Documentary Video: Foggy Dew of the North Cascades

[TigerTanker]

Rode this just recently with @PNW Enduro and @Jon K

PNW had been twice before, first time for Jon and I. This place I'd heard was top shelf, and it didn't disappoint.

Riding difficulty of the trails we rode were 4/5 stars, did 60 miles with about 20 miles on an off track line that was truly excellent. Remarkably well maintained trails, the locals deserve huge kudos. Must be a ton of work too, there are sections of tree fall that will blow your mind....tinder box. 

In the video, you'll see that we wind up riding about 5 different types of trail along the very diverse landscape. 

If this isn't on your riding bucket list...it will be after watching this!

The little town of Pateros WA is nearby with lodging, gas and a nice restaurant. It's also about 1 hr from Lake Chelan area. In the future, I'm going to head up there for a 3-4 day visit. This place might be rideable now, but probably not for more than a week or two depending on incoming snow. 

Already thinking about next year!

 

 

[TigerTanker]

 .

 

Edited October 10, 2018 by TigerTanker

[TigerTanker]

Foggy Dew, like Gifford is very, very remote. This is a place to use absolute best practices into place when riding. 

Our group made a couple of mistakes in this ride. First, my dropping of my cell phone and one hour search for it put us within 10 minutes of dark. PNW had no light on his bike. Additionally, while PNW had a couple trips of experience at this place, he got confused at the end of the trail and we weren't totally sure we were on the right trail. For a while, this caused our group to "hurry up". Hurrying while confused or lost is trouble. Luckily I had an ok, not great, digital map of the area. Considering how remote this place is, I should have done a bit better job of storing my maps and studying them. We were one wrong turn from riding in the dark with one of us having no headlight. 

If something goes very bad out here, you're pretty screwed and probably looking at a Heli evac. I have something called Global Rescue to cover that kind of evac stuff. I think I paid $300 for the year to be rescued if I'm at least 100 miles away from my home. I bought it due to my West N America trip this year, and decided I'd just buy it for the entire year instead of just the 5-6 weeks of my travels. 

[PBryant]

20 miles on an off track line that was truly excellent?   Then you post a gpx file of it for all to see and ride?  Not sure why I have engaged as you are clearly hell bent on publicizing every last nook and cranny of primitive single track you can find.    

[TigerTanker]

Just now, PBryant said:

20 miles on an off track line that was truly excellent?   Then you post a gpx file of it for all to see and ride?  Not sure why I have engaged as you are clearly hell bent on publicizing every last nook and cranny of primitive single track you can find.    

Thumpertalk deserves only the best my man. 

If there is something you don't want publicized, just tell me about that line. That's how I roll. 

But if you don't tell me...

Dude, lighten up too. There just aren't too many folks willing to drive 5 hours to the middle of damn near nowhere to ride a dirt bike for a day or two. Pretty sure this corner of the earth isn't going to see a traffic jam because of me. 

[EmpireofDerp]

20 miles on an off track line that was truly excellent?   Then you post a gpx file of it for all to see and ride?  Not sure why I have engaged as you are clearly hell bent on publicizing every last nook and cranny of primitive single track you can find.    

Will my quad fit down that trail? I cross posted this thread to the SxSNation forum. [emoji18]

[TigerTanker]

 "Secret Trails" of the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest

 https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/okawen/recreation/ohv/?recid=57113&actid=93

 

 

[jrodicus100]

Hmm.. I thought Martin Creek was the typical Foggy Dew loop?

That trail you were on, I can't find anything about. Seems legit... 

[firffighter]

Funny, posting trail info has always been debated, some pretty strong one the never post anything side. 

Over 30+ years of riding all over the PNW I have found a couple of things to be true. 

*Even if something gets posted that's "secret pristine singletrack" , rarely does it get pressure just because it gets posted. There's only a few guys willing to put in the work for such trails and those guys most likely already are aware of the area.

*There's no such thing as a secret area if it's near a highly populated city. Anything that's near lots of people gets ridden. Anything in remote areas doesn't get pressure. 

*Regardless of proximity to huge populations of people, difficult terrain stays in good shape. Tillamook is a prime example. Easy access from Portland. The easy trails get ridden a ton, the tough stuff is usually overgrown and trees accross from lack of riding. 

*Be careful what you wish for. Remote pristine trails that don't get used can get turned into non riding area due to lack of use. This happened right up past my home in Mt Hood Nat'l forest. 

I know of some amazing gnarly singletrack in remote NE Oregon that you have to hunt for the trail each year to find it because no one ever rides it, yet it's been posted many times on forums and multiple YouTube videos. 

I also appreciate the sharing of information with others who may decide it's worth the effort to go ride. 

[TigerTanker]

2 minutes ago, firffighter said:

Funny, posting trail info has always been debated, some pretty strong one the never post anything side. 

Over 30+ years of riding all over the PNW I have found a couple of things to be true. 

