Old Cascade Crest North, OR MTB
Bike
Explore the northern section of the Old Cascade Crest with the local experts at Trans Cascadia Excursions.
The Old Cascade Crest is one of Oregon’s most remote and raw places to mountain bike, located in the northern sector of the Willamette National Forest. Nestled right next to the Middle Santiam Wilderness, the OCC in total is a 42 mile backcountry lollipop just an hour from Bend, Oregon. This area was the site of the 2017 Trans-Cascadia MTB race, split in half: we ride the Old Cascade Crest South on Saturday and Old Cascade Crest North on Sunday. These two days are the best combination of riding in this area.
OCC North is a beautiful day on the bike, exploring the actual Old Crest of the Cascades, the highest point of the Cascade Mountain Range 1 million years ago. Don’t miss this MTB adventure, definitely one of the best rides in Oregon. Let us show you Bend’s backyard with this incredible tour of the Old Cascade Crest.
The Old Cascade Crest trail system was a huge project during the summer of 2017 to uncover some of Oregon’s hidden trail gold. This region has been barely explored for the past 20 years, with very little use… and now it’s your turn to see what it’s all about.
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1
Arrive
Meet at Lava Lake Sno-Park, OR by 9:30am (please arrive 15 minutes early). Lava Lake is located about 4 miles west of Santiam Junction on Highway 20. Hop in the shuttle, where we’ll go over the plan for the day on the way to the trail.
Bike!
We’ll begin our day by getting dropped off near Scar Mountain. We’ll climb our way to the jagged high point and an outstanding view of an outstanding slice of the Cascade Mountain Range. From here we meander up and down the ridgeline until we get to our junction for the Gordon Peak Trail. -
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Bike! (cont.)
From this junction we begin Gordon Peak trail and have a nice gradual descent as we begin, allowing for some playful riding a nice warmup for our massive descent to the valley floor. The Gordon Peak trail is unique as it shares a wilderness boundary line and offers a remote and pristine trail experience, Big old growth trees and copious amounts of Duff. This side of the system is a place not many people visit. At the valley floor, we’ll take off our shoes and ford pyramid creek, a shallow but wide crossing that’ll cool the feet. We’ll hop back on our bike for a ride back up to our shuttle pick up. We have the choice along the way to checkout one of our favorite swimming holes, and a solid 30 foot diving board for those brave enough to walk the plank. At our shuttle pick up, we’ll have our cooler with food and beverages and we can replenish the system for our last and final piece of the ride up and over Crescent Mountain.
Ascent: 4,258 ft
Descent: 7,272 ft
Distance: 19 miles -
3
Bike! (cont.)
From lunch we get a nice little shuttle bump to skip some of the climb to our summit of Crescent Mountain. We have a solid hour to hour and a half climb to get to our high point, an old fire lookout with remnants from generations of Cascade Mountain Adventurers. From here, we’ll descend all the way down the South Side of Crescent, traveling through meadows and old growth trees and a strip of dirt so inspiring it makes you tear up.
Depart
After an epic day of riding in this unspoiled stretch of forest and mountains, the day’s adventure comes to a close. Make sure you have enough phone battery (or bring a charging brick) so you can share your pics from the day with your new riding buddies.
Trip Package Includes:
- Shuttle transportation
- Professionally guided MTB tour of remote single track
- 10% discount on bike rental at evo stores (subject to availability)
- 20% discount code at evo.com (exclusions apply)
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest encompasses over 1.6 million acres and eight different Wilderness areas, including the majestic Three Sisters Wilderness and Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. The terrain here is diverse, with high mountains, forested slopes, narrow canyons, and rushing streams. This region is home to some of the best mountain biking in the southern Cascades.
Trip Planning
For this one-day adventure, we recommend bringing a riding pack with water and snacks as well as a day pack with any layers or additional gear you may need for a day on the trail. Check the local weather pre-trip, as you can expect highs ranging anywhere from the 60s to the 80’s. Please be sure to wear sun protection. Rain also comes and goes so make sure you bring some rain gear as well!
Gear
Clothing
Food
Other
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Is the trip guaranteed to run?
This trip has a minimum number of guests required in order to run, please do not book travel or flights until you have confirmed your departure with Trans Cascadia. -
When and how should I meet up with the group?
Please meet the group at Lava Lake Sno-Park no later than 9:30 am (please arrive 15 mins early). Lava Lake Sno-Park is located about 4 miles west of Santiam Junction on Highway 20 -
What skill / experience level is required for this trip?
This trip is geared towards intermediate and advanced riders, with trails rated blue square to black diamond. Riders should be comfortable riding a mix of ground conditions, soil, small rocks and roots, as well as varying steepness. On a given day we will ascend around 4,200’ and descend around 7,200’ over the course of approximately 20 miles. -
What gear should I bring? Do you offer rentals?
Please see the packing list above. The best bike for this trip will be a full suspension XC bike. All participants are required to have their bikes in excellent working order before the trip begins. Rental bikes are not available through Trans-Cascadia, please inquire with evo about possible rentals.
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What is the maximum number of guests on this trip?
Trans Cascadia will cap this trip at 12 guests to ensure everyone gets as much riding as their heart's desire. -
Who builds and supports the remote trails we will ride on this trip?
Trans-Cascadia Expeditions partners with Trans-Cascadia Incorporated a non-profit whose larger mission is to promote and build sustainable trails in the Pacific Northwest. Trails are supported by Trans-Cascadia, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Evergreen Mountain bike Alliance and more. If you are interested in trail stewardship in the Pacific NW please visit Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance or check out Trans Cascadia’s page for trail fund donation information or volunteer opportunities. -
What if I need to cancel?
Should you need to cancel for any reason, evo will default to Trans-Cascadia’s following cancellation policy: For cancellations prior to 60 days before departure, a $50 fee per person is retained and the remainder of your trip cost is refunded. For cancellations 60-31 days before departure, 50% of your trip fees are refunded. For cancellations 30 days or less before departure, no refunds. Trans-Cascadia must adhere to their cancellation policy, no exceptions. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to protect your investment, we recommend World Nomads. Trans-Cascadia Excursions reserves the right to cancel any trip. Full refunds will be made in these instances. Trans-Cascadia Excursions is not responsible for non-refundable airfare.
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