# planning summer trip over North Cascades Highway



## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

Planning a summer trip over the North Cascades Highway. Marblemount to Concunully but the start location is open to suggestions.
I'm thinking the first day we could do Marblemount to Winthrop area and I'm guessing a start time of around 5 AM. It's about 90 miles between the two and that should be a full day considering its a fair amount of uphill (Rainy pass and all). We would stay in the Winthrop area in a motel or motorhome. The next day we would push on to Concunully going over Loop Loop pass and through Okanagon. The plan is to ride with no packs, only what we can stuff in our jersey pockets which will be water, food and bike repair parts. We can leave a motor home in the Twisp area or stay in a motel. We have a place to stay in Concunully too.
This will probably be a round trip ride though not sure on that. I'm thinking July sometime too. That's open too.

Any suggestions? So far someone told me to do this during the middle of the week so traffic will be lighter, good suggestion.


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## TiCruiser (Feb 21, 2009)

My bike club does a supported 2 day ride from Marblemount to Winthrop and back every year. It is one of my favorite rides We vary from about 6 to 7.5 hours going east, depending on the rider. Riding unsupported, water will be your biggest issue, especially if it is hot. It not uncommon for it to be 90ish on the west side of the pass in July. We usually end up giving away some water. I don't believe there is any potable water source between Newhalem and Manzama. I have a friend who carries a backpacking water filter when he trains solo from MM to the pass and back. 
If you plan to stop any length of time near the top bring some mosquito repellent. Up on the passes you'll have about 2 minutes before they home in on you. Manzama store is worth the 1/2 mile detour to get out of the heat and have some ice cream. There is usually a breeze out of the west. Coming back west last summer It felt like the ride down on the west side was as much work as climbing up the east side. Mid week would be an ideal time to make that ride. 
We did the trip on Sat-Sun and traffic was not that bad. It's largely a recreational highway and the traffic was far more accommodating than many other places. The only time it bothered me was coming west from Newhalem to MM. The shoulder was a bit narrow and overgrown in for some stretches and the Sunday afternoon traffic was heavy there.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

thanks for the input. This is exactly what I was looking for. What bike club do you belong to? Cascade? I know there are lots of riders on that road in the summer. I plan on carrying as much water as I can. Since there will be a staging run, we can stash some water along the way too. No drinking fountain at the top? I suppose not, I know there is a rest area up there.


TiCruiser said:


> My bike club does a supported 2 day ride from Marblemount to Winthrop and back every year. It is one of my favorite rides We vary from about 6 to 7.5 hours going east, depending on the rider. Riding unsupported, water will be your biggest issue, especially if it is hot. It not uncommon for it to be 90ish on the west side of the pass in July. We usually end up giving away some water. I don't believe there is any potable water source between Newhalem and Manzama. I have a friend who carries a backpacking water filter when he trains solo from MM to the pass and back.
> If you plan to stop any length of time near the top bring some mosquito repellent. Up on the passes you'll have about 2 minutes before they home in on you. Manzama store is worth the 1/2 mile detour to get out of the heat and have some ice cream. There is usually a breeze out of the west. Coming back west last summer It felt like the ride down on the west side was as much work as climbing up the east side. Mid week would be an ideal time to make that ride.
> We did the trip on Sat-Sun and traffic was not that bad. It's largely a recreational highway and the traffic was far more accommodating than many other places. The only time it bothered me was coming west from Newhalem to MM. The shoulder was a bit narrow and overgrown in for some stretches and the Sunday afternoon traffic was heavy there.


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## TiCruiser (Feb 21, 2009)

A staging run would work well. There are basic facilities one of the lake overlooks (pretty sure Ross) that would work. There is also a rest stop/trailhead toilet that is at a nice interval along the way to Rainey Pass that one of our support vehicles usually stops at. I couldn't find it on the map. I've never been down to the facilities at the pass. Might be a faucet there but I would be surprised. Most of the facilities along that road seem to be designed to be buried in snow and frozen for the majority of the year.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

So I looked a little more closely at the map and it looks like the place to stage water would be between Diablo lake and maybe at the pass. A long uphill stretch between those points with nothing but scenery. Damn scenery! Coming up to Diablo we should be OK riding with 3 bottles of water each I would think? I think there's a store at Nehalem too. The more I think about this trip the more excited I'm getting and it's still a long time away yet!


TiCruiser said:


> A staging run would work well. There are basic facilities one of the lake overlooks (pretty sure Ross) that would work. There is also a rest stop/trailhead toilet that is at a nice interval along the way to Rainey Pass that one of our support vehicles usually stops at. I couldn't find it on the map. I've never been down to the facilities at the pass. Might be a faucet there but I would be surprised. Most of the facilities along that road seem to be designed to be buried in snow and frozen for the majority of the year.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

http://permanents.seattlerando.org/

Look at this page. We have some routes that go through there. Pull down the route selector tab, and you can find cue sheets along those routes. They will show you where you are likely to find water and services. 

They are also most likely the best routes. 

Enjoy. You will be in some of the nicest places I have ever cycled. 

Bring winter cycling gear every day in the mountains. Seriously.


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