The idea for this route was to take the best parts of the Oregon 6 Passes SR600 route but make it doable in 40 hours, allowing it to meet the new 8k600 standard for the R10000 award. That means it has to have at least 8,000 m (26,246 ft) of climbing. We knew it had to have a few critical features: Lolo Pass, Tygh Ridge, Timberline Lodge. The question was where to find the flat-ish miles. The solution we landed on was two stretches out in the desert: one through the rolling hills east of the Dalles, and the other an out-and-back on “Bakeoven Road” to the ghost town of Shaniko.
The elevation and time constraints make for a hard route, but with some of the most awe-inspiring terrain in NW Oregon. You get the city, west slope Douglas Fir forest, east slope Ponderosa Pine forest, sub-alpine forest, and sagebrush steppe. You get a ghost town at midnight, a 1930s Works Progress Administration lodge, a historic trail along the cliffs of an immense river gorge, the wild Deschutes River at dusk; and of course, some of the best climbing around.
The supported overnight is in Maupin, allowing you to do the out-and-back on either side of sleep. We have two rooms at the Oasis Cabin Resort. Sign up here or reserve your own.
Services are very sparse on this route and hours can be erratic. Carry three bottles or a filter. There is no cell service for much of the route. Be prepared to bail yourself out if needed. A Spot or Garmin InReach are advised..
Registration open until midnight 7/9/25.
Email to follow on 7/10/25 with waiver and cue sheet.