The Chelan Century Challenge is a 100-mile road ride put on by the Chelan Rotary each June (June 20 in 2009). This century is more challenging than most because it incorporates a heaping helping of climbing (nearly 9,000 vertical feet). It’s a three-leaf clover ride with 3 loops (one north of Chelan, one west, and one south) that all start and end at Don Morse Park (on the north end of town). Each of these 30- to 40-mile loops makes a nice ride by itself.
When we participated in the event in 2007, we thought the Manson Loop north of Chelan was particularly beautiful. For the event, the loop is done in a counter-clockwise direction and promptly makes a climb above the lake. Then you follow small, winding county roads, past viewpoints, orchards and bench lakes before plunging back down to the shores of Lake Chelan.
The last leg of the ride follows Highway 150 south to the park and is the least pleasant segment. The highway has a decent shoulder but it can also have plenty of fast-moving traffic. We’d recommend timing your ride so you do the Highway 150 leg at a quiet hour. In fact, for the purposes of a summer or weekend ride, it will often make sense to start early in the morning and do the ride in a clockwise direction. This will dispatch the highway leg in early morning when traffic is light.
This map (prepared and used courtesy of the Chelan Rotary) has all the relevant street names to follow. Print it in landscape mode on 8.5” x 11” paper.
The ride starts at Don Morse Park on the shores of Lake Chelan just a short distance north on Highway 150 from the Highway 97/Highway 150 junction in downtown Chelan.
Leave Things Better Than You Found Them. This should be every outdoor user’s goal.
Disclaimer. Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Conditions change and those contributing these reports are volunteers–they may make mistakes or not know all the issues affecting a route. You are responsible for yourself, your actions, and your safety. If you won’t accept that responsibility, you are prohibited from using our information.
Leave a Reply