Looking at Diamond Peak from the North Waldo Campground.
Nancy got a couple of weeks off from work, and landscaping is basically over for the season, so we planned a trip up to Eugene, Mt. St. Helens, and then back down the Oregon Coast.
We first drove up to Willamette Pass Ski Area, slept in the parking lot, and got up at the crack of 10:00 (hey, it was cold out) to do a ride around Waldo Lake.
Riding through the burned-out section on the northeast side of the lake.
Waldo Lake is an exceptionally pristine lake located just west of the Willamette Pass Ski Area. A smooth, 22-mile trail circumnavigates the lake. The trail is a middle-ring cruise, except for a few steep pitches.
A fire burned a section bordering the lake in 1996. This area is the most interesting part of the ride—you rarely get the chance to ride through such stark scenery.
There are small ponds scattered throughout the ride.
We started at the North Waldo campground and rode counter-clockwise around the lake. Reviews of the ride recommend this route, but I don't see where it makes any difference which direction you go.
You spend most of the ride winding through dense trees, with occasional views of the lake and surrounding hills. We rode past small patches of fresh snow, our first snow of the winter.
Looking at Charlton Butte from the northwest side of Waldo.
Nancy hadn’t ridden her bike in a month, and her legs started cramping up in the cold air 16 miles into the ride, so she stopped at Shadow Bay while I rode the last six miles back to the truck.
Although it’s a technically easy trail, it takes more energy than you expect to complete it. I suspect this is due to its twisty, up-and-down nature.
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