Snow!

Yesterday, while on my way to Crater Lake, four cyclists, on touring bicycles (panniers, sleeping bags, tents etc.) are cycling towards me. They too are doing the SierraCascades route which I’ve been cycling on from San Diego except where the roads were blocked due to snow.

They inform me that the road from Crater Lake northbound is closed, snow once again, so the only option is highway 230 to Diamond Lake which is on the planned route.

They started at Bend, my next stop, so I thought that other than that glitch, the road to bend is clear.

Just to be safe, I stopped at the information center. No roads have been reported to be closed. Great!

I guess that gravel roads are not checked. I also doubt that the four cyclists used that gravel road. Their wheels and tires would not survive this road.

As I reached the sign “paved road ends” I realized that gravel and dirt roads are ahead. My bike is an off road bike so no problem for me…the road headed uphill.

When I reached 1650 meters (5300 ft) first signs of snow appeared on the road. At 1700 (5600), the snow was 15cm (half a foot) deep. I was, according to my GPS device, 1 km (less than a mile) from the peak. So, I pushed my bike on the snow towards that peak thinking that the other side will be the same. Just push the bike downhill until the snow cover ends. At 1800 meters I hit the peak. The other side turned out to be a huge swamp. Water ankle deep (I guess, I did not approach).

Having no other option, I turned around back to Diamond Lake.

Seeing snow and walking in it, was one of the best experiences of this trip so far.

I’m happy.