Additional climbing both ways brings total elevation gain to about 3,140'. The upper reaches of the route usually won't be snow-free and rideable until sometime in July. You'll have better chances at solitude on the trails during the week and post Labor Day, until the end of the season in October. Check with the ranger district office for trail conditions. Services are available in Pateros to the south, and Twisp and Winthrop to the north.
Camping is available nearby.
Rocky climbs and creek crossings, some of which demand dismounts. Your footsteps are hazardous to the grasses around Cooney Lake, so stay on the well-worn paths. Maybe you'll be lucky and a motorcylist or fellow mountain biker will cross your path when you need help. If not, help can be summoned back down in the Methow Valley, at Carlton, Twisp, and Methow. Okanagan National Forest , Methow Valley Ranger District.