Would anyone be interested in a trip to the town of Lester, WA, population 0? I have been wanting to bike to/camp at a ghost town this summer and think lester looks like a good destination, with kanaskat-palmer state park as the midpoint stop. This would be an easy trip distance-wise (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=909627), however, I don't have a clue as to what the terrain between KP and lester is like.
Anybody interested?
langston
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:17 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
isn't there a SE heading bike trail that heads out towards that direction? That would be a cool way to get to Maple Valley to start that little trip.
Or, we could drive to the trail head. Boring, but faster.
henry
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:18 pm
somewhat piggishJoined: 05 Aug 2005Posts: 5415Location: on porch with shotgun
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
i'm guessing it will be hilly.
are you suggesting an overnighter at kanasket-palmer? that would make the riding time really short, unless you're planning on heading for kanasket after work on a friday and then getting up on saturday to head to lester? (which sounds pretty cool btw)
Joe
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:41 pm
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
the dreaded ben wrote:
i hate to shit on your parade, but i think that valley is the green river water shed.
Dammit! I'll call them and post an update. Thanks for shitting, Ben.
Joe
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:44 pm
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
lantius wrote:
i'm guessing it will be hilly.
are you suggesting an overnighter at kanasket-palmer? that would make the riding time really short, unless you're planning on heading for kanasket after work on a friday and then getting up on saturday to head to lester? (which sounds pretty cool btw)
I'm thinking the latter plan, provided Ben has his head up his ass about this no access thing.
There are other ghost town possibilities. If this one doesn't pan out, I'm going to research others.
joeball
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:59 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
Joe wrote:
lantius wrote:
i'm guessing it will be hilly.
are you suggesting an overnighter at kanasket-palmer? that would make the riding time really short, unless you're planning on heading for kanasket after work on a friday and then getting up on saturday to head to lester? (which sounds pretty cool btw)
I'm thinking the latter plan, provided Ben has his head up his ass about this no access thing.
There are other ghost town possibilities. If this one doesn't pan out, I'm going to research others.
I plan on getting up to Monte Cristo this summer. Ben and I were up there this weekend. The hwy up to Barlow Pass is clear now but the road to Monte Cristo is still snowed in.
About 30 miles from Granite Falls to Barlow Pass then 4 miles to MC.
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Could be some fun shit, Keep us posted! I'd love to camp in a scary place!
...Aarons mom comes to mind...
I used to do this in Colorado when I was a kid. there are ghost towns all over the damn place there.
Joe
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:30 pm
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
It looks like Ben is correct. Tacoma has this area on lockdown--no public access indeed. Crap. It was a good route, too.
If anyone has information to the contrary (e.g., no public access by car, no public access without special permission) please post it. Otherwise, I'll be looking for a new destination.
lantius
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:34 pm
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
the googling i did for it indicated that most people get to it by going south from i-90 and coming up the back side, a point seconded by the stampede pass wikipedia entry.
i do like the idea though, just that's alot more riding to go 'round. =/
joeball
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:42 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
Be thankful you don't have access actually. The access is restricted for the Cedar River Watershed as well which is part of the City of Seattle's public water supply. Seattle boasts an "untreated" water supply system. It is still filtered and chlorinated but there is no big reverse-osmosis or UV treatment plant like other big cities need when their reservoirs are surrounded by homes and open to motorized watercraft...mmm..tasty
Joe
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:50 pm
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
joeball wrote:
Be thankful you don't have access actually. The access is restricted for the Cedar River Watershed as well which is part of the City of Seattle's public water supply. Seattle boasts an "untreated" water supply system. It is still filtered and chlorinated but there is no big reverse-osmosis or UV treatment plant like other big cities need when their reservoirs are surrounded by homes and open to motorized watercraft...mmm..tasty
True, very true. I don't resent the limits on access at all, in fact I think there should be more areas where people aren't allowed, and not just for reasons of water quality.
That said, it's a real pisser from the standpoint of this plan. Lee, you would become my personal hero if you could find a good route to this place. I saw the I-90 route, and it kind've cuts KP state park out altogether. Is there another potential overnight spot?
MikeOD
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:09 pm
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
langston wrote:
isn't there a SE heading bike trail that heads out towards that direction? That would be a cool way to get to Maple Valley to start that little trip.
The Cedar River trail goes from Renton to Maple Valley. It's like the Burke only more boring - it's alongside a major road the whole way. But it's an easy way to get to Maple Valley.
Alex
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:05 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
Joe wrote:
Would anyone be interested in a trip to the town of Lester, WA, population 0? I have been wanting to bike to/camp at a ghost town this summer and think lester looks like a good destination, with kanaskat-palmer state park as the midpoint stop. This would be an easy trip distance-wise (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=909627), however, I don't have a clue as to what the terrain between KP and lester is like.
Anybody interested?
I've been there (on bike).
There is one huge issue. It is in a watershed (City of Tacoma watershed). I was there just before 9/11/2001 and was hauled out (that was painful, we had to wait over an hour for a truck large enough to hold the recumbent tandem). Fines were promissed, but never arrived. I would expect to get them in the new world of "Homeland Security".
It sucks, because it's a wonderful ride through there. FR54 is a nice dirt road, good scenery, etc.
We got there by riding up the John Wayne Trail to the FR54 intersection near Easton and then up and over Stampede Pass. Lester is less than a mile past the gate on this side. If you came from the other side (near Enumclaw) you'd have to ride on ~20 miles of closed roads before getting to Lester.
alex
Joe
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 10:48 am
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
Alex wrote:
There is one huge issue. It is in a watershed (City of Tacoma watershed). I was there just before 9/11/2001 and was hauled out (that was painful, we had to wait over an hour for a truck large enough to hold the recumbent tandem). Fines were promissed, but never arrived. I would expect to get them in the new world of "Homeland Security".
It sucks, because it's a wonderful ride through there. FR54 is a nice dirt road, good scenery, etc.
alex
According to the ghosttown forum, Lester is now accessible, albeit only on foot for the last couple of miles. I think the JWT is definitely the way to get there, and since I believe there has already been some discussion in another topic of taking a trip that way, perhaps we should combine the two? Is anybody still interested in this ride? I'll plan out the route if so.
henry
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 10:54 am
somewhat piggishJoined: 05 Aug 2005Posts: 5415Location: on porch with shotgun
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
only if you can guarantee a ghost
bonus if he looks like patrick swayze.
Alex
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 11:23 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
I'd do it again.
Note that Stampede Pass is a pretty serious climb off of the John Wayne Trail. I think this would probably end up being a 3 day trip (bike to Easton State Park, camp, bike over the pass and back to Lester and camp on the JWT again, then bike back home).
The climb going from the JWT is about 1500' in about 3miles for an average of around 10%. There are some steeper sections. I haven't ridden it in the other direction but on Routeslip it looks like it is a longer climb (you have to climb an extra 500') but at a lesser grade.
alex
Joe
Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:21 pm
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
Sounds like this is going to happen after all. Sweet.
Joe
Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 9:51 am
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 430
I'm thinking we should do this sometime in late July, like the weekend of the 20th or 27th. I'm open to other possibilities that are earlier than that, however. How does this sound to you guys?
dennyt
Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 10:24 am
rocket mechanicJoined: 02 Aug 2005Posts: 2708
Alex wrote:
The climb going from the JWT is about 1500' in about 3miles for an average of around 10%.
That's the same as the Tiger Mountain fireroad climb to the Preston trail!!!
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