Expedition Oregon: Pre-race Report
PHOTO: TEAMS PROVE WATER SAFETY SKILLS IN THE DESCHUTES RIVER
Expedition Oregon teams have been trickling into the LOGE Entrada hotel just outside of Bend, Oregon since Saturday. Today teams are completing gear checks, media check-ins, water safety, and the typical expedition pre-race activities. With a high of 60, this is supposed to be the coolest day of the race. By Saturday, it should reach a high of 82 degrees F.
At 530AM tomorrow morning (Thursday, May 31) teams will be bussed from LOGE Entrada to the start line, which is still currently an undisclosed location. The race officially begins at 8AM.
The event will see teams racing amidst some of the world's most stunning snow-laden mountains, cascading hidden waterfalls, frosty alpine lakes, and ancient lava fields. Covering just about 200 miles, the 85-hour course has eight stages.
Stage 1 involves a 16-mile trek sponsored by Leki with an elevation gain of 3,500 feet and loss of 4,200 feet. It should take teams 5.5 to 9 hours to complete this stage.
Stage 2 is a 20-mile paddle and trek leg sponsored by Alpacka Raft. This leg will take teams 4.5 to 7 hours and see them covering 500 feet of elevation gain and 1300 feet of elevation loss.
Teams will see 10,000 feet of elevation gain and 6,500 feet of elevation loss in the 10 to 16 hour, 30-mile mountain bike and climb Stage 3 sponsored by Edelrid.
The 11-mile Nite Ize sponsored Stage 4 trek sees teams covering a 3,000 ft elevation gain and 4,000 ft elevation loss in 7 to 11 hours.
The 12-mile, 2 to 3-hour Mountain Khaki mountain biking Stage 5 covers 2,700 ft elevation gain and 1200 ft elevation loss.
Stage 6 is a 7-mile, 3 to 5-hour Gear Junkie orienteering leg that will have teams covering 1,200 feet of elevation gain and loss.
The Ellsworth sponsored 85-mile Stage 7 mountain bike and climbing stage will take teams 12 to 20 hours with an elevation gain of 8,000 feet and loss of 9,000 feet.
The final stage, sponsored by Bend Racing, is a 10-mile packraft, mountain bike, and trek that has teams covering 700 feet of elevation gain and 800 feet of loss in 2 to 3 hours before rounding out at finish line at the LOGE Entrada hotel.
The winning racers will be coming in on Saturday as early as 5AM or as late at 3PM. The majority of the teams will be coming in throughout the day on Saturday, with the back of the pack coming in on Sunday. The finish line cutoff is 5PM on Sunday. At the finish lines, teams will find a hot tub, Deschutes Brewery Beer, Red Tank Cider, Caboost Kombucha, food, and more.
Follow the race live here.
