XC, Trail, All-Mountain, Enduro, DH, DJ/Slope, Urban?

Is there a type of riding you wish you could do/do more of but don’t have it locally?

  • fake_meows@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    3·
    3 months ago

    A few years ago I rode a pretty epic loop ride near there. Looping was easier logistically for me because I didn’t need two vehicles.

    • Start at Lava Cave TH (check out Ape Cave pretty fun, bring bigfoot repellent)
    • Take Ape Cyn to windy ridge plains of Abraham (insane scenery)
    • Windy ridge is a good lunch spot (overlook the lake, 360° views)
    • Get on Smith Ck trail (a crazy crazy freeride style descent in loose surfy pumice pebbles)
    • Finish on FR83 ext (pain cave / death march climb)
    • Back to Lava Cave

    Its pretty much an all day ride and a nice adventure.

    Second option: Out and back from Lava Cave to Windy ridge on the plains of Abraham trail.

    Have you done this one?

      • fake_meows@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        2·
        3 months ago

        Its definitely a pretty special area. I am not a local but I do live in the PNW within driving radius.

        There isn’t much to add except that for riding conditions we are increasingly caught in the crossfire in this area.

        Factor #1 is that trails take a long time to get cleared because the vegetation grows fast and snow pack at elevation doesn’t melt until June so that workers can do the log outs after winter storms. Trails up high are slow getting running.

        Factor #2 is that we have a pretty high annual risk of wildfire, smoke and trail closures. Once a fire starts it usually gets contained pretty fast but they never go out until snow comes the next winter. So by the end of summer as the trails are opening we are almost always dealing with choking smoke, haze and closures.

        Last time I went to Mount St Helens I ran into multiple layers of these. Old fire damage closing trails, snow blocking access and current fires closing campgrounds, roads and all kinds of chaos in the area.

        So sniff around and get the latest updates before you commit to a big mission in that zone. I am increasingly of the view that every inch of bike trail will burn in a wildfire during our lifetimes. They take a while to bounce back. (5-10 years post fire). So its worth making it happen sooner rather than later.

        • kersploosh@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          I am increasingly of the view that every inch of bike trail will burn in a wildfire during our lifetimes.

          Yeah, it’s tough. A few years ago I had to cancel a bikepacking trip outside of Naches due to a big fire. And another favorite spot by Lake Chelan burned recently, too.

          I have been exploring eastern WA/OR much more than the Cascades since I moved back to the northwest. The terrain isn’t as dramatic, but the riding season starts sooner and there are far fewer people. Last time I was at Umatilla Rim we had the trailhead all to ourselves. And it was before the fire season had a chance to get going.