Shooting at the Darrington pit.

[HighlandLofts]

I just sent you a PM.
I just had surgery yesterday so I will be down for atleast a week. It will be atleast three weeks before I can go back to work. Once I can get around I have a bunch of 38spl, 357mag and 223 brass all resized & primed ready to load up for my grandson.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Finely made it out to Darrington with my grandson this weekend.
We left late yesterday and got up to the 435th Ave pit a little after seven pm. I made a wood rack for the top of my Ford Explorer and we cut some wood on the way in.
We didn't stay at the pit last night we just checked it out and then went on down to the camp site down next to the river and set up camp.
We had a nice fire and Mason cooked up a couple of hotdogs and he had some marshmallows and I had a few beers.
We went to sleep a little after 10 and got up around 6:30.
We hung down at the camp site until 8am and drove up to the pit and both the lower and upper pit had people set up in them. So we went to a couple of other small spots we go shooting at. The were absolutely clean
The only trash there was one really tarnished 9mm case and one rusted shotgun hull.
We stayed up there until round 1pm then headed home.
Mason is going to summer camp for the week. So he wanted to come home and go visit one of his friends before he leaves tomorrow.

The 435th Ave pit didn't look that bad since the last time we went up there.
It won't take long to clean up the shotgun hulls and the steel rifle and pistol cases.
I'll work on them next trip up there.
The camping spot wasn't that bad for trash. It only took about ten minutes to pick it all up.
Some tweekers left another car there, it hasn't been there to long, not to many bullet holes in it yet.

I seen four cars left up in the mountains this weekend. I thing the tweekers steel them then run them up there to dump them off.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I've been taking Mason up to the 435th Ave shooting pit every weekend, he loves shooting.
He started shooting trap a couple of weeks ago and is doing fantastic.
It funny seeing him shoot a full size 12 gauge pum shotgun.
I'll get him shooting clay pigeons more now that he enjoys doing it.
He shot the Ruger 77 in 223 last weekend and did great with it.
The 435th Ave shooting pit clean up is this coming Saturday 8am until noon with food and refreshments.
I am buying three cases of clay pigeons for you guys the shoot up and I'll have two target stands and paper targets as well..
We have the use of a 14 foot dump trailer to haul the trash to the Arlington transfer station.
It shouldn't take long to do a through clean up at this pit. We did a decent clean up there two years ago.
Last June we did a nice big clean up at the two pits on the Suiattle River Road.
Over 12 tons of trash picked up. A 14foor trailer full, two loads on a 10 foot trailer and a big load in a pick up with side boards.

 

[HighlandLofts]

We had another great weekend up to the 435th Ave pit. We got there early Sunday morning and camped out and returned to the pit early Monday morning.
Mason had a good time shooting the clay pigeons. He is a natural at it.
We got to meet some new people this weekend.

 

[DirectDrive]

That's a great spot you have there, Highland !

 

[Cogs]

By looking at the forest fire map, it looks like those three fires are a ways away from Darrington, but I haven't heard what direction they are moving. The shooting pits along the Suiattle Rv are certainly closer.

But I don't see any smoke in your photos. Wind must be pushing it North, East or South.

Any inside info?

 

[HighlandLofts]

I was told there are four active fires in the area. I haven't seen them
The area was all clear around the 435th Ave pit.
We picked up a couple of buckets of trash from the lower pit. And we picked up about a gallon of brass.
Someone torched the pile of wood that we stacked up in the lower pit.
It's nice there now with the trash all picked up.
It shouldn't take long to clean the upper pit on the 24th.
It is very relaxing spending the weekend up there.

I found another camping spot a little ways back in the woods with a small creek & waterfall.
It will only hold maybe three trucks.

 

[gmerkt]

What's the situation with the back road into the 435 pit site like these days? In particular, that steep, heavily rutted spot about half way down. Thanks.

 

[EPS]

What's the situation with the back road into the 435 pit site like these days? In particular, that steep, heavily rutted spot about half way down. Thanks.

@HighlandLofts would be able to answer that better than me .
But ty he rougher the road the better.
That way you don't get the gangster with there low riders in there.
Or people dumping trash.
And that's not just me saying it.
DNR COP SAYS THE SAME THING.
that's why he keeps the gate locked.

 

[HighlandLofts]

The DNR fixed the entire road
All the big rutts are filled in and graded. They even fixed the big wash out right at the pit. There are still small pot holes but all the major bad spots are fixed.
I called the DNR District Manager and he was out of state on business.
The two pits on the Suaittle River Road needs to be cleaned up again.
I'll call him back and set up a clean date for that
When you guys go to these pits please clean up uour trash and take a little more with you.
If these pits continue to get trashed they will close them down.
They just shut the Plantation pit down and they shut the Hamilton pit down two years ago and no sign of opening them back up.
The Regional DNR Manager shut them down and looks like they are on permanent shut down.
The 435th pits are as clean as they ever have been and the guys have been foing their Parr on keeping these two pit clean. Last summer we did a thorough clean up there.

 

[gmerkt]

The DNR fixed the entire road

Thanks for the update. The weather has kept me out of there since November. I've got a few new irons to try out and want to get going again. I've been able to sneak in and out of there in my Mercury Grand Marquis; sometimes I've had to straddle those big holes on the steep part.

As a retiree I've liked going out there during the week when there were apt to be fewer people about. But since nobody in America goes to work anymore, that may no longer be a reality.

I tried to PM you directly on this matter but your message box is full.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I cleaned out the mail box.
During the week is the best time to go out there.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I have been getting my grandson out every weekend for over a month now.







They locked the gate on the 435th Ave entrance to the pit.







The good thing is the DNR did fix the road going down to the pit from the 18 road.



