Weyerhaeuser Company Logging Operations

[Contract Logger]

OK you might have just talked me out of it Aren't most of those Weyco roads gated now anyway? I had a key years ago to get up to Elk Mt, but it's long expired.
I'll just stick with #227 after Memorial Day when I get rid of my electronic leash and can wander the countryside again. I plan on adding more to my map this weekend.

It is worththe hike, and yes I would do it again! I would just rather you were aware before of the terrain, not during, lol. I would say go for it, just take lots of water. Oh, and lots of camera batteries. There is felled timber in there that lays bucked on both ends, ready to load, 12' easy on the butt! The pain of the climb out of that hole is way worth the hike! On the way down we found a blasted Euclid C6 upside down, its really cool also.

 

[Contract Logger]

CL this is awesome! I can see more road trips in my future, even if there's nothing there I'd still like to see. I started a public Google map with locations of past and current SW Washington Weyco camps, yards, eruption damaged equipment, etc. Feel free to take a look, make comments, changes, or additions. I guess I am sort of a visual map sort of guy that likes to see the whole layout, especially with Google Maps. Let me know if this link works.
<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?sour...41094556430124012.0004865fa03fa52f8265c&z=10>

Hey- this works great! I wish I could mark on it, or better yet make mine public- I tagged all the camps and yards and etc on one of my own! PM me how to do it and I'll post!

 

[Humptulips]

As I recall the Raymond mill has the last large double cut mill on the west coast. I was told they could cut a 72" log still, if anybody could find one. I don't know if that saw is still there all of the lazy W went to small log production in the nineties.

We were shipping logs to this mill around 96. They took us on a tour of the mill one day, never saw anything like that. All they took were small logs. I think they had a 28" max and a 8" min

The old mill could cut some big logs but its gone, replaced by the one there now. Not sure when but before the 90s.

 

[Iron Art]

Jeremy, Access to Castle lake is open year around on the 3000 line the last time I checked. I believe that a hiking trail has been constructed from where you park to the UPPER end of the lake, if so, it would be just a easy hike to where #223 is laying on its side. Brush is really starting to grow there so you might need to look around a little. I looked at your map but couldn't make out the yarder but I could see where its at. Back when we were fishing the lake, It was every bit as bad as described as far as access to it. Fred

 

[Contract Logger]

Jeremy, Access to Castle lake is open year around on the 3000 line the last time I checked. I believe that a hiking trail has been constructed from where you park to the UPPER end of the lake, if so, it would be just a easy hike to where #223 is laying on its side. Brush is really starting to grow there so you might need to look around a little. I looked at your map but couldn't make out the yarder but I could see where its at. Back when we were fishing the lake, It was every bit as bad as described as far as access to it. Fred

Fred & Jeremy- If I still lived in Washington I would buy you both breakfast at the Rose Tree one Saturday morning and Hike in there with you! And anybody else that wanted to go. And our dogs!

I hope you are right, a trail in there would be a real treat. Still- the elevation loss, then re-gain, is a real killer trail or no trail. They built a road from the 3000 line to the Toutle-end of the lake, but it is gated. 3 miles from the gate to the lake, then you are on the wrong end. We always thought it would be fun to drive to the gate, mountain-bike the 3 mile road, then blow up a rubber raft and paddle to the yarder. The older I get the better this idea sounds! Still it would be a full day, but boy, that climb out of there (when I think back I get sore thinking about it....)

 

[JeremyM70]

Sounds like quite a trip, yet I may have to try it yet. Does this sound like the right trail?
http://www.vtrail.com/byalphabet/ctrails/castlelake.html

And which side of the lake is the GT-4 on?
Thanks!

 

[Contract Logger]

Weyerhaeuser Yarder #231, 1992 at Vail

This is the Yarder #231, Washington 208 that turned over at Vail. If you look closely you can see the twist in the frame. I heard once what happened, but cannot remember for sure- I think a guyline broke and the whole works came down.

Anyway it was scrapped right here where it sits in this pic, at the Vail yard, out behind the shops.

 

[Contract Logger]

Sounds like quite a trip, yet I may have to try it yet. Does this sound like the right trail?
http://www.vtrail.com/byalphabet/ctrails/castlelake.html

And which side of the lake is the GT-4 on?
Thanks!

