Awesome, that’s all good info. Also, turns out my friend’s gonna be out of the country end of September, so probably gonna bump this to end of August instead. Seems like the weather should be a bit nicer/more likely to be nice. Does that, however, increase the fire danger?
Yes. Everything will probably be obscured by a brown haze and will smell of campfire.
Or, if the winds are right, it will be bluebird days the whole time.
Basically, mid July to the beginning of October is fire season.
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Cool, that’ll be good/important to keep in mind
TL:DR Do the JDG::SEA>PDX and listen to Fred
Follow Andrew Squirrel’s Advice and take the Sounder Train to Sumner, WA and start there. The Foothills Trail is nice and enjoyable, while the Interurban south takes forever and is only fun if you like long industrial corridors and dumpster diving (Kent). Some camping available in Sumner near the water treatment plant on the White River Trail (crime?). If you had extra time (you don’t) link up the InterUrban with Sumner Link Trail - Sumner has zoning and stuff so that trail was well done!
I did the JDG route last year in October, you can too! I did it Point4Point up to Babyshoe Pass, then I did some other stuff cuz I felt like it. I skipped Trout Lake and took NF90 (Lewis River) toward Northwoods instead, Eagle Cliff Campground has water and power outlets in their restrooms which are open when they are. NF90 is paved but still kinda funky so there’s little traffic, lots of places where the road has been washed out under the pavement so big cracks and dips, fun during the day when you’re paying attention, but scary with the false depth perception cast by Dyno’s at nite nite. First camp is Twin Falls, very pretty!
Riding 27.5x2.0 Rangers you should add some Singletrack to ur jamboree, the Lewis River Trail #31 parallels NF90 for 13 miles, fun! If you want less NF90 or not the Lewis River singletrack check out the OMTM The Lone Butte event for some other ideas in this area
So back to the pre-babyshoe side of the trip. Riding up to Paradise is great! Wow! What a real good time. Water@WiFi at the top:::Privileges:::expensive pizza and $7 beers but lots of free crusts thx to aktins body dysmorphia. Packwood is a cool town, good locals only vibe compared to Randle (they will tell you this). NF21 is a good road, cute camp zone where Glacier Creek crosses (cold).
Now let’s talk about NF-5601. 5601 is a hard road! It is steep, switchbacks and washouts over 2k climbing. When I did the washouts were so bad that even if I had gearing low enough to do it all (26x34 LHT at the time) the exposed culverts really slow ya down. I can confirm that JDG has also not cleared this road (a challenge!) What’s good is that after the hard slog you’re right at the top with Olallie Lake (Takhlakh Lake lil cousin) with an amazing view of Mt Adams - WoW I did it! Adams Fork campground at the bottom of 5601 is also v cute, good trees.
If you wanna try something else, I suggest NF2329 instead. The WABDR route listed above uses this option, from NF21 to Takhlakh Lake. Another plus for this alt route is if you wanna SingleTrack ur way thru the Giffy, take the High Lakes Trail #116 off 2329.022, which kinda parallels 2329 off and on, so you can do what you feel. Only horsewater at all these high lake campgrounds. Then ur at Babyshoe Pass and on down to NF90! Seems fun!
Where NF90 meets Curly Creek Road (paved truck route), there is a little dirt road - NW Facing - that leads into an area that used to be a campground! Nothing in there now but some okay spots, kinda near the water. Might be useful. Sum PDX folx can probably give better advice from Northwoods (water, electricity, and an ‘okay’ store) south to Portland, I just took mostly Pavé from here to Carson cuz I had so so many tire issues on this trip. Wind River road was fun descent though.
I really liked Little Soda Springs road! Short dirt but super cute road with some dispersed camping options along the road (one really nice lunch spot with a natural granite sofa on Wind River). If you do Lil Soda Springs plz pop up to Warren Gap road - every named climb counts en route to ur Club des Cent Cols hall pass - and then ur back on NF65 JDG OG route, slick.
The %18-20 grade up Blue Lake Road (to free townie camping) truly claimed me. Only road I never ever could did. Even hike a bike up the loose gravel with my duct taped sneakers I was sliding down the road - I tried zig zag switchback hike’a’bike, still too steep and cheap for me. I will come back one day to sleep with these townies.
I-84 is only scary if you want it to be. Imagine yourself as simple stick taken swiftly through Eighty Four’s river current; Classism Rapids I-IV around you, engulfed in their Take you move, not Apart from traffic but A Part of it. Slammed Audi’s with needless Tint pass you with Attitude as does the Slammed Stem Cellini Fixed; telling you you’re doing it wrong, having never asked. Minivans with grocery bag windows embellish the spirt of go get’em grocery getter 80s 26er MTB that can still do it all, not wanting to. Accident ahead, traffic slows, now they receive your full image, Likeness, in all it’s Glory. A bike, moving, many bags, carrying, going. They’re stopped, angered, you move, free of worry, noticing the cars around you but only casting a glance at the Columbia River, wow, it moves as do you, deftly and without effort, yawning as it goes. It knows where it’s going and where it’s mouth lies, ahead. Only 10 Miles till Palmer Mill Road. Or as Fredd Saidd Hood River to Lolo Pass would be less smoosh. Do Whatever.
