Mountain bikers compete in the High Cascades 100 race in July 2024. (Submitted photo)

A Central Oregon midsummer tradition for the past 16 years, the High Cascades 100-mile mountain bike race returns to Bend on Saturday.

About 350 riders will take on a course of singletrack trails and dirts roads west of Bend, with the start and finish at the Athletic Club of Bend.

The course features more than 8,300 feet of climbing and several aid stations along the way.

“Just still a very quintessential Bend event, as far as a hundred-miler,” said Mike Ripley, race organizer and owner of Mudslinger Events. “It’s kind of people’s peak of the season. This is where they love their mountain bike and they do well, or they do well until 70 miles and fall apart, one of the two.”

Founded in 2009, the High Cascades is part of the National Ultra Endurance Race Series, which includes 100-mile mountain bike races across the United States through October.

The High Cascades features top pros and elites, as well as recreational riders who seek the accomplishment of riding 100 miles.

According to Ripley, 89% of riders finish the race. He said that often the hardest part for participants is acclimation to the high desert for out-of-towners and hydration.

“Usually when people don’t finish it’s either mechanical, stomach issues, or that altitude hits them, even though it’s only 4,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation,” Ripley said. “We’re proud of the fact that we have such good aid stations, that people don’t really have to show up with anything but their bike and a water bottle. We provide a drop-bag service and mechanical support, so that’s a big part of it.”

The entire men’s podium (top three) from last year’s race is returning on Saturday, including winner Matthew Bird, of Adelaide, Australia, second-place Stefano Barberi, of Reno, Nev., and third-place Landon Farnworth, of Redmond. For the women, second-place Chloe Spritz, of Portland, returns, as well as third-place Kjersti Gedde, of Carbondale, Colo.

Ripley said the course is never exactly the same, although it utilizes many of the same trails each year. Most of the course is in the Wanoga complex south of Century Drive, with a few trails north of Century.

According to Ripley, the High Cascades does not have a lot of elevation gain compared with other 100-mile mountain bike races.

“I did a 100-miler with 17,000 feet of climbing in Wyoming,” he said. “That’s hard. What makes High Cascades hard, is you have to focus on all the singletrack. The cumulative bumps you feel in this race makes it mentally tough, and rewarding.”

Aid stations will be positioned about every 20 miles or so along the course.

The majority of the participants are intermediate riders who simply crave the experience of riding 100 miles on mostly singletrack.

“We did a survey one time,” Ripley said. “About 65% of the people consider themselves intermediate or sport level riders. They don’t race any other race. They’re just racing to ride their bike and meet their friends in Bend, Oregon, for a good day on their bike. And just to say they rode 100 miles. I’m just appreciative of everybody in the Bend community who supports living the dream of one day on Bend singletrack.”

For more information on the High Cascades 100, visit mudslingerevents.com/high-cascades-100.