Volcanoes of the Cascades/North Cycling Tour

Dates: (9 days, 8 nights; Fri-Sat) * 7/12-20

Assembly Point: La Conner, WA (airline service to Seattle, Timberline van shuttle from Seattle to La Conner prior to tour. Note that this tour ends in Troutdale, OR, with easy access to Portland airport, or post-tour lodging at airport )

Tour Cost: $3,350 (includes all lodging, breakfasts and dinners, van shuttle to La Conner prior to tour, park ent-rance fees, support van, leaders, tour maps & narratives)

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.Three years ago, the Cascade volcanoes became the focus of Odyssey 2009, a 17-day adventure along the spine of the Cascades from northern Washington to Crater Lake in southern Oregon. But our Odyssey Series is unique; content and location change with each season.

However, we’re not about to abandon a region that provided an outstanding biking trip. And so, the legacy of Odyssey 2009 are the separate Volcanoes of the Cascades/North trips, Volcanoes of the Cascades/South. The cyling tours can be enjoyed separately or as a series. As we introduce The Series to our program, Volcanoes North and South are a natural. Guests can register for both trips and Timberline will provide transportation from the end of Volcanoes North in Spokane to the start of Volcanoes South in Troutsdale, Oregon.

 

Volcanoes North biking trip will explore the Washington Cascades from North Cascades National Park southward through Mt. Rainier National Park to the summit of the Mt. St. Helens road at the base of the volcano. Volcanoes South cycling tour (described in the Oregon Coast/Cascades section) begins at the western portal of the Columbia River Gorge, and continues through the gorge to Hood River, Mt. Hood, Bend and on to Crater Lake.

    

Volcanoes North biking trip assembles in the quaint town of La Conner to the north of Seattle, near Puget Sound. We’ll provide a van shuttle from the Seattle airport on Assembly Day. Early morning of Day 1, we’ll ride east along the Skagit River to Marblemount, where we’ll spend the night at the Skagit River Resort.

    

Day 2, we’ll launch into a long, gradual climb into North Cascades National Park to the very crest of the Cascades atop Washington Pass (5,477’). We’ll descend into the Methow Valley to, Winthrop, spend the night at the Winthrop Inn, and then continue along the downstream course of the Methow River to it’s confluence with the mighty Columbia River. We’ll overnight in Chelan on Day 3, on the shores of beautiful Lake Chelan, and then continue downstream along the Columbia to the Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth.

Day 5, it’s up and over Blewett Pass (4102’), through Ellensburg to reach the Yakima River Valley before challenging awesome Chinook Pass (5,430’) on our way to Rainier. We’ll trace the Naches River to its source in the High Cascades as we cycle up to Chinook. Just beyond the summit, we’ll ride beneath the historic arch that announces our arrival in Mt. Rainier National Park and catch our first incredible views of magnificent Rainier. We’ll spend our first of two overnights at the Crystal Mountain Resort and a layover day that offers outstanding above-timberline hiking options at Sunrise.
     Day 8, we’ll climb from Crystal Mountain to Cayuse Pass (4,675’) on the eastern edge of the park, descend to Ohanapecosh and ride westward to Morton, where we’ll spend our final evening. We’ll begin our final day with a short van shuttle just beyond Toledo so that we’ll have the opportunity to ride the entirety of the excellent road to its summit at the Visitors Center at the base of the Volcano. Later that afternoon, we’ll van shuttle to Troutdale, just to the east of Portland and adjacent to the Portland Airport where the Volcanos of the Cascades North Cycling Tour concludes.

Day 1	La Conner — Marblemount; overnight at Skagit River Resort.	42 miles
Day 2	Marblemount — Diablo Dam — North Cascades National Park — Rainey Pass (4855’) Washington Pass (5477’) — Winthrop; overnight at Winthrop Inn.	90 miles
Day 3	Winthrop — Methow River — Twisp — Chelan; overnight at Lakeside Lodge	62 miles
Day 4	Chelan — Columbia River — Rocky Reach Dam (Fish ladders) — Leavenworth; overnight at Der Ritterhoff Inn.	54 miles
Day 5	Leavenworth — Blewitt Pass (4102’) — Ellensburg — Yakima; overnight at Oxford Inn.	95 miles
Day 6	Yakima — Chinook Pass (5430’) — Sunrise — Crystal Mountain; overnight at Quicksilver Lodge.	88 miles
Day 7	Layover Day in Mt. Rainier National Park; hiking in Sunrise Region of park.
Day 8	Crystal Mountain — Mt. Rainier Park — Ohanapacosh — White Pass Scenic Byway — Packwood — Morton.	60 miles
Day 9	Van shuttle from Morton to Toledo; cycle Mt. St. Helens Highway to Johnston Ridge Visitors Center; van shuttle to Portland (We’ll stop enroute for an early dinner)	50 miles

Total Mileage — 537

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