ExplOregon Ride 7: McKenzie Pass

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It may have been a long layoff, but ExplOregon reawakened in a big way with the epic climb in the Cascades along Highway 242. I have wanted to do this ride for so very long, but it seemed like life had gotten in the way the past few months. Last weekend, however, I got the urge to ride again and I made the climb to the top of the Cascades.

Originally carved as a wagon route, Highway 242 is a windy and narrow road that traverses the central Cascades. Starting just east of McKenzie Bridge off of Highway 126, the road climbs nearly 4,000 vertical feet to the summit of McKenzie Pass. It descends sharply downward to meet up with Highway 126 in the cozy western town of Sisters. Normally closed nine months out of the year, the road had thirty foot snow drifts up on the summit. The road itself didn't even open for vehicular traffic until July 15 because of the deep snow.

The East Portal of Highway 242 in Sisters

 Residing at an elevation of around 3,000 feet, Sisters is a quaint town at the foot of the Cascades. It has been redeveloped to look and feel like an old-western town with period style buildings and rough-and-tumble saloons. It is a major tourist trap that offers weary outsiders lots of window shopping opportunities. My girlfriend and I drove here to start the ride. While I made my way up to the summit, she would shop, grab us some lunch and meet me at the top. We would eat lunch at the top and then she would pick me up back on the other side.

Getting ready to go

Taking advantage of the brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures, I headed due west on 242 through thick lodgepole and ponderosa pine forests. These hearty trees were interspersed with mesquite plants and sagebrush. The isolation I felt headed out of town was a little intimidating knowing that this really is what most people think of as the "West." After about nine miles of straightness with a gradual climb, I started to climb.

Ranchland west of Sisters with the North and Middle Sisters

Just past the snow gates, Highway 242 begins it's climb towards the summit of McKenzie Pass. As I slowly made my way up the mountain, the vegetation changed from ponderosa and sagebrush to mountain lupine and Douglas Fir.

As the switchbacks added up, my body started to agonize. This was my first ride at altitude and a month of just back-and-forth rides to Eugene were not adequate preparation. As I labored, my breath became short, my legs burned, and I started to have a painful headache. I knew that altitude sickness was oncoming if I didn't pace myself better. I focused on my pedaling rhythm and breathing cadence to conserve my oxygen and energy.

After about five miles of climbing, I burst out into a massive sea of lava at Windy Point. Formed by the eruption of Belknap Crater, this sea of lava dominates the top of McKenzie Pass. It was at this point where the scenery became the antidote for my bodily pain. From my single stationary spot, I could clearly see Mt. Washington, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood, the Three Sisters, Three-Fingered Jack and Belknap Crater. If I still had oxygen after that long climb, the view would have taken it away.The road brought me so close to these massive peaks that I really sensed I could reach out and touch their tops. It was absolutely incredible.

I was still about three miles from the top of the mountain, and I knew that these would be the hardest section of the entire ride. Flanked by massive walls of lava rock, I labored the last climb almost to exhaustion. When I finally reached the summit, I threw out a little fist bump and a huge smile. I had conquered a ride that taxed me emotionally, psychologically and physically. I had also seem the quintessential Oregon that I had always wanted to see. My girlfriend took a picture of me about 50 yards from the top, and I looked worn out and exhausted, but my smile and elation at accomplishment was clearly evident.

The Summit of McKenzie Pass

At the top of McKenzie Pass sits the Dee Wright Observatory. This structure, built during the 1930's entirely out of lava rock, offers the visitor a 360 degree view of the surrounding vista. The views of the Cascades is outstanding. We climbed to the top and gazed out on the miles of lava fields and the towering mountains. It made the long climb up well worth it.

The Dee Wright Observatory

From L to R: The North Sister, Middle Sister and Little Brother

From L to R: Mt. Washington and Mt. Jefferson

Then the down hill. 4,000 feet of pure downward road gave me a literal 11-mile roller coaster. I hardly pedaled at all during my descent and I was going so fast that I was easily keeping up with the cars that had passed me on the way up. The exhilaration of flying fast down the hill and navigating sharp curves and switchbacks on a bike is a rush. Unfortunately, as soon as it started, the joy ride came to an end as I rolled to a stop at Highway 126.

In a weird ironic turn of events, my girlfriend and I decided to head over to the nearby Belknap Hot Springs after my ride. If it weren't eighty degrees outside, I would have been thrilled at soaking in a hot springs after a ride like that, but on a day like that, it made my condition worse. I soaked for about an hour, but I did not drink nearly enough water to keep up with the extreme temperatures and the preceding work of the bike ride. I got home, drank a huge glass of cold water and took a nap.

This ride was an incredible experience. I am so happy that I undertook this challenge and conquered a mountain. I saw the best Oregon had to offer in a way that not many people have done.


ExplOregon by Bike Ride 7: McKenzie Pass Summary
Total Miles for Ride-36.4
Total Time on Bike- 3 hours
Weather-Mid 80's with Clear Skies
Miles Traveled Overall in ExplOregon-372
Time Spent on Bike Overall- 31.5 hours