Mountain 100 km – Issaquah Alps

The Issaquah Alps are where the Cascade Mountains butt up against the Seattle metropolitan area. This challenging course was designed by Kent Petersen as a brevet for the Seattle International Randonneurs many years ago, and it’s been refined ever since. After a short warm-up (or a longer one if you ride from Seattle to the start), Zoo Hill on Cougar Mountain is perhaps the most famous (or infamous, depending on your viewpoint) climb in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a miniature mountain pass, with a narrow road that winds through the trees as it switchbacks up the steep slope. Dive back into suburbia for a few more hills before heading into the beautiful Green River Valley. Climb Tiger Mountain, then head back to Issaquah. Resist the temptation to skip the second part of the course. Head across another ridge into the bucolic Snoqualmie Valley. This pleasant interlude gets your legs ready for the crescendo of the finale: Tolt Hill, Duthie Hill and Squak Mountain follow in quick succession. The ride officially ends at the top of the last climb. From there, you just coast back to the start…

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