'26 Yeti Gathering - Oregon

The Pacific Northwest – It holds a bit of lore in the MTB community, but I didn't realize how much until I moved away. I was lucky enough to grow up in Washington state, where I learned to ride and race mountain bikes and spent a ton of time traveling and riding everywhere within driving distance. Oakridge was one place that had gotten away from me, being just out of reach in the middle of Oregon. This year, when I got the call letting me know I was going to the Yeti Gathering in Oakridge, I was pretty darn excited. One place that had eluded me, which I was now finally going to check off. But would the event deliver? 

My journey to Gathering Oregon began like most good bike trips: loading up the truck, throwing the bikes on the rack, and hitting the road. Our journey from Golden wasn't what I would call ‘short’, but nothing compared to some of the distances other attendees traveled to get there. These events bring people far and wide. 

Arriving in Oakridge, we were able to sample just a few of the weekend's rides before the event started. With a rain cycle passing through the area a day or so before, the conditions were prime. Lush forests, giant trees, and perfect loamy singletrack greeted us, and within just a few corners, I knew how much fun this Gathering was going to be. Hoots and hollers the whole way down and high fives any time we stopped to take in the views really set the tone for the weekend. Dang, this place is special. 

Yeti Gathering Oakridge is one of our regional Yeti Gatherings.  A concept we started last year in Vermont, with smaller attendance and lodging available, it brings a different vibe to a Yeti Gathering. Our accommodations were based at the Westfir Lodge, an amazing lodge that has been part of the Westfir community for over 100 years. Across the street from the lodge lies Trans Cascadia Excursions, who are not only the people behind the Trans Cascadia race but also a big part of the trail work and reopening of trails in the area. Their website sums it up well: “We’ve spent years riding it, clearing it, and connecting every epic line - now it's your turn to ride it.”. With epic trails and a legendary crew of guides, the next few days were sure to be a treat. 

The event kicked off on Friday morning. Yeti Freaks arrived, unloaded, unpacked their bikes, and geared up for the first days' rides: a pair of shuttle laps to give everyone just a taste of what the area was all about. Dead Mountain. was first up. A quick pedal to an amazing viewpoint gave everyone a glimpse of the area. With rolling hills and forests as far as the eye could see, the surrounding area is truly special. Dropping in the stroke was high, and now that I think about it, this first section of trail was the only section we rode that wasn't just pure singletrack through the forest. A fast middle section kept us all giggling as we got to know the trails. The trails were approachable, but just add speed and they start to get spicier. The second ride took us to Larison, a super-fast rougher descent that ended up right in a town park along the Middle Fork River. This ride went by fast, chasing other Yeti Freaks down the trail, ending in high fives and ear-to-ear smiles. It was the perfect way to kick off Gathering Oregon. 

That evening kicked off with the first of many amazing meals by the Lost Pig Cafe, who catered the event. At Gathering, great food is imperative, and this crew did not disappoint. After dinner the party moved across the street for a slideshow and story from Yeti’s Athlete Manager and Photographer, Josh Conroy, to tell the tale of his Yeti trip to Turkey from last year. But little did our guests know, while we were out shredding that day, our entertainment for the night had been busy setting up lasers and lights for a DJ set. DJ Cuffs and Stuff kicked off the night party with 80’s music and a laser show. With beverages flowing, campfires crackling, and dancing on the dance floor, everyone finished off day one with one not-to-be-missed show.  

Waking up and looking out the window on day two, you could see signs of some overnight moisture. While the parking lot didn't look bad, I heard rumblings from the Trans Cascadia crew that the day was going to be a wet one, and that it would be quite a bit wetter at our ride drop off. Gearing up, we had a quick rider briefing on the day's rides and split into the vans for the shuttle to the top. We had three drop-off points for riders to choose from, depending on how much riding they wanted. Arriving at the top of the advanced ride, we were greeted with snow on the plants and puddles that were frozen to the consistency of a Slurpee.  

