New 80-mile race will let bicyclers pedal to Mowich Lake at Mount Rainier
The famous RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier In a Day) might have been called off, but that’s not stopping the Redmond Cycling Club from organizing a ride through Mount Rainier National Park this summer.
On May 18, the Redmond Cycling Club, organizers of RAMROD, announced a new group gravel bike ride called Gravel Enumclaw To Mowich in A Day (GETMAD).
Organizer Rick Duong says the pivot from road cycling to gravel biking is, in part, due to the massive popularity of the sport.
“Gravel is kind of the biggest thing in cycling these days,” Duong told The News Tribune over the phone last week.
Gravel biking differs from road cycling because of the terrain. While road cycling focuses on speed and agility on asphalt, gravel biking is engineered for versatility on rougher roads and trails.
GETMAD will be an 81- or 82-mile out-and-back ride that starts in Enumclaw and crawls up to Mowich Lake and back. Duong estimates that over 50 miles will be on gravel and dirt.
“We’re still building the bike as we ride,” Duong says. “We haven’t finalized the exact route yet, or logistical matters like exactly where the aid stations will be and how to get water up to some of the areas, but we’re close.”
The date is finalized. It will be July 23, and registration is open on the Redmond Cycling Club website. The rider cap will be lower than the RAMROD, and Duong says it will be on a first come, first served basis, unlike the RAMROD which was a lottery.
The proposed route will depart Enumclaw High School and follow the Foothills Trail into Buckley. From there, cyclists will ride through Crocker, turn onto Patterson Road, and bypass the Fairfax Bridge by crossing through private land before heading back to State Route 165.
“With the closure of Fairfax Bridge,” Duong said. “Not a lot of folks have been able to get to Mowich Lake because it’s closed to cars. But bicycles can get up there.”
After Mowich Lake, the proposed route retraces its steps through Mount Rainier National Park before heading back to Enumclaw. The Redmond Cycling Club has been working with Mount Rainier National Park to obtain permits to access Mowich Lake and ensure the area is ready for visitors.
“So for the park has been very supportive,” Duong continued. “They want to get folks up to Mowich.”
As for the name, Duong says “GETMAD” has nothing to do with the club’s cancellation of the RAMROD this year, which was in part due to a disagreement with Mount Rainier National Park about an appropriate event date.
“That’s coincidental,” Duong says. “GETMAD describes what the ride is. It’s all in a day, so it’s keeping the same theme as RAMROD. But you’re climbing gravel. You have to get mad to get over the mountain.
“We’re not mad at the park. They’ve been great partners. Obviously, we have a difference of opinion on access for RAMROD. But we want to keep that relationship friendly.”
Duong emphasizes that GETMAD is not a replacement for RAMROD.
“This is not our consolation prize,” Duong continued. “We’d love for these two rides to run in parallel next year.”
Organizations like Pierce County Explorer Search and Rescue and the Foothills Coalition are volunteering their time and services to help make the event happen.
Wilkeson Mayor Jayme Peloli was instrumental in helping it all come together.
“She was the person who reached out to me originally about the idea,” Duong says. “She saw the press about what was happening with RAMROD and wanted to make things right.”
Duong also credits the communities along the Foothills Trail and the residents who have largely been cut off from the Fairfax Bridge closure for their support.
“It’s great to promote and talk a bit about what’s happening with the Fairfax Bridge closure and how it’s affecting people. This event should be great for everyone.”
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM with the headline "New 80-mile race will let bicyclers pedal to Mowich Lake at Mount Rainier."
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