Klickitat Sisters—an ancient upcountry portal
Part 1 of 3: A look at our stewardship work on the Klickitat Sisters Trail and our lofty plans for the Loowit Tier.
The Klickitat Sisters Trail is an ancient upcountry portal into another way of life. There are stories from oral tradition and eyewitness accounts that for millennia the people of the Yakima, Klickitat, and Columbia River have passed through these ridges and meadows as trade routes and during annual huckleberry harvests. Its reawakening provides a trove of treasures for those who seek.
There are several ways to access the trail and they each have their own cost of entry. For our outing, we looped from the North Fork Campground of the Cispus River and started with a 17mi, 3000’ gravel climb through stands of old growth Doug fir, hemlock, cedar, and mossy riparian zones. The Klickitat Trail is perched above the carved valley of the Cispus River, with a vantage of the deep forested network of minor prominences among the vortex of volcanic behemoths that define the Cascades: Tahoma, Patoh, Loowit, and Goat Rocks.
Taking our cue at the minimally signed trailhead (a pink ribbon) we dipped onto the trail and our tires initiated the guttural resonance of undisturbed loam. Recent reports were that trail work crews had restored the trail to better-than-ever conditions, still our expectations were blown away. Make no mistake, this trail is demanding, challenging, and buckwild. It requires advanced bike handling skills and fitness that will be put to test. Like the best relationships, those efforts are transformational and will steep your body and mind in that ooey gooey flow state.
The view from Mission Mountain’s saddle
Sans cell reception, the route finding is instinctual and straight forward. Typical of many ridge trails, the sawtooth profile reveals punchy hike-a-bike segments. Their counterparts being full whoop high line rip sections of forest matter and herbaceous loam. Reprieve comes via the sanguine delights of tall grass meadows, comically abundant fungal arrays, and cedar corridors that bear the markings of our predecessors. In many places along the trail cedar trees have had bark stripped for use in crafting baskets for harvesting the subalpine huckleberries.
Having lent a hand during the inaugural Orogenesis work party in July of 2022, it was exhilarating to experience the trail in its full expression. There are a number of side-quests for those with the time and gumption. Elk Peak, adjacent to the eastern access trailhead and the Cispus Lookout trail add context to this crest of the Cascades. We knew our attempt to ride the 17mi entirety was a bold endeavor. So when we came upon the upper Siwash access “trail” after 10 miles, the low angle sun dictated that we begin our outro sequence. No less challenging and equally rewarding, we found our joy in the last bits of singletrack that brought us onto roads leading back to camp.
Q&A with Ben Rainbow:
Who are you and where do you call home? What’s your favorite backcountry trail close to home?
My name is Ben Rainbow. I've lived/worked in Seattle for a little over 15 years. I love love exploring and riding backcountry singletrack throughout the Cascades. Hard pressed to name a favorite, I tend to prize the more remote and upcountry that require an extra dose of skills, planning, and intention. The first time I rode Plains of Abraham I rode a trusty rigid rim brake singlespeed. Blown away, I vowed to return with a bike curated more for that specific trail. A few years later I returned with a rigid 29" disc brake 1x9. That experience was quite satisfying. Now I like to do that route in drop bars and slip-on Vans. Or my modern hardtail, can't tell which is my favorite.
What drew you to Orogenesis?
As I gained familiarity with overland routes and stitching segments together, I had been inspired by things like the original Oregon Outback and curated versions of the STP Backdoor. I knew some wild-eyed PDXican bike fools and of their hijinx, and had the pleasure of riding with with a few on some fun and memorable routes. When Gabe dropped his mega concept, Orogenesis, I got on the email list immediately and geeked out to all my closest bike friends. Being a mega project so bold in it's undertaking, I was sucked in.
What section did you ride? Had you ever ridden in the area before?
I did some work on the Klickitat Sisters Trail at the first trail work event in the summer of 2022. It was a great experience to commune alongside some "friends from the internet". We brushed sections while others cleared downed trees. There was quite a bit of snow in sections, however we took some brief rips on what was available. I've done trail work in other areas and find joy in maintaining/improving people's access to these valuable resources, however the joy of participating in resurrecting and then riding an ancient trade route was truly sublime. It's almost psychedelic to see and experience the interconnectedness of prominent landmarks and precious zones. The connection to the past means a lot me and for those sensitive to our delicate place in time, there's a deep well of energy that's only available in such rare spaces.
How many miles/days was your trip and how many people were in your group?
Our group of 8 had planned a full day trip up into the Klickitat Sisters Trail. In preparation, I consulted with folks and sketched out a few different variations. Some definitely more bold than others and more suited for a multi-day approach. We camped below the ridge the night before, hoping to complete a 43-mile effort which would take us all the way through the 17-mile section of trail. We were there to celebrate the onset of Autumn and were aware that daylight would be precious. We had been advised by folks who'd worked on clearing the entirety of the trail recently that our 43mi route was ambitious. Weather was perfect, yet in the end, they were exactly correct. Simply being on the trail required time and all of us wanted to Be there even more than completing the route. We knew there was an access trail 10 of the 17 miles in, and by the time we arrived at that junction, the late afternoon sun affirmed to us we ought to initiate our outro sequence. It was heartily agreed upon a return trip is in order.
What was the most rewarding or profound part of your trip?
I love sharing these kinds of experiences with others and so between lending a hand on the trail crew, connecting with others who choose to be intimately involved, and then putting together a crew of new and old ride buddies - the most rewarding aspect of the Klickitat Sisters Trail has been cultivating a relationship with it and it's history and then sharing that with others. I get that not everybody wants to explore so deeply and that some people feel challenged to learn about themselves under such circumstances. However, I am grateful for those opportunities to connect with folks who can rise above insecurities and doubt and manifest those energies into divine (I think) experiences which bring us closer to our potentials as people. I like to think that in some form, the late summer huckleberry harvest festivals of the Klickitat, Yakima, and Columbia River people provided some of that experience and drew individuals closer to their collective experience.
What was the most challenging part of your trip?
The riding itself was challenging, make no mistake about it. There was no urge to "git 'er done", rather being there and overcome in awe and wonder was the order of the day. In our group, we talked about how the steep hike-a-bike sections weren't merely challenging, rather how they were what we were seeking. The bikes never became heavy or a burden, simply the necessary parts of the whole. The absolute ripping sections of benchcut downhills were exhilarating and required full attention. Being locked in to a flow state was extremely gratifying.
Would you recommend this ride to other folks? Anything you’d change?
I do. However, I also think this might be one of the more challenging rides you can do.
Any advice for other folks wanting to get into bikepacking or backcountry mountain biking?
Find a community that is nurturing and supportive. Be prepared and have bail-out options. Setting out onto a route is merely an idea and not everything always goes as planned. Don't be so attached to an end goal that places Accomplishment and Success on predetermined outcomes above all else. That's really difficult for some people. Getting out there, out of your comfort zone and into the elements is the most important thing. Well, snacks are pretty high up there too...
What section of Orogenesis do you want to ride next? Why?
I'm interested in the other Washington sections, such as the Okanagon Tier. I think it's hugely exciting to see the connectivity and explore the history right here in our own backyards. At the same time, if any homies in OR or CA wanna put something on the calendar, I'm there in a heartbeat.
Check out Ben’s ride on Strava.