Here is a loose route I slapped together, sorry no POIs - can’t afford them: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30275439/
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Dang, tarcklebee nom right here
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Here’s the brush-burning nerd option
ETA: which seems to be unobtanium anymore, but I think you can still get this one:
Previously nerded here:
https://tarck.cc/t/what-did-you-do-to-your-paycheck-today-a-celebration-of-capitalism/21558/2015
Riding down 2329 from taklakh is a top 5 descent for me
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I occasionally use the solostove. I don’t know if it’s actually lighter than my minimal cartridge stove, but it’s pretty light and works ok for me.
Solostove Lite
CROCS OR GTFO
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Riding the wabdr route I realize that many of these rodeos are better one way than the other. Descending 5601 - YES, now I’m Imagining climbing it - Terrifying. Also white pass on 12 is very heavily trafficked w lots o big trucks but going east on the west side of the pass you have the wide shoulder. descending Westbound looked like a death wish at times with the narrow shoulder, inside turns and speeding traffic
One of the highlights for me was spending time getting to and in the naches valley. Bethel ridge was an incredible climb and descent into the valley. Naches to stampede pass was really cool too, felt very out there and amazing views of the big mtns
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I miss you Ryan
When you’re all healed up slash you can afford the train ticket to whitefish please ride this with me https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30009085
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We (7 or 8 of us) are doing this next weekend (21st thru 24th). It’s low yield but should be pretty and fun.
https://bikepacking.com/routes/central-oregon-backcountry-explorer/
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Oh, that looks like a lovely loop.
Image dump
Day 1:
Went HutPoopin with some mates. 7 Months of planning all got thrown into chaos when someone forgot his gloves and didn’t prep his bike till the last minute. I knew this was going to happen so I opted for the 6am depart.
Early train start, also new tyre day.
The first climb of the day was met with some fun obstacles, took a bit of trail. Mt Donna Buang is roadie heaven with an elevation of 1,250 metres (4,101 ft)
After spinning my tiny heart out, I reached Achreon Way, very scenic, very wet this time.
The last time I was here it was sunny.
Nothing but descending in the wet, full speed ahead.
Went through some g-road to get into Marysville. Lots of rollers.
That’s Rubicon in the distance (I think…)
Made it to Marysville, popped into a cafe for a coke (got inspired by Lael Wilcox) plus soup and chips. Nothing like hot soup on cold wet day. I bagged the chips and contemplated waiting for the rest of the guys but decided to push on. Sent texts saying I would push on (I knew they were fast so they would catch up.)
The first climb up Lady Talbot Drive was nice enough. There was another group who drove to Warburton and rode to the hut. They were already there.
Then it got dark and I was walking/pushing through the muddy tracks, climbing around gates (they close this road during winter so it’s ideal for bikes and hikers looking to use the hut.) I left Marysville at 17:00ish and got to the hut at 21:00ish. I was pretty exhausted by this point. Found the hut, made Laksa, got into my sleeping bag and waited for Stephen, Che and Tom.
Grand entrance at 23:00, 2 of them were SS’ing it.
And they had to sleep on the floor.
Snephen’s Russian Spetsnaz MRE meal (probably loaded with speed because he was buzzing all night. I tried some too and I couldn’t shut up.)
Day 2.
It’s quite a nice hut.
Day 2 was 1 km a hike a bike through a hiking track.
The smell of eucalyptus permeated the air.
Reached the clearing.
And we had some views
Went down some rodeo tracks to get to Lake Mountain ski resort
The pies were over priced but the staff were very nice or just high from the elevation.
Swooped down into Reefton and East Warburton
Made it back to the rail trail
By this point it was dark and the rains were ahead, I lost my mind. Also I didn’t poop on day 2. Caught the train. End.
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A+ poopbarn. love acheron way
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jotting spetsnaz mres down in my notes
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Coworker said the US pilot survival MREs may also be loaded with caffeine
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caffeine? meh
Even caffeine sounds like an idiotic thing to put in an MRE. I mean, what if the special ops team hunkers down for the night before an operation and the dude who is not on watch wants to have dinner and go to sleep to be nice and rested for all the killings the next day?
I’d have to think caffeine/amphetamine/whatever is issued separately from food so they can take it when they want. Still it would be interesting to know for sure if that thing had some funky stuff in it.
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