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Cape Horn Loop |
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Do you need a hilly loop that is pretty a good work good work out? Try this one. This is a twenty mile loop from Camas, which is my reference point for most trips. Starting in Camas you will get a nice 6 mile warm up on flat ground and then you work out will start. If you want to start right away with the hills, then you can go to the intersection of Evergreen and Highway 14 there is a small dirt parking area for you car. The loop goes behind Caper Horn up to about 1200 comes back down to Highway 14 near the Prindle School and then follows Highway 14 back to Camas/Washougal. Most of the climb is going up put of Washougal, but there are some nice surprise hills on Highway 14. I have always done this in the morning and have met far less than a dozen cars on the back roads and the trucks are still east bound, that time of day on Highway 14. So, all in all, traffic is pretty nice. The Map
Above is a map of the route with four annotations (relevant to both directions, unless otherwise noted):
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Various pictures from the route |
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I have been to Cape Horn dozens of times and I cannot resist taking just one more picture... okay... this is four, but if you haven't been there it will reinforce the pretty part of my description. (Click on it for a larger image.) |
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The first of the switchbacks out of Washougal.
The second of the switchbacks out of Washougal. The road follows just above the row of young
evergreens above the back fence.
The view from the top of the first hill looking west. Do not get fooled by the "top of the
ridge appearance" of the road. I was the first time I explored this road and found it only lasts
for about a mile and a half.
In February, when I took this ride to write this article, you do need to be
concerned with cooler temperatures.
Highway 14 is not considered the most bike friendly road. The is the Cape Horn
Bridge right before the lookout.
Note the expansive shoulder
