Last weekend, I enjoyed a backcountry camping road bike ride with the
Velomihottie that was a great adventure.
 |
| The aforementioned Carbon River. |
How is this even possible? The
last 5 miles of the Carbon River Road in Mt Rainier National forest has been
closed to motorized vehicle traffic since 2006, but remain accessible to
hikers and cyclists.
The road winds
along the river and leads to the Ipsut Falls Campground, which is still set up
for car camping. Based on a call to the
Ranger Station in which the Ranger advised the road was probably 80-85%
passable by bicycle, we decided that carrying packs with all the camping gear
we’d need for the weekend would allow us to carry the bikes over any rough
patches. I also brought half a dozen
inner tubes as flats seemed a distinct possibility over the unknown terrain.
 |
| Making Camp. |
All of these precautions proved unnecessary – we only walked
our bikes about 50 feet over the 5 miles the road followed the river. After setting up camp, we went for a hike to
the Carbon Glacier, which is apparently the lowest glacier in the US. This route also intersected with the Pacific
Crest Trail where it crosses the Carbon River with a long pedestrian suspension
bridge that bounces and sways as one walks across it.
 |
| A view up the valley from the hike. |
After a restful, quiet night absent the vehicular noise
which often accompanies car camping sites, we had a backcountry breakfast and
coffee and tea, then headed up for another hike, this time toward Mowich
Lake. The scenery astounds and amazes
with beautiful, lush, mossy greenery along the forest floor, and filtered light
from the high canopy above enhancing the greenness, while occasionally opening
up to spectacular views to peaks and ridges above.
 |
| Breaking Camp. |
