The Entiat Ridge Rally was a collaborative Rapha x OMTM ride experience featuring two days of ultra-premium adventure riding through Central Washington’s spectacular Entiat mountain range. Staged as a 2024 event, the good news is the routes live on for you to ride anytime you like. The Entiat Ridge Rally blurs the lines between gravel and mountain biking, presenting four progressive tiers of curated routes with a little something for everyone. Expect a spirited mix of gravel, singletrack and stunning backcountry forest roads with magnificent views of Icicle Ridge, the Entiat range, the Enchantments and beyond.

Entiat Ridge Rally route collection

V1 Gravel mode

40 miles | 5600 ft | 75% backcountry gravel, 25% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | water filter required

This spectacular 40-mile loop showcases the best of the Wenatchee National Forest’s Entiat Range. The route features three major climb + descent sequences with a prodigious amount of stunning high country ridge rolling and views of the Enchantments for days. V1 dips east from Leavenworth to Peshastin via gentle backroads and pastoral orchards, pitching up to climb 2550ft over 7.5 miles through Derby Canyon. Well over platinum ratio (2000 feet gained for every 10 miles ridden) for those paying attention. The first descent into the Eagle Creek drainage is an absolute thrillride of soft, sandy, loose, primitive Jeep trail loaded with blind curves, so keep eyes and ears out for uphill moto and OHV traffic. The course climbs gradually into the heart of the Entiat, rambling the range’s rippled topography, stark recovering burns, and characteristic rock formations. The final descent is six miles of serpentine backcountry bliss – easily one of the best stretches of dirt we’ve ever ridden, eventually giving way to a gentle paved cooldown back into Leavenworth. *Note: you will need to bring a water filter for refill.

v2 demi-gravel mode

35.2 miles | 4227 ft | 58% backcountry gravel, 42% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | water filter highly recommended

This version shares much of the same routing as V1 but cuts out the third climb entirely. Here we ramble the same winding ridges and get just as many views, but opt to descend the Van Creek drainage just prior to the third climb. V2 makes a beeline straight to the buttery smooth tarmac of Eagle Creek for a pleasure cruise back into Leavenworth. Even at a modest 35.2 miles, the elevation profile is heavy on the climbing, so plan accordingly.

v3 adventure mode

Adventure Mode is for those looking for a gamier cut – who relish a bit of adversity and don’t mind steep stretches of hike-a-bike to access pristine high country ridgelines. The Adventure Mode singletrack is 6.5 miles of slightly overgrown, rooty, rocky, off-camber, exposed and very steep backcountry moto trail. Also be aware that this is rattlesnake territory spring through summer. Hike-a-bike will greatly increase your likelihood of encounters, particularly through overgrown sections. This one is going to be harder than you expect with pitchy, match-burning ups and steep, sketchy, rutted moto descents. With this in mind we recommend this edition only for those with advanced handling skills and backcountry trail experience. See photo below for visual reference.

v4 adventure plus

This one’s for the overachiever. Got them twitchy legs yearnin’ for some burnin’? Level up to the Adventure Plus and show ‘em you’re a tiger. Adventure Plus also includes a Freund Canyon trail loop to bookend the experience with spirited trail sections on both ends. All the same caveats from the Adventure Mode will apply here. That said, the Freund Canyon system is well-traveled, complete with trailheads, picnic benches and parking areas, so more a victory lap than a deep backcountry bike-push. But do keep an eye on the elevation profile. This edition is a big day and recommended only for those with advanced chops comfortable on mountain bike singletrack. Hardtail is highly recommended for this version.

White River Out & Back

This predominantly paved 35-mile out and back skirts the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary. Think of it as a very family-friendly mixed-terrain ride. This lovely gem rolls along the cool, shady north shore of Lake Wenatchee, tracing the lazy curves of the White River from the Chiwawa Sno-Park to the White River trailhead on the east edge of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. It is a sublime and surprisingly delightful route line designed around the idea that not everyone wants a challenge all the time. You will note the route is 17.5 miles one-way and 35 miles round trip, 1800 feet total. We have intentionally routed only one direction as GPS wayfinding doesn’t play well with out-n-back routes which overlay themselves. Chiwawa Sno-Park is about 15 minutes north of Leavenworth near the east end of Lake Wenatchee. Parking is unrestricted, there is plenty of space for everyone and it’s all free and easy.

35 miles round trip | 1800 ft | 80% paved, 20% gravel | Gravel bike or robust road bike

FAQ:

What bike should I bring?

