A Ride to Winthrop through North Cascade National Park

I have been over these passes in the North Cascade National Park probably 15-20 times but never really appreciated them.  It was a road that we used just to get to eastern Washington so we could hunt deer. We used to drive it straight through usually at night.  Heck, I was allowed to miss a week of school every fall to go hunting in the hills around Winthrop.

It would be different this time.  We would ride the North Cascade Highway on motorcycles taking our time.  We were going to enjoy this National Park stopping where we want to and taking plenty of pictures.  It is a great day to ride, a sunny low 80's, with very little humidity.  So we set off from downtown  Everett taking Highway 2 to Washington State Highway 9 and ride north towards Sedro-Woolley.

We cross a lot of rivers, the Snohomish, the Stillaguamish, Pilchuck Creek and finally the Skagit River.  From here we head east on Washington State Highway 20.  The famous North Cascade Highway.  This road is closed during the winter.  Sometimes during hunting season in the fall, we would get trapped on the other side of the pass. We would have to drive an extra few hours south to get back to Western Washington.  Having to drive down to Highway 2 and going over the Cascades at Stevens Pass.

 As we follow the Skagit River, the River Gorge begins to close in on us.  After Marblemount we see a sign that says no services for the next 74 miles.    On our way to Winthrop, we will cross 2 mountain passes;  we know that the real ride is about to begin.

As we make the climb up to Rainy Pass we stop at the Mount Diablo and Diablo Lake overlook. These are some fantastic views. Lake Diablo and the Upper Ross Lake were formed from the damning of the Skagit River.  It is an incredible sight to look down at these lakes with the mountains in the background.

It is hard to compare this ride to anything that we have ridden, it was a completely different surreal experience.  Once we leave Rainy Pass we make our way to Washington Pass.  The climb to the pass has long sweeping turns and switchbacks.  There is 1000 foot drop offs on the side of the road.  Riding these obstacles in the shadow of 7000-foot peaks make this ride exhilarating.

At the Washington Pass Overlook, we take in the beauty of what we have ridden and are about to ride. Words can not express the magnitude of these expansive views.  After the overlook, it is a quick descent into the Methow River Valley.  We stop in Mazama to take in what we have just ridden.

After a short break, it is only a short 13 miles to Winthrop for a relaxing 2 days by the river at the Methow River Lodge.