That's it! and wow, detailed directions into the 3000 road. The yarder lays right along the creek, where the creek flows into the lake. It's a GT-5, not a GT-4, and its big- huge, actually- you won't miss it if you get that far down in there. Night lights in the boom and everything! The lines run right into the lake, and water was lapping at the grapple in 1995- it may even be underwater by now. As you stand there, you should be aware that there is a Washington 108 grapple yarder rigged up on that same road- downstream a mile and completely underwater. I saw a picture of the top 30' or so of the boom sticking out of the lake once- but by the time I got there it was all underwater- we think it's the machine I am standing in front of earlier in this thread.:beatsme

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder 223, GT-5, at Castle Lake

Jeremy- here is a pic I drew on of that spot in 1980. The logs are decked up all along the road there for a mile and they are HUGE some of them- old-growth fir. Big wood in that canyon before the mountain. Castle Creek flowed freely into the North Toutle but the mudflow and logs/debris dammed the creek and the lake was formed over the next few years. Who knows what is in there for equipment, at least another yarder and tailhold cat are for sure.

It is worth the trip in there, no doubt. It just requires some stamina and determination.

 

[Contract Logger]

Here's a better pic, notice all the big wood decked around there.....

 

[JeremyM70]

Jeremy- here is a pic I drew on of that spot in 1980. The logs are decked up all along the road there for a mile and they are HUGE some of them- old-growth fir. Big wood in that canyon before the mountain. Castle Creek flowed freely into the North Toutle but the mudflow and logs/debris dammed the creek and the lake was formed over the next few years. Who knows what is in there for equipment, at least another yarder and tailhold cat are for sure.

It is worth the trip in there, no doubt. It just requires some stamina and determination.

OK I'm looking at the lake on Google, is it the creek on the NE corner that the GT5 is by?

 

[Contract Logger]

OK I'm looking at the lake on Google, is it the creek on the NE corner that the GT5 is by?

Yes- right at the head of the canyon there. I dont know why that yarder doesnt show up, it should. Theres a cat D8 and a fire truck there also.

 

[JeremyM70]

Yes- right at the head of the canyon there. I dont know why that yarder doesnt show up, it should. Theres a cat D8 and a fire truck there also.

OK, I added where I think it is to the map. I am trying to find the #227 on the satellite photo now and tag it as well.

 

[Contract Logger]

OK, I added where I think it is to the map. I am trying to find the #227 on the satellite photo now and tag it as well.

I saw it last night. It's easy, and there are 2 fire trucks and a Cat D8H parked right near it too.

 

[Contract Logger]

I saw it last night. It's easy, and there are 2 fire trucks and a Cat D8H parked right near it too.

I just looked and your arrow is in the wrong place- its the other end of the lake- right where the creek flows into the lake. In the big canyon. I cannot figure out how to mark on your map.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #232 and Shovel #101 in 1980

Yarder #232 at Camp Baker, Longview Branch, was a Madill 009 on rubber, and was working on Coldwater with Shovel 101- a Bucyrus-Erie 38B with Young Boom. I dont have a pic of it before, but here is a good 'after'!

Later, a Washington 208 was aquired and numbered 232, worked the big salvage operation and was transferred to PeEll or somwhere. It wound up at Ramsey in Chehalis and eventually went dredging.......

The second pic shows the 208, in pieces, with the 232 number on the cab.

 

[JeremyM70]

I saw it last night. It's easy, and there are 2 fire trucks and a Cat D8H parked right near it too.

Found a nice little trip report to Coldwater with pictures.
http://www.w7zoi.net/coldwtr.pdf

Also here are some Weyco pictures.

 

[JeremyM70]

I just looked and your arrow is in the wrong place- its the other end of the lake- right where the creek flows into the lake. In the big canyon. I cannot figure out how to mark on your map.

I think I would need to email you an invitation to be a collaborator to tweak the map. Just moved it to the other side of the lake and further south, think that's it?

 

[Iron Art]

I looked at a forest map with the Castle lake trail marked on it. This map showed the trail accessing the lake on the east side of the lake nearer the outlet end(north). Thats not where you want to go. About the best way is to go down the hogback, straight down to the inlet of the lake(south end)from the parking lot. That yarder will be in the bottom of the draw on your left as you go down that hogback. It is very steep an has serveral cliffs so you will need to be careful and work your way around them. When you get to the bottom of this ridge you would need to hook to the left and go up and accross the next draw a short distance and you should find the yarder. Take water! Fred

 

[JeremyM70]

Thanks for the info Fred, it sounds like an adventure. CL put the correct location on my Google Maps, along with a ton of other cool locations both current and past from Weyco history.