This depends on which route you plan to ride. Those riding V1 and V2 gravel options would do well on a standard drop bar gravel or adventure bike with a minimum of 42c filetread or knobby gravel tires. That said, bigger is usually better when it comes to tires. Those leaning toward the Adventure Mode will want to choose bikes, gearing and tires very carefully. Robust adventure rigs and hardtail mountain bikes are going to be the best tools here. 47c is the absolute minimum tire size for Adventure Mode and Adventure Plus routes, but we would recommend something in the 2” to 2.25” range as ideal. Consider sturdy endurance casing knobbies. In terms of gearing, modern 11-50/52t is going to be your best bet for everything, particularly the Adventure editions.

Which route should i ride?

This is subjective and depends on what you want out of the experience. If you’re after a spirited-yet-predictable social gravel ramble with plenty of ups, downs, climbing and stunning vistas but nothing too crazy, you will likely want to choose one of the Gravel Mode options. If you’re more of an endurance rider who likes to go big, doesn’t mind a bit of hike-a-bike and is comfortable with spicy stretches of rowdy underbiking, you may be a good candidate for the Adventure Mode or Adventure Plus editions.

will there be water or services along the routes?

You will need to bring a water filter. You will likely run out of water without a filter. We have confirmed and marked two prominent water refill locations within all route variations. Pay close attention to these because if you miss them, you will run out of water. Additionally there are no services of any kind along the routes. This means you will need to bring everything necessary to finish the ride – all food, nutrition, gear, tools and such.

Evergreen Mountain Bike alliance

We like to think of Evergreen as the voice of Washington’s mountain bike community. Evergreen (or EMBA) acts as a single point of contact representing thousands of mountain bikers across Washington when working with land managers, politicians and other government agencies, regularly teaming up with a variety of other organizations to work towards common goals of resource protection and recreational access. Last year Evergreen donated more than 10,000 volunteer hours to trail maintenance and building new trails. Learn more about Evergreen’s volunteer Trail Work Parties here.

Central Chapter

Evergreen’s Central Washington chapter specifically focuses on advocacy and education for all abilities, building and maintaining sustainable trails in the greater Wenatchee Valley area. The Central chapter’s purview stretches from Leavenworth to Chelan and includes some of the best riding in the state! EMBA’s Central chapter works closely with land owners, managers and agencies as well as local businesses and organizations to help develop and grow access to riding throughout the region.

LEAVENWORTH

Leavenworth is absolutely brimming with lodging options all up and down the scale from National Forest campgrounds to hipster contempo adventure cabins to faux-Bavarian alpine chalets to plush wellness spas and more. We’ve assembled some resources below to assist in planning.

CAMPING

We readily acknowledge that Leavenworth can be expensive and as such, camping may be a preferred option. The first place one might look is along Icicle Road to the southwest of town, where one will find several (I count 11) established National Forest campgrounds and groups sites, Eightmile, Bridge Creek, Ida Creek, Upper & Lower Johnny Creek, Chatter Creek among others. Most are extremely popular and operate on a first come-first camp basis with no formal reservations. The group sites tend to have specific allotments set aside for advance reservation. Check individual campground listings for details.

Another, possibly better way to go is dispersed camping in the National Forest. Again, Icicle Road is the land of plenty. If one were to look – say – along NF7601 near the Eightmile trailhead, one might be privy to a whole range of free, and absolutely amazing dispersed spots. Further up Icicle Road, more National Forest roads and backcountry spurs appear, all with their own nooks and crannies where folks might tuck in for a couple nights. Feel it out. There’s some great stuff out there. Just gotta poke around.

Food & Drink

La Javelina | Highly-recommended taco spot. Sidestep the heavyhanded Bavarian-chic at this compact, gringo-style taqueria specializing in breakfast-leaning tacos, burritos, wraps and bowls. Outdoor seating, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, margs and local brews.

Leavenworth Pizza Company | Classic woodfired pies, salads, dank brews and full bar. Centrally located with plenty of outdoor, bike-friendly seating.

Argonaut Coffee & Biscuits | Craft espresso bar integrated into a small but mighty cafe serving up hearty biscuits, so-called ‘hipster’ avocado toasts, pastries and breakfast burritos.

J5 Coffee & Espresso | Handcrafted espresso drinks of the usual variety. Stop in, grab a ‘spro, a pour-over or craft-roasted beans by the pound. Two locations: Front Street Espresso Bar + Flagship Espresso Bar & Mercantile.

Sage Mountain Natural Foods & Deli | Classic granola co-op vibes. All the usual brands and product lines are here, down to that classic mom n’ pop natural foods store smell. Well-stocked, thoughtfully arranged and highly recommended.