# Portland to Timberline Lodge?



## OldHouseMan

A couple of us have been planning an adventure to ride from Portland to Mt Hood, climb, then ski off of the summit of Mt Hood, then ride home. We are still trying to figure out logistics. I've never done the ride from Portland to Timberline and am wondering which route and how long it will take. We will most likely be doing this supported, I do not want to ride with skis and boots on my bike.

As for the route, I would prefer to not ride up Hwy 26, so I'm thinking Marine Drive to Troutdale to Troutdale Rd to Division Dr to Oxbow Dr to Lusted Rd to Marmot Rd to Barlow Trail Rd and either jumping onto Hwy 26 at Brightwood on Brightwood Loop Rd or continuing up to Zig Zag on the Barlow Trail Rd then onto Hwy 26. I do know there are more twists and turns than the simple route I listed. I assume this will take 6 plus hours?

The ride will need to be done at night to allow the climb to be done in the morning hours. Based on this, any route suggestions?

And I will also be doing the ride from Portland to T-Line then back prior to the big day, but at this point, it's just planning.


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## icsloppl

Which month of the year?


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## OldHouseMan

Probably April or possibly May. It would be nice if there was not any gravel on the road but I've seen it on Timberline Rd through June.


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## PdxMark

Your route is good, but the estimated ride time might be too short. The mileage is one thing, but there are some short, steep hills along the way - eastbound on Marmot Rd is GORGEOUS on a clear day. The trick will be balancing cold enough for safe climbing conditions with late enough season for decent road surface up Timberline Road. I'd plan being up to Timberline a couple hours before whatever the lift opening time is - especially if you're doing this on a weekend. A 10PM start might be the trick.

I think you'll miss the damage, but the Sandy River has blown the h3ll out of Lolo Pass Rd. It might have disrupted some other part of your route.

If you're thinking of this ... will you start skiing above the Bergshrund? There are alot of people up there that time of year and not alot of room. I'd imagine you'll hear some very angry words unless you start your skiing a ways below that point.


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## bahueh

*most skiiers..*



PdxMark said:


> Your route is good, but the estimated ride time might be too short. The mileage is one thing, but there are some short, steep hills along the way - eastbound on Marmot Rd is GORGEOUS on a clear day. The trick will be balancing cold enough for safe climbing conditions with late enough season for decent road surface up Timberline Road. I'd plan being up to Timberline a couple hours before whatever the lift opening time is - especially if you're doing this on a weekend. A 10PM start might be the trick.
> 
> I think you'll miss the damage, but the Sandy River has blown the h3ll out of Lolo Pass Rd. It might have disrupted some other part of your route.
> 
> If you're thinking of this ... will you start skiing above the Bergshrund? There are alot of people up there that time of year and not alot of room. I'd imagine you'll hear some very angry words unless you start your skiing a ways below that point.


take a line to the left of the pearly gates through the old chutes...skiing the main climbers route above the Hogsback is nearly impossible with the crowds and crevasse situation, coupled with the 60+ degree terrain up there above the Hogsback area. fewer people 1000 feet to the left of Crater Rock area above the vents. 
I would think his best shot at it all would be late May/early June with all of the la nina snow the PNW has been getting. 

good advice on the LoLo Pass/Breitenbush road situation...I doubt that'll be cleared up in the next few months.


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## OldHouseMan

PdxMark said:


> Your route is good, but the estimated ride time might be too short. The mileage is one thing, but there are some short, steep hills along the way - eastbound on Marmot Rd is GORGEOUS on a clear day.


Yeah, I agree, 6 hours would be pretty optimistic.



PdxMark said:


> The trick will be balancing cold enough for safe climbing conditions with late enough season for decent road surface up Timberline Road. I'd plan being up to Timberline a couple hours before whatever the lift opening time is - especially if you're doing this on a weekend. A 10PM start might be the trick..


I will be doing the ride prior to the big day, but I was thinking about leaving around midnight to be at T-Line around six, but will more than likely need to leave around Ten. 




PdxMark said:


> I think you'll miss the damage, but the Sandy River has blown the h3ll out of Lolo Pass Rd. It might have disrupted some other part of your route..


I saw this, pretty impressive.



PdxMark said:


> If you're thinking of this ... will you start skiing above the Bergshrund? There are alot of people up there that time of year and not alot of room. I'd imagine you'll hear some very angry words unless you start your skiing a ways below that point.


