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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 2021)
The BulleTin • Friday, June 4, 2021 B9 Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin A mountain biker rides along a section of Skyliner Trail on Wednesday. Tumalo Ridge-Skyliners Loop Biking Continued from B1 The trail soon thereafter transitioned to a downhill stretch as the trees gave way to thick manzanita. Mount Bachelor and Tumalo Moun- tain came into view to the west, as did Broken Top and South Sister, their snowy flanks con- trasting brilliantly with the bright blue sky. More climbing was to come, and the trail eventually turned into rocky doubletrack wind- ing up to the Swede Ridge Shelter. I began climbing, and along the way, I looked to the right and saw Tumalo Falls from a mile away: an interest- ing view of the popular falls, revealing the enormity of the surrounding forest. The doubletrack climb was relatively challenging as it just seemed to keep going. The climb is a bit longer and more gradual than the climb up Tumalo Ridge. I had to stop and walk in some places, but I finally reached Swede Ridge Shelter after about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. I took a break at the shelter, located at about 6,000 feet with more dramatic views of Broken Top and South Sister. The shelter is there primar- ily for cross-country skiers to warm themselves inside during the winter, but it also serves as a pit stop for trail-weary moun- tain bikers in summer and fall. From the Swede Ridge Shel- ter, mountain bikers have a TOP PICKS few options. They can take the Swede Ridge Trail west, then descend the South Fork and Tumalo Creek trails back to Skyliner Sno-park. According to bendtrails.org, South Fork is now clear of trees with only a couple of small snow patches. Another option is to head east on the Sector 16, Upper Whoops and Skyliner trails back to Skyliner sno-park. Because South Fork still had significant snow last week, I turned onto the Sector 16 Trail, a rolling, twisting downhill stretch with numerous sharp turns deep in the trees. The trail eventually con- nected to Upper Whoops, a fast descent that includes some bermed corners and small jumps. But that section does WHERE TO EXPLORE High Desert hot spots C ove Palisades State Park — In the middle of High Desert plateaus of sagebrush, the Crooked, Deschutes and Metolius rivers meet and form Lake Billy Chinook. Dammed in 1964, the long arms of the lake are great escapes from the summer heat for fishing, water skiing or just floating the day away. If you decide to fish the Metolius Arm, you’ll need a tribal angling permit from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Because the area is a state park, $5 day-use permits are required or a year pass is accepted. Redmond Caves — Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the caves on the south end of Redmond are close enough and short enough to explore in just a few hours. The five lava caves near the Redmond airport formed from the Newberry Caldera over 60 miles south and have been used for over 6,000 years to Native Americans and now, day explorers. Great for escaping the summer heat, make sure you bring at least three light sources, water, sturdy shoes and watch for rattlesnakes. Willow Creek Canyon Trail — Just west of Madras under the train trestle bridge is the trailhead for the 6 mile one-way trail that connects to Lake Simtustus. Following its namesake of Willow Creek the trail follows old railroad grades and dips through rock cuts that make for nice climbing opportunities as well as some stunning High Desert topography. Bring plenty of water as the dusty trail can get very hot. not include the more massive jumps and features of Lower Whoops, so Upper Whoops is more approachable for the av- erage mountain biker. (Lower Whoops is currently closed on weekdays due to a U.S. Forest Service thinning project. It is open from 3 p.m. on Fridays until sunset on Sundays.) From the bottom of Upper Whoops, I connected to the Skyliners Trail to finish the ride. The cross-country route led me 4 miles back to Skyliner Sno-park. This loop can also be rid- Directions: Head 10 miles west of Bend on Skyliners Road to Skyliner Sno-park on the left. Distance: 13.5 miles, two to three hours. Elevation gain: 1,400 feet. Trail features: Challenging climbs and fast descents along single- track, with numerous mountain views along the way. Rating: Technically intermediate and aerobically strenuous. Season: Late spring through fall. den in the opposite direction, starting up the Skyliners Trail and finishing with a descent of Tumalo Ridge. The 13.5-mile ride took a lit- tle more than two hours, with about 1,400 feet of climbing. It was a challenging but not over- whelming loop, one of many options for mountain bikers as the snow disappears in the Central Oregon high country. e e Reporter: 541-383-0318, mmorical@bendbulletin.com
