Bikepack - Lost Lake

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Mountaineers bikepacking Summer trip to Lost lake. (Emma and Brian did the inaugural _Winter_ fat bike bikepacking outing back in March 2023, floating on but mostly sinking in snow. For some strange reason, that trip was never repeated :-) 

 Straight forward outing, nice loop with a pretty mountain lake as destination, mid-week so we can hope for a fairly quiet time. We’ll ride the loop _clockwise_, to get the harder bit out of the way the first day, and go _down_ the more challenging, rutted and rocky section. We warm up on a couple miles of flat gravel road following the Cascade to Palouse trail (formerly Iron Horse trail), then 5.5 miles riding up ~1700 ft (9 km/520 m) on a nice and wide gravel road that turns into a double-track higher up. Rather relentless climb, with a couple pitches over 10%, but with pretty decent terrain. With loaded bikes, we might have to hike-a-bike a few mintues on the steeper pitches. Once at the top, we ride down 3 miles/1100 ft (5 km/330m) elevation loss to reach the lake: the double-track is pretty rutted and rocky in parts, but on the downhill should not prove too difficult: the hardest bits can be walked, and a couple deep trenches across the path will likely have to be navigated on foot. We’ll find a dispersed camping site close to the lake to set up our tents, tarps or hammocks, then can take a nap, go swimming, fishing or sailing if you brought a sailboat, or go bikexplore around the lake on our (lightened up) mounts.

Next morning, return trip will be short and sweet: less than 3 miles all downhill, loosing ~600 ft elevation, on a wide and well maintained gravel road that takes us back to the Cascade to Palouse trail for the final flat couple of miles (8 km/-180 m). We should have plenty time for a leisurely breakfast & a swim before packing up and heading down the hill to get back mid-afternoon to the cars and beat rush hour traffic to get home.

 The downhill portions, specially the first day, are relentless and can be a bit of a challenge: please make sure that your brake pads are fresh enough before you start, and that your braking system is in reliable shape.

Day 1: 10 miles/16 km, 1720 ft/520 m elevation gain, 1100 ft/330 m descent. Max pitch ~12%.  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43596186

 Day 2: 4.5 miles/8 km, 600 ft/180 m descent. Max pitch ~-10%. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43596215

 There is no single-track, we'll be riding on gravel roads or wide double-tracks the whole trip. Taking into account the shortish distance each day, but the elevation gain and the terrain that can be challenging at time, the trip is rated Medium-Rare (AKA Bikepacking Gravel II per The Mountaineers Clubwide Activity Standards for Bikepacking.) The trip is open to all bikepacking badge holders, as well as to students of the latest Bikepacking course who haven't fulfilled the ride requirements for the course yet. Contact me (Dominique) if you have any question about the ride.

Let's try to arrange carpooling after i've sent the "Welcome bikers" email.

Weather forecast for Lost Lake.

Rolling at a very civilized 11AM from a wide spot on the Stampede Pass road, just past where it crosses the Palouse to Cascades trail (formerly Iron Horse trail.) Trail chat at 10:45, feet on the pedals at 11AM. Make sure to schedule enough time to find the unusual meeting spot, and to pack and load your bike.

Directions:

Exit I-90 at exit 62, past Snoqualmie pass. Turn right at the exit onto the  Stampede pass road, drive by the (closed for the season) Crystal Springs parking lot. Pavement turns to gravel, keep driving straight, past the turn-off to the Lost lake road (do NOT take that road, stay on the Stampede pass road), till you cross the Palouse to Cascades trail (mileage from the exit about  1.3 mile.) We'll meet on the wide spot on the left, noted on the screenshot below, just past the crossing with the trail.

 We should be back mid-afternoon the next day.