Author Topic: 09-06-20 Chinook Pass Mt Rainier  (Read 3392 times)

Offline johnny

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09-06-20 Chinook Pass Mt Rainier
« on: May 01, 2011, 02:30:46 PM »
our last west coast ride before we go to the midwest for 4 weeks... we find ourselves in yakima wa...

the plan was the chinook pass... sunrise at mt rainier... the cayuse pass... paradise at mt rainier... the road to windy ridge as fas as we could go due to a bridge out... then wind down to the columbian river and wind back the west side of mt adams as far as we could go because the roads are closed due to snow...

but... here is the actual...

http://tinyurl.com/la8tly



at 1st light i could see the very top of mt rainier off in the distance from our penthouse hotel suite in yakima wa... the palm springs of washington... really...

wow... are you kidding... blue skys... bright sun coming over the horizon... and the top of rainier visible over the hills in the distance... lets roll...



this is an interesting area... shaped by volcanos and the cataclysms on the columbian...

http://www.thegreatstory.org/scablands.html

wa 410 carved into solid basalt...



it was cold and windy and sunny all the way up wa 410 until we got about 20 miles from the chinook pass...









then we started getting into snow beside the road and up on the hills...





waterfalls were everywhere... we started to stop for them but there was another one and another every half mile or so...







then it went to mist and fog... we were in a cloud and were concerned about ice on the road...



m o was reporting she was as cold as she had ever been on the motobrick... i can report my feet were as cold as they had ever been... we stopped and inspected the road... it was borderline but a little too warm for ice... i was hoping anyway...



we didnt take any pictures at the chinook pass because we couldnt see 10 feet in front of us... the fog and mist was so dense it was like super chilled tule fog...

we head up wa 123 to sunrise... the sign said closed... we rolled into the check point and the ranger said we could go about 5 miles to the gate... but the road was a mess beyond that and would not be open anytime soon...



most of the rivers were flowing with great vigor... and some were just meandering down the hill...







rolling down wa 123 to stevens canyon road... we were told it was open to box canyon...









the sign says stevens canyon road closed... we roll in... the gate was locked... cant get to box canyon today...

but the river was raging like a moe...







rolling down wa 123 to us 12...





we fueled up at packwood... the lady at the chevron said the best breakfast is at the pizza joint... humm...



the pancakes were stacked with blueberries...





we were headed to randle and roll down to the columbian taking in the east slope of mt st helens and then mt adams... but it was raining and and the clouds were low and were were not going to see anything except water on the visor... so we decided to take us 12 over white pass where we know its gonna be sunny...

crazy thing these cascades... permafog on the west side... permasun on the east side... at least thats our observations...





once again back in waterfall country...











clear creek waterfall...









rolling east on us 12...





lap around rimrock lake...























more palisades...







rolling up the road to cowiche... the plan was wind down to the east side of mt adams... cant get too close... just as far as tampico and white swan and fort simcoe... but micki is reporting a headache so we head back and call it a day... all in all about 280 miles in  9 hours... you see... starting at first light on these days of many hours of light has it benefits...

there you go...

j o
  • :johnny i parks my 96 eleven hundert rs motobrick in dodge county cheezconsin  :johnny

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