Itinerary

We feel this moderate level tour is well suited for energetic beginners or beginners on E-bikes as well.

Day 1: Head to the entrance of the North Cascades National Park for an impressive start to your week

Meet your guides in Seattle. Shuttle to the entrance of the North Cascades National Park and start the week with a nice warm-up ride along the banks of Diablo Lake.
Contemplate Desolation Peak, where famed beat-generation author, Jack Kerouac, scanned the surrounding mountains for forest fires during the summer before On the Road was published.
Pedal past cascading waterfalls on your way to Ross Lake and hop in the van for a boost to the top of Washington Pass. Enjoy jaw dropping views of high alpine peaks while dining on a gourmet lunch spread.
Nothing aids digestion like a freewheeling descent on a bicycle. Coast down the eastern slopes of the Cascades to the lovely Freestone Inn for a 3-night stay. It’s easy to see why it received a “Top 25 Lodges in America”-award from Travel and Leisure magazine and attracts guests from all over the world.
Meals Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Freestone Inn
Distance 27 miles (or more, or less) Elevation + 1000 ft / -4000 ft (most folks jump in the van for the 4000 ft climb!)

Day 2: Ride from tiny settlement of Mazama through bucolic and beautiful methow valley.

Ride through the beautiful Methow Valley – one of Washington’s most popular recreation destinations. Here in the remote Okanagan region, golden eagles ply the skies and nest high in the cliffs above the rivers. White-tailed deer and elk, along with the occasional moose, graze in the forests and meadows. Stop for lunch at Pearrygin Lake State Park before heading to the historic “Old West” town of Winthrop (did you bring your 10-gallon hat?). From here, hop on a saddle at the ice cream shop, or hop on your bike and pedal back up the valley to Freestone.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner lodging: Freestone Inn
Distance 46 miles Elevation +2024 ft/ -2024 ft

Day 3: Ride a mountain bike in the morning, then strap on your hiking boots to catch some amazing views!

Today we will leave the skinny tires to rest and hop on some mountain bikes. We will take a tour of some of the easy trails in the area on our way to the Mazama Store – a local favorite – for a delicious lunch.
After lunch, hand over the fat tires and lace up your hiking boots. We are going on a hike in the North Cascades to catch some amazing mountain views!
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner lodging: Freestone Inn
Distance 10 miles easy mountain biking and 4 miles of hiking with Elevation 1700 ft gain.

Day 4: Pedal past vineyards on a host of quiet roads alongside the massive blue gem of Lake Chelan with the profile of the North Cascades as a backdrop.

This morning we leave the Methow Valley and shuttle to fjord-like Lake Chelan, the deepest lake in Washington State!
Pedal through a region of vineyards and small lakes on the eastern shore of this massive blue gem. Enjoy lunch at a small private winery and cruise back along the lake to Campbell’s Resort in the tiny waterfront town of Chelan for the night. Dinner is on your own.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch Lodging: Campbell’s Resort
Distance: 38 miles (or more), Elevation +2758 ft / – 2774 ft (or more)

Day 5: Ride along fjord-like Lake Chelan to the banks of the mighty Columbia River and practice your yodeling on the way to Bavarian-themed Leavenworth.

This morning we continue riding around the southern end of Lake Chelan and along the western shore. Cross over some small hills on a quiet road through open forests and meadows to join the banks of the mighty Columbia River.
Before lunch, shuttle a short distance to the charming Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth (lederhosen are optional). Find out why Seattle residents flock to this festive town on weekends – in both summer and winter – as you enjoy a relaxing layover afternoon exploring.
Have lunch on your own before we check into the Bavarian Lodge in the heart of town.
If cute towns aren’t your thing and you prefer some extra riding in the afternoon, we have a wonderful out and back ride on a paved road that runs deep into the heart of the mountains.
From here you can enjoy views of the Stuart Range and the “Enchantments” – a series of high lakes that are now the most popular backpacking mecca in the Cascades.
Meals Breakfast, Dinner. Lodging: Bavarian Lodge
Distance 36 miles (or more or less), elevation +1841 ft / -2557 ft

Day 6: The Lake Wenatchee area has it all – pine scented forests, nesting raptors, whitewater rivers, vineyards, and orchards.

