waterville until about 1927, but the National Parks Highway did. That has two “significant” aspects. The first is that it is nice to be able to associate old alignments and roadside artifacts with one of the named auto trails. Anything before 1927 along the “northern loop” can’t be authentically linked to the Yellowstone Trail….but it can be linked to the National Parks Highway, which was created in 1916/ 17.

 

And second, here is where your observation that Washingtonians are a little lax in appreciating their history might come into play. We might revive the National Park Highway! I don’t think anyone has bothered to “track” the National Parks Highway for much of its length. Nor am I aware of any new National Parks Highway Association (such as the modern Yellowstone Trail or Lincoln Highway associations). The American Road Forum has yet to identify it as worthy of note (not faulting anyone….fame has to be earned!!).

 

(When are you headed for Moses Coulee? I assume you will go through Waterville. I have an announcement and photo of a new garage in Waterville from a 1915 magazine. i want to compare it with the garage across the street from the old Waterville Hotel. If you are headed that way, let me know and I will post the photo.)

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Mga & dave, thanks for checking out the pictures. I tend to over-document my travels (2,000 words a day plus 300-400 pictures when I'm traveling in earnest). Friends and family, I assume, skim over them. It's nice to find people who may not. :)

 

Dave, thanks for the map and video explanation. That's just cool of you. Thank you!

 

The National Parks Highway is pretty well unknown to me too. I've heard of it, saw a few maps of it here and there, but sort of put it in the back of my mind (like I did with the Old Trails Highway in California when held against Route 66).

 

I would LOVE to be proven wrong about history on the west coast. So far, I've seen little, though what I've seen is great and exciting. History seems to be held in small pockets here. Back east, we have creepy wax figures portraying the Battle of Gettysburg. Maybe the west coast hasn't had time to commodity history like we have back east (though I did see a creepy wax figure in the Snoqualami Train Station). Now, I certainly won't miss that aspect, but I do miss digging for those priceless little gems (like stumbling upon a nearly-forgotten row of monuments at Gettysburg - a spot where tourists don't even know exists and die-hard Civil War buffs have mostly only heard about in passing).

 

In Washington, all of the history seems to be that which you have to dig for. I like that quite a bit, but it's hard to find a place to start. And that's how I wound up being obsessed about Wennas Road vs. Durr Road. Go figure.

 

I'll be headed to Moses Coulee once I'm sure that I can ride over the pass without freezing. Or maybe I can talk Sarah into going in the car. I saw your pictures of it and it seems to be "closed." But I'm never really sure what that means.

 

As with all my travels, I'll document it to ridiculous degrees, so if there's something you'd like me to take a picture of, etc for you, I'm your chap.

 

-Eric

 

Edit - Also wanted to offer whatever help I could with the National Parks Road. Not sure what I could do, but I'm very interested.

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Eric,

 

Terrific reply!

 

As for the National Parks Highway….I have no plans, period, but your interest in visiting the Moses Coulee, your interest in history, your brains and writing skills, your good eye for the photogenic, and the fact that you appear predisposed to road travel, made me wonder if some haphazard collaboration might be fun.

 

I’ll see what I have around that might be fun to share with the gang here, and when you do your Moses Coulee trip, you can provide some documentation….if you like. And if I make a trip to South Dakota this spring, I could add my two bits. It sort of provides a focus for the drive.

 

Maybe it would be a kick to create a website, name ourselves officers of the New National Parks Highway Association, and write a little of that neglected history. Who knows….just thinking.

 

As for Washingtonians’ under appreciation of history, I fully agree, but that has two sides. The bad side is that when I discuss the Cowlitz Trail and Cowlitz Landing (as I have on this forum), arguably the most important transportation sites in Washington, only 1 in 1,000 in the state would have any idea what I am talking about….so it’s a little lonely to be “in the know.” On the other hand, you can be the one in 1,000,000 living Washingtonians to have ever stood at the Landing, something you can’t claim at any historical site in Pennsylvania!

