Modern Log Rafting

[slowp]

This guy was trying to make it to the mill the hard way. Guess he didn't know the detour route, which is nearby. Maybe he was trying to make the load heavier?

I'm not sure what the story is, but we can't see if it is branded and painted properly. I think it is a truck hauling over from the Yakama or Yakima Reservation. The water was going down.

Here's my artsy picture of the lake that we usually get every winter and sometimes in the spring. I was able to drive back across the bridge as the water is going down fast. I drove through a bit of water though. Had to get the log truck shot.

Seriously, I think the driver must be OK because they are reporting no rescues had to be made and nobody hurt.

 

[forestryworks]

the lesson i learned was if you can't see any part of the road, don't drive across it

 

[kkottemann]

clearly he was doing his part to keep bugs from getting into the logs....give the man a raise!

 

[LAH]

Coming down hill and couldn't stop??????????

 

[2dogs]

Maybe he was washing the mud off.

 

[goatchin]

looks like a real floater LOL

 

[turnkey4099]

Reminds me of 1953, Kamiah, ID, Twin Feathers Mill. I was running the hog and chipper. Stepped out for a short break and watched a load come onto the 'dump' site. Hooked up to the crane, gave high sign to operator, watched as the entire truck rolled into the pond. Looked like he forgot to release the binders.

Harry K

 

[olyman]

Reminds me of 1953, Kamiah, ID, Twin Feathers Mill. I was running the hog and chipper. Stepped out for a short break and watched a load come onto the 'dump' site. Hooked up to the crane, gave high sign to operator, watched as the entire truck rolled into the pond. Looked like he forgot to release the binders.

Harry K

--what are some people thinkng of when that happens--trucker must have been daydreaming

 

[slowp]

Here's what the local gossip says. He was coming in at 0 dark thirty yesterday morning. He didn't know what happens to that part of the road when flood is mentioned. It commonly floods and there is a quick detour. He went in. A local couple drove down to see what the water was doing because the news was saying it would come close to the 2006 level, and that was a BAD BAD flood. They had a totally soaked guy come up and ask if they had a cell phone. He was still in an area with coverage and made a call and that's all I know for now. Those drivers are from the other side of the mountains. The water should be down enough to tow it out today.

 

[LAH]

Kamiah, ID

Been 30 years since I heard that name.

 

[slowp]

The water was down to the running boards yesterday afternoon. It looks so forlorn out there in the lake. I haven't been able to pin down a for sure story.

The One Stop version goes like this. (One Stop is a mini mart that truckers pull into because it is easy to park there.) A guy pulled up in an empty log truck and asked which way was best to get back to White Swan--located on the east side of the Cascades. It was 4AM and he was wet from the waist down. They told him to head over the pass then asked why he was so wet.
He said he'd come over with a load of logs and drove through water that was up to his windshield, but he made it through. Now their theory is that he went back, picked up a load, and tried it again. I do not think this story is doable. You?opcorn:

 

[Roy M]

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.

 

[Gologit]

The water was down to the running boards yesterday afternoon. It looks so forlorn out there in the lake. I haven't been able to pin down a for sure story.

The One Stop version goes like this. (One Stop is a mini mart that truckers pull into because it is easy to park there.) A guy pulled up in an empty log truck and asked which way was best to get back to White Swan--located on the east side of the Cascades. It was 4AM and he was wet from the waist down. They told him to head over the pass then asked why he was so wet.
He said he'd come over with a load of logs and drove through water that was up to his windshield, but he made it through. Now their theory is that he went back, picked up a load, and tried it again. I do not think this story is doable. You?opcorn:

Try to get the driver's name if you get a chance. If he shows up here looking for work we may want to issure him a PFD.

I've run logging trucks through pretty deep water but not quite like that guy.

 

[slowp]

I'll be out at the best gosss oops information gathering sale on Monday. I'm sure they'll have the real story.

 

[slowp]

Here's today's version. He made it through on his first run of the day. The water was "only" up to the bottom of the door. So, he tried to get another trip and the water, much to his surprise, was a bit deeper. That's all I know and nobody knows his name. He's right up there with the yarder that broke the bridge back in 1987. The bridge that said 15 ton load limit on signs attached and visible on both sides of the bridge. How much did a self propelled Washington old growth size yarder weigh?

 

[RPM]

The bridge that said 15 ton load limit on signs attached and visible on both sides of the bridge. How much did a self propelled Washington old growth size yarder weigh?

Anywhere from 90,000 -110,000 lbs with lines.........

 

[Humptulips]

Anywhere from 90,000 -110,000 lbs with lines.........

If this is the yarder I'm thinking about Mayr Bros bought it after it was dried out and used it north of Hoquiam. If so quite a bit more then 110,000. We moved a big Skagit up into the same area it came out of, comparable size but maybe heavier. It weighed 210,000 with lines.

 

[slowp]

If this is the yarder I'm thinking about Mayr Bros bought it after it was dried out and used it north of Hoquiam. If so quite a bit more then 110,000. We moved a big Skagit up into the same area it came out of, comparable size but maybe heavier. It weighed 210,000 with lines.

Champion had just bought it, and was moving it up to a sale and it went into the Cowlitz River. Shortly after, Champion laid off it's logging crews and sold the Morton mill. I know they had to hire underwater divers to cut things off in order to get it out of the river. A relative of the yarder operator said he woke up underwater and just about didn't make it out. The pilot car guys could not swim, but maybe that was a good thing as the river has a good current. The bridge was never replaced.

 

[GASoline71]

Here's today's version. He made it through on his first run of the day. The water was "only" up to the bottom of the door. So, he tried to get another trip and the water, much to his surprise, was a bit deeper. That's all I know and nobody knows his name. He's right up there with the yarder that broke the bridge back in 1987. The bridge that said 15 ton load limit on signs attached and visible on both sides of the bridge. How much did a self propelled Washington old growth size yarder weigh?

I'd say just a tad over 15.1 tons...

Gary

 

[Humptulips]

Champion had just bought it, and was moving it up to a sale and it went into the Cowlitz River. Shortly after, Champion laid off it's logging crews and sold the Morton mill. I know they had to hire underwater divers to cut things off in order to get it out of the river. A relative of the yarder operator said he woke up underwater and just about didn't make it out. The pilot car guys could not swim, but maybe that was a good thing as the river has a good current. The bridge was never replaced.

I'm pretty sure that's the one, Washington 208.