Mt St Helens Singletrack

Day 1: Siouxon Trail

Departing from Portland, we shuttle a few hours to reach Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Our first ride brings us to the lower elevation Siouxon area. We'll ride this drainage area's namesake trail for a scenic 14 mile out and back endeavor. The trail follows along the Siouxon Creek, renown for its deep, clear pools and impressive waterfalls. Most of the way the trail is shaded by a think canopy of trees. We pass 6 waterfalls including Horseshoe falls, before turning back. We’ll have a delicious lunch at the trailhead before shuttling to our camp for the night. There is some additional riding available from camp in the afternoon if you would like to explore the area.

Day 2: Lewis River Trail

Our day starts with a delicious camp breakfast, complete with steaming hot coffee or tea and the anticipation of a great ride. We are wowed right from the start on the ride as we pass two scenic waterfalls in short succession. The riding in the first 4 miles is relatively flat, through maple, cedar, and even Douglas firs trees, making for a laid back, shady cruise through the forest. The second half the rides brings us back to more exposed, challenging riding as we navigate the rolling terrain with steep side slopes for 6 miles or so. Your experienced guides will decide whether to ride this trail as an out and back or as a shuttled ride, but don’t worry you’re in good hands. Tonight, sink into your camp chair and get ready for another delicious dinner!

Day 3: Old Man Pass XC Recreation Area

This morning, a short shuttle takes us to the Old Man Pass Sno-Park. Better known for winter time recreation, this cross country ski area also offers a wealth of interconnecting trails in great condition for mountain biking! We’ll probably have much of the place to ourselves as we weave in and out of tight wooded singletrack, criss-cross cool wooden bridges, and play follow the leader on the many available trails.

Day 4: Craggy Peak Trail

A short shuttle brings us over to the Craggy Peak Trail where we complete a 10.5 mile out-and-back ride. We start off with a gentle climb through a tree plantation, then continue along a slightly inclined ridge under a deep canopy of evergreens. Keep your eye out for glimpses of Mount Rainier and Shark Rock through the forest. We'll also catch sight of Blue Lake, which lies below us 400ft. There's a good chance we'll see elk or deer, they tend to congregate at Pass Basin pond. At the intersection with the Boundary Trail we'll turn around and head back towards the trailhead. Spend the afternoon relaxing at camp, or if you just can't get enough, explore some of the trails near camp.

Day 5: Ape Cave

We’ll spend the morning packing up our camp and saying goodbye to the beautiful Lower Falls area. But don’t worry, another incredible adventure awaits us. After a delectable breakfast, we shuttle over to the spectacular Ape Cave, the third longest lave tube in North America. Ape Cave was created approximately 2000 years ago, during a rare period in the history of Mt. St. Helens. The cave wasn’t discovered until 1947, when a logger named Lawrence Johnson stumbled upon it. Following it’s discovery, the cave was not explored until the early 1950’s when a scout troop, led by Harry Reese, lowered a team of scouts down a 17-foot overhang to the cave floor. Leaving footprints where no one ever had, these explorers were able to travel through a pristine lava tube full of fragile formations. We will spend the day exploring this unique force of nature.

Day 6: Ape Canyon trail

Today we shuttle to the famous Ape Canyon trail. Enroute we'll stop to check out some of the area's most remarkable features; the looming Eagle Cliffs, and Swift Reservoir. When it was constructed in 1958, the dam that created the reservoir was one of the largest earthen dams in the world. This ride features incredible views and some tricky riding as we ride right through the blast zone. We begin with a steady climb, through an area where the forest has begun to grow back but trees are still sparse. We continue climbing, following alongside the lava flow as the trail steepens. We follow the ridge through a thick forest, and then out onto the open, somewhat barren landscape. There are magnificent views Mount Adams off to the side, and in season wildflowers punctuate the ridge's brown slopes. It becomes tricky to stay up at points, but in your lowest gear you just might make it to the top without having to hoof it. When we reach the trail's summit, we are rewarded with quite a sight: a waterfall cascading out from a sheer rock crevasse at the top of Ape Canyon.