This can be an amazing! ride, but on the right bike. The scenery is awesome and you are way out in the back country, wilderness mountain biking on somewhat unmaintained trails. I am considering this trail for a possible overnight bike packing trip. It was as challenging going down as it was going up. Going up was a cardio workout and going down took concentration. On an 80-degree day I consumed 5 liters of water and my buddy ran out!!! Because of the geology/terrain and distance, I believe this trail to be a strong blue/black, but my buddy thinks it was a black diamond. I believe the trail difficulty is more dependent on your equipment choice and physical condition. The right tool for the job. I used a GPS and didn’t have any issues with navigation, but I have heard it is easy to get lost. There were no signs.

Equipment Note: My buddy rode this trail on a feather light front suspension 29er hardtail with 2.3” tires and no dropper post, and he was miserable. I rode this on a Specialized Fatboy with 26x4.6” tires and 80mm of front suspension with a dropper and had a blast. For an optimum ride experience I would recommend an FSR or a bike with at least 2.8 tires. A dropper post is also recommended for this ride, unless you like to frequently adjust your seat height.

I would classify this as an epic PNW wilderness ride that is true to our region. It is now my favorite back country trail and love the natural challenges.

Hope this helps. Cheers!