Mad River Orv Tr1409.1
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#UpperMadRiverTrail
Overall: 8
Aerobic: 7
Technical: 7
Steepness: 5
Flow: 7
Singletrack: 100%
The Lake Wenatchee Washington Upper Mad River Trail is a high elevation river ride, similar to W. Fork Teanaway Tr1353, but otherwise uncommon.
Type
Loop
Length
Avg: 25.6mi
Ascent
Intense
Elevation Change
TH:4300'
Avg Ascent:5100'
Ascent Incline
5%
Duration
Avg: 8hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
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USFS
Although an 18mi OAB is fine, adjacent trails (Pond Camp Orv Tr1409.2, Blue Cr Orv Tr1426, Lost Lk Orv Tr1421 and Hi Yu Orv Tr1403) create the opportunity to explore nearby terrain without adding a lot of miles or climbing.
The climb rating is just barely 'Intense', and could be considered Moderate.
The Ascent Incline which is given is just for Mad River Orv Tr1409.1, with some brief 10%+ grades on the side trails.
Maverick Saddle is also the upper TH for the Lower Mad Rvr Orv Tr1409 and Tyee Rdg Orv Tr1415 loop.
Extending the figure-8 loop to the wilderness boundary of Garland Peak Tr1408 creates an even more challenging ride (38mi, 9600' ascent), although Garland Peak Tr1408 ascent is just an extension of Mad Rvr Tr1409.1.
Easy access and great terrain make the Mad Lake area very popular on weekends so a mid-week ride would be better.
Due to high elevation, the trail is only open from mid July to October, and trail access unfortunately includes Orv so there is that to consider. Feel free to scowl at them as they fling dirt in your face.
Directions: NW Forest Pass required right at the TH. SR207 towards Lake Wenatchee. After crossing the Wenatchee River, go right on Chiwawa Valley Rd. Turn left onto FR61 .4mi after crossing the Chiwawa Rvr (just past the Thousand Trails CG). Go 1.7mi and turn right onto FR6101 and go 3.3mi to the Deer Cr CG and turn left to stay on FR6101 then go 2.8mi to Maverick Saddle. If you miss the first FR6101 turnoff, you will reach the Grouse Cr CG. Turn around and try again. View Larger Map. No Map?.
Loop Directions
hi yu
- TH: Ride the access trail from the Maverick Saddle trailhead to Mad River Orv Tr1409.1, then go left and start the mostly moderate 8.3mi ascent past Mad Lake and on to Marble Meadow. Pass the Hi Yu Orv Tr1403 intersection on the left at 1.1mi, followed by the Jimmy Creek Tr1419 intersection on the right and the first of many river crossings. The ascent incline eases a little, then pass the Lost Lake Orv Tr1421/Cougar Mountain Orv Tr1420 intersection at 3mi, followed by the Tyee Ridge Orv Tr1415 intersection on the right at 4.3mi.
- 5.5mi: The trail levels off at Blue Creek Meadow, near the Blue Creek forest service station. Pass Grouse Camp at 6.3mi, and cross yet another stream.
- 7.5mi: Pass Alder Ridge Tr1523 on the left, followed by Mad Lake. Pass Blue Creek Orv Tr1426 on the right at 8.7mi. Pass the southern end of Pond Camp Tr1409.2 at 9.2mi, just past Marble Creek Camp, and followed by Pond Meadow.
- 10.8mi: Now comes the fun part. Go left onto Pond Camp Tr1409.2, with a twisty ascent reaching the summit at 12.8mi, followed by a switchback descent to Mad River Orv Tr1409.1.
- 14.7mi: Go right onto Mad River Orv Tr1409.1 and ride to the Blue Creek Orv Tr1426 TH at 15.2mi, then go left and ride Blue Creek Orv Tr1426 past the Two Little Lakes (Louise and Ann). Pass Middle Tommy Orv Tr1424 at 19mi, then reach the Blue Creek forest service station and Mad River Orv Tr1409.1 at 19.5mi. Ride to the Lost Lake Orv Tr1421 TH and go right, with a steep 400' climb to the summit, then a moderate descent to Hi Yu Orv Tr1403.
- 21.7mi: Just past Lost Lake, go right onto Hi Yu Orv Tr1403. The descent starts at 23.1mi, dropping 1000' in just over a mile. If low on carbs, then try to stop shaking, then go right onto Mad River Orv Tr1409.1 and head back to the TH.
Trail Index
This Ride
Garland Peak Trail 1408, Hi Yu Orv Trail 1403, Lost Lake Orv Trail 1421, Mad River Orv Trail 1409, Pond Camp Trail 1409.2
Area
Alder Ridge Trail 1523, Basalt Ridge Trail 1515, Billy Creek Trail 1416, Billy Ridge Trail 1413, Blue Creek Orv Trail 1426, Chikamin Creek Orv Trail 1534, Chiwawa Orv Trail 1548, Cougar Mountain Orv Trail 1420, Cougar Ridge Orv Trail 1418, Jimmy Creek Trail 1419, Middle Tommy Orv Trail 1424, Nason Ridge Trail 1583, North Tommy Orv Trail 1425, Shetipo Orv Trail 1429, Tyee Ridge Orv Trail 1415
Wilderness
Campgrounds
Deer Camp Campground, Goose Creek Campground, Maverick Saddle Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