I've climbed Hood at least a dozen times and skied the old chute a couple, it definitely can be a zoo. If I get onto the snow by 7:00, I should be on top by noon, my fastest time from T-Line to the top has been 4 hours. This will be a mid-week trip to avoid traffic and crowds.


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## OldHouseMan

bahueh said:


> take a line to the left of the pearly gates through the old chutes...skiing the main climbers route above the Hogsback is nearly impossible with the crowds and crevasse situation, coupled with the 60+ degree terrain up there above the Hogsback area. fewer people 1000 feet to the left of Crater Rock area above the vents.
> I would think his best shot at it all would be late May/early June with all of the la nina snow the PNW has been getting.
> 
> good advice on the LoLo Pass/Breitenbush road situation...I doubt that'll be cleared up in the next few months.


Will be skiing the old chute onto the West Crater Rim. I don't even think the Pearly Gates is climbable by the average climber, which I am.

As for La Nina, hope she shows up soon, it started out good, but the rain we just had set us back a bit.


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## icsloppl

I think PDXMark is about right. A 10PM start will put you at Timberline Lodge around 5am. You should be back at the lodge around 3PM if all goes well. That would put you back in Portland around dark if you do this in June.
On the ride out, I'd go 26 from Sandy. The local roads will have less traffic but they're windey and have no shoulders. One happy local and you all could easily be splattered.
I wouldn't ride road bike tires down the Timberline access road, your brakes will be severely tested, and your gearing will need to be close to MTB range. A CX bike would be a nice solution I think.
Consider not skiing. The time saved on the descent is minimal when combined with the additional weight carried on the ascent. Some of the group will likely be fairly trashed at the start of the descent and things could get ugly.


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## OldHouseMan

icsloppl said:


> I think PDXMark is about right. A 10PM start will put you at Timberline Lodge around 5am. You should be back at the lodge around 3PM if all goes well. That would put you back in Portland around dark if you do this in June..


I hope to be a little quicker than 10 hours round trip from T-Line to the top and back, but I do think a 10pm start time would be a good idea, we'll see after the initial ride I plan to do.



icsloppl said:


> On the ride out, I'd go 26 from Sandy. The local roads will have less traffic but they're windey and have no shoulders. One happy local and you all could easily be splattered..


I didn't think about there not being a shoulder, I'll have to check it out.



icsloppl said:


> I wouldn't ride road bike tires down the Timberline access road, your brakes will be severely tested, and your gearing will need to be close to MTB range. A CX bike would be a nice solution I think..


Are you referring to the paved road to Timberline? I don't see riding a road bike up the paved road that big of an issue, yeah, it'll be a hell of a climb, but that is kind of the point of this whole trip. 

And I don't see the CX bike being an advantage at all. The caliper brakes on my road bike have much better stopping power than the cantis on my CX bike. Would probably want some fresh pads though. 




icsloppl said:


> Consider not skiing. The time saved on the descent is minimal when combined with the additional weight carried on the ascent. Some of the group will likely be fairly trashed at the start of the descent and things could get ugly.


There is no chance I would ever consider not taking skis to the top. I've done it once without skis, never again.

Thanks for the tips.


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## bahueh

*the gates..*



OldHouseMan said:


> Will be skiing the old chute onto the West Crater Rim. I don't even think the Pearly Gates is climbable by the average climber, which I am.
> 
> As for La Nina, hope she shows up soon, it started out good, but the rain we just had set us back a bit.


are climbable...I've walked up through them...they're not skiable though..maybe an 8' gap at the narrowest on a 50+ degree hill with a crowd. no thanks!  I've been up there 3-4 times...great on good weather, miserable when its clowdy or the snow is sketch.

have fun if you make it...take pics and share. sounds exhausting.


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## bahueh

*you can get off T-line road..*



OldHouseMan said:


> I hope to be a little quicker than 10 hours round trip from T-Line to the top and back, but I do think a 10pm start time would be a good idea, we'll see after the initial ride I plan to do.
> 
> 
> 
> I didn't think about there not being a shoulder, I'll have to check it out.
> 
> 
> 
> Are you referring to the paved road to Timberline? I don't see riding a road bike up the paved road that big of an issue, yeah, it'll be a hell of a climb, but that is kind of the point of this whole trip.
> 
> And I don't see the CX bike being an advantage at all. The caliper brakes on my road bike have much better stopping power than the cantis on my CX bike. Would probably want some fresh pads though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There is no chance I would ever consider not taking skis to the top. I've done it once without skis, never again.
> 
> Thanks for the tips.


by getting on the old access road just north of T-line road..if the snow /debris is clear. runs you up and under the new chair lift below the lodge and dumps out right at the parking lot. its a bit steeper but no traffic. Oregon HillClimb Champs are held on that road each year in August. may be worth scouting the week before.


