Bikepacking Overnight: McKenzie Pass

The other day, I realized that it has been nine months since my beloved Agent Orange Troll and I have gone camping together.  Granted, those were a whirlwind nine months of road trips, hiking, whitewater rafting, moving to Bend, getting settled into a new job, and everything in between, but really, nine months!?!  After getting news that the McKenzie Pass, a winding scenic byway that weaves across the Cascade mountains, would stay closed to cars for a few extra weeks, I decided it was time for a bikepacking overnight trip.

In the short time I've lived in Bend, I've managed to find a few other cycling crazies, including my buddy Ryan who biked across the U.S. last summer.  We agreed that we would take it easy and start in Sisters and bike 40 miles over the McKenzie Pass to the Belknap hot springs, which has a full service campground, lodge, and even a small restaurant.  In the spirit of bike touring, we carried all our own food and camp gear.  The weather cooperated beautifully and we had a blast shaking out the bike touring cobwebs.

The new ultra lightweight set-up worked beautifully, thanks to the new Revelate Designs seat bag I gave myself as a birthday present in November.

Silliness on top of the Dee Wright Observatory at the summit.  Ryan's dad is pictured in the bright yellow jacket, wondering what the heck I am doing.

Cycling the McKenzie Pass is a right of passage for all cyclists in Oregon.  While most folks will ride the pass as a day trip, either as a short climb to the summit for amazing views, or as an epic training ride all the way to the other side and back again, only a few crazies bike the pass as a bike tour.  Those crazies are people like Ryan and me or people following the Adventure Cycling Association TransAm maps.  However, we were able to wrangle a small entourage to accompany us to the summit, including Ryan's dad and my friend Jacob.

Thug life.

Jacob and Ryan's dad bid us farewell a short ways after the summit, and Ryan and I zoomed down the other side of the pass stopping only for a quick hike out to Proxy Falls.

Luckily, finding parking at the trailhead was not a problem.

Glad we both had packed sandals as this hike would have been terrible in cycling shoes.

The other side of the mountains is painted in prehistoric green... our own little jungle.

We made it to the Belknap hot springs in record time, so we set up camp, took a quick dip in the hot springs, took a nap in the late afternoon sun, and then rallied to make a beer run.  A very long beer run.  After which we drank said beer and scarfed down dinner.  And then went for an evening soak in the hot springs.  Life is hard.

Post 10-mile beer run relaxation at camp.

The next morning, we got an early start because we knew there would be twice as much climbing on the way back.  Four hours later, we finally made it back to the summit, exhausted, but determined to come back next year and do the whole thing again, only next time, all the way from Bend.

Final glamour shot with the Sisters.  I love these mountains.

A few travel notes for cyclists:

• Sisters Middle School is a great place to park to do this ride as a day trip or as a bikepacking overnight trip.

• The Belknap hot springs does take reservations, but at this time of year, it is relatively empty unless it is a holiday weekend.  If you make a reservation on the weekend, they require a two night stay, but if you just show up, there is no minimum stay requirement.  You can see how much of the campground is booked up on their website at http://www.belknaphotsprings.com/. 

• For those not in the know, the lodge at the hot springs does not sell beer, and the closest store is at the McKenzie bridge, about 5 miles down the road on the left hand side of the street.