 

There is another huge advantage to virgin territory. You can be the first to describe it. It is a kick to visit Amboy, or Goffs, or Hackberry, but you gotta know that whatever you say, it has probably been said before and better….at least that would be true in my case!!

 

And I want to tell my tree story. Years ago I went to college at Washington State University, moving temporarily from my home in forested Bend, Oregon. WSU is in the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse, and I wrote home that they had so few trees that they kept one in a museum so that the children would know what a tree looked like! But I came to love the Palouse, with its rolling green or golden hills, farm houses, and small towns.

 

I recognize it is tough to find the end of the thread, and I have hundreds of history books I have read dealing with the Northwest. You are probably already well aware of the Roadside History series, but if I had to suggest one book to help a newcomer with “thread identification,” it would probably be the Roadside History of Washington.

 

And before you go to central or eastern Washington, you must read David Alt’s “Glacial Lake Missoula and its Humongous Floods.” He has a whole chapter on the Moses Coulee. And, I would even encourage someday you take a daytime roundtrip flight to Spokane for the sole purpose of seeing firsthand the beyond amazing Flood landscapes from the air.

 

You are in for some treats, and I bet with your obvious interest in history and landscapes, you will soon forget that Pennsylvania has marked, signed, and recorded every historical site and celebrated it in word and song….because you will be humming and writing your own music about Washington and the Northwest!

 

And as you might have guessed, I’m happy to exchange experiences and thoughts about the Northwest when I’m not on one of my own old road adventures.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

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Dave,

 

I'll gladly document the Moses Coulee trip. There's even a chance that I'll be going next week. It really depends on a few things, but it's just a day trip, so no big deal. Any suggestions for a road back? I don't always like to doubleback, but I'm not seeing much of an option here.

 

Also, know anything about the rails to trails train tunnel at Steven's Pass? I'm a sucker for train tunnels.

 

Is there anywhere to learn a bit more about the National Parks Highway? Book? Website?

 

The Cowlitz Trail (if it's the same one I googled) looks interesting. Same with the Landing (if that's the Fort). History really is hidden here. Which is weird because it's not THAT old.

 

I don't have Roadside History of Washington (which looks like it was last published in 1990 - nearly 20 years ago), but I do have Traveler's History of Washington and Exploring Washington's Past. Both are really helpful for finding out just where you are, though not knowing much about anything, I've got no idea if they're accurate.

 

Any opinion on Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest by Hayes? Just came across it.

 

The book on Lake Missoula looks like a good one, I'll put it on my list at the library.

 

I hope it's true what you say about Washinton as opposed to Pennsylvania. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

 

-eric

 

 

 

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“I'll gladly document the Moses Coulee trip. There's even a chance that I'll be going next week. It really depends on a few things, but it's just a day trip, so no big deal. Any suggestions for a road back? I don't always like to doubleback, but I'm not seeing much of an option here.”

 

HERE are some video suggestions for a trip to Moses Coulee.

 

"Also, know anything about the rails to trails train tunnel at Steven's Pass? I'm a sucker for train tunnels."

 

I have read a couple of books on Cascade rail tunnels, but all I can suggest is that you do a little web searching, as titles escape me.

 

"Is there anywhere to learn a bit more about the National Parks Highway? Book? Website?"

 

Well you asked the right person! I think I have read the only book probably ever published specifically about the National Parks Highway, and the author was telling more of her family’s involvement in its creation than about the road itself. Great book but not a guide book. I have some 1916-17 accounts from period magazines. I may have some of the local history stuff on it, but it is a virgin field. Ever want to write a book?

 

As for websites, none….but I just bought NationalParksHighway.org and NationalParksHighway.com, so watch for the big announcement here soon. I am also forming the National Parks Highway Association. I am holding the honorific Executive Vice Presidency open for you if you want it (guess who appointed himself President!?), so again watch for the announcement here.

