Update 8/15/2016: Added some pics below - I PROMISE not to tell folks how cool WA is...OR is gone to the Cali's so good luck my friends to the North.

Updated with Oregon ride a few posts down

Hello neighbors,

Heard this week the North Cascade Highway opened up...I've 1/2 a week off next week and am thinking about going thru.
No real plans yet but would ride it on a adventure bike and plan to camp at least one night.

Assume there are campgrounds along the road?
Still too early for motorcycles and camping with snow/ice in the morning or night?

Appreciate any input...

would leave Clackamas Oregon on Thursday morning 5/12...and I'll be checking forecasts throughout the week
first shot at a route

I would plan on camping somewhere around Winthrop/Twisp. It is about the half way point of your trip, Winthrop is a cool little town, the weather is usually better on that side of the mountains and the snow/ice was all gone when I passed through there on Sunday. Ride up to Burlington/Sedro Woolley in the morning and then across HWY 20 in the afternoon when the temps are a little warmer. Hopefully the weather is as good for your trip as it was for mine. That trip was spectacular.

Don't take Hwy 20 all the way to Sedro-Wooley unless you want to check out the Baker Lake area. Turn South at Rockport on Hwy 530 and go to Darrington. Either turn West here to Arlington or keep heading South on the Southern part of the Mtn Loop Highway. This section is not paved until Barlow Pass but it's very scenic.

Either way you go on Hwy 530 is more scenic than Hwy 20 past Rockport. There are also lots of campgrounds on the lower segment of the Mtn Loop although they probably aren't open yet. Have fun!

Edit: This is all assuming you are going counter-clockwise.

Which direction are you thinking about riding around your proposed loop, OP? I am assuming clockwise, looks like Fighting Major is assuming counter-clockwise.

I was thinking counter clockwise but am open to either. Just mapped it both ways and you're correct the pass road is about midway for the loop.
Appreciate the tip on Hwy530...

I'll report back again after I see the weather report next week. My other option is blasting down I5 to the CA/OR boarder and riding 101 all the way up to WA.
It's a bitch of trip but if the weather is right, it's a good ride.

A worthy side trip if time allows would be a ride up to Hart's Pass. It's the highest road in the state. The turnoff is at Mazama a ways West of Winthrop. There are some beautiful campgrounds up there. The Air Force had a radar station at the top that you can visit. There is currently a F.S. lookout cabin there. I would allow half a day if not camping.

Just a note, the Harts Pass road is currently closed down low by the Ballard camground and will be until mid to late summer.  There is a large rock slide at Dead Horse Point.  That, and there's almost six feet of snow up top....

I was just going to add that info, Harts Pass which I highly recommend usually isn't open until sometime in July

You guys are right. Cursed snow. I forgot about that. SNOTEL says there's still 68 inches up there.

I didn't see i mentioned, but be very careful on highway 20 on the east side of the pass, there are more deer road kills there than any other hwy in the country (so I'm told), they're everywhere up there especially in the evening & early morning.

Appreciate all of the info guys...going to wait on this ride for a few weeks. I will instead hit the Oregon Coast Hwy 101 ride I've wanted to do for a while...weather looks perfect and not on a weekend and not when school is out...still deciding whether to go N to S or S to N...might just wait until Thursday morning.

I'll share some pics of our great NW...

That should be a good ride. Family used to have a beach house in Manzanita by the golf course.

 

I'm an old sportbike guy, so I avoid freeways like the plague.

If you have the time:

14 East - I always liked this side of the river better than trudging along 84
142 North - Fun canyon and then pops you out in Goldendale
97 North - Satus pass
821 North - Cool little canyon road runs along the river to Ellensburg, pick it up on exit 26
97 North - Over Blewett
Alt 97 North - West side of the river and goes up to Chelan, little more fun than just 97
153 North - Up the Methow valley, or take 97 to Okanogan and go over the Loop, both are fun roads
20 West - Watch out for the deer from Carlton up past Mazama, it's a beautiful trip but the road really starts to get fun after Ross Lake  

At this point you could take 530 West and jump on 5 back home or:

Stay on 20 West to the Port Townsend ferry, you'll go through Deception Pass
Then jump on 101.  Port Angeles, Crescent Lake, Forks, a couple reservations and back home.