There has been a lit of activity at the 435th pit every weekend.

A couple of times we went to other spots to get some shooting in.

It's a good thing I reload so Mason has ammunition to shoot.

They guys using this pit have been responsible so fay not leaving much trash.

The two pits onbthe Suaittle River Road is another story. They are completely trashed again. I will be organizing another clean up for these two pits here shortly.

We had them both clean two years ago.

The clean up will probably be in June. I'll contact the DNR up in Sedro-Wolley and get it going.

 

[coltemp]

I have been getting my grandson out every weekend for over a month now.







They locked the gate on the 435th Ave entrance to the pit.







The good thing is the DNR did fix the road going down to the pit from the 18 road.



There has been a lit of activity at the 435th pit every weekend.

A couple of times we went to other spots to get some shooting in.

It's a good thing I reload so Mason has ammunition to shoot.

They guys using this pit have been responsible so fay not leaving much trash.

The two pits onbthe Suaittle River Road is another story. They are completely trashed again. I will be organizing another clean up for these two pits here shortly.

We had them both clean two years ago.

The clean up will probably be in June. I'll contact the DNR up in Sedro-Wolley and get it going.

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Great thanks for the update. Make sure you PM me when you plan to do the cleanup I will try to make it out there this time. Haven't been up tot he pits in ages. PM here or on Waguns Is fine.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Once I talk to the DNR guy and set a date up I will let you know and get the ball rolling on the clean up.
It will try to shoot for June.
Cogs from
Trash NO Lands
And two other groups set a clean up for the Sulton pit on Sunday June 4th
It will start at 9am.
I am planing on attending this clean up.

 

[gmerkt]

I was out there yesterday. My first shooting trip in several months. I can't remember when I hauled along as many different firearms, things that I needed to check loads in, or guns I'd never fired, or needed sighting in. It was a good day for the chronograph; I crossed my fingers, set it up, and it worked fine. My neck got a bit sunburned.

As to the pit. Yes, that heavily rutted steep road section about halfway down has definitely been improved. There were many other holes to be wary of and drive carefully around. I was driving my usual old Mercury not-so-Grand Marquis, which I take fairly slowly, meaning 10 to 15 mph once I turn off FS18. I don't want to snap the Watts Link stud off from the differential housing. Again.

Re. FS18, the USFS road that leads out to the pit road the long way. The Skaglund Rock Quarry has expanded greatly in recent years. The quarry area south of FS18 has really grown. There is now a connecting road from the upper and lower quarries that crosses FS18, it's almost confusing as to which way to go where this intersection has been imposed. There are people living out there, even a few right at the entrance to FS18. There is bound to be more truck traffic up and down that road now that the quarry is prospering. It was clear and dry yesterday; on my way out, I noticed water on the road and wondered if I'd just missed a localized shower. Then it occurred to me, the road had been watered down to reduce dust. A bit later, I caught up with the water truck on Swede Heaven Road. So my guess is the neighbors complained about the dust and the county made the quarry owner do something about it.

I live about 60 miles away, so I try to get an early start. I got to the pit around 8:30AM, no one else came along during the time I was there, and I left around noon.

When I go out alone, I'm wary of evil doers. Many years ago, an acquaintance of mine made a solo trip out to do some shooting and was never heard from again. His vehicle and broken eyeglasses were found about 50 miles away from where he was supposed to be. But not his guns. it happens, there are tweakers and worse roaming and living out there. So while it is a rare thing for me to go anywhere armed, I'm always open carrying when I'm out there. I especially want potential evil doers to see that I'm armed.

The 435 pit site was unusually clean. I don't know that you'll need a clean-up in June, but time will tell. All it takes is one large party of knuckleheads to make a mess.

I noticed that my DNR pass expires at the end of this month. I always display my pass in the windshield as required, but I've noticed before that not everyone that visits the pit does this. Maybe some figure the rangers never come by. They are pretty scarce and have huge territories, but one stopped by while I was out there once.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I'm glad you had a good time up there. We will be going out again this coming weekend.
Not sure what pit yet.
we did a total clean up on the 435th pit last summer.
We will be doing a clean up on the two pits on the Suaittle River Road. They are in dire need of a good clean up again.
We did a complete clean up there two years ago and they trashed them.
I generally go to the 435th Ave pit and clean up trash everything we go.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Havent had much range time for the last two weeks but did manage to get out for a little bit.
Picked up a little bit of trash. I've been picking up metal and stock piling it at the house.
I loaded it up and took it to the scrap yard on Wednesday. It weighed 640 pounds and brought in $22.
Atleast I got a little bit of beer money.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I talked with the DNR guy today about the next clean up.
We did a great job last year on the 435th Ave pit and it still looks good.
I went to the two pits over on the Suaittle River Road and they are a total mess again. I will get going on the clean up there.
It will be on Saturday July 15th at 9am. I will be selling some brass in the classifieds to help cover the dump fee. For information or to volunteer for the clean of to purchase any brass please send me a PM.

This Sunday June 4th they are going to do a clean up at the Sultan Basin pit at 9am.
For more information on that clean up check it out on the
TRASH NO LAND
website.
I am planing on attending this clean up and might spent the night up there with Bill Cogley from TRASH NO LAND.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I took my grandson and his friend to the 435th Ave pit Sunday morning. We left the house at 9.30am and returned home at 7.30pm.
They shot all day and went through atleast a thousands rounds of ammo.
We did pick up thirty pounds of brass, mostly 9mm and 223.
I picked up all of the spent shotgun hulls , there was only a gallon and a half of them.
The guys shooting up there have been responsible and haven't left much garbage.

We had the upper pit all to ourselves. When we got there a couple of guys were set up down in the lower pit. Whan they left another guy set up down there a couple of hours later.