Emmy Andrews, executive director of Central Oregon Trail Alliance, out for a fat bike ride on Ticket to Ride.

The snow is here in Central Oregon, and fat bikers are rejoicing.

On weekends, it looks like a fat bike parade on Tumalo Falls Road, riders en route to take selfies at the falls, and before the snow melts to mud, fat bikers are at play on lower Phil’s trails. With a bit more snowfall to build up a base, the Central Oregon Trail Alliance grooming team will get the Wanoga Fat Bike trails open.

One of my favorite places to fat bike that may not be on your radar is Ticket to Ride, from the Deschutes National Forest Visitor Center. This area generally holds snow all winter but does not get big accumulations. With under 3 inches of fresh snow, the trail can be packed down by an adventurous and hardy rider.

Once packed by a few bikes, the single track is perfect for riding. When more than 3 inches of snow falls, riders have to wait a few days for the snow to compact to be rideable or snowshoers can pack it in. There is a growing number of fat bike enthusiasts who have been packing Ticket to Ride making it rideable all winter.

Ticket to Ride is not steep, so riders rarely have to walk uphill in low-traction snow. With few large open areas or much southerly exposed terrain the snow on Ticket to Ride resists turning to mashed potatoes and then freezing into an ice rink. There are plenty of tight turns around trees and small up and overs to make fat biking this trail exciting and different from other fat biking options in the area.

To have the best experience fat biking Ticket to Ride, check the weather. Wait several days after big snow dumps. When there are freeze-thaw cycles, the trail may be rutted ice, which is no fun to ride. If the snow is soft and you are leaving tracks in the trail, riding will be slow and arduous. Don’t fret if you show up and conditions are not favorable. You can drive up the road to Wanoga Fat Bike Park and still have a great day on your fat bike.