Day 8: Diablo Lake to Winthrop

August 23, 2011

Map of today's ride. Select Terrain view!

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The rain finally stopped at 7 AM but the trees continued to drip. I got up at 7:10. It was hard to get motivated with everything wet outside and the sky threatening to rain again. At about 9 it brightened, suggesting the sky might clear up soon. I finally got on the road at 9:25, very late for a day with this much climbing. The sky was mostly cloudy but slowly clearing.

Highway 20 has several excellent views of Diablo lake.

With a bit of effort I was able to see Ross dam. Later the road goes very near Ross lake but the forest always obstructs the view of the lake, even at the Ross lake overlook.

By noon the sky was totally sunny and the temperature was in the 70's. I took a long stop at a trailhead parking lot to dry the tent and sleeping bag, charge the phone, and cook a hot lunch. Today's route has no services and I need to stay fueled for the big climbs.

The trees get noticeably smaller as I gain elevation.

The climb up Rainy pass was pretty good overall. The highway has a decent shoulder, the scenery was great, the sun was shining, and I had a tailwind. But it's a huge climb, from less than 1200 feet elevation up to 4855 feet, with a 600 foot descent near the beginning to add still more climbing.

The tall sign suggests that snow gets very deep during winter.

After Rainy pass is a short descent followed by a 900 foot climb to Washington pass. I was exhausted, but I couldn't take long stops or I would run out of daylight.

I got to Washington pass just a few minutes before shadows overtook the sign. The Washington pass overlook was closed for reconstruction. But it was 6 PM and the construction workers were gone for the day. So I went around the orange fence to the overlook.

Happy but extremely tired. My highest point in the state of Washington.

Also very tired in June 1989, biking from Seattle to Bar Harbor, Maine.

The temperature was still in the 70's, but I knew it would drop rapidly when I descend into the shade.

View from the Washington pass overlook. Early Winters Spires on the right.

The descent was freshly chip-sealed, so I only went 30 mph on the squirmy surface. I remember going 45 mph for a very long time in 1989.

I was hoping to make it to the Methow valley before sunset, but the shadows advanced at about the same speed that I traveled. I was always in the shade while seeing sunshine a mile or two ahead.

Almost sunset by the time I descend to the Methow valley.

The climate changes dramatically on the descent, from alpine forest to arid grasslands. The Methow valley is in the rain shadow of the Cascade range.

I arrived in Winthrop a few minutes after sunset. It was getting hard to see. I was willing to get a motel room, but all the motels had No Vacancy signs. A couple miles past the downtown area I found a KOA Kampground and got a $27 campsite. While paying for the campsite I called a nearby pizza place to order a pizza before they close. Then I quickly set up my tent and went a mile back to pick up the pizza in total darkness, at about 9 PM.

The town of Winthrop is much larger than it was when I passed through in 1989. My campsite is on irrigated grass with a view of the Methow river. But with screaming kids, frequent traffic, and annoying street lights, the KOA wasn't nearly as tranquil as a Forest Service campground.

What a day! After 17 hours of rain I crossed the North Cascades to the dry side where it never rained.

Distance: 70 mi. (112 km)
Climbing: 5320 ft. (1612 m)
Average Speed: 8.7 mph (13.9 km/h)

Today's ride: 70 miles (113 km)
Total: 398 miles (641 km)

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Charmaine RuppoltNice that you could get a pizza delivered to your KOA campground! You probably ate it all after your long and tiring day! I remember I once ate a whole LARGE pizza after climbing hills on the West coast...and I didn't even feel full!
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