{"id":256043,"date":"2026-08-03T19:01:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T19:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/03\/fire-and-ice-a-bikepacking-adventure-with-30-people\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T19:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T19:01:45","slug":"fire-and-ice-a-bikepacking-adventure-with-30-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/03\/fire-and-ice-a-bikepacking-adventure-with-30-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire and Ice: A bikepacking adventure with 30 people"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Group photo. (Photos by Kevin O\u2019Connor unless otherwise noted.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

This story comes from Portlander Kevin O\u2019Connor. Kevin blends his professional experience in IT and manufacturing with his passion for cycling and the outdoors to tell digital stories under the name CheeseSlice<\/a>. In a world where we feel more disconnected from each other than ever, Kevin attempts to bridge that gap one article, video or post at a time.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Spotty cell service, washboard gravel roads, and loads <\/em>of huckleberries. Hidden in the hills of the Washington\/Oregon border just north of Carson (WA) is the Fire and Ice Cave Loop<\/a> popularized by Bikepacking.com. Consisting of roughly 50 miles and 4,500 ft of elevation through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest this route is a perfect intro to bikepacking.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The trip first came onto my radar when Nic, the owner of Portland bike shop Something Cycles<\/a>, posted about an overnight adventure ride and said it\u2019d be great for people new to bikepacking. He was right! Camping is something I love doing and have done since I was really young but always with a car (or motorcycle). Because of that I always packed more than I needed, with bikepacking that is less of an option. My main objective was to try to find the middle ground between having what I need to be safe\/comfortable while also being light enough to not feel like a tractor. There were definitely some things in hindsight I wish I did differently (like my food\/cooking system and my sleep setup) but I will get into that later.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it all went down\u2026<\/p>\n