Course Detail

We’re getting a number of questions about the course so I will be detailing each of the RAO climbs over the next few days.

Start to Bennett Pass The first hill – Buxton Road – is about 1/4 mile of 12% grade. As you turn right onto the Buxton Wall we yell “Go!” and the race is on. The next 8 miles are made up of a number of steep, winding rollers (one of which is about a half mile long and particularly nasty) leading to the gradual descent into Boring (isn’t that a great name for a town?). Hwy 26 does a gradual uphill to the town of Sandy followed by a long down. You’ll then begin a rolling climb through the communities of Wemme, Welches & Zig Zag. 26 begins the first sustained climb of the race as you enter Rhododendron. The road surface is excellent. It doesn’t feel like it, but you’ve actually been gaining elevation since Boring. However, you will definitely know you’re climbing by the time you exit Rhodie. Hwy 26 maintains a steady 6% to the top at Government Camp (so named because this is where the WPA workers stayed when they were building Timberline Lodge). The top? What am I saying? This is a TRIPLE summit climb. The hill crest at Government Camp is elevation 3,990 feet. Try to ignore the “Timberline Road” signs because, if you look to the left, you’ll notice the base of Timberline Road looks all too much like Buxton… Enjoy the two mile downhill as you’ll be climbing it the next day. You’ll begin climbing the second Mt. Hood summit Barlow Pass as soon as you take the hwy 35 on ramp. Hwy 35 is like entering a different world. Traffic will fall to less than 1/4th of what you’ve seen on 26. After the steady climb to Barlow the road turns into a long stretch of false flat which, if the weather’s clear, will provide you with a spectacular view of Mt. Hood’s summit. You’ll ride a nice downhill to the White River and immediately begin the 1 1/2 miles of 6% to the summit of Bennett elevation 4,647 feet.

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