Third annual motocross race begins Saturday
Courtesy photo The motocycle staging area on Silver Mountain during last years’ Extreme Challenge event. This year’s event is set to be bigger than ever.
KELLOGG — For the third year in a row, Stix and Stones Off Road will be hosting the Silver Mountain Extreme Challenge — a hard enduro-type motorcycle event over Father’s Day weekend.
This event is very unique and one of the only events of its type in the Pacific Northwest, but Stix and Stones owner Greg Ragsdale believes that the terrain that Silver Mountain offers is too good to not hold events like this.
“The terrain on the mountain; it is quite steep, hilly, rocky and thickly treed,” he said. “The course is very technical, but also very rideable. Speed is not the objective in this event. Consistency and slow and steady are your friends here.”
Ragsdale has been hard at work getting the third edition of this event ready, especially considering that there are very specific restrictions that come with getting a course like this ready.
“We are not able to utilize the already-cut mountain bike trails; so we have spent countless hours crafting the custom cut course by hand using pickaxes, shovels, machetes and chainsaws,” Ragsdale said. “At this point, we have over 15 miles cut out for race course on the mountain, with some of the course accessing Kellogg Peak and Wardner Peak as well.”
It is projected that the event should draw riders of all ages from all across the Western United States — much like its previous years.
“We have participants signed up from all over the West including Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, California, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Washington,” Ragsdale said. “There are classes for all ages and types of riders, from expert and pro, as well as a women’s division.”
Ragsdale is also excited to announce some new additions to this year’s event that should make for an even more enjoyable spectating experience.
“New this year at the base of chair one is a spectator area with man-made obstacles, including one we have dubbed ‘The Teeter Terror,’” he said. “There will be a beer garden provided by Radio Brewing located there as well. It should be a fun spot for people to watch the action.”
Before the races begin, the bikes will leave the Gondola Village parking lot at 10 a.m. on both today and Sunday mornings in an organized parade through Kellogg and up to the lodge at the top of the mountain.
The starting line will be at the base of a ski run just below the lodge and the races will begin at 11:15 a.m. on both days.
After the race ends, bikes will be led parade-style back to the parking lot, with an awards ceremony to follow in Noah’s Loft at 6 p.m.
Spectators can access the mountain via the gondola and use chairlifts one and two to move about and view different sections of the course.
More information can be found, including an event schedule can be found on Stix and Stones’ website under the EVENTS tab at www.stixstonesoffroad.com or contact Silver Mountain for lift prices and further information.