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Volcanoes of Washington Tour

Summary

Two wheels. Four mountains. Six days. A million memories. Crafted for solid cyclists, our bicycle tour of four volcanoes is not for the faint of heart, but it's infinitely rewarding. You'll immerse yourself in the ultimate Cascade Mountain bicycle experience, riding through vast reaches of dense forests, along sparkling rivers, past snow-crowned summits, wildflower-strewn meadows and volcanic moonscapes - some of the Pacific Northwest's most dramatic terrain. Mt Rainier NP limits both the number of tours we can operate (two) and the number of cyclists per tour(10), so reserve early to be one of the 20 lucky cyclists per year who get to take this tour!

Recreational, Road bike

7 days

528 km / 328 mi

$ 3,878.-

National Parks: Mt Rainier N.P.,
Mt St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Deposit for this tour is 25%

Gallery

Details

Type

Recreational, Road bike

Duration

7 days

Level

Challenging

Support

Guided

Daily distance

80-100 km / 50-62 mi

Total distance

528 km / 328 mi

Lodging

Deluxe, full board

Luggage transport

Daily luggage transfers

Bicycle

Included

Dates

25 Jul 2023 - 31 Jul 2023
15 Aug 2023 - 21 Aug 2023

Start

Seattle

Finish

Portland

Transfer

Seattle

Airport at start

Seattle-Tacoma Int Airport SEA

Airport at finish

Portland Int. airport PDX

Prices Please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

Price per person / please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

The tour price per person

$ 3,878.-

E-Bike

E-bike Fastroad E+ EX Pro

$ 200.-

Optional

Single supplement

If you travel alone a single supplement is charged. With some group tours you can avoid a single supplement by sharing a room with another rider.

$ 1,047.-

Itinerary

Included / Not Included – lodging

Day 1: Ride to Sunrise on Mt. Rainier.

We will be riding in the National Park before noon! Our first ride takes us first along the White River and then high up onto the north side of Mt. Rainier to the Sunrise Visitors Center at 6400 feet. Pedal up through dense forests to the tree line. Once on the ridge, pedal past alpine meadows while admiring the views that extend northward almost to Canada, and southward to the Tatoosh Range, Mt. Adams and beyond. Do your best to stay on the road! The mountain is so close you can feel the cooling breezes from the glaciers. After lunch at Sunrise, cycle back down and then up to Crystal Mountain ski resort where we spend the night at Quicksilver Lodge.
Meals: lunch, dinner. Distance: 58 miles (or more) Elevation = 5954 ft / -4851 ft

Day: 2 Pedal Mt. Rainier National Park via Chinook Pass.

Again, virtually all the cycling today is within Mt. Rainier National Park. Once we’ve descended from the ski area, we climb to Chinook Pass and Tipsoo Lake – arguably the prettiest pass in the Cascade mountains. After the pass, we coast downhill for 15 miles, losing 3500 feet of elevation. Have lunch beneath – and take a short walk through – the oldest grove of trees in the park before starting the climb to Paradise on a spectacular road that wends its way up the mountain from the southeast. Ancient trees tower overhead, waterfalls plunge over cliffs, streams cut through gorges and lakes reflect stunning mountain views. Traffic is less here, too, as most vehicles approach from the west. End the day at historic Paradise Inn on Mt. Rainier, which has hosted the likes of skater Sonja Henie and President Harry Truman. The accommodations at this classic National Park Inn have been beautifully redone over the last two years – come see the improvements!
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Distance: 57 mi Elevation: +7348 ft / -6270 ft

Day 3: Spend the day in Paradise

Paradise defies all superlatives and is simply too amazing to miss. The revered naturalist and National Parks advocate, John Muir, described Paradise as “… the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings.” Local natives referred to these gardens as Sahalee Illahee, “land of peace”. We find it hard to come up with any higher recommendations. Hiking trails abound at Paradise. Marmots, black bear mountain goats and black-tailed deer abound as well. Go for a walk or hike on your own. Spend some time at the Visitors Center. Or just relax, read a book and soak up the views from the Inn. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.
Meals: breakfast

