Mount Rainier loop will not open

[curmudgeon]

Todays Seattle PI article says it won't be possible to make the usual loop around Mount Rainier. This winter storms severely damaged roads inside the Park. Steven's Canyon road will probably be closed all year. However Sunrise and Paradise, the two main visitors centers, will be open. The mount Rainier loop is one of my favorite yearly rides and I will really miss it. It's one of the more beautiful rides in the country.

Phil

[bamspringtx]

I sure miss the nor'west. Lots of great riding roads. I don't miss rv season.

[Styles]

Alas, with Stevens Canyon closed, I'll also miss my favorite cross-Cascades ride.

Will Hwy 123 be open up from US 12, so we can at least get over Chinook Pass?

Styles

[curmudgeon]

Here is a map of the road situation:

[nm6r]

Phil, I'm sure they just aren't aware of WeSToc this year. Maybe you can talk to someone about getting it repaired before August.

Ray
http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/smile04Bikerwheelie.gif

[adamk]

Alas, with Stevens Canyon closed, I'll also miss my favorite cross-Cascades ride.

Will Hwy 123 be open up from US 12, so we can at least get over Chinook Pass?

Styles

HWY 123 and Steven's Canyon will <probably> both be closed into August. I've redone the routes that were going through this area. Routes on 410 to the south will now detour east over Chinook Pass (410), then return west over White Pass. This adds 75 miles to the routes, but it's a NICE 75 miles!! :)

This does make looping around Mount Rainier pretty much an all day ride. You can hit Sunrise, then do the Chinook/White Pass thing, through Packwood and Randle and up to Paradise. Then continue around the west side, north back to Redmond. The other option is to ride up to Sunrise, then back track to the north and down the west flank to Eatonville and up to Paradise. If you're going to try and hit both vantage points it'll be an all day ride. But, it'll be a NICE day!! ;-)

[Styles]

. . . Routes on 410 to the south will now detour east over Chinook Pass (410), then return west over White Pass. This adds 75 miles to the routes, but it's a NICE 75 miles!! :) . . .

Thanks, Adam. Those miles are NICE!

Styles

[adamk]

The 'rides' page of the WeSTOC XII site has been updated to show the road closures in the Mount Rainier area. In addition to a newer version (1.1), of the original Garmin Mapsource file I've posted a '1.1 revised' version of suggested routes which detour around the closed roads.
These road closures not only effect the rides around Mount Rainier, but the ride to Windy Ridge on the east slope of Mt. St. Helens, and the mountain pass rides returning through Mount Rainier National Park. I would recommend you download and keep both versions of these files in case the Parks department finishes the road repairs ahead of schedule.

I have NOT updated the effected rides pages on the site yet. They still show the version 1.1 (non-revised), routes. We will be updating these pages shortly. Currently, only the City Navigator v7 maps are posted. I will be creating and posting City Navigator v8, City Select v7, MS Streets and Trips and DeLorme files shortly.

Also, if you were planning on arriving to, or leaving WeSTOC XII via this area take a look at the closer map and adjust your routes accordingly. The recommended detour around the HWY 123 closer is to ride through Naches, WA via White and Chinook Passes. It's a 75 miles detour, but takes you on one of the most scenic routes in the State!!

http://www.stocrallies.com/westoc12/rides.html