 

"I don't have Roadside History of Washington (which looks like it was last published in 1990 - nearly 20 years ago), but I do have Traveler's History of Washington and Exploring Washington's Past. Both are really helpful for finding out just where you are, though not knowing much about anything, I've got no idea if they're accurate."

 

I have and value Exploring Washington’s History. The Roadside History of Washington is still my favorite. but either will get you

there.

 

"Any opinion on Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest by Hayes? Just came across it. "

 

I probably have it, it sounds familiar. I would suggest two others as well. Exploring Washington by Harry M Majors and Early Washington Atlas by Ralph N Preston. The former descibes hundreds, perhaps thousands of historical sites and events and places them on maps. The latter shows old roads and historical sites on a variety of reproduced old maps.

 

AS for the Cowlitz Trail, you can learn more about it by doing a search on the forum for stuff I have posted.

 

Thanks for the interest!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Ok, as far as I can tell, we're heading east (and back) on Thursday. I'm currently trying to find old sections of US 2 (and am really surprised that that road didn't connect with anything farther east till the 30's). I just got a chance to watch both videos and the road west from Waterville looks fun. We'll have Sarah's sedan and she probably won't go for it, but I'll give it a shot. If not, I'm sure I can do it on the Vespa. I don't have a pick up truck, only a scooter, but I treat it like a dirt bike.

 

Everything will be documented and I'm pretty excited. I have to keep it fun for everyone, so the tunnel, if it's open, is a must. We'll head out US2 to Grand Coulee and then down the coulee and along Vantage Road to I90 west. It'll be a long day, but what else am I going to do?

 

I can't say that I've ever *wanted* to write a book. I've written a handful of poetry chapbooks, but a proper book, nope. I've offered my help with exploring on a few though. I wouldn't be opposed to it.

 

The National Parks Highway Association (reformed) is a great idea. I was looking at the 25-26 map of Washington that you have on your site. Looks easy enough to follow though Washington. Pretty much all of it was also Yellowstone Trail after 27ish, right? I've not read much on it (though found a New York Times article from 1917), but looks fun. Sign me up.

 

Roadside History of Washington looks fairly hard to find. It's way out of print and Amazon sellers have no copies. I'll keep my eye open. Even the library does not have it. Exploring Washington, on the other hand, fetches around $150 on Amazon. I'll have to do without that for a bit. The Preston book is only $8 and I'll probably pick it up. Thanks!

 

I'm very much coveting those strip maps that you have. They should be reproduced. They're just the right size and detail. Really useful.

 

-Eric

 

 

 

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Eric,

 

By the powers granted me, I hereby appoint you Senior Executive Vice President of the National Parks Highway Association with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities thereto appertaining! B)

 

When you wrote that Exploring Washington gets $150 on Amazon :o …or more accurately someone would like to get $150….I moved it higher on the stack of books and maps piled up here. Too bad it has acquired such a price, but I’ll stop using it as wildflower press! ;)

 

You are absolutely right that I should share those strip maps with folks. I do better than most collectors in that matter, but I still limit most copies to friends only. I once provided copies of some strip maps to a stranger, and the next thing I saw was my maps being sold on a CD on Ebay. He made a lousy couple hundred dollars and depreciated my maps in the process. :angry:

 

I like it when someone like you uses the maps for research and recreation, but when some bozo decides my collection is his to sell or distribute, I get annoyed.

 

The Washington strip maps must be rare. I don’t know of another set. I had to buy several smaller overlapping sets over a period of years to get those I have. I will probably give them to a university along with a lot of other stuff one day. But I may post them at historicalroadmaps.com before then. In the meantime, if there is another one you would like posted here, let me know.

 

I have done HERE a video of Map 15 which includes more of your possible route.

 

ARWash15.jpg

 

I should add something about weather for a fellow from Pennsylvania. I use http://www.nws.noaa.gov/. I use their Graphical Forecasts, especially the Sky Cover models. Weather on the east side of the Cascades is often better than on the west, and pass snow is possible through at least June….and ice is possible any night. Road conditions are available from the Washington Dept of Transportation at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/.

