[seand]

Since the snow seems to still be on ranger creek, and suntop (from what I hear), we were thinking of taking a trip to check out ratpac before it got amazingly hot out there.

How is it doing? Is the trail rideable? Last time we rode there, the new parts were still under construction and certain parts of the trail were hard to find.

cheers!

 

[stinky6]

that trail is still around? I thought they put a houseing developement in.

 

[Borneo]

Trail is snow free and still there.
The gate's locked so unless you know of alternate ways to get around the straight ahead way up you're riding or pushing. Riding it either this Sunday or next weekend for sure.
The short road section is there now above the rock rollover and below that is as it always was.

 

[downhillracer]

yeah i was up there last sunday, pretty dry, gate locked

 

[cordlikesbikes]

no way!!! i heard that it got plowed, is it seriously still there? that is such a fun ride, im gonna have to go if it still is!

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

I heard that some of it mid section areas are being developed, but still can be ridden. Definitely get someone with a key, shuttling is the only way to go there lol.

 

[downhillracer]

I heard that some of it mid section areas are being developed, but still can be ridden. Definitely get someone with a key, shuttling is the only way to go there lol.

yeah its like a 4-mile hike up without a shuttle

 

[Borneo]

Hike?

It's not a "big" bike trail by any means. More gravity XC.... I rode down it and over just about everything but the sketchy "Mummycat" and the log gap on the Superlight on a regular basis for the past several years.

The kicker that most people don't know is that there's also a slew of fun old gnarly to butt smooth former moto routes off the ridge too. Worth riding up and down it 3-4 times in a day to hit more than just Rat Pac.

There are no homes anywhere along the route....yet. Just the one cul-de-sac part way down and now a short gravel road section where the old road bed was already when it was trail.

Conversely, if you have a big bike and must walk. It's not even worth going because it's a bit of a drive and the run's over in 15 minutes, tops.

 

[downhillracer]

Hike?

It's not a "big" bike trail by any means. More gravity XC.... I rode down it and over just about everything but the sketchy "Mummycat" and the log gap on the Superlight on a regular basis for the past several years.

The kicker that most people don't know is that there's also a slew of fun old gnarly to butt smooth former moto routes off the ridge too. Worth riding up and down it 3-4 times in a day to hit more than just Rat Pac.

There are no homes anywhere along the route....yet. Just the one cul-de-sac part way down and now a short gravel road section where the old road bed was already when it was trail.

Conversely, if you have a big bike and must walk. It's not even worth going because it's a bit of a drive and the run's over in 15 minutes, tops.

i know what you mean, but i like to ride my downhill bike there just for race practice, so for me, its a hike up, but i would not mind giving that trail a go with my hardtail, and yes i've ridden those moto trails you are talking about, they are so much fun!!! plus the slickrocks at the bottom are sweet too, some have pretty gnarly lines

 

[Borregokid]

I just came back from RP and I can tell you its getting the most use its seen in two years. Last year after Plum Creek logged the upper portion of RP everyone was reading the obituary for RP. No one told the "rat pac" kids here in town and they went and cleaned up the mess and cut in some new trails and a couple of stunts. I posted here several times how to set up a shuttle from inside the gate but still few people came over. However since the snow cleared a lot of riders have been going down.

Whats missing since it got logged is about a half a mile of twisty single track that your GF or most novice riders loved. There are three roads that you cross. The second of the three you go about .5 miles until you see a can nailed to a stump.

Heres the drill on the trail. It can be ridden with a HT-no body does except a guy in Cle Elum. The trail is smooth with few roots or rocks. The road up is about 3 miles or so and climbs about 1400 feet. If you dont shuttle it might take 40 minutes or so to upper RP. Its about 3.6 miles down. You can probably go down in 35 minutes if you dont stop for stunts. The "rat pac" built a teeter-totter and a bridge. There is still a working 8 foot jump and some other stuff thats unsafe. Some of this stuff is getting fixed up latter this spring or summer. The major complaint about RP is that its too short. Its still a nice little trail that some of the local kids put together.

 

[biobike]

Does any know how much snow is on the trail? I was hoping to ride rat pac this weekend.

 

[verslowrdr]

No snow yet, I'd just watch for frost in shaded places in the morning.

 

[biobike]

Thanks.

 

[Str8OutaBallard]

http://www.ratpactrail.com/

 

[Str8OutaBallard]

Not that I'm a weatherman, but... don't worry there won't be much snow anytime soon; it's gonna be a repeat of the 05/06 "ski" season...