Seattle Forrest

Chinook Pass is still closed (to cars), but you can ride all the way to Yakima if the spirit moves you. It's avalanche control keeping it closed at this point, though, so you might want to check NWAC first, and pay attention to the signs you'll see at the point where the road is closed. It's not a ride you want to do while they're blasting.

I parked somewhere between Enumclaw and the pass, about five miles beyond Federated Forest State Park. More specifically, I parked on the side of a dirt forest service road that met SR-410, and left my national forest parking pass hanging from my mirror. The car wasn't ticketed, towed, or messed with during my ride.

If you want to do a similar ride, I don't think this is the most scenic approach, but it's one of the quicker ones to reach from Seattle. What you should do is figure out how far you want to ride, then use Google Maps (bike directions, drag-and-drop) to measure it out and find your starting point.

I'd strongly recommend doing this ride before they open the road, if you plan to. The hairpin turns below Chinook Pass were great fun, and it was nice not having to worry about anyone else on the road - I had it all to myself!

This came to 40.6 miles round trip, with 3,700 feet elevation gain. Cayuse Pass sits at 4,675 feet, and Chinook Pass is 5,430 feet.















Chinook Pass:

Seattle Forrest

This was Cayuse Pass, where I filled my bottles with snow melt:





And a close-up of the mountain:

Wildwood

Nice ride and beautiful pics of the Mt.
SF - you are really seeing some of the best rides in W WA, I appreciate you giving us a taste and a good view.

Last week I rode from Buckley (just a couple of mi from Enumclaw) into the northern portion of the Park, Carbon River Ranger Station. Not the most scenic views of Rainier, but a good road, virtually no cars and less climbing.

Seattle Forrest

Would you do Carbon River again? I thought about doing that over the weekend, and decided to go for Cayuse Pass instead. It's the Carbon River road that goes up to Mowich Lake, right? (Or am I confused?)

Here are a couple pics from Carbon River and Mowich Lake. But I wasn't on a bike ride when I shot them.









I'm happy with the first, but the other three aren't great. This was August of 2007 or earlier, and I really can't remember much about the way in or out.

Black wallnut 

Great pics as always Forrest! Now stop posting them before we get a bunch more people moving to the area.

Wildwood

I do the Carbon River entrance to the Park every time I have business near Enumclaw or Sumner/Orting, assuming it's not winter. Below is a link to a thread I did last year (not sure you can view it). For a longer ride (about 60ish mi) start in Orting on the trail to S Prairie. For a shorter ride (35ish mi) start in Buckley. Not great views of Rainier on the final miles into the Ranger Station, but nice empty road and no killer climbs. Some folks don't like out and back, but the back is mostly a continuous downhill smile. Always raises my spirits.

Mowich Lake is a right turn off the road to the ranger station entrance. That road goes gravel quickly and climbs for 10+ miles, it's tricky back down without mtb tires and disc brakes would be welcome. Only been that way twice.

https://forums.roadbikereview.com/com...rk-255343.html

cjbohl

That is a nice quite ride up to Carbon River Ranger Station.... just love it.


Might have to give that ride to Chinook Pass here is the next few days IF the weather cooperates. Sounds great without cars once you pass Crystal Mountain blvd. Could not find the blasting schedule on the NWAC site.