 

Before you put your photos up here and discover that you have run out of space, let me note that the service American Road uses for the forum allocates very little photo storage space. You will need to either use the gallery, or if you wish photos to show in your post (I DO!) use the link feature to link to the photo at your photo service. I assume you are up on that, but if not, it is simple, and we will provide directions.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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I am filled with guilt that I have not responded to your note about the YT, the Durr Rd, and many other items of interest to me. We have undertaken a lot of work in reference to the YT in Washington and most of the results are in filing cabinets and computer files, awaiting the writing of our "Guide to the YT in Washington." We may get to it before we kick the bucket, but right now we are working on the Wisconsin edition and I don't dare get distracted.

 

We can note that we have reasonably well established that the Durr Rd was never part of the YT. The Wenas Rd was. The YT was rerouted from its southern route (Walla Walla) to the northern route (Waterville) in 1925. The Canyon Rd was built before 1925 but we have no factual knowledge about whether the YT was rerouted on the Canyon Road from its building until 1925. We doubt it.

 

I have notes that carefully route the YT through Washington in detail. They are not in a form that even can be copied. I will try to put together a Washington map of the Trail "soon." After July at least. Do you use DeLorme Topo or DeLorme Streets Atlas on your computer? Actually, now that Google Earth is around I should use it if I can figure our how to record a route.

 

Good luck on generating some interest about the NPH, also!

 

Automobile Blue Books, by the way, are the indispensable tools for tracing the old routes and Google Earth is a Great help.

 

Best Wishes,

 

yttrailman

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I am filled with guilt that I have not responded to your note about the YT, the Durr Rd, and many other items of interest to me. We have undertaken a lot of work in reference to the YT in Washington and most of the results are in filing cabinets and computer files, awaiting the writing of our "Guide to the YT in Washington." We may get to it before we kick the bucket, but right now we are working on the Wisconsin edition and I don't dare get distracted.

 

We can note that we have reasonably well established that the Durr Rd was never part of the YT. The Wenas Rd was. The YT was rerouted from its southern route (Walla Walla) to the northern route (Waterville) in 1925. The Canyon Rd was built before 1925 but we have no factual knowledge about whether the YT was rerouted on the Canyon Road from its building until 1925. We doubt it.

 

I have notes that carefully route the YT through Washington in detail. They are not in a form that even can be copied. I will try to put together a Washington map of the Trail "soon." After July at least. Do you use DeLorme Topo or DeLorme Streets Atlas on your computer? Actually, now that Google Earth is around I should use it if I can figure our how to record a route.

 

Good luck on generating some interest about the NPH, also!

 

Automobile Blue Books, by the way, are the indispensable tools for tracing the old routes and Google Earth is a Great help.

 

Best Wishes,

 

yttrailman

 

 

John,

 

Thanks for the reply! I hope to be among the first to buy anything else you & Alice publish!

 

I'll be using the ABB's on the NPH quest.

 

Your comment that you had never found evidence that the YT followed the canyon route along the river gives me another tidbit to be on the lookout for!

 

Thanks again!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

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Dave, Thanks!

 

The map you posted was a piece of the puzzle. When I rode US 2 this past summer, I noticed a great many old alignments, but was too tired/bummed to do anything but follow them with my eyes. Googlemaps shows that many of these alignments are real roads. The aerial view, however proves otherwise. Some hiking may be in order.

 

As for other maps and posting them, I'll leave that up to you. I think I'm good with what we're doing this week. Since we're heading out US 2 from Everett, I've done some researching on those old alignments (to some success here and there), but the stripmaps predate the Cascade Highway. I did stumble onto a slew of photos taken by Lee Pickett and have been able to match some of them up with Googlemaps Streetviews. I had a lot of free time today. I'll be posting some examples on my blog tomorrow.

 

I watch the weather pretty well, but as my last trip showed me, not well enough (what?! five feet of snow! how?!). I'm sure some of the alignments on the west side of the Cascades will be closed. But that's why there's summer!

