Washington · Mountain biking

CC's Shortcut

0.3 mi
round trip
289 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

CC's Shortcut is a short, out-and-back mountain biking route in Washington, about 1.8 miles from the town of Ephrata. The climb is moderate, with a total gain of 289 feet over a round trip of about half a mile. The route starts near 2,082 feet and reaches a high point of 2,085 feet, so it's a quick way to get a little elevation on a ride close to town. The steepest part of the climb comes early, around 0.17 miles from the start, with a grade of about 13 percent. That makes the route a good choice for riders looking to add a short, steep section to a longer outing in the area. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ephrata show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 78°F, while July and August average in the upper 80s. That station sits well below the route, so temperatures on the climb run cooler. Several other trails sit close by. Snake Charmer is about 0.1 mile away, Darryl's Trail is about 0.3 mile away, and Lazy Boy (The Couch) and Bipolar are both within a mile.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit CC's Shortcut

    Best months: April–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      36° / 23°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 27°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      54° / 32°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      63° / 39°

      6 wet

    5. May

      73° / 48°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 54°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      89° / 61°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 59°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      78° / 51°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 39°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 29°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 24°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ephrata Muni Ap, WA, 3.7 mi away at 1,252 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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