Take a drive through a whitewater canyon whose surrounding cliffs are famous for nesting raptors. And to a beautiful state park on the shores of Lake Wenatchee to begin cycling today.
Do a loop through the scented pines and back to the lake before lunch.
After lunch, you can enjoy a swim or some relaxing time at the lake. Or you can set out on an out and back ride along a quiet road following the lake and a river into the remote Cascade mountains.
Go as far as you like, or until the pavement ends, before turning around and heading back to the park where we will load bikes for our return to Seattle.

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Lodging

The Cascade Loop: North Cascades to Leavenworth

Freestone Inn
Located just 15 miles West of Winthrop in Mazama, Washington, the Freestone Inn offers a quiet setting in casual atmosphere. Surrounded by the North Cascades Forest and just steps away from our lake and creeks, enjoy the peaceful solitude while warming up by the fire in your accommodations.  We hope you come relax in this splendid isolation we call home!

Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan has been Washington state’s favorite family getaway resort since 1901. 170 lakeside guest rooms and 1800’ of private beach adorn the resort’s eight acre site situated on Chelan’s historic downtown waterfront. Ideal for families, romantic escapes, or as a superb meeting site. Campbell’s features award winning dining, state of the art conference space and beautiful lakeside wedding venues. Walk to downtown shops, parks and trails or drive the short distance to Lake Chelan’s wineries and golf courses.

Bavarian Lodge
Baverian lodge in the heart of charming Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth

The hotels, Inns, and B&B’s we use are always among the finest the area has to offer. Our smaller group sizes(max. 13) allow us to stay at some award-winning places that can’t handle groups of 25 or more. We work closely with the innkeepers to make sure they understand your needs and ours. Whether that is having a place to store your bike, an early morning breakfast or a convenient place to park the van. They are as committed to your vacation experience as we are.
Lodging is based upon two people to a room with a private bath. If you’re traveling solo on any of our trips, we’ll assign you a roommate of the same gender and often of the same age bracket.
There is no extra charge if we can’t find you a roommate, even if you sign up the day before the trip starts. You can guarantee yourself a private room and bath if you pay the Single Room Fee. Occasionally a room with two beds consists of one bed plus a roll away bed or sofa bed.

Included:

• Deluxe lodging and fine dining.
• All meals except 1 lunch and 1 dinner on your own. Snacks and beverages between meals
• Road /hybrid bike, (E-bike rent possible). Helmet and Wahoo GPS device
• Hiking & easy mountain biking
• Park and other entry fees
• Luggage transfer.

Not included:

• Night before and after the tour.
• Flights to and from the tour
• Alcoholic beverages at meals,
• Gratuities guides

Pricing / Tour dates

Tour price 2024: $3327.- pp Single fee $ 899.- This is not required. It is an optional fee to allow a solo traveler to guarantee a private room for the duration of the tour.
E-bike for an extra: $200.-
Tour date 2024:
22 Sep – 27 Sep, guaranteed 9 spots available

Conditions

Deposit 25%
The deposit payment for a tour must be paid within two weeks after the booking is confirmed.
The remaining payment is due 90 days before the start of the tour.
For tours that are booked within 90 days before the start of the tour you will pay 100% of the tour price

Information

Meals and dining:
We know how important breakfast is to make sure your day starts off right. Most breakfasts are served at the inn where we spend the night and are either a set menu or a continental breakfast buffet. But if there is a local restaurant with a reputation for a great breakfast, we can guarantee we will find it and you will be treated to a nutritious meal to start the day.

Lunch is provided at a state park or similar scenic setting midway during the day’s ride. Guests are always surprised at the variety and quality of lunches we prepare.
Besides sandwich fixings and cold drinks, we offer fresh fruits and vegetables and hot lunches such as tortellini with pesto or veggie burritos. If you prefer a certain item of food or drink, just let your tour guide know and we will be sure to prepare just the right lunch to keep your energy up for the rest of the day.

During the day water, fruit juices, soft drinks, energy bars, fruit, and snacks are available from the van. A cold beer from our cooler waits at the end of the day, and you can relive the day’s highlights at our wine and cheese party before dinner.

Dinner is eaten together at the best restaurant in the area. At most restaurants, you order what you want from the menu. Except for alcohol, everything is included, even appetizers, salad, soup, and dessert. If we have to shuttle everyone a short distance to get to that special place, we do it. We like to eat well.

If you have any special dietary requests, please let us know in advance. We regularly accommodate vegetarians and other restricted diets. All of our meals are carefully selected to provide you with the unusually high nutritional and caloric needs of your body on an outdoor adventure.