 

And as for hosting, I've got that covered. I should use that anyway rather than eat up the space for those who don't have it.

 

Oh, and sorry that some guy was selling them on Ebay. It bugs me when people make a lot of money for public domain stuff. I do believe that everything should be shared, but that has to go both ways.

 

 

 

yttrailman - Thanks for the info and the promise to release the info! That's just wonderful.

It's also good to have some confirmation that Durr Road wasn't involved. I've seen several folks saying that it was and got a little obsessed over it. I am a little surprised that the YT didn't use the Canyon Road, but then maybe it was just a case of not caring/not knowing/we're moving it up north anyway so it doesn't really matter.

 

I've seen several references to "the highway then moved to Canyon road," but they never really seem to mention which highway they're talking about. I'm assuming it's not the YT though.

 

 

I don't have any of the Blue Books and they're priced pretty well out of my range. Shame, really. I'm betting they're in some PD online collection that I've yet to stumble upon. For now, GoogleEarth and good old fashioned exploring will have to do.

 

-Eric

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is the like to my first attempt at a Google Map thing a ma jig. Should be the same as the previous one. This takes me to my map ok. It will look a lot like yours but check the terminus in Seattle. Mine starts at Pioneer Square and goes directly to Madison St. and then to Kirkland.

 

Let me know your email address and we can work this out in email. I am sure I have your info but can't find it right now. Jridge@yellowstonetrail.org. I am very anxious to hear about your explorations. I do have some good info from near the Yakima and west area that I'll get to you if we can get this map thing going.

 

John

 

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?source=s_d&...ca7afbb&z=9

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Oh this is GREAT! Thanks! A lot of my assumptions were correct and there are some places where my hunches were correct. I guess I should start going with my hunches as well. Some were wrong too (like Nelson Siding RD not being part of it).

 

I've got a question, but I'll email it to you. It's about WA 970.

 

I was REALLY excited to learn that Tinkham RD was YT. We tried to take it last time we were through there, but it was under 3 or so feet of snow. Exploring the passes is clearly a summer thing.

 

I'll be changing my Googlemaps thing on the other post.

 

-Eric

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There are quite a few scanned PDF copies of the Automobile Blue Book that can be downloaded for free from http://books.google.com/ You can just do a search in quotes for "Automobile Blue Book" and then be sure to click on the "More editions" link to bring them all up. If you click on the main link rather than the Full View link you'll find the download link on the top right corner of the page. They're each about 40MB - 60MB downloads, but they're free.

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There are quite a few scanned PDF copies of the Automobile Blue Book that can be downloaded for free from http://books.google.com/ You can just do a search in quotes for "Automobile Blue Book" and then be sure to click on the "More editions" link to bring them all up. If you click on the main link rather than the Full View link you'll find the download link on the top right corner of the page. They're each about 40MB - 60MB downloads, but they're free.

 

Well, long time no see! Welcome back!

 

I appreciate the tip. Just when I think I know most of the available old road resources, a new one appears. Amazing!

 

I have to wonder who is so generous of their time that they will sit and scan a 1000 page book. And the process destroys the binding in most cases I have tried (even on my scanner designed to scan books). Bless them! It must be a mind numbing task. I get bored scanning a few pages. I can't imagine scanning 1000!

 

But the offer is alwasy open to scan a few pages for the folks on the forum. I must have over 75 Blue Books now, maybe 100, so odds are I can help when needed.

 

Oh, and as a side comment....take a look at the National Parks Highway stuff I posted. It might tie in with your Yellowstone Trail interests, and it is prime for some more exploration.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

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Google actually manages not to damage any book it scans. Here's how.

 

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/02/it-tu...scanning-books/

 

Jim,

 

Wow! Great info!!! If I had a bejillion dollars I could have a scanning system like that!

 

Now I have to see how they get their books. Could I loan them Blue Books for copying?

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

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