San Juans / Olympics / Cascades

Pacific Northwest
Adventure cycling in its most emphatic expression perhaps best describes the cycling opportunities that constitute our Pacific Northwest category for 2003. Programs such as Sea-to-Sky Adventure, Oregon Coast-to-Cascades, Rogue River and Rainier Ramblers, Oregon Coast and Columbia River Classics, and Adventure Alaska are unique in their content, diversity and adventurous spirit. These programs have been created as fantasy adventures for cyclists who are passionate about cycling.

ZZ-BKT08
San Juan Islands / Olympics / North Cascades
Rainier Rambler
Oregon Coast / Cascades
Rogue River Rambler
Inland Empire
Columbia River Classic



 

We believe that our Rainier Rambler, more than any other cycle tour offered in this region, captures the essence of the excitement and fascination of cycling in the Pacific Northwest. The allure of the area is its incomparable, varied terrain and we’ll experience these dramatic contrasts visually and physically in the context of this 9-day adventure. The awesome beauty of Mt. Rainier National Park, the towering spires of the North Cascades, the apple-growing empire of the Yakima and Columbia River Valleys, the maritime magic of Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, the extraordinary beauty of Deception Pass—this is the continuum of experiences that is the Rainier Rambler.

The tour assembles in Enumclaw, just east of Seattle, and we’ll ride to the western entrance of Rainier Park on Day 1. We’ll overnight at the Nisqually Lodge just outside the Park and spend most of the following day exploring the park. We’ll climb to the Paradise Lodge, where we’ll spend the night on the slopes of Rainier, and arrive early enough to enjoy the outstanding hiking opportunities in the Paradise area.

The influence of the Cascades on the climate of the region to the east is apparent as we descend into the arid Yakima Valley on Day 3. Fresh fruit stands are everywhere as we approach Yakima, where we’ll spend the evening. We’ll return to the high country of the Wenatchee National Forest the following day as we climb scenic Swauk Pass (4,071') enroute to Leavenworth where we’ll spend the evening.

Day 5, we’ll ride into the heart of Washington’s apple-growing empire. We’ll follow the Wenatchee River to it’s confluence with the Columbia and trace the Columbia northward for an evening at the Caravel Resort on the shores of Lake Chelan.

We’re headed for the North Cascades on Day 6 on roads that constitute a cyclist’s fantasy. An overnight in Winthrop precedes our encounter with Washington Pass (5,477') in the heart of North Cascades National Park. Cycling North Cascades Highway is a dream—sparse traffic, great shoulder, spectacular alpine scenery.

We’ll spend the evening in Marblemount on the Skagit River at Clark’s Skagit River Resort and then we’re off to the ocean. We’ll spend our final overnight at Ship Harbor Inn on Fidalgo Island and cross magnificent Deception Pass to Whidbey Island. We’ll cycle the full length of Whidby to Clinton before concluding our tour with a ferry ride across the Sound to Everett.

Total Mileage – 559

San Juan Islands / Olympics / North Cascades
Rainier Rambler
Oregon Coast / Cascades
Rogue River Rambler
Inland Empire
Columbia River Classic
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Among our most popular programs for the past several seasons, the Rogue River Rambler has solidly settled into that select group of adventures guaranteed to seduce any cyclist who truly hungers for the ultimate experience. This program offers the marriage of the incomparable Oregon Coast with the rugged alpine setting of the Cascades as dramatic testimony to the fascination of Oregon.

In the Rogue, coast and Cascades are joined with an incredible ride along one of the West’s great Wild and Scenic Rivers. We’ll trace that river to and through the Rogue River Valley to its source in the high Cascades near Crater Lake. Along the way, we’ll climb awesome Bearcamp Pass, one of the West’s great high-country challenges.

The Rogue River Rambler assembles in Eugene, the vibrant site of the University of Oregon on the southern fringe of the Willamette Valley. Early-morning of Day 1, we’ll climb the gentle Coastal Range to the west into the Siuslaw National Forest and trace the Smith River as it empties into the Pacific at Reedsport, where we’ll spend the evening at the Salbasgeon Inn.

From Reedsport, we’ll ride the coast through the progression of state parks and sparkling beaches so characteristic of the Oregon shore. We’ll spend the next evening on the ocean in Bandon at the Sunset Lodge and then continue south to Gold Beach at the mouth of the Rogue River. Following an overnight oceanside at the Gold Beach Resort, we’ll then head inland along the Rogue into the heart of the Rogue River Forest. Near the village of Agness, we’ll leave the Rogue for a memorable encounter with Bearcamp Pass; 16 miles and 4600 vertical feet and we’ve conquered the crest of the rugged Coastal Range. An incredible downhill is our reward and we’ll rejoin the Rogue near Galice and continue on to Morrison’s Lodge, where we’ll spend the evening and dine outdoors on the deck overlooking this mighty river.

