Originally Posted by
tominbend
Route proposal: Bend to Sisters, McKenzie Pass, Aufderheide, Oakridge, road that parallels the middle fork of Willamette, Cascade Lakes highway, Bend.
[B]I was looking at heading south from Oakridge on the road that parallels the Middle Fork of the Willamette, over Emigrant Pass to Summit Lake/Crescent lake and out to Highway 58. Has anyone ridden this road? I know it has dirt/gravel sections (9 miles?). Can I ride it on 35 mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires?
Any issues with this loop for next week beside holiday traffic? I would like to avoid riding hwy 58 and ride the loop south if possible.
Thanks for any advice.
I can't help you there Tom. I think you're proposing something that not many people have tried. I have ridden Windigo Pass off Crescent Lake to Lemolo Lake. I rode it on my Miyata Alumicross with Avocet Cross 700x38 tires. The year I rode it, the beginning of the road was very sandy and there was a lot of washboard along the route. My bike held up fine, but the route wasn't that enjoyable. To top it off there were loads of mosquitoes and my buddy toasted his rim riding on 28 width tires.
My personal opinion would be your bike would hold up just fine. I had ridden many other gravel roads on my old Miyata and it did fine with 38 - 42 width tires. I would typically have to true the rims by the end of the trip. 9 miles of gravel isn't that much - it could be an epic route!
I've always wanted to see Summit Lake. Please post a trip report - I'd love to hear about the trip and see some pics of the route!
(I have ridden from Hills Creek Reservoir to Dorena Lake, but that route is all paved - it's a fantastic route by the way.)