the rules
All participants MUST wear a helmet. Always keep to the right side of the road. Groups should ride single file and riders should never be more than two abreast.
Use caution when coming down, and always observe the posted speed limit. There are many blind corners, so ALWAYS keep to the right of the road. Seriously, don’t speed. The National Park Rangers have informed us that they will be watching for speeding cyclists, and may have radar detection along the route. Cyclists caught speeding will be ticketed, and no longer eligible to participate in future rides.
When passing slower riders please be sure to use common courtesy and call your passes
Only registered cyclists can use the aid stations and the portable toilets along the route.
Keep your bib/bracelet visible at all time, as the volunteers will be looking for them
If heading up Hurricane Ridge road prior to 6am, watch for volunteers heading up and note that aid stations will not be set up until 7 am
Depart the summit no later than 11:30 am to ensure that you will be completely off Hurricane Ridge Road by noon. The road opens to traffic at noon and all cyclist MUST be out of the park boundaries by then
Please do not endanger the future of this extraordinary ride with reckless behavior.
Follow proper bike etiquette. Ride the Hurricane is an intense physical challenge and participants ride with the expectation that they will be sharing the road with equally skilled cyclists operating under their own power. If you do not have a good comprehension of bike rules and etiquette you do not belong on an organized ride.
registration and jersey purchases
are ebikes allowed?
No. Ride the Hurricane is an athletic challenge of human endurance. There are many circumstances where Ebikes and human-powered bikes can safely share space, but a steep and winding climb like RTH is not one of them. Take our word for it, the safety issues and negative effects of mixing the two on this ride just aren’t manageable. The use of boosted-power bikes is also against the spirit of the ride, which is to achieve a remarkable physical accomplishment. We obtain the permit and pay cost recovery to close the road so that cyclists making the extreme effort to ride up the mountain can have the rare experience of not having to worry about sharing the road with faster, more powerful vehicles. If you’d like to connect with riding partners to train for this event please let us know and we’ll be happy to connect you. Last year we had 14 people over 70 years old and three who were under 12 years old make it to the top under their own power. If you are disabled and you’d like to participate in the ride with assisted equipment, please use the contact form to let us know.
If i do early check-in, do i need to check with anyone the morning of the ride?
If you’ve taken advantage of early check in and you already have your bib you do not need to check in with anyone that morning, and can depart from City Pier anytime. We’ll have a volunteer at the start to help maintain a smooth flow of cyclists for the first short section of the ride on the ODT (think stoplights for freeway entrances during rush hour). Remember to leave enough time to get up to Ridge and back down through the park gate by noon.
I need to cancel my registration. What should I do?
Refer to the cancellation policy on the registration page or in your confirmation email for cancellation deadlines. If you need to cancel please email Events@portangeles.org or use the contact form on this website. Even if you need to cancel past the refund deadline please let us know that you won’t be here so we can open your spot to someone on the waiting list. You may transfer your registration to another cyclist at anytime by clicking the Edit Registration in your confirmation email. Change the name and contact info to that of the new participant and save your changes.
Can I transfer my registration to somebody else?
Yes. In your registration confirmation email you’ll find a link that says “Edit Registrations/Attendee(s)”. Simply click that link, and then click on the little person icon in the form. Replace your information with the information of the new cyclist, and select Save Changes. This will automatically update the registration list to show the new cyclist. Be sure to save your changes or the transfer won’t go through!
will jerseys be available for purchase at the ride?
You can order a jersey at the ride and we’ll ship it to you within four to six weeks, depending upon Primal’s manufacturing schedule. We are a nonprofit operating on thin margins. Because the jerseys are dated, we don’t want to pay for inventory that we can’t sell. We may have a few jerseys available from ride cancellations, but your best bet is to order by June 1st so you can receive your jersey at the ride.
the ride
What time does the ride start?
This is not a race, so participants can start anytime they’d like, as long as they begin the ride in plenty of time to get up the mountain and back down through the gate by noon, when the road opens to motor vehicles. Our fastest finisher is usually up and down again within 2.5 hours (I know, amazing, right?) but some cyclists take as long as 5 or 6 hours. Please plan your ride accordingly so that you are departing the summit no later than 11:30 am.
Where should i park?
Visit our Ride Day Information page for this and other helpful information that you’ll need to know.
What’s the ride distance?
Ride the Hurricane is approximately 40 miles round trip, with the summit of Hurricane Ridge at the midpoint. Visit our ROUTE PAGE for more details.
How long will it take?
The time varies widely depending upon fitness level, and how much time is spent at aid stations or at the top. Our fastest finisher is usually around 2.5 hours, and some take as long as 5 or 6 hours. The #1 Aid Station will not be open until 7 am, so cyclists who are on Hurricane Ridge road earlier than that will not have support. Cyclists must be down off Hurricane Ridge road by noon, so they should depart the summit no later than 11:30 am. There will be no support for cyclists along the route prior to 7am, or after 11:30 am, as cyclists are expected to be off Hurricane Ridge Road by that time.
what kind of support will i find along the ride?
There will be five aid stations along the route supporting registered cyclists from 7am to 11:30 pm. Each has a portable toilet except for station #5. There will also be an emergency EMT Unit on standby along the route, as well as Park Rangers stationed at the top and bottom of Hurricane Ridge Road. Each Aid Station will have snacks, water, and Gatorade. The Aid Stations will be available to registered riders only. There will also be a professional photographer taking action shots along the route, which will be available for purchase. Visit our ROUTE PAGE for more info.
Do i need a headlamp for the tunnels?
The route has three tunnels that are very short, and do not require a light. Visit the Route Page to see a video of the ride through the tunnels.
what is it like at the summit?
There will be restrooms available, a snack and welcome station, and several volunteers to help celebrate your accomplishment and answer questions about the area. There will also be a professional photographer taking summit photos against the backdrop of the stunning Olympic Mountain range. If you’ve left yourself time you can take a short walk up Sunrise Hill to view the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Canada beyond. Just remember to depart the summit by 11:30 am to ensure that you’ll be off Hurricane Ridge Road by noon.
can I park at Heart of the Hills and ride from there?
Recent construction at the Heart of the Hills Ranger Station has significantly reduced the parking availability and this is no longer a supported start to the ride. The parking at in this area is for a hiking trail, so ride parking is not allowed. Attempting to park and start the ride from this location may likely result in being turned around by a Park Ranger.
Do i need a park pass?
No, your ride bib will serve as your entrance to the park
can I ride during the road closure even if I’m not registered for the ride?
Olympic National Park restricts the number of cyclists in the national park at one time to 800, and our permit for the ride allows that number, so unregistered cyclists will exceed the number of cyclists allowed. The registration fees for the ride pay for the permit to close the road, as well as the cost recovery fees that we pay to Olympic National Park. Unregistered cyclists have not contributed to any of this, so they are essentially stealing from registered cyclists. They are also endangering our permit by exceeding the number of cyclists in the park at once.
THE AFTER PARTY
What will be available at the After Party?
The After Party will have a taco bar from Little Devil’s Lunchbox, local craft beer from Barhop brewery, and other snacks. Soft drinks will also be available.
Can I bring someone with me to the After Party who didn’t do the ride?
Yes! When registering for the ride you have the option to purchase an additional bracelet for a non-cycling After Party attendee.
Are minors allowed at the After Party?
We did not receive an all-ages permit, which means the main party area will be 21+. However, younger cyclists can enjoy food from the taco bar and soft drinks in all other areas of City Pier.
