MOUNTAIN BIKING
Imagine carving through massive berms, sending perfectly sculpted jumps, and finding your rhythm on high-speed flow trails that feel like a natural roller coaster. Skip the trail-map guesswork and let us lead you to the best rides of your life.
BIKING TRIPS
From the built environments of Post Canyon and Sandy Ridge to the classic singletrack of Falls Creek and lots in between, a week spent with GNAR in the Columbia Gorge is the premier mountain bike trip of the Pacific Northwest. This trip is geared toward intermediate and advanced riders who want a combination of stress-free fun and light-hearted instruction. We’ll guide you through the best segments of each trail system efficiently and run some shuttle laps for you if that’s what you’re after. Along the way, we’ll give you as many pointers as you want and help you conquer any specific skills you tell us about. Our goal is for you to improve your riding while having a ton of fun, and for this to not feel like a classroom environment- this isn’t a “clinic”. The GNAR facility features its very own jump track, with four sizable but safe tabletops, for you to
practice your jumps as much as you’d like with as much input from us as you’d like.
A week of riding is A LOT. We’ve got you covered for recovery and rest days too! Your trip includes two spa sessions with saunas and hot tubs, and you’re welcome use our vehicles or your own on an off day to explore the rest of what the Gorge has to offer. The Retreat is less than 1 minute from the White Salmon River, a world-famous whitewater rafting destination, and there are tons of hikes and even wind sports to get into here.
WHY GO WITH GNAR?
Local Beta: We know exactly which trails are riding best in current conditions, how to link trails efficiently, and can judge time and distance appropriately for your group’s fitness and ability level.
Feature Progression: Want to clear that first tabletop? We offer “on-the-trail” coaching to help you conquer new obstacles safely.
Concierge Logistics: We source high-end full-suspension bikes based on your requests, we’re happy to shuttle you, and happy to go big or take it easy on any given day.
WHO IS THIS TRIP FOR?
This trip is for seasoned, but not elite, riders. This makes the trip ideal for most riders of all ages who have at least a couple years of experience. This includes kids 12 and older. You should be in pretty good shape, and we’d define that as being able to climb 1500 feet in elevation over the course of a couple hours. It’s OK if you struggle through that and take breaks, so long as you’re confident that you will make it without a lot of walking. Our goal is to be inclusive and supportive, without having the majority of the group waiting around for 30 minutes at the top of a climb. If you’re super fit and don’t mind waiting, we’re happy to have you, but we generally will not be separating into “fast” and “slow” groups. If you feel like you’re “slow on the downhill”, don’t let that stop you from coming. The truth is that the fastest and slowest riders can’t really get separated by more than about 5 minutes on our local downhills, which just isn’t a big deal. If you’re so impatient that a 5 minute wait would bother you, this trip probably isn’t for you. Group comradery is one of the best parts of this experience for all types of riders.
MOUNTAIN Biking Packages
BIKING TRIPS INCLUDE
- 7 biking days, Saturday-Friday
- Airport pickup and drop off at PDX International Airport1
- 7 nights lodging2
- Trail guide
- Transportation3
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner4
- Two spa sessions5
- Unlimited side quests - see and do as much as you can stand
OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
- Bike rental. $125/day. We have access to a fleet of current-model, major-brand bikes. Check what's available here.
- Private Lodging. $400/week/person or couple. We have two separate units each with a kitchen, bathroom and queen bed.
- Timberline Bike Park Downhill Day. $50/day How 'bout some lift-assisted downhill in a feature-rich environment?
- Whitewater Rafting. $ 90/person A half-day rafting trip on the White Salmon River is unforgettable and would be a great way to spend a day off your bike. Check out our partners at Wet Planet, walking distance from the Retreat.
A DAY AT GNARLY NATE'S
RISE AND GNAR
Depending on the temperature forecast, we sometimes opt to get a pretty early start and avoid the mid-day heat. We’ll discuss the day’s plan and fuel up our bodies. Depending on the agenda, we’ll either pack our lunches before we go, or plan to take a break at local eatery for lunch.
GNAR ALL DAY
We can structure the day however you want, and have multiple riding sessions if that’s what the group decides. We’ll work it out so that not everyone has to keep riding if they want to bail or join mid-day. There’s over 100 of miles of trails to sample in the Gorge, and each riding area has a different vibe. We can also spend some time at one of the skills areas, such as Family Man, and lap some jumps lines and practice skinnies.
POST GNAR
Your trip is all-inclusive*, and we will dine together at a local restaurant of the group’s choice each night. Your package also includes two spa visits, with hot tubs and saunas, for some intermittent recovery throughout your trip. After dinner, we’ll return to the Retreat, where you can have some beers and talk about that jump you cleared, play games, try out the Retreat’s own jump track, or pass out.
E-bike policies
THE SHORT ANSWER:
No e-bikes allowed. We just can't effectively co-mingle analog riders and e-bike riders. The pace is just too different.
WEATHER IN THE GORGE
We operate biking trips in the Summer and Fall. In the Summer, you’re almost guaranteed that it doesn’t rain, and most days will be in the 80’s. We do tend to get one or two heat waves each summer that push into the high 90’s. If that happens during your trip, we’ll structure the day so that we’re not riding in the peak of the heat. We can also seek out shade and higher elevation, head to Timberline Bike Park that day, or that might be a great day to book a river trip. Swimsuits are mandatory in the Summer! You won’t believe the swimming holes!
The Fall is a wonderful time to ride in the Gorge and the PNW in general. It’s still very unlikely to rain, temps will have moderated quite a bit, and the days are still long. Expect sunny 70+ degree days and nights in the 50’s. The trails tend to be less crowded once the school year starts, and town is less crowded because the wind has died and all those pesky wind sports folks have taken their Sprinter vans to Mexico.