Mckenzie river trail with one car

[chrishei1]

i am going to be riding the trail this July with my wife and trying to figure out how to get this done with one car i see cogwild dose shuttles but they are expensive and from Eugene we plan on camping in the area around the trail any suggestions?

[Sparticus]

i am going to be riding the trail this July with my wife and trying to figure out how to get this done with one car i see cogwild dose shuttles but they are expensive and from Eugene we plan on camping in the area around the trail any suggestions?

One car trick: park at the lower trailhead. Ride to the top, around Clear Lake. Then ride back down to your car. Done.

Camp at Paradise Campground (near lower TH) or Trailbridge Reservoir (midway) or at Coldwater Cove on Clear Lake (top).

--sParty

[poppa#1]

I will be doing an out and back this Friday.I prefer this over the "other" way.I have typically had a fine time camping at Paradise CG.

[poppa#1]

One car trick: park at the lower trailhead. Ride to the top, around Clear Lake. Then ride back down to your car. Done.

Camp at Paradise Campground (near lower TH) or Trailbridge Reservoir (midway) or at Coldwater Cove on Clear Lake (top).

--sParty

uhhhh...we agree! I was first though!

[bb12creek]

The advice from Sparty and Poppa obviously works if you are up for a 50+mile day. The lower bits of the MRT are pretty darn easy, but the 5 miles around Blue Pool gets fairly techy. If you guys are not looking for 50 miles of singletrack and want to see the trail and have a nice time I would suggest not doing the whole out and back unless you are used to spending 8+ hours in your saddle. I know plenty of folks that get whipped by riding the MRT as a shuttled affair.

If it is a weekend day you might be fine driving to the top, riding the trail, and hitching a ride with other bikers. Maybe not though. If only one of you is up for a longer day it only takes about 2 hours to ride the road back up to the top at a reasonable pace. Sort of a buzz kill though.

You might try posting here closer to your trip to see if anyone else planning on shuttling is in the same situation that you are.

[hydrogeek]

This guy is running a new shuttle service at MRT. I have never used his services so i can't vouch for him. http://mckenzierivertrail.com/index....FUgaQgodIEPCBw

[stunzeed]

I would also considering hitching a ride back up...there are many friendly bikers out there and plenty of people driving back up. Last year the shuttle wasnt running on sunday and the shuttle guy told us just to find a ride its easy...sure enough right when we got out of the trail..we barely had to ask and 5 minutes later had a ride back up

[juanmon]

I've hitched it several times. I was usually coming from Sisters, so i'd drop off bikes and riders at top, drive to the bottom, and get a ride within 15 minutes. Wear your helmet so you look like a biker. This way you already got the shuttle end covered and you can enjoy the ride.

[Sasquatch]

I've hitch hiked from the Ranger station a bunch of times. So long as you're wearing bike clothes, you'll probably get picked up pretty quick. You just want to time it right so that there is steady flow of cars heading over the pass. Friday afternoons are an ideal time.

Mckenzie Mtn Resort shuttles are a reasonable deal if you won't hitch a ride.

[DJ Giggity]

An out and back from trail bridge makes for a nice ride if you don't want to deal with hitching.

[shiggy]

An out and back from trail bridge makes for a nice ride if you don't want to deal with hitching.

Yup, camp there. Ride up and back one day, down and back the next.

[chrishei1]

thanks for all the tips looks like i will be hitching it or giving Mckenzie Mtn Resort shuttles a call. but will not be doing the whole 50 mile thing hell I'm training just to do it one direction let alone both ways lol. i am fine with hitching and had already been wondering if that was fairly common there but i have a feeling the wife will want to shuttle. thanks again and i will post a few days before we ride see if anyone else is headed out that way it will be some time between July 9-23

[Snake Muesl]

I just hitched a ride yesterday.

Unfortunately it was because I had to bail due to a broken frame.

I've also hitched a ride when keys were lost for the shuttle vehicle at the bottom (twice!--stubborn I guess).

The helmet tip is solid.



(I've also hitched intentionally.)

[DJ Giggity]

Unfortunately it was because I had to bail due to a broken frame.

I hope that wasn't your new bike. Bummed for you if it was.

[jaewannabe]

thanks for all the tips looks like i will be hitching it or giving Mckenzie Mtn Resort shuttles a call. but will not be doing the whole 50 mile thing hell I'm training just to do it one direction let alone both ways lol. i am fine with hitching and had already been wondering if that was fairly common there but i have a feeling the wife will want to shuttle. thanks again and i will post a few days before we ride see if anyone else is headed out that way it will be some time between July 9-23

I have used the Mckenzie Mtn resort shuttle twice, well worth the $25 a piece. the advantage of them over cog wild is they pick you up at the bottom so you can take your time back to the car. a group of us will be riding mrt the third week in july so post again maybe we can work something out.

[poppa#1]

Sorry about the bike Snake.Was it the new one?

[Sparticus]

Sorry about the bike Snake.Was it the new one?

I'll allay y'all's fears... Charlie's new bike isn't built yet.

--sParty

[Snake Muesl]

I'll allay y'all's fears... Charlie's new bike isn't built yet.

--sParty

True.

[TheotherH]

thanks again and i will post a few days before we ride see if anyone else is headed out that way it will be some time between July 9-23

A bunch of us micro-brew lovin' Canucks will be riding the MRT on July 18; you're welcome to join us.

[Sparticus]

A bunch of us micro-brew lovin' Canucks will be riding the MRT on July 18; you're welcome to join us.

Damn... that's the day after MBO -- and my vacation -- ends.

--sParty

[chrishei1]

might have to take you up on that TheotherH its always fun riding with a local i know i try to do the same when i see out of towners around here

[TheotherH]

Damn... that's the day after MBO -- and my vacation -- ends.

--sParty

That is a darn damn; you could get lost on the way home and be delayed a day
We are taking advantage of the fact that MRT is only about an hour away from Oakridge cause once we get back home, MRT is a heck of a lot further away.

[TheotherH]

might have to take you up on that TheotherH its always fun riding with a local...

We're "north of the 49th parallel" friendly locals . My SO and I have ridden MRT previously; the rest of our group will be newbs to this great trail.

[lil'stink]

Can always ride up the highway and back down the trail. Not as fun as an out and back all on the trail, but the highway climb is a pleasant way to warm up and start the ride

[shiggy]

A bunch of us micro-brew lovin' Canucks will be riding the MRT on July 18; you're welcome to join us.

I plan on joining you and will have a van to help with a self-shuttle.