Odyssey 2009: Volcanoes of the Cascades New

Dates: (17 days, 16 nights) July 10-26

Assembly Point: Anacortes, WA (airline service to Seattle and from Portland; Timberline van shuttles from Seattle to Anacortes prior to tour and from Crater Lake to Portland following tour)

Tour Cost: $5,000 (includes all lodging, all breakfasts and dinners, park entrance fees, support van, shuttles, leaders, tour maps & narratives)

Itinerary

   The eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, and its subsequent rumblings as recently as 2007, are fiery and unforgettable lessons that our planet is a living, ever-changing force never to be taken for granted. St. Helens’ explosion in 1980, in fact, ended decades of commitment to the notion that the volcanoes of the Cascades were extinct; dormant, perhaps, but not extinct and fully capable of coming to life at some unexpected point in time.

    Mt. St. Helens is only one of 14 major volcanoes in the Cascade Range, and one of the approximate 400 volcanoes that comprise the “Ring of Fire” of the Pacific Rim. Geographically, the Cascade Range extends from southern British Columbia to northern California—from Mt. Lytton in B.C. to Lassen in California. The range embraces no less than 12 peaks rising in elevation in excess of 10,000-feet, and two of that number—Rainier and Shasta—rise beyond 14,000-feet.

    Timberline’s fascination with the volcanoes of the Cascades has deep roots, dating back to earlier 9-day cycling programs 1995-96, curiously also named “Volcanoes of the Cascades”, but limited in scope to the state of Washington. That earlier program lapsed into dormancy, but, as the mighty Cascade volcanoes have demonstrated over time, dormancy is not to be confused with extinction.

     In the season ahead, we’ll revisit the Cascades in the context of Odyssey 2009, but we’ll do so in the context of a much more expansive and comprehensive format. In the course of 17 days, we’ll cycle from the Pacific shoreline of Fidalgo Island into the North Cascades of northern Washington. We’ll then meander along the spine of the Cascades southward through Mt. Rainier National Park, beyond Mts. St. Helens, Adams, Hood, Jefferson, Bachelor, and the Three Sisters, to the remnants of Mt. Mazama in Crater Lake National Park.

    Odyssey 2009 assembles in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island (we’ll provide van shuttle transportation from the Seattle Airport on assembly day—the day prior to departure). Early morning of Day 1, we’ll launch into a long, gradual climb from sea level through North Cascades National Park to the very crest of the Cascades atop Washington Pass (5,477’), a climb that will consume the major part of our first two days. We’ll descend into the Methow Valley to Winthrop and beyond, follow the downstream course of the Columbia River, climb up and over the Cascades to reach the Yakima River Valley before challenging awesome Chinook Pass (5,430’) on our way to Rainier.

    Following a layover day in Rainier that offers both cycling and hiking options, we’ll ride in the shadow of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams before descending into the Columbia River Gorge. A short day’s ride from Cascade Locks to Hood River is designed for those who are intrigued by an 8-mile hike on Dog Mountain, the absolute best day hike in the gorge. And for those not intrigued by a hike, how about a scenic ride through the Mosier Twin Tunnels along the Columbia River Historic Highway/Bike Trail above Hood River?

    The climb from Hood River to Timberline Lodge on the slopes of Mt. Hood, planned for Day 11, is heroic, to say the least—a true classic Timberline (as in Timberline Adventures) climb. The layover day that follows at Timberline is a welcome and compassionate gesture—but not to be confused with a rest day. The hiking at Timberline is extraordinary.

    Ultimately, we’re headed to Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon as we descend from Hood and ride the eastern flank of the Oregon Cascades. We’ll spend a final night at the magnificent Crater Lake Lodge on the rim of the caldera overlooking the deep blue waters ofthe lake.

     Don’t plan on an early departure from the park on our final day in order to catch an early flight home that evening. We’ll spend the major part of this final day cycling the spectacular rim road that encircles the lake, and “rim”, in this instance, does not equate with “level”. The 36-mile loop around the lake is engaging, to say the least, and an appropriate note upon which to conclude Odyssey 2009.

     As we have done with past odysseys, for those unable to commit to the full 17-day program, participation in Volcanoes of the Cascades is also available in two segments of unequal duration (segments have been determined by transportation issues):
Segment 1: (Anacortes to Hood River) July 10-19
Segment 2: (Hood River to Crater Lake) July 20-26
Contact us for details relative to participation in selected segments

     As though there remained any doubt, we could ramble on forever as we attempt to detail all of the “nuts and bolts” of Odyssey 2009. The better choice, if we’ve whetted your appetite, would be to contact us by phone or e-mail and we’ll fill in the gaps, including a day-by-day itinerary. Most of all, know that we hope to share with at least some of you still reading this, what we expect will be an adventure to remember.

E-Mail: timber@earthnet.net

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