Just got back from a Roseburg/Bandon/Gold Beach/Grants Pass trip a few days ago.  Weather was great and I was cursing the fact I was in a work truck the whole way.......

North Cascades...you will enter a valley of nothing but berry bushes...and a lone little shack....STOP!! and get the huckleberry Ice cream or the homemade vanilla bean......amazing..

I went up two Sundays ago and videoed the rockslide at Dead Horse Point on the Harts Pass road.
FS says it will be mid to late summer before they get the road open. If you do decide to come over HWY 20 when this road is open it's worth the side trip!
Be sure to click full screen and HD!

Off topic, but what kind of drone are you flying? I have been contemplating buying one to play with.

DJI Phantom 3 Advanced.

This is an excellent route! I've done most of it, but never all at one time. I avoid the freeways whenever possible as well.

What do you think of the new Phantom 4? Is it worth it? I need to get one here once my sling is off, I just can't decide?  What would you get?

If money is no object get the p4.  The p3 is the best bang for the buck right now I'd the p3 if it's your first bird.

I did the Oregon Coast route May 12/13...Posted this in the car/bike forum.
I have Tuesday off and am sitting at my desk now deciding to pull the trigger on North Cascades today...May just go east for warmth...

First, as a reminder - WATCH out for pickups or any rig with loose gear or ladders

Left Clackamas Oregon at 7:00am Thursday morning...at 7:10 while on I-205 heading north, a pickup lost a plastic grocery bag from its bed...and that bag hit me square in the face...and that bag completely covered my face shield, at 65 mph...I thought, Oh crap, I can't see...I started to grab the bag with my mid-weight gloves on, it wasn't coming off. I started to grab some brakes and focused on going straight...finally got a hold of the bag and removed it...then my heart started pumping as I remembered to avoid pickups without covers....ass hat also had a tarp in back flapping around...I rode past an onward...

Here was my route:
Day one: 450 miles from Clackamas to Longview to Astoria then, 8 hours south on Hwy 101...

The load out


The route


Astoria Oregon a the Washington boarder...


Camp at  Brookings Oregon, 5 miles from California


Day two, 350 miles into California (60 miles) on Hwy 197/199 then on up to Oregon, Cave Junction, Grants Pass and home...

Update #2 8/15/2016

Left Clackamas on Sunday morning, headed up to Chehalis and off towards 101 North. Hit the ferry in Port Townsend (with a KLR rider) and then over to Whidbey, across to Sedro, all the way over 20 to Mazama (beer, ice, fruit), back to Early Winter FS camp for the day (415 miles). Bought the Versys 1000 while I still had the 650, decided to part with the 650...the V1K is just too much fun.

Great campsite at Early Winters (2 miles west of Mazama, 16 mile west of Winthorp), temp was about 65° all night, tons of stars (too bright for meteors), woke by 6:00 am and off back over 20. Took my time as there was no one about at that time, sun coming up, unfuckingbeleivable scenery.

Planing next ride as I write.












Silver Star - "where you walk to the top alone, and find out what man you will be in life"...








Great area guys!

Great pics!  I used to take a few weeks off a year to ride around the Western US and camp off the back of my motorcycle.  You make me miss it.  I haven't gone in the last 2 years because of family health issues but I need to get back in the saddle.  Looks like you had a great ride.  Nothing better.

Next time, you should make the trip up north to Jasper and Banff.  Pretty spectacular stuff.  Also, the trip over Lolo to Glacier is nice as well.

Cliff notes: unfuckingbeleivable scenery

We know  Glad you enjoyed the trip.

Awesome!!

Looks great!