At the start of this year’s cycling season, I had a long hit list of objectives–a four-day tour in Oregon, Hurricane Ridge, the Mt. Baker Hwy, all of the climbs around Mt. Rainier…but as the season progressed, I let a combination of unfavorable weather and scheduling conflicts get in the way and the only big ride I was able to check off the list was the Oregon ride.
I was delighted, then, to get an invite to join a late-season ride over Hwy 20 (the North Cascades Hwy) on Sunday October 7, which may very well have been one of the last days for cycling this route in 2012.
This is one of Washington’s classic bike rides and it can be done in a variety of ways. Our version was an out and back from the Colonial Creek Campground to the Mazama Country Store, which totals an even 100 miles and a challenging 9,500′ of climbing. Some groups start at Newhalem, which is about 10 miles west of Colonial Creek and adds another 500’+ of climbing (it may be safer to leave a parked car in Newhalem). The route described by author Mike McQuaid in “75 Classic Rides of Washington“–ride #38–is an out and back to Washington Pass starting from Winthrop via Mazama. Another great option is the Mazama Ride hosted by the Redmond Cycling Club, which is a 2-day version that overnights in Mazama.
And…of course members of the Seattle International Randonneurs prefer a start closer Seattle, which sounds less like a ride and more like an epic…
My riding partners for the day were an exceptional group: Mick and Martha Walsh, and Garth Ferber. If the Seattle racing community had “parents” Mick and Martha would be them. In addition to a passion for ultra-distance racing, Mick actively mentors riders who are new to racing. Martha is engaged in the leadership and management of the WSBA (the umbrella organization for bicycle racing in Washington State) and co-hosts the annual Introduction to Women’s Racing & Teams series. Garth is a Seattle native who raced as a junior, gave it up for several decades, then rediscovered his racing legs in 2006. Garth’s recent racing successes include podium finishes at the Crystal Mt Hill Climb Time Trial State Championships. Garth works at the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) so if you ski in the backcountry, you have benefitted from his day job.
The route ascends immediately from Colonial Creek–8% at first–then leveling off to a steady 6% most of the way to Rainy Pass. After Rainy Pass the route briefly drops before the final climb to Washington Pass. Hwy 20 had been chip-sealed in 2011, and there were persistent reports about horrendous pavement. The road is actually silky smooth between Colonial Creek and Panther Creek, at which point the surface does turn rugged, adding to the difficulty of this already challenging ride.
With the recent road resurfacing, the descent from Washington Pass to Mazama, especially the (in)famous hairpin just below the Pass, seemed to be in better condition than I remembered it. From Washington Pass it’s a fast 17 miles to the Mazama Country Store, where you can find whatever food or beverage you’d want mid-way through a century ride. As relaxing and gorgeous as it is in Mazama, you don’t want to linger too long because the climb back up Washington Pass is tough.
To keep things interesting for Mick, he gave the rest of us a 10-minute head start out of Mazama. Although I had been cycling a lot over the summer, I hadn’t done a ride over 70 miles since June, and my legs felt blown almost as soon as we left Mazama. I dropped away from Martha and Garth within the first five miles. Mick caught me at about three miles below the pass, where I was moving uphill at a snail’s pace. I had stashed a Coke at WA Pass (Hint: This is a Pro tip), and the reward at the top of the hill kept me motivated. When I eventually got to the top of the pass I felt like a piece of roadkill and I told my cycling mates to call for a hearse when they got back to the car. Fortunately, the magical effects of the Coke kicked in almost immediately and the final miles were uneventful.
Although the return trip is mostly downhill, it is notorious for severe winds that pick up in the afternoon. Perhaps as part of the dry weather pattern we had been having, there was no wind and the final 25 miles of the ride felt almost effortless. In contrast to the morning when the air was perfectly clear, the gap between Washington and Rainy Passes was smoke-filled in the afternoon. Although the smoke was a visual distraction, we didn’t have any problems breathing.
This ride should be on every Washington cyclist’s hit list, but I would call it “advanced” and preparation is key. From a fitness perspective it would be a good idea to have accumulated solid base miles and have at least several century rides in your legs before attempting it. This ride crosses the mountains and the weather can range from severe heat (during a previous ride I drank 64 oz of fluids on the bike) to torrential thunderstorms to snow, so you need to be prepared for the weather conditions. And to make the ride memorable, assemble a group fantastic cycling buddies because even if you feel like roadkill they will help you get it done: Thanks Mick, Martha, and Garth for a great day on the bike!
