Report for July 15-17, 2024

When searching the Pacific Northwest for a bike camp for my two oldest boys, there were plenty of options. One of the top camps recommended was the Gravity Bike Camps at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. I looked into it further, and it met all my criteria. It was within driving distance, and the dates fit perfectly with our busy summer schedule.

The Gravity Bike Camps are for beginner to advanced mountain bikers ages 8-15. We signed up for the three-day camp, but Mt. Bachelor also offers two-day camps. Combining both for a five-day full-week camp is also an option.

We arrived on the first day anxious to get started. The first order of business was meeting the coaches, going over a bike check, maintenance, and safety, and going over technical skills and drills to put into practice on the trails. This was done every morning.

Next, it was on to the Skill Development Area (Skills Park), where the coaches had the campers do laps on various jumps, drops, and features to assess their skill level. My boys were placed in the intermediate group with three other kids. With two coaches for five campers, it was a great ratio for them to receive personal instruction.

From there, it was on to the Little Pine lift to start riding. Mt. Bachelor has two lifts that serve mountain bikers, with Little Pine being the beginner chair with a vertical rise of 257 feet. Although I wasn’t technically a camper, I was able to tag along at a distance to observe. We started the day with laps on Swizzle Stick, Lower Lava Flow, and Blade Runner and ended in the Skills Park.

After the warm-up, it was on to the Pine Marten chair, with a vertical rise of 1,360 feet, for some big mountain downhill riding. As we rode, the coaches would take turns following different campers to assess the skill and offer instruction.

There was not necessarily a set list of skill items to teach, but all riders were observed individually to give personalized tips to improve. There were various pull-out spots on all the runs where the group would stop, rest, and receive more instruction or be quizzed on various mountain biking topics.

The trails varied between freeride and technical, and some of the favorites were upper Lava Flow, Hanger, Cone Run, and Rattlesnake. Unfortunately, since it was only the second week of camp, some trails were still closed due to snow cover or additional maintenance.

For lunch, it was tradition to ride the lift to the top and eat at the Pine Marten Lodge mid-mountain. From here, you have amazing views of the surrounding Cascade Mountains. Campers could buy lunch or pack their own.

After lunch, we spent more time on the trails, gaining mileage, receiving tips, and improving. After each day, my boys were anxious to come back the next day to do it again. All three days followed the same basic schedule.

For the last two days of camp, I was able to break away from the group to ride the park by myself and some of the cross-country trails outside the park. Central Oregon has over nine hundred miles of singletrack trails, so the possibilities are endless. I was also able to settle into the lodge with my laptop to get a little bit of work done.

On the last day of camp, there was a rumor that professional mountain biker and Bend native Carson Storch was at the bike park that day. My boys were determined to meet him as Storch regularly appears on the cover of Bike magazine, has worked on several film projects, and recently took third place at the 2023 Red Bull Rampage, mountain biking’s premier big mountain freeride event. Luckily for them, they were able to find him. They both got his autograph, one on his helmet and the other on his bike fender. They were stoked.

It was warm and sunny all three days. Since the base of Mt. Bachelor sits at an elevation of 6,300, it felt 10-15 degrees cooler than it was in the town of Bend, which saw highs in the 90s. At mid-mountain, it was easily 15-20 degrees cooler. Thankfully, at the end of the day, our lodging at Mt. Bachelor Village had a pool to cool off in.

When I asked my boys if they became better mountain bikers over the week, they answered quickly with an astounding “Yes!” I guess it would be hard not to get better when you spend that much time on the bike, get a ton of mileage, and receive expert coaching.

I could see the improvement and witnessed their confidence growing as they conquered some of the bigger drops and more technical lines on the mountain. Before we even left, they talked about returning next year.

There were no injuries, zero flat tires, and tons of smiles. Thanks Mt. Bachelor, maybe we will have to come back.

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