Day 4: Cycle through Gifford Pinchot National Forest to to Windy Ridge at Mt. St. Helens

Ride alongside a river through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest along a little-used country road heading toward Mt. St. Helens. Approach from the northeast, cycling straight into the route that the exploding gases and ash took during the eruption of May 18, 1980. At first the evergreen forest looks normal, but then we notice pebbles of white pumice on the forest floor. Going further, we see that some trees have lost branches. Then standing dead trees appear, then trees that were knocked down by the blast. They lie like spilled toothpicks on the hillside, their trunks all neatly pointing to the still smoldering crater. Devastation seems complete until we crest a ridge and view the ultimate — no trees. Here the hot volcanic gases blasting at over 500 miles per hour not only knocked everything down, but literally blew it all away. From a vista overlooking log-filled Spirit Lake, a park ranger tells us the incredible story of the explosion, the current buildup of a cinder cone in the volcano’s crater, the dramatic increase in volcanic activity since September 2004, the amazing reemergence of life in the 1980 blast zone, and the possibility of a future eruption. Awesome! From Mt. St. Helens we van to the Columbia River and the elegant Skamania Lodge the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area’s signature resort on the Washington side of the river.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Distance: AM: 20-25 mi descent, PM: 18.6 mi (one way), or 37.6 mi (out and back)80 mi, Elevation AM decend about 3500 ft. PM: +3279 ft ft / -1795 (one way) +5102 ft / -5117 ft (out and Back)

Day 5: Cycle the Columbia gorge's "waterfalls route"

Waterfalls and taking it easy are the name of the game today. The Columbia Gorge has some of the finest waterfalls in the world! Enjoy a leisurely departure time from Skamania Lodge today – in case you want to enjoy the Gorge Interpretive Center, do some ziplining or hit some golf balls. If not, you can pedal out early and spend more time viewing magnificent waterfalls. The cycling is more leisurely today as well, giving you a chance to recover from yesterday and a chance to rest up for a big climb tomorrow to Mt. Hood. Pedal a network of bike paths that takes you past world-famous Multnomah Falls and a multitude of others. Arrive in Hood River early enough to enjoy this mecca of brew pubs in a town renowned for windsurfing and outdoor recreation. Watch the sails on the water or go for a swim in the river. The Best Western plus Hood River Inn, where we stay tonight has its own beach as well as a pool.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Distance: 43 mi (or less) elevation: +2721 ft / -2857 ft

Day 6: Ride from orchards in the Hood River Valley up to subalpine meadow at Timberline lodge on the Mt Hood

Begin cycling amongst the apple and pear orchards of the Hood River Valley. Ride along a tumbling river through thick forests of tall firs in Mt. Hood National Forest as we ascend toward the mountain. Finish the day with a climb up to Timberline Lodge (famous for its place in The Shining). Spend the night here and enjoy a superb meal in a spectacular setting: at an elevation of 6,000 feet, the views are majestic.
Meals: breakfast, lunch. dinner Distance: 60 mi elevation: +8233 ft / -2703 ft

Day 7: Cruise down the flanks of Mt. Hood and say hello to Bigfoot

Enjoy a lovely, long, and well-earned cruise down the flanks of Mt. Hood all the way to … Boring, Oregon. Yes, that’s the town name, but it’s far from as dull as it sounds. After all, here we will stop and say hello to sasquatch (if you didn’t already on the tour) at the North American Bigfoot Center. Finish with lunch at one of the delicious food trucks for which the Portland-area has become justifiably famous before returning to your hotel.
Meals: breakfast, lunch. Distance: 48 mi elevation: +1597 ft / -6985 ft

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Included:

Hotels
Luggage transfer.
All meals included except one lunch and one dinner
Road / hybrid bike
Hiking & Bigfoot Museum

Not Included:

