Subject: Re: Helpful tips on SE WA birds??
Date: Jun 6 12:59:57 1997
From: Kelly Cassidy - kelly at cqs.washington.edu


Richard,

Try the Unatilla National Forest office, 503-276-3811, for snow and
road conditions in the Blues. Your best bet is to call that number and
ask for the number of the Pomeroy Ranger District. The PRD folks will
know more about snow conditions in WA, but I don't have their number.

There's been a ton of snow this year, so you probably won't be able to
get too high. The road along the Tucannon River should take you quite
a ways in, though.

Godman Springs is probably your best bet if you want to try for a high
elevation locale. The road to GS is wide and, as I recall, graveled
most or all of the way. Probably still too much snow to get there, but
if you try for Godman Springs, come in from Dayton via Skyline Drive,
rather than going up Tucannon Road and cutting across to Skyline via FR
4620. The deLorme shows FR 4620 as a thick red line. It should be a
thin dashed line. It's not for the faint of heart in the best of
conditions, and I'd hate to drive it when it's muddy. But perhaps you
are less bothered by slippery, narrow roads bordered by steep cliffs
than I am.

The GT Towhees hang out on the drier, eastern side of the Blues, which
will have less snow anyway than the west side. Field Springs State
Park is popular with birders and we have Flam Owl data from there. Mike
Smith and I chased what sounded like a Flam one night at a campground
along the Tucannon, but couldn't get a positive ID.

Field Springs State Park has (blessed) quarter-operated showers.
Otherwise, in the Blues, there is no filtered water or garbage
disposal. So bring iodine tablets or a water filter and go prepared to
carry your garbage home with you.

Kelly Cassidy