UPDATE:  It turns out that Wally Klingle’s Jeep and the High Hood featured at the beginning are still around.  Wally’s 2nd cousin, who’s name I don’t know yet, commented on the video at youtube.  I’m trying to arrange a visit on my way through Yakima so I can take some pics and learn more.

In his comment on the youtube page, he wrote, “Wally Klingle, the guy they lower down that old cliff they have since shut down, is my 2nd cousin.  He started the ridge runners with a few others.  He still has that jeep.  My grandpa is in the video too and my uncle still has the high hood he was driving. He s..t when I told him about this video.”

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Linda McCune from the Don McCune Library kindly has given me permission to provide some clips from the Jeeping1 DVD, a collection of 3 episodes of Exploration Northwest related to pacific northwest jeeping. To order this DVD, you can contact Linda McCune at 206 726-2650 and ask for the Jeeping1 DVD.  It costs $24.95.  I encourage you to purchase is as she has the video for a Jeeping2 DVD, but has not created it yet.

The first of the three 30 minute episodes on the Jeeping 1 DVD is The Meeker Trail (Naches Trail) episode (1965). The second episode covers the “Doe Run”, a women only jeeping excursion (1974).  The third episode highlights the Yakima Mud Bowl (1977).

From that 30minute Meeker Trail episode follows a dual narrative, discussing the original Meeker trail pioneers and their travails while following the ‘modern day’ jeep pioneers. I’ve agreed to publish only two clips from this episode.

In the first clip,  Don McCune introduces us to the modern day pioneers as they double check their jeeps and head towards the beginning of the trail.  Check out these jeeps from 1965, no fuss, no chrome here.

Jeepers familiar with the western side of the Naches trail will recognize the steep drop off.  It might not look that steep in the video, but it is steep.  A bypass to that hill was created so jeepers could avoid it.  I’ve hiked it; it’s slippery and steep.  Below this video is a shot approx 15 years later, with the sign seen in the video present at the left.