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## OldHouseMan

bahueh said:


> are climbable...I've walked up through them...they're not skiable though..maybe an 8' gap at the narrowest on a 50+ degree hill with a crowd. no thanks!  I've been up there 3-4 times...great on good weather, miserable when its clowdy or the snow is sketch.
> 
> have fun if you make it...take pics and share. sounds exhausting.


I've also been through the Pearly Gates several times but it has been a few years. I was under the impression that it had changed a bit and was very difficult to climb.

The Old Chute has much less traffic.



bahueh said:


> by getting on the old access road just north of T-line road..if the snow /debris is clear. runs you up and under the new chair lift below the lodge and dumps out right at the parking lot. its a bit steeper but no traffic. Oregon HillClimb Champs are held on that road each year in August. may be worth scouting the week before.


Just looked on a map, I did not know that road was there. Google maps refers to it as the West Leg Rd.

Thanks


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## bahueh

*good point..*



OldHouseMan said:


> I've also been through the Pearly Gates several times but it has been a few years. I was under the impression that it had changed a bit and was very difficult to climb.
> 
> The Old Chute has much less traffic.
> 
> 
> 
> Just looked on a map, I did not know that road was there. Google maps refers to it as the West Leg Rd.
> 
> Thanks


the route could have changed...I haven't been up there in years. 
probably worth a call to PMR or the Mazamas club to see what they know....


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## icsloppl

Quote:
Originally Posted by icsloppl
I wouldn't ride road bike tires down the Timberline access road, your brakes will be severely tested, and your gearing will need to be close to MTB range. A CX bike would be a nice solution I think.. 


Are you referring to the paved road to Timberline? I don't see riding a road bike up the paved road that big of an issue, yeah, it'll be a hell of a climb, but that is kind of the point of this whole trip. 

Making it up isn't the problem. It's paved, but normally contains a fair amount of sand/dirt/gravel/rocks in the corners. I'd be thinking that after the climb you will be pretty tired...


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## bahueh

*no..*



icsloppl said:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by icsloppl
> I wouldn't ride road bike tires down the Timberline access road, your brakes will be severely tested, and your gearing will need to be close to MTB range. A CX bike would be a nice solution I think..
> 
> 
> Are you referring to the paved road to Timberline? I don't see riding a road bike up the paved road that big of an issue, yeah, it'll be a hell of a climb, but that is kind of the point of this whole trip.
> 
> Making it up isn't the problem. It's paved, but normally contains a fair amount of sand/dirt/gravel/rocks in the corners. I'd be thinking that after the climb you will be pretty tired...


I'm talking about the access road just to the north of Timberline road. Its also paved and a harder climb than the main road. I believe its technially "West Leg Road".


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## PdxMark

bahueh said:


> I'm talking about the access road just to the north of Timberline road. Its also paved and a harder climb than the main road. I believe its technially "West Leg Road".


Of course, the West Leg Road isn't maintained in winter... it's more of a ski trail now... so it might not be open until mid-summer. Also, I think the West Leg Road, as a road, is only one way... maybe descending... It is great road to ride if it's open and going the right direction.


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## bahueh

*and thats..*



PdxMark said:


> Of course, the West Leg Road isn't maintained in winter... it's more of a ski trail now... so it might not be open until mid-summer. Also, I think the West Leg Road, as a road, is only one way... maybe descending... It is great road to ride if it's open and going the right direction.


the reason I suggested the OP go scope it out if hes interested in staying off T-line road...its his only other option...... why has this become so difficult?
its not one-way, but yes it requires be free of snow to ride on obviously. It is not plowed or maintained in any capacity during the winter. However since the snowpack is leaving Hood quite rapidly this month, it may be open.


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## PdxMark

bahueh said:


> the reason I suggested the OP go scope it out if hes interested in staying off T-line road...its his only other option...... why has this become so difficult?
> its not one-way, but yes it requires be free of snow to ride on obviously. It is not plowed or maintained in any capacity during the winter. However since the snowpack is leaving Hood quite rapidly this month, it may be open.


You're right. It's apparently not one-way.

http://rideoregonride.com/road-routes/timberline-lodge-climb/


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