kpug505

I'm taking some time off soon and would love to find a route away from cars with camping options in western WA...I'd like to start within about an hours drive of Tacoma and head out from there. 2 days with around 100 miles total and an easily found route.

I've done some research on the John Wayne/Iron Horse trail which seems like a good bet except for the tunnel closures which is a bummer. The only 2 options for detours around the summit tunnel I've found are I-90 which likely sucks and the Lake Annette trail which seems promising.

Does anyone know of any other detours with minimal pavement and traffic? Is the Lake Annette trail easily found from the JWT? How 'bout campin'? Can I just pull off the trail and pitch tent? Or is there somewhere around the 50 mile mark (from Rattlesnake)?

Any other epic rides fit the bill? I don't wanna bounce from road to trail to fire road and all over creation to get somewhere...Something simple that a guy with no map or GPS can do.

Cheers!

P.S. Anything around Mt. Saint Helens maybe? Bit of a drive but I heard there are tons of roads still closed to motorized vehicles there...

Bekologist

i tihnk if man has no map and no GPS he will soon get lost on a bike.

How in the world do you expect to find the john wayne trail in the first place?

there's no long distance trails in washington that allow one on a bicycle to forego maps in my opinion. you would need one to figure out how to circumvent the closed tunnel for instance, and the on road portions of it futher east. lake annette trail is not the best way to access snoqualmie pass on a loaded touring bike IMO but hey, without a map, why not?

kpug505

OK...I guess I should do some digging and find some maps I can print out. I won't be riding a loaded touring rig. Just my junky old GT MTB with a rack and maybe a backpack.

kpug505

So my buddy Albert (who I'm riding with) came up with this detour for the summit tunnel...Any opinions?

Bekologist

not easy or straightforward to get to 5510 from the iron horse, nor is it signed, you might want to bring the map.


road 5510, exit the iron horse on the foot trail on the uphill side past the trestle and you can walk a trail to the road, or hump down the steep bits on the northeast corner of trestle.

bring the map, it will help you identify the road and the rest of the route.

kpug505

Thanks...I'll print it out and any others I can find (and your instructions) and give it a whirl!

kpug505

After much deliberation we've decided to try the Lake Annette trail and then pick up Denny Creek/nfd road 5800 to Hyak where we'll catch the trail again and continue on from there. You can check out my route if you like...

Any better alternatives? The hike down to the parking lot is only .75 of a mile so that should be reasonable. Seems I get the most trail this way and an added bonus of checking out Denny Creek and some water falls. No I-90 either.

toolbear

My official Iron Horse map shows that there are a number of trail side campsites along the route with tables, vault toilet, etc.

They show campsites at Alice Ck, Carter Ck, Cold Ck and Roaring Ck. The latter two are half way along and at the bottom of Keechlus Lake. $6 backcountry fee and $5/night at campsites.

Check out TrailLink for some data and links: <traillink.com>

I understood that (1) all tunnels are closed and (2) there is a big washout before the Snoq. tunnel. It looked like a detour down to the old pass road that winds and switchbacks past Denny Creek CG. Looked like a lot of climbing.

Bekologist

the better alternative would be to take the trail at the last trestle to FS 5510. having hiked it, the lake annette trail is a little steep in that bit but sure, no problem walking the bikes down it. i tried riding a loaded touring bike down it once and it was a bit too technical.

either way you'll have to be walking the bikes so no matter.

kpug505

Ride report...

Well...We didn't do the route as planned. Both printers at work had no toner so no maps...Then the trailer we intended to use would not fit the MTB because of heel clearance issues. We decided to drive to Lake Easton, set up camp and ride the route in reverse.
We rode to the long tunnel at Hyak and decided against climbing the fence which is totally doable as it's very short. Instead we rode up the road from there 'til we came to the Denny Creek road. I thank God we didn't ride down it 'cause the climb back up would have killed me! It's doable with the triple chainring and no supplies but loaded would have been tough to say the least. This morning we drove down Denny Creek road and went to the Lake Annette trailhead and then hiked up to the Ironhorse. Nice hike! But the trail is certainly very rough. I could maybe ride down it on the MTB but definitely not up it...There were remnents of a slide on the Ironhorse which have been cleaned up so if someone is adventurous they could get over the gates at the tunnel and ride past Lake Easton. Both of the other tunnels we came across we rode through despite signage that said we shouldn't.

So ya! It was a nice trip just not quite as planned...The whole ride as planned would have killed me...Take LOTS of water!