The Cascade 1200 will feature a group-oriented style of 1200 km riding. We will share common overnight stops each night and start more or less together each morning. Accommodations at the designated overnight stops and drop bag transport between those stops will be provided as part of the entry fee. This riding style will encourage a collegial 1200 km experience and will allow riders of different speeds to enjoy each other’s company for more of the ride than might otherwise occur. The daily stages will take advantage of the long summer solstice days to provide lots of daylight riding.
CUE SHEETS for all four days, plus the Alt Day One, can be found HERE
Start/finish: Seattle, WA
Day 1 will start in the early morning within view of the Space Needle. Our route will take us along the Seattle waterfront in the pre-dawn, then we will work our way south over several significant passes, including both Elk & Old Man, to our overnight in Stevenson, WA. We will overnight at Stevenson High School. Riders who prefer not to use the group accommodation may wish to make a reservation at the nearby Rodeway Inn.
Day 1 RideWithGPS (UPDATED 6/17/18) is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27099630
Alternate Day 1: Spring melt in the Pacific Northwest is unpredictable. The highest pass on our planned Day 1 is Elk Pass at over 4000 feet. Elk is not maintained over the winter and is closed typically until mid-late June. We have an approved alternate Day 1 route just in case Elk is not open in time for our event. The alternate is 9 miles longer and will result in our needing to move the start time approximately ONE HOUR EARLIER so that we can be back on the time schedule outlined in the brevet card by the time we reach the 1st overnight.
NOTE THAT AS OF 6/16/18, we expect to be using the Elk Pass route. A final determination will be made on Tuesday June 20th after a Cascade volunteer rides the closed section.
Alternate Day 1 RideWithGPS (UPDATED 6/16/18) is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27138680
Day two we will leave Stevenson following the scenic Columbia River and work our way north and east via the Klickitat River and Bickleton. Eastern WA is typically hot and often quite windy in June, so riders should be prepared with plenty of water. Quite a few DNFs occurred on Day 2 the last time this route was run, as riders fell short on water and had trouble with heat. We will provide at least one SIR-manned stop with beverages along this stretch, as services are far apart. We will overnight at Quincy High School. Riders who prefer not to use the group accommodation may wish to make a reservation at one of the nearby motels. There are several within 1.5 miles of the school.
Day 2 RideWithGPS (UPDATED 6/16/18)is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27134355
Day three is another big climbing day heading north and east, culminating with the climb over Loup Loup Pass, through Twisp, Winthrop and finally to our last overnight stay in Mazama (https://en.wikipedia.org/
Day 3 RideWithGPS (UPDATED 6/17/18)is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27135090
Day four may have a net elevation loss of 2000 feet or so, but you’ll still find significant challenge in the 7000 feet of climbing, most of it in the first 100 miles. The route will take us over Washington and Rainy Passes in North Cascades National Park. Be sure to pack your cold weather gear as you may find snow and very chilly temps at the top of the passes. There’s less than 1000 feet of climbing in the last 50 miles from Darrington, so enjoy the home stretch to our finish location in Snohomish.
Day 4 RideWithGPS
Note: While we always take every precaution to provide accurate GPS files, as always, the CUE SHEET is the official source for route information.
CUE SHEETS for all four days, plus the Alt Day One, can be found HERE