Night before and after the tour
Flights to and from the tour
Gratuities guides

Lodging

Quicksilver Lodge
Paradise Inn, Mt. Rainier,
Skamania Lodge,
Timberline Lodge
The hotels, Inns, and B&Bs we use are always among the finest the area has to offer. Our smaller group sizes(max. 13) allow us to stay at some award-winning places that can’t handle groups of 25 or more. We work closely with the innkeepers to make sure they understand your needs and ours, whether that is having a place to store your bike, an early morning breakfast or a convenient place to park the van, they are as committed to your vacation experience as we are.
Lodging is based upon two people to a room with a private bath. If you’re traveling solo on any of our trips, we’ll assign you a roommate of the same gender and often of the same age bracket. There is no extra charge if we can’t find you a roommate, even if you sign up the day before the trip starts. You can guarantee yourself a private room and bath if you pay the Single Room Fee. Occasionally a room with two beds consists of one bed plus a rollaway bed or sofa bed.

Vaccine or test: A negative Covid test will be required within 72 hours of departure for all non-fully vaccinated guests. or Proof of a completed Covid vaccination course can be used in lieu of a Covid test. A "completed Covid vaccination course" means that the guest has had 1 or 2 shots (depending on vaccine brand) and has completed the 2-week waiting period post final shot.
All of our guides are fully vaccinated.

Map & Routes

Map

Satellite

Bicycle

A road or Hybrid bike is included in the price,

E-bikes

are available for an extra fee.
Prior to your bike tour, we request your height in order to choose the right frame size for you. (If you have a fit sheet or sizing information on your personal bicycle, you are welcome to send that to us, and we will do our best to match your geometry and specs.) On the first day of each bicycle tour, your guides tweak your bike fit to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. If they can’t get the fit just right, we typically carry a couple of extra sizes. We try to make sure we have the right size and type of bike you need to enjoy your cycling vacation.

Giant Defy ADV 3

Choose the longer route. Climb higher mountains. This all-new endurance road bike is purpose-built to help you tackle long-distance road rides in all types of conditions. It’s smooth, it’s efficient, and it’s fast.
Ride farther and faster with an all-new composite frameset that’s engineered with endurance geometry and built-in compliance. Handcrafted with Advanced-grade composite material, it’s engineered with tube shapes that are optimized to absorb road shocks and vibrations. And the frame is still stiff in all the ways that matter—for pedaling efficiency as well as steering and cornering precision. It’s made with a specific carbon layup to give it just the right feel. And for added control, it features integrated disc brakes with flat mounts and 12mm thru-axles. The D-Fuse Seatpost and handlebar system also help reduce road vibrations, adding to its smooth, compliant feel on the road.
Components: Giant Conduct disc brakes, Shimano Tiagra groupset, 50/34 cranks, 11 x 34 cassette, Giant S-R2 tubeless wheelset 700x28c

Hybrid / flat Bar Road bike

The perfect balance of road bike speed and city bike versatility. Built on a lightweight ALUXX SL aluminum frameset, this new flat-bar road bike puts the rider in a comfortable position that’s smooth and efficient. The fast-rolling 700c wheels and vibration-absorbing composite D-Fuse seatpost help smooth out rough roads. The fast-rolling 700c wheels can accommodate large tires up to 32c, perfect for tackling rough roads with confidence and control, while integrated ergo bar ends keep your hands comfortable on longer adventures. Powerful disc brakes give you added control in all types of weather, and easy-to-use rack mounts make FastRoad SL a smart choice for commuting, fitness riding and weekend adventures.
E-Bike Thrive E+ EX PRO
With THRIVE E+ EX PRO, you get an all-access pass to speed no mater what your fitness level
Designed with Liv’s 3F Design Philosophy, Thrive E+ EX Pro is the first road E-bike built specifically for women. Get up to speed fast with the new SyncDrive Pro motor that provides a natural, yet powerful, E-bike experience. The new motor also features a Smart support mode that automatically adjusts the support level based on your ride. PedalPlus 6-Sensor Technology translates six measurements about your riding and adds the perfect amount of power at just the right time for a fast and fluid ride quality. The EnergyPak Smart 375 battery is so sleek, you’ll have your friends looking twice to know it’s an E-bike.