One of the most difficult one-day bike rides anywhere on earth just got a little more difficult. Riders will have two fewer hours of sunlight to complete their 150-mile ride around Mount Rainier this year. But I doubt riders will mind too much because after months of uncertainty, organizers announced this week that the iconic Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (“RAMROD”) will happen in 2024.

After a couple months of butting heads with officials at Mount Rainier National Park and negotiating with the help of Rep. Kim Schrier, the Redmond Cycling Club announced this week that the ride is on for September 4, the Wednesday after Labor Day. This sets the ride date after the end of the park’s new timed entry program and peak visitor season, though it does introduce some new variables like late season weather and less daylight.

Due to the late start in getting the ride organized, they are not going to use their usual lottery system for doling out registrations this year. Instead, 2023 volunteers will have the chance to register first, then the remaining spots will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is “tentatively scheduled to open in May,” according to the club website.

Organizers and park officials are both considering the 2024 ride a “pilot program” to test both the later date and, for the first time, a clockwise route. The ride will be able to follow its traditional route via Stevens Canyon Road for the first time since 2019 (2020’s ride was cancelled, and road construction work forced unpopular detours in 2021, 2022 and 2023). Nobody seems ready to say this is the official plan for future years, but at least the event won’t miss a year for the second time in its 40 years of existence.

More details from the Redmond Cycling Club:

We are pleased to announce that RAMROD will return on its traditional route within Mount Rainier National Park on September 4th, 2024!

Since the denial of the event’s original 2024 Special Use Permit request and subsequent cancellation announcement on February 28th, RCC has been working with Washington State Representative Kim Schrier and Park officials to explore alternatives enabling the storied event’s return. Unable to use the Park’s interior roads during the Park’s new Timed Entry program (May 24th – September 2nd), the Park is allowing RAMROD to return and use Paradise and Stevens Canyon Roads within the Park in September after Labor Day.

With the new September date, the 2024 Edition of RAMROD will be regarded by RCC and the Park as a pilot program due to necessary safety-related changes that come with less available daylight and the transition to late summer/early fall weather patterns. Most notably, the route will, for the first time in the event’s history, be run clockwise around Mount Rainier National Park, with riders embarking from Enumclaw and heading east immediately towards the climbing of Cayuse Pass. Cyclists will enter the Park at the Stevens Canyon entrance before taking on the challenging and beautiful ascent on Stevens Canyon Road toward Reflection Lakes and Inspiration Point. RCC will provide additional information on support and safety changes for this new route throughout the summer.

As one of the Pacific Northwest’s most revered cycling traditions, RAMROD embodies the spirit of adventure and camaraderie. Cyclists from across the country eagerly anticipate the opportunity to tackle the challenging 150-mile route, which circumnavigates the awe-inspiring Mount Rainier and showcases the Park’s stunning scenery and diverse landscapes. “We are thrilled to revive this Northwest tradition and welcome cyclists back to Mount Rainier National Park,” said Joe Matthews, President of the Redmond Cycling Club. “RAMROD holds a special place in the hearts of cyclists, and we are excited to continue its legacy of pushing the boundaries of cycling achievement while fostering a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of our region. We’re thankful for the time and attention that Representative Schrier and Park Staff have made over the past couple of months leading to RAMROD’s return in September as a pilot program.”

Registration for the RAMROD bicycle is tentatively scheduled to open in May. Volunteers from 2023 holding bypasses will be able to secure registration spots prior to open registration. Due to the late announcement of the September date and registration, the 2024 Edition of RAMROD will not use the traditional lottery system. In its place, registration will be assigned in the order of signing up. Once the ride’s 800 registration slots are filled, registrants will be added to a Wait List managed by the RAMROD Registrar.

Join us on September 4th, 2024, as we embark once again on an epic journey around Mount Rainier and celebrate the enduring legacy of RAMROD, where every pedal stroke is a testament to the human spirit and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.