*Even if something gets posted that's "secret pristine singletrack" , rarely does it get pressure just because it gets posted. There's only a few guys willing to put in the work for such trails and those guys most likely already are aware of the area.

*There's no such thing as a secret area if it's near a highly populated city. Anything that's near lots of people gets ridden. Anything in remote areas doesn't get pressure. 

*Regardless of proximity to huge populations of people, difficult terrain stays in good shape. Tillamook is a prime example. Easy access from Portland. The easy trails get ridden a ton, the tough stuff is usually overgrown and trees accross from lack of riding. 

*Be careful what you wish for. Remote pristine trails that don't get used can get turned into non riding area due to lack of use. This happened right up past my home in Mt Hood Nat'l forest. 

I know of some amazing gnarly singletrack in remote NE Oregon that you have to hunt for the trail each year to find it because no one ever rides it, yet it's been posted many times on forums and multiple YouTube videos. 

I also appreciate the sharing of information with others who may decide it's worth the effort to go ride. 

Bravo. You nailed it. 

Anyone that does follow my videos will see...

Snake Pit, Disneyland, Hollywood Hills, Garden of Eden, Area 51....

Fictional names of places where I was a guest, or very politely asked/and explained why, the place should be kept quiet. 

Foggy Dew is in one of the MOST remote places in our COUNTRY. I could offer free beer, hot dogs, ice cream....and MAYBE 5-10 people per year would show up.

 

 This Land is Your Land

This land is your land, this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me

I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me , a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

This land is your land and this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

Songwriters: Woody Guthrie

[Cycle_Path]

Looks like the mountain bikers dont like us being out there and wrote a blog about it. 

He admits the trail wouldnt exist without us but anyone looking for an excuse against us will focus on the negatives only. Enjoy this place why we have it.

https://www.evergreenmtb.org/trails/ride-reports/rr-4224

[Nuklhed]

Tigertanker, I know there's a 10 mile out and back that takes off from the lower 'loop' that leads out of foggy dew campground.  There's also a goat trail that's moto friendly that's on the double switchback about 2 miles up the road from the campground.  It goes through a narrow pass and comes down a hillside to a little creek.  Goat trail is about the best way I know to describe it.  Switchbacks with no landings on them makes you get off the bike and hip check it around to get back on the hill.

 

That rocky hillside on the opposite side of Horsehead Pass--for me, it was a lot easier coming up than going down for some reason.  By the end of that climb, I was sold on the shinko cheater.

 

Very nice video!

[shrubitup]

7 hours ago, firffighter said:

*There's no such thing as a secret area if it's near a highly populated city. Anything that's near lots of people gets ridden. Anything in remote areas doesn't get pressure. 

Disagree; but that's all I'll elude to here.

[guns_equal_freedom]

I have done the Dew.

Beautiful place, nothing really too hard about it.
It's just out in the middle of nowhere and it takes 4 hours to get there.  ?

[TigerTanker]

12 hours ago, guns_equal_freedom said:

I have done the Dew.

Beautiful place, nothing really too hard about it.
It's just out in the middle of nowhere and it takes 4 hours to get there.  ?

And surprisingly, with 13k feet of vert in the ride we did, there wasn't any exposure that was severe. Our total ride was 55 miles, and riding after only 5 hrs sleep, getting to bed at 230am, left me a little on the tired side while riding. Next time I'm making it a longer trip so the drive doesn't overshadow the riding. 

[brownballin]

On ‎10‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:15 AM, TigerTanker said:

Bravo. You nailed it. 

Anyone that does follow my videos will see...

Snake Pit, Disneyland, Hollywood Hills, Garden of Eden, Area 51....

Fictional names of places where I was a guest, or very politely asked/and explained why, the place should be kept quiet. 

Foggy Dew is in one of the MOST remote places in our COUNTRY. I could offer free beer, hot dogs, ice cream....and MAYBE 5-10 people per year would show up.

 

 This Land is Your Land

This land is your land, this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me

I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me , a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

This land is your land and this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me

Songwriters: Woody Guthrie

wasn't woody Guthrie a communist....communist and dirt bikes don't go together well

[EmpireofDerp]

wasn't woody Guthrie a communist....communist and dirt bikes don't go together well

Mmmm, government subsidized ktms for everyone comrade!

[jrodicus100]

Regarding the posting of trails...

The OWNF doesn't have a valid MVUM or Travel Plan - it's been in the works for over a decade, but never adopted. Basically it means that unless specifically signed as closed to motorized use, then trails are open. Cross-country (non-trail) travel is also legal. At least until the MVUM is adopted (the last draft bans travel on any road or trail not listed).

[Slackkinhard]

MVUM is just another reason to run from the cops

[TigerTanker]

43 minutes ago, Slackkinhard said:

MVUM is just another reason to run from the cops

Cops. Shit, hard enough to find a cup of coffee out that way.