[Stefan]

USGS Bearhead Mountain The Three Sisters 4984' 424' Prominence Woke up this morning and drove through Wilkeson onto a logging road reaching about 4100 feet in elevation before being stopped by a gate near a switchback in a road. To visit this mountain I recommend you get the satellite photographs of the logging roads as I did becuase I knew the Green Trails and USGS map would be outdated. From the gate at 4100 feet I followed the proper logging roads with my bike to near the summit where the road ends. From the end of the road it is couple minute stroll to the clear cut actual summit that has some snags on top. From car to summit took about 40 minutes. I was at the summit by 6:00a.m. and the sun had not rose enough to get a full view of Mt. Rainier this morning. Rode the bike down using the headlamp. At work by 8:30 this morning.

[Dean]

Stefan: I'm curious as to what kind of mountain bike you could recommend. I have a couple of counties where its going to take a mountain bike (versus walking logging roads) and I am clueless on what I should get. Any suggestions? Thanks, enjoyed your report too.

[Stefan]

First, I am not a mountainbiker. I use a cheap mountainbike and I deal with it--I do not want to spend money in areas where it is not a priority for me. In my opinion, a cheap mountain bike works just as fine as any expensive mountainbike. If you are going to get a mountainbike, I do however recommend you get something with shocks in the front, this is something that I do not have and I wish I had due to the rocks and roots on trails. Without shocks it is extremely jarring. Shocks in the back are nice too but I do not think are necessary. Obviously the more money you spend the better bike you are going to get. To save some money go to Gregg's. They usually have some returns on mountainbikes where people "don't want them any more" or I think the police have auctions on bicycles too. I have seen the UW auction page on bicycles and no bikes I have seen had shock absorbers in the front. The one thing I have noticed more on a mountain bike more so than a typical road bike is that the mountainbike needs more maintenance upkeep, especially on the whole brake system.

[Dean]

Thanks for the response and your input. I only need a mountain bike for a few specific trips as I too am not interested in spending a lot of money for one nor do I have the desire to become a mountainbiker. I just need one on occasion to help me in chasing some of the more mundane county highpoints that are locked up behind logging gates.