Trip
Bikepack - Lake Washington
8-mi social ride with ~1 mi of gravel to go watch the Christmas ships and mingle with our sea kayaking and packrafting friends. We leave from the Mountaineers club, ride (mostly) on the Burke-Gilman trail to the UW Shell House to watch, listen to & sing along the Christmas show. We then ride back to Magnuson park to dry off and warm up at the Mountaineers and share some holiday snacks & treats with our fellow paddlers.
Contacts
- Fri, Dec 12, 2025
- Seattle Bikepacking Committee
- Bikepacking
- All Who Qualify, Adults
- Easy, Bikepacking Gravel I
- Easy
- Mileage: 8.0 nm
- Maximum Waves: 5 ft
- Pace: 10mph
- 7 (12 capacity)
- FULL (3 capacity)
- Sat, Nov 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
- Wed, Dec 10, 2025 at 11:30 PM
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
- iCal Google
(Click on [MORE +] below for full details.)
Short and flat 8-mile out and back with ~1 mile of gravel to make it officially a "bikepacking" event. Difficulty level is “Gravel I” (because we don't have a "Gravel 0" rating :-).
We leave from the Mountaineers club, ride south on the flat Burke Gilman trail to the UW Shell House where we meet paddlers from the sea kayaking and packrafting committee who, instead of pedaling, paddled to the meeting point. The Christmas fleet arrives around 5:30, and a choir on the Argosy cruise ship serenades the crowd on the beach and the many accompanying boats floating around it for 20 mn. There's typically some kind of a bonfire going on the beach, but no guarantees there will be one at the boathouse.
Description of Christmas Ship event from Argosy Cruises:
"Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival is a ship-to-shore holiday celebration that has been a Northwest tradition since 1949. The Spirit of Seattle, the Official Christmas Ship, is decorated with hundreds of shimmery white lights and sails to different Puget Sound waterfront communities. Choirs on board the Christmas Ship perform to guests aboard, to follow boats, and to communities gathered on shore."
On this day, the Christmas Ship will be at ASUW Shell House 5:35 - 5:55 PM with The Dickens Carolers performing.
Route on RideWithGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48726508
If you'd like to stick around when we get back, we will gather at the Mountaineers to thaw off our toes and noses, and (gasp!!) socialize. SeaKayak Felicia has reserved Cascade A and B and the paddlers are planning a potluck after they've gone back to their cars and sorted out their gear (which likely will take some time.) Kindly bring a drink and/or a seasonal treat or snack to share if you'll be staying a bit before heading home. Ugly Sweaters Welcome.
Dress warm, make sure your bike lights are charged up, consider bringing a headlamp to putt around at the Boathouse, a warm drink and an extra layer to stay warm (and dry...) while standing around by the lake.
Deck the halls! Grab battery-operated xmas lights, cyalumine sticks and decorate your bike and yourselves.
Meet at the Mountaineers club at 4:45PM for a "trail talk", leave at 5:00PM.
Required Equipment
- Make sure to have working lights on your bike with enough battery juice to last through the ride, front and back, and dress for the cold, and potentially for rain.
- Bring an extra warm/dry layer to put on while we hang out by the lake, warm gloves...
- Bring the 10 Essentials: Hot chocolate, Marshmallows, Spirited Fortifier, Camera with selfie stick, Disco lights to glue on top of your helmet, your best singing voice, ...
- If staying around for the potluck after the ride, a drink/treat to share.