MTB Oakridge: Alpine

Central Oregon is in the 'between' season right now...between snowmelt and riding season.  There is snow up in the high country and the melt for the lower elevations has started.  This leaves the riding conditions as a bit of an unknown in some spots...and altogether non-rideable in most spots.

I got a bit of a wild hair on Saturday and decided to head down to Oakridge.  The shop told me that conditions were good below 3,000 ft and there was plenty to ride....game on!

It was a nice pleasant drive down and I made way down to the bottom of Alpine and decided to head up the forest service road for a good old fashioned climb.  As the shop mentioned, it was clear until you hit around 3,000 ft...3,200 to be exact.  This meant no access to the top of alpine and the last couple thousand feet of elevation gain would just have to wait until temps melted the remaining snow.

I took the roads up to the Buckhead shelter and then dropped into Alpine heading back.  The trail was in very early season shape - a couple of down trees and lots of twigs and leaves on the trail.  It made for an interesting descent as I kept thinking about my last serious wipeout where I lost traction on a trail when I tried to brake and the tires skidded thanks to the vegetation on the trail - let's just say I did the full on superman pose.  I was able to avoid that scenario and made it down unscathed...good times!