I did this a couple years ago. I don’t remember the tumbleweeds being quite so bad so maybe some got cleared out at some point. The overgrown section on the far side of the tunnel was much worse and pretty muddy and soft when I went through. It was kind of scary going through the cutouts with all the rocks in the path. I probably didn’t slow down enough. The wind was really bad when I did it too. I actually got blown over by a gust at one point and got a little scratched up. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for documenting your experience. I am planning a bike tour across Washington (and the country) and I think this section of the Palouse to Cascades Trail is a little bit too gnarly for me! It is hard to find information on the trail condition online.
The ride to Vantage was very nice and the tumble weed section is EPIC and unforgettable. I am glad that it was early season riding and there were no rattlesnakes at our heels pushing through. I am grateful Chris was wearing a neon green vest and his light was on as well, or I would have lost may way through the pile of tumbleweeds . I would do this ride again and bring a match (jokingly).
Guys, thanks for this video. 3 of us did the Snoqualmie Pass to Thorp section about 5 months after your trip. Just magnificent with an overnight in Cle Elum. Your Eburg to the Columbia River is very useful. I know I don't have to tell you that the Renslow Trestle repairs are done and you can just zip over I90 without that detour. And, of course, the Beverly Bridge across the Columbia will open in September. Thanks, again, for this great vid.
Actually I didn't know that about the renslow trestle, thank you, but I did know about Beverly Bridge, and I'm very excited for this route to be complete!
I enjoyed your trace mapping. I am planning this year to go from Rattlesnake Lake to Ellensburg. I know you use standard bikes; I plan to use my ebike after my stroke. My original bike is ready to sell...
The trail condition is sad. This is by no means the first video I have seen of poor conditions on this trail. It had been one I wanted to do. However I'm not traveling out of state to ride a trail that the parks department can't/wont maintain. As a person with physical challenges I can't fight through a mess like that. This was going to be my first week long trip.
Good on you guys for persevering through the tumble weeds, second vid I’ve seen showing this issue at this tunnel! Too bad the State doesn’t clear that out at least once a year… not sure if that represents a years worth or several. Thanks for a good and informative vid!
hey thanks for the video. I was wondering about trail condition (esp. what the optimal tire might be) and you answered it! the tumbleweed was a bonus...
I tried this coming from Doris/Army East. The 2% grade was not much fun with the roadbed ground to sand by army vehicles, plus the rock in all the cuts. I gave up and turned around after a couple of hours, but I had wondered what the full trip might be like. So I can appreciate the video. Great graphics too.
The nice thing is that they are not the worst kind of tumbleweed, like the prickly kind. And you definitely would want to be careful that something doesn't fall off the bike as you make your way through!
I did this a couple years ago. I don’t remember the tumbleweeds being quite so bad so maybe some got cleared out at some point. The overgrown section on the far side of the tunnel was much worse and pretty muddy and soft when I went through. It was kind of scary going through the cutouts with all the rocks in the path. I probably didn’t slow down enough. The wind was really bad when I did it too. I actually got blown over by a gust at one point and got a little scratched up. Thanks for sharing
rattle snakes would keep me out of the tumble weeds
Thanks for documenting your experience. I am planning a bike tour across Washington (and the country) and I think this section of the Palouse to Cascades Trail is a little bit too gnarly for me! It is hard to find information on the trail condition online.
The ride to Vantage was very nice and the tumble weed section is EPIC and unforgettable. I am glad that it was early season riding and there were no rattlesnakes at our heels pushing through. I am grateful Chris was wearing a neon green vest and his light was on as well, or I would have lost may way through the pile of tumbleweeds . I would do this ride again and bring a match (jokingly).
Guys, thanks for this video. 3 of us did the Snoqualmie Pass to Thorp section about 5 months after your trip. Just magnificent with an overnight in Cle Elum. Your Eburg to the Columbia River is very useful. I know I don't have to tell you that the Renslow Trestle repairs are done and you can just zip over I90 without that detour. And, of course, the
Beverly Bridge across the Columbia will open in September. Thanks, again, for this great vid.
Actually I didn't know that about the renslow trestle, thank you, but I did know about Beverly Bridge, and I'm very excited for this route to be complete!
I enjoyed your trace mapping. I am planning this year to go from Rattlesnake Lake to Ellensburg. I know you use standard bikes; I plan to use my ebike after my stroke. My original bike is ready to sell...
The trail condition is sad. This is by no means the first video I have seen of poor conditions on this trail. It had been one I wanted to do. However I'm not traveling out of state to ride a trail that the parks department can't/wont maintain. As a person with physical challenges I can't fight through a mess like that. This was going to be my first week long trip.
Good on you guys for persevering through the tumble weeds, second vid I’ve seen showing this issue at this tunnel! Too bad the State doesn’t clear that out at least once a year… not sure if that represents a years worth or several.
Thanks for a good and informative vid!
I am in Yakima. Experience so far is 1 nite outings. 1 trip to Tampico & the other to Ft. Simco.
Wow.
Holy cow! That’s some dedication now. Way over your head on those tumble weeds. Thank you for the upload, nice work.
hey thanks for the video. I was wondering about trail condition (esp. what the optimal tire might be) and you answered it! the tumbleweed was a bonus...
I tried this coming from Doris/Army East. The 2% grade was not much fun with the roadbed ground to sand by army vehicles, plus the rock in all the cuts. I gave up and turned around after a couple of hours, but I had wondered what the full trip might be like. So I can appreciate the video. Great graphics too.
When I was young, before the track was removed, the railroad had occasional brick buildings along the track / trail. Were those buildings removed?
The nice thing is that they are not the worst kind of tumbleweed, like the prickly kind. And you definitely would want to be careful that something doesn't fall off the bike as you make your way through!