On Day 5, we’ll continue along the Rogue to Grants Pass and then traverse the rolling Rogue River Valley through historic Jacksonville to the fascinating town of Ashland, renowned for its annual Shakespearian Festival. We’ll ride from Ashland early-morning of Day 6 and climb into the Cascades and an overnight at the Rocky Point Resort.

The next day’s ride to Crater Lake is one that you won’t forget. The climb to the brink of the caldera is challenging, yet ethereal. The slopes of what was once Mt. Mazama are not unlike those of the surrounding peaks, but what lies beyond the brink, in the bowels of the volcano, is singularly exceptional.

We’ll spend two nights and a layover day at the newly restored Crater Lake Lodge, the National Park Lodge situated on the lake itself. Among the activities available on the layover day are some outstanding hiking opportunities and a magnificent ride around the lake. A relaxing boat tour of the lake is another interesting option.

From Crater Lake, we’ll spend much of our final day in a downhill plunge along the beautiful North Umpqua River toward Roseburg. We’ll van shuttle back to Eugene late that final afternoon.

San Juan Islands / Olympics / North Cascades
Rainier Rambler
Oregon Coast / Cascades
Rogue River Rambler
Inland Empire
Columbia River Classic
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We  are in the business of creating and staging bicycle tours and we are always searching for intriguing new programs. Every once in awhile, a program comes together that we recognize as something really special, and our pulse quickens at the prospect of launching this new adventure. Our new Columbia River Classic defined this level of excitement for us last season.

In the course of this 10-day program, we’ll ride through the heart of the Colville National Forest and climb to the crests of the Selkirk and Kettle River Ranges of northeastern Washington, the Purcells and Monashees of southern British Columbia. We’ll trace the course of the Columbia, one of the world’s great river systems, as we ride north from Spokane into Canada through the Kootenays and the beautiful Slocan Valley. We’ll cross the Monashees into the magnificent Okanagan and then return ultimately to Spokane along Highway 20, perhaps Washington’s most picturesque, yet lightly traveled scenic byway.

The Columbia River Classic assembles in Spokane and we’ll ride north on Day 1 to Colville, where we’ll spend the evening. Early the following morning, we’ll ride to historic Kettle Falls, believed to be one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the Northwest. We’ll ride the course of the Columbia north into British Columbia, climb into the Monashee Mountains to historic Rossland in the heart of BC’s gold country. We’ll then return to the Columbia Valley and an overnight in Trail.

We’ll continue our northward course along the Columbia on Day 3 to Castlegar, the “crossroads of the Kootenays”, at the confluence of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers. Elegant Nelson, on the western shore of Kootenay Lake, is an excellent opportunity for lunch, and we’ll continue north along the lake’s shoreline and an overnight at the Ainsworth Hot Springs Lodge. On Day 4, we’ll ride to Kaslo and then climb above Kootenay Lake to cross the Selkirks before descending into the beautiful Slocan Valley. We’ll explore New Denver on Slocan Lake and then head north to Nakusp, on the shores of Upper Arrow Lake.

We’re almost midway through our adventure at a point where you likely are convinced that the scenery can’t possibly improve. Wrong! Day 5 is absolutely incredible as we ride south along the Arrow Lakes and then board a ferry at Faquier to cross Lower Arrow to Needles. From Needles, we’ll climb among the high snowcaps of the Monashees to Monashee Pass and then begin our descent into the Okanagan Valley. Following an overnight in Cherryville, we’ll ride into the heart of the Okanagan through Vernon and on to vibrant Kelowna, on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake.

A layover day is planned for Kelowna in an area that offers a wide range of recreational activities, including a relaxing scenic cruise on the lake. Another great option is a hiking tour of the awesome trestles of Myra Canyon

We’ll tour the Okanagan as we ride south on Day 8. The glacial history of the Okanagan is so apparent as we ride the shorelines of the region’s many lakes, whose deep basins were carved by the glaciers of the past. We’ll spend the night in Osoyoos and return to the U.S. the following morning. On Day 9, we’ll turn east toward intriguing Republic as we return to the Colville Forest. We’ll spend our final overnight in Republic, climb awesome Sherman Pass early on our final day before returning to the Columbia Valley. We’ll call it a tour at Colville and van shuttle back to Spokane.

San Juan Islands / Olympics / North Cascades
Rainier Rambler
Oregon Coast / Cascades
Rogue River Rambler
Inland Empire
Columbia River Classic
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