2025 Mckenzie Pass Updates
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What’s happening with McKenzie Pass?
This article gives a good recap of where things currently stand, please read:
What have we done? We are working with ODOT and our local elected officials to come up with a solution to our access concerns. It looks like we will need to make some changes to the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) to achieve this goal. As we work to find a solution that works for all stakeholders please help us by contacting your local State Senator and Representative and inform them about this situation. The more support we can generate around the state the better chance we have of getting the necessary changes made to the relevant ORS.
Don’t know who your local reps are? Use this link:
https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=fd070b56c975456ea2a25f7e3f4289d1
Going Forward: We will continue to ride up the pass and update this blog with the current conditions, as well as work to get a resolution to the current situation. Thanks for all your support and interest. Brad
March 20th 2025: Still way too much snow to even consider heading up the pass, heck the John Craig Memorial ski race was just last Saturday 3/15/25 and it took place in almost blizzard conditions. Check back in mid April for more updates. Brad
April 16th 2025: The road is clear to the gate, snow 4/10th of a mile beyond. See photos below. Brad
4/26/25: The sun has been busy, and you can now ride up 2 miles past the gate. There is some debris in the road, so please descend with caution. We are starting to see more riders up there, so please stay in your lane and remember your are riding at your own risk. Brad
May 2nd 2025: You can now ride 2.6 miles beyond the gate. ODOT snow blowers are parked beyond gate but have not started to plow yet. Brad
5/5/2025: Just got off the phone with Jim Scholtes the ODOT district 10 manager, it was a very good and productive conversation and we are setting up a working group to find a solution to our access concerns. ODOT started plowing/snow blowing today. They are asking that we stay off the pass while they are working. It should take about a week to clear one lane. So please don’t ride the pass this week. They will not be working this Saturday, so I will go up then and report back, so Saturday 5/10 /25 could be a great day to check out the progress. I hope to see you out there. Brad
5/10/2025: ODOT has plowed one lane of the road all the way to the bathrooms just beyond the summit! Now is a great time to ride the pass, the gates will open on the third Monday of June, which is June 16th this year. Now for the caveats, you are riding at your own risk! There is debris and running water in the road in some places, it is only one lane wide in some places, at the big cut just below the summit, there is a huge amount of snow with an overhanging cornice, that could fall into the roadway at anytime! If you do decide to ride, please stay in the right lane, be courteous to other users, obey any and all instructions from ODOT crews. In general be a nice and responsible human that realizes there may be other people around that blind corner. Please see photos below. Brad
5/22/2025: Just heard from ODOT they are done working on the Sisters (east) side of the pass for the week. They will not be working up there again until Tuesday. So it’s a great holiday weekend to ride the pass! Road is still only clear to the summit, west side is not clear yet. With the good weather forecast for this weekend there could be lots of riders, so please stay in the right lane, ride with care, and be safe.
Brad
5/31/2025: Update from the west side of the pass, you can now ride down the west side if you don’t mind three short hike a bike sections over snow (see pics below) once pass them you can ride all the way down. I expect those last snow drifts will be plowed out this next coming week. Remember if you go past the gates you are riding at your own risk, there may still be unmarked hazard in the road. Please ride safely and have fun. If you are up there during the week and you see ODOT crews please follow any directions they give you. Please do not argue or yell at them. Brad
6/12/2025: All the snow drifts are now cleared and you can ride over and back with no hike a bike section. We’ve heard from a reliable source that ODOT is done working for the week. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the last days to ride until the gate gets opened on Monday morning. What are you waiting for? Get on up there and ride the pass. Brad
PS: I love riding the pass even when the gates are open, try to go on a weekday morning the traffic is very minimal, often less than two cars per hour. Saturday mornings can also be very good. I try to stay away on Sunday mornings, there seems to be the most traffic on Sundays.
6/16/2025: The gates are now open!
11/6/25: The new gate on the Sisters side is now closed for the winter see photo below. New gate is below the first big right hand corner about a mile east of the old gate.
2024 McKenzie Pass Updates
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Good news/bad news regarding McKenzie pass for 2024. The good news, ODOT has gotten a federal grant to repave the east side of the pass from Dee Wright observatory to Sisters. Once this work is done it will make such a difference for all users! The bad news, this will mean that the east side of the highway is completely inaccessible while the paving is in progress. Please do not attempt to enter the construction zone while the highway is being repaved.
We expect there to be some time between the pass being plowed and the pavement project beginning when it may be possible to ride the pass. There is no guarantee that this will happen, it all depends on weather and ODOT’s schedule.
We will do what we always do, which is to ride up and report on what is happening.
April 3rd 2024: still too much snow to even ride to the gate. No sign of ODOT crews
April 12th 2024: You can ride to within 500 feet of the gate.
April 14th 2024: you can now get 500 feet beyond the gate.
April 24th 2024: I rode up on the 16th and there was really no change in conditions so I didn’t make a post, but today I got to the gate and this is what greeted me. (see picture below)
I’ll keep riding up to the gate each week and I will post if anything changes. Brad
May 1st 2024: Rode up to the gate today, no visible change from the photo above. We did get passed by 4 ODOT pickup trucks, so some work is being done up there. If you are looking for a low traffic extended climb near Sisters, check out Green Ridge road on our Rides and Routes page. Brad
May 16th 2024: No change on the Sisters side, update for the west side. We hear you can ride to within two miles of the summit on the west side. ODOT does have the gate marked road closed, so as always ride at your own risk, and I would recommend going up when snow removal crews are not working (evenings or weekends) Brad
May 18th 2024: We have confirmed reports that the road is clear of snow to the top of the pass and all the way down the other side! No road paving has begun yet. The signage at the gate is still the same, so if you go, ride at your own risk and go up when the work crews are not working. This is that window between plowing and paving that we were hoping for. I have no idea how long it may last…..Brad
June 1st 2024: Very little work been done since our 5/18 post. A few curb cut outs for ADA ramps at Windy Point and Dee Wright. No paving or major work yet. Weekends are the best time to ride.
Week of June 10th 2024: We have confirmed reports that ODOT has begun the major paving work. Heavy equipment and large gravel trucks are up on the pass. Please let them get their work done. They are scheduled to be done with the section above the gate by July 4th.
June 14th 2024: Just got word that there will be no work this Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Paving starts Monday.
July 4th 2024: The gate is now open and the paving from the gate to the summit is complete. The new pavement is amazing, time to set a new PR. Brad
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