The Mt. St. Helens Backcountry is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Southwest Washington State and is one of the most remote regions in the Washington Cascade Mountain Range. Highly unlikely you’ll see a fellow mountain biker in this area, buried deep in woods, you’ll be entering an area left dormant for years and recently re-opened and full of endless backcountry single-track. You’ll be riding within the 1980 Mt St Helens Blast zone, you’ll still find remnants of the historic blast that blew 1,300’ off the top and absolutely desecrated the surrounding environment for decades. We’re lucky to be riding here, as there is limited access to this area and a short window to ride. On this ride, expect huge views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier and some intensely demanding singletrack.
Difficulty
Distance (per day)
Ascent: 3,500’
Decent: 5,000’
Estimated Mileage: 20 Miles
We adjust our rides based on group dynamics, in some cases we split into groups. We make sure everyone gets what they want out of their day.
3 Day Trip Includes:
- Professionally guided tour of remote single track
- Shuttles and Transportation
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner prepared by personal chef
- Tent and Sleeping Pad
- CLIF Bar Trail Snacks
- Beer, Cocktails, Wine, Lacroix and other tasty beverages
- Campfires
- Hot Showers
MSR Tent with Sleeping Pad
We supply you with a two person MSR tent and Thermarest camping pad. Campground fees included. Van/RV Glamping welcomed. You’ll still need to bring a sleeping bag rated for below freezing and your pillow.
Canvas Tent with Full Size Bed
For those who want hotel amenities in the backcountry. Your tent comes fully furnished with a full size bed with a memory foam mattress, a nightstand, personal lighting and your own little room to get away. We require a minimum of 6 to make this work and the upgrade is $1000 per person.
Food and Drinks
We partner with a number of Oregon’s Top Chefs to provide you with an incredible culinary experience throughout your trip. Carnivorous , Vegetarian and Vegan menus are available. Each morning you’ll wake up to a hot or cold breakfast of your choice. Lunch and Snacks are prepared for you to take on your ride each day. After a good day of riding the bike, we’ll sit down by the table to eat a well prepared meal with each other. The menu also includes beer, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages to quench your thirst. We want to get this right, so please let us know what you’d like to see so we can make it happen.
Sample Menu
Breakfast
Coffee and Tea
Cold: Yogurt, Assorted Fruit, Granola
Hot: Eggs, Bacon, Pancakes, Fruit
Lunch
Sandwiches, Cookies, Snacks, Fruit
Dinner
Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, sides and desert. This is a collaborative menu, so if anyone in your group has eating preferences, make sure we know about them so we can accommodate.
Need a ride from Portland?
Shuttle Departs: 7AM on Friday
Shuttle Location: Meet at 5830 N Commercial Ave at 6:45 AM. You’ll be leaving your car in a safe, NE Portland neighborhood. To be safe, we recommend you leave your car empty of valuables while you’re on your trip.
Cascade Locks
Meet at the parking lot next to the Bridge of the Gods at 8:00 AM, shuttle Leaves promptly at 8:15AM
Randle, WA
Saturday 38°FSunday 40°FMonday 40°FTuesday 40°FWednesday 38°FOur History
With Mt. St. Helens
This was a huge project during the summer of 2018. Over 3000 hours of volunteer labor that uncovered 52 miles of newly logged out and brushed out backcountry singletrack. Our friends at Santa Cruz Bicycles come up at least once a year to attend a 4 day work party to help the cause and throw a shovel in the dirt. They wrote about their experience attending this year’s work party along with some great photos that highlight the area. Click here for the full details.
