Itinerary

TRIP DAY 1

Today we will begin with a shuttle north from Hood River up into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The area was first set aside in 1893 by President Cleveland, but it wasn't until 1949 that the name was changed to the Gifford Pinchot in honor of the first chief of the Forest Service. From there we continue up the shoulder of Mount Adams to Tahklahk Lake, which reflects the massive snowy peak. Here we will unload the bikes and pack up lunches before hitting the trail. We will be riding the Chain of Lakes trail system which takes us up and down, riding past several beautiful alpine lakes. The trails alternate between tricky loose sections and fun cruising parts with amazing views in all directions. We will have lunch at Horseshoe Lake before beginning our route back to camp at Adams Fork on the banks of the beautiful Cispus River. TOTAL MILEAGE - 13 miles

TRIP DAY 2

Today we ride right from camp with a nice rolling warm up through the trees on the paved forest road. We hit the dirt and begin a long steady climb up the road, with great views of Mt. Adams. After 7 miles, we turn off on to a beautiful singletrack trail, which continues up for about another mile on a good trail with great traction. We top out and begin descending toward our lunch spot at Blue Lake. Watch out for frogs! After a great picnic lunch, we leave the lake and begin our return to camp, rolling up and down along the ridge top until we meet the trail, which then descends all the way back to our camp. This trail, created for multiple kinds of use, includes many well constructed switchbacks that challenge even the best. The final 2,000 feet of descending drops us right back to camp along the river. TOTAL MILEAGE - 23 miles

TRIP DAY 3

Again we get to ride right out of our Adams Fork camp. We will join the famous Valley Trail along the Cispus River for a net descent into the Cowlitz River Valley. The key word here is net, since there are lots of steep quick climbs along the way. There are some great view spots and several waterfalls as well. The riding is fun and keeps you on your toes as you try to anticipate the next direction the trail will swoop. We will regroup at the North Fork Campground and shuttle over the shoulder of Mount St. Helens on our way to tonight's camp at Lower Falls, which will put us in pole position for the trip's signature ride. TOTAL MILEAGE - 12 miles

TRIP DAY 4

Today we ride the famous Lewis River Trail through old growth cedars and Douglas Fir. It is an almost perfect trail with a beautiful tacky surface through the shade along the bright blue river. There are several short, steep climbs thrown in at regular intervals to keep your heart rate high, but we are in no hurry to leave this wonderful place. The trail flows along the length of fallen trees for what seems like a quarter mile per tree, giving you new appreciation for how tall these giants really are. We zip along flat sections which turn and twist through side drainages, past giant ferns and Bigleaf Maples. This is one of the all time best mountain bike trails in the US. We finish with a smile and cruise to camp seven miles down river on the forest road to our camp on the Swift River Reservoir. Tonight's camp has an awesome beach for swimming and a chance to practice your log walking -- lumberjack style. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles

TRIP DAY 5

Our final day begins with an early start, since we are headed high up on Mount St. Helens. No camping is allowed on the mountain itself, so we must shuttle to the trailhead. Here we have great views of Lava Canyon. We begin the ride up the forested trail at a very moderate grade. We have five miles to climb and 1,300 feet to gain. The trail travels along the edge of the massive mud flow and we go in and out of the forest on its edge. Several gentle switchbacks bring us up to a forested ridge with views back towards Mount Adams. At last we reach tree line! From here pumice slopes rise up the snowy peak above us. It is easy to imagine the lava flowing through the deep cuts in the earth which surround us. The views leave no doubt that the climb was worth it, and the awesome flowing descent which follows is the icing on the cake. TOTAL MILEAGE - 10 miles

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