Shifty

How is it riding in mid-summer?

Carbonfiberboy 

It's a nice ride. I haven't done it mid-summer. I usually do it Memorial Day weekend, so I haven't done it in over 90° weather. Depends on your heat tolerance. It's much nicer if you use Old Blewett, FS 7320-9715 rather than Swauk Pass, now mis-named Blewett. North to south Old Blewett is the preferred choice. South-north the FS descent is a little tricky. Carrying plenty of water is the thing. I use a Camelbak for this ride.

Aubergine 

I thought the road was washed out on the north side of Blewett. What's the scoop?

Black wallnut 

It wasn't as of last summer when I last did it. However who knows how it will weather this years storms. Keep watching this sub-forum for updates.

Aubergine 

Thanks. I will!

Shifty

Thanks CFB, everything I need to know....nice!

Seattle Forrest

It's a fine ride. Fun, kind of scenic, there will be some traffic but there are wide shoulders almost the whole way up and if memory serves the one place with narrow shoulders had two lanes going up. Drivers were very courteous, everyone changed lanes to give me more space.

But I wouldn't travel from another state just to do this ride. We have better. I'd do the North Cascades Highway or Mt Baker before Blewett and Sauk. But it's still a pleasant ride. If you're going to do it, you should also ride nearby Teanaway River Road to its end at 29 Pines (here it turns to dirt and extends about 10 more miles to the Esmeralda Basin trailhead) and if you have time, head north to Leavenworth and ride Icicle Road.

Shifty

Thanks, I'm just planning at the moment, so your input is much appreciated. I was thinking of starting in Cle Elum, Leavenworth, Chelan, Winthrop and finishing in Sedro Woolley area. We'll be supported with cars, so we can enjoy the miles without a load on the bikes. How many days would such a trip take? A friend has a cabin near Blewett Pass in Camas Meadows that we may try to stay at.

Seattle Forrest

Are you going to ride the whole way? Or just the "best" stretches?

I really don't know enough about your fitness to take even a wild guess at how long it will take you. Especially day after day. Or are you going to take rest stops?

If it's a one way trip from Cle Elum to Leavenworth, take Old Blewett Road over Sauk Pass and avoid Blewett Pass. It'll be steeper but you probably won't see a single car the whole time. Arguably more scenic, they're both nice enough.

Are you going into Leavenworth? It's about 5 miles out of your way, 5 more to get back to your route. Personally I think it's very worth it. If you can get time for a side trip up Icicle Canyon it's very worth it. Take an extra day here if you can.

I don't have much to say about the trip from Wenatchee north, although I can recommend a good route from L'worth to Wenatchee if you like.

Then Winthrop is a wonderful little outdoorsy tourist town, and the ride from here to Sedro Wooley is absolutely gorgeous. From Mazama to Diablo Lake you will find nothing: no stores, no water fountains, nothing. It's 50 to 60 miles, and hot and sunny. I recommend a water filter for the creeks.

You should have an easy time researching mileage and elevation gain (google maps bike directions), let me know if you want specific route recommendations or photos for any of this and I'll do my best.

Black wallnut 

Sauk is a tributary to the Skagit River, a long way from Blewett pass and even further from Swauk Pass that our state DOT mis-named when they moved the Blewett pass highway years ago. Swauk creek is the waterway that flows along US 97 to Lauderdale Junction where 97 turns south and SR970 ends. Traveling northbound on 97 there are several miles before the three lane where there is not much shoulder. On the North side of Swauk Pass there is also not much shoulder, in many places about 3 feet. It seems that north of the old Blewett road on the north side which is also known as Scotty creek 97 has more shoulder until the intersection of US2. Also of note South of old Blewett there are also more of a shoulder all the way to Ellensburg and Cle Elum if you continue onto SR970.

Other than the above #Seattle Forrest is spot on!

You could start in Cle Elum, pedal back roads tot he Teanaway, up to 29 pines, Turn left just short of 29 pines and go over a mountain on a mixed surface road that includes dirt, packed gravel, oiled (not quite like asphalt pavement and not quite chip seal) and more dirt/rock this come out just north of the Mineral Springs camp ground. Then up over old Blewett to 97 into Dryden, turn left and detour to Leavenworth. From there take the loop up the Chumstick highway through Plain past Lake Wenatchee and back through Tumwater Canyon. Then Through Wenatchee and continue north on either side of the River, they both have their good points and bad. Anway on up to Pateros and turn left again to go up a river to Twisp where you can intersect SR20. Then over the North Cascades and explore the NW corner of the state. I could see this route turning into a nice week long journey with #epic climbs.

scozim 

When riding Blewett in the summer I avoid Friday (especially afternoons) going north to Leavenworth/Wenatchee and Sunday coming south. The reason is there's just too much traffic from the Seattle area which inlcludes a lot of RV's and with the narrower shoulders the last few miles to the top can make for a little more stressful ride. If you do have to ride those days then definitely take the Old Blewett road.

I've done the ride on a loaded touring bike (going north from Ellensburg) on a Monday in summer and traffic was much, much better.

At 4000 ft it's not that bad on top when the temps are in the 90's in the valleys. On the Cle Elum side you have the Swauk and Mineral Springs campgrounds where you can refill with water.

Seattle Forrest

^ Agree about don't do Blewett (or Swauk) Pass on a Friday. Lots of people from Seattle going to Leavenworth for the weekend. Plenty of them left early.

Thanks for the correction! One letter is worth a hundred miles...!