Dropping in, we could tell it was a slippery one. And right off the bat, I knew just what kind of day we were in for. You're pretty muddy after the first 5 mins to the point where you are not really going to get any muddier, so it's just time to have fun. Slide this corner, splash though that puddle, laughing at the amount of fun you are having the whole time. With the staggered drop, it also meant that I got to see a bunch of people from the lower drops as they made their way down. I made sure to give them words of encouragement as I went by and stopped to cheer them through a tricky switchback section. 

Halfway through the first ride, Nick from the Trans Cascadia crew had stopped at a mountain hut and got a fire going, creating the perfect place to warm up your hands before continuing on. The morning's ride was picturesque singletrack from top to bottom. And once I got past being wet and muddy and got into the flow of things, I really wasn't ready for the ride to be over.  

The last part of the trail was a very high-speed section, and with the rain starting, my fender-less fork provided a ridiculous amount of water and mud streaming into my face, but if I let off the brakes, it was enough for my glasses to clear just enough to see. A weird kind of fun, I suppose, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face the whole time. The ride ended just on the other side of the river from the event HQ, where every rider had just about the same silly smile on their mud-covered face, as we all had made it through what I like to call “A Big Dumb Ride”. 

After a hot lunch at the lodge and some much-needed hot coffee, we loaded up for the second ride of the day. But the Freaks had options; if another wet ride wasn't your cup of tea, we also offered a shuttle to the local hot springs. I heard it was nice, and while it sounded fun, most of the Yeti crew, along with most of the attendees, headed out for another lap. Ride two of the day brought just a bit more climbing than the first, but we were once again rewarded with beautiful singletrack through huge old-growth trees. After another few hours sliding around in the mud, we all made it back to the van and shuttled back to event HQ. 

Dinner on Saturday night at Gathering is always the big one. Giant pork shanks served over potatoes and asparagus was just what was needed after a big two-ride day. And while the stats didn't look huge on paper, the 8000ft of descending that happened that day made sure everyone had gotten their fill. 

After dinner, the party once again moved across the street for a live performance by a local band, chatting and drinks around the campfire – a perfect end to a big day on the bike. It was at this point that I realized just how special these smaller Yeti Gatherings are. I felt like I knew everyone around me and talked to almost all the Freaks who had made it out. Getting to know the people who ride our bikes is always my favorite part of Gathering, and hearing what they do and why they chose to come out, is always special. Our huge Colorado Gatherings can never be replaced, but this smaller, more intimate format made this one uniquely special. 

Sunday started off looking a lot like Saturday in the moisture department, and for some reason I figured I would be just fine with fewer layers. The day served up two more shuttle laps on the Oakridge trails. Hardesty and Lawler trails were the rides set for today, both of which were shuttles up and shreds down, more mud, more water soaking through your shoes, and smiles you can’t wipe off your face. The ladies of the trip had a van all to themselves and headed out for a ride all together. By the end, the high fives had continued at every stop with all the Yeti Freaks as we squeezed in every last mile and every foot of descent we could. With everyone thoroughly tired and countless memories made, what started the weekend as 5 vans full of people ended up down to 2 by the end. 

With Yeti Freaks coming from far and wide, the goodbyes were between hose-offs as we peeled off our mud-covered clothes, rinsed our bikes off enough to get into the travel cases, and cleaned the mud out of our ears. And just like that the weekend came to an end. The Yeti crew cleaned up the venue and then sat back for some much-needed parking lot beers and Dairy Queen Blizzards.  

Another Gathering in the books, and while we might say this after every one of them, this year's Gathering in Oakridge was one for the books. Maybe the words don't do it justice, but trust us, if we ever bring back Gathering to this special place in Oregon, it's not one you want to miss. 

Huge thanks to all of our partners who help make Gatherings happen - H+I Adventures, Trans Cascadia Excursions, The Westfir Lodge, Lost Pig Cafe, Schwalbe Tires, Burgtec Bicycle Components, and to the Yeti Freaks who come out to these events. If it wasn't for you making the journey to come ride in places like this, we wouldn't be able to do it. So thank you.