In mid-summer, when the sun has moved on from melting snow to giving sun burns, our local trails start to disintegrate from lack of moisture. For more aggressive riding, the loose trails are less than confidence inspiring, and I start to itch for a different escape—one with cooler temps, big views, and separation from the constant summer buzz in town. For me, that place is the Kettle Crest.

Every Kettle Crest trip should start early. Not just because of the mileage ahead, or to beat the heat, but because there are few things better than an early morning in the forest. It’s painful at first, but that feeling is quickly replaced with the smells of fresh air mixed with the pine, larch, and cedar trees surrounding you.

If you plan correctly, you are also gripping a steamy cup of coffee fresh off the camp stove while you watch the moon fall into the tree line until sun rays begin to filter through. As I soak in the fresh smells and soft sounds, I prepare for the challenge ahead.

The Kettle Crest makes you work for the reward. There is no chair lift and no road to the top—just singletrack that cares very little about the pain in your quads.

The ascent to Copper Butte, the highest point along the Crest, takes you up, over, and through a mixture of thick woods, burnt forest, and rocky ridgelines. The ever-changing surroundings keep the mind intrigued through every pedal stroke. The old burn sites are filled with craggy trees eerily charred from past wildfires.

Continuing the climb takes you above the burn and into the alpine. Meadows and rock outcrops replace forest as your vision refocuses to the immense view. It’s here that another kind of enjoyment really sets in.

I didn’t push through cramping muscles with sweat in my eyes for merely an extreme adrenaline rush. I did it for the views and for the immersion into the landscape.

If I were at the top of a bike park trail, I would be gripping my handlebars with excitement, anticipation, and a bit of fear for the jumps, berms and rocks that lay ahead. At the top of the Kettle Crest, I spend almost as much time gripping my camera as I do my handlebars. Even while descending I can barely keep my eyes on the trail, and find myself gazing off in every direction like my head is on a swivel.

From alpine ridgeline to under the canopy, the ride is more like a glide. You seamlessly move over the terrain, without a struggle for traction or speed. There are no berms to be roosted or skids to be laid, but this descent doesn’t need any of that to be fun and exciting.

Like all good things, it comes to an end far too soon. Luckily, waiting for you at the bottom is a cold creek, and if you planned it right, there are some cold beverages nestled in the water. It’s this quintessential ending to a ride that has you already planning your next trip to the Kettle Crest.

Originally published as “Wheels in the Wild of the Kettle Crest” in the August 2017 issue.

Skye Schillhammer is a professional mountain biker, photographer, and Out There frequent contributor.

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Last autumn, I ventured east to experience Whitefish for myself. The leaves had all turned yellow, and the bike park lifts were making their last rounds for the season. Despite the chilling wind, Whitefish was all time. I quickly made my way through town and headed up to the Hibernation House, located at the Whitefish Mountain Resort.

I had heard about the riding in Whitefish from many different sources, and all the accounts kept mentioning one word: flow. In mountain bike culture, that word has become somewhat polarized, so I was unsure what to expect as I loaded up my bike and began the ascent on the chairlift. Building trails with flow was a revolution kicked off by mountain bikers building trails specifically for bikes, and more specifically, for the current array of beautifully engineered bikes available today.

This meant some trails were being constructed or modified to allow more speed, which required adding width, which lead to the removal of some of the slower speed, technical features that may have previously existed. This progression of trail design allowed a rider to maintain speed for the entirety of the descent, and added new features such as jumps, berms, rollers and drops. This type of trail is also highly favorable for newer riders, who are looking for terrain to ride as they work on their skills. However, this was unfavorable by many riders who prefer the technical features, which caused the vilification of the word ‘flow.’ While it’s impossible to make a trail that pleases everyone, there is certainly a balance to be found in this spectrum of trail design, and I was itching to unload the chair and experience the Whitefish flow for myself.

From the chairlift, it is overwhelmingly apparent the amount of work and vision that went into the trails on the mountain. I spotted open singletrack on ridgelines; large, sweeping bermed corners; tabletops; and trails leading into steep rock sections that almost looked better suited for a climber. As my feet touched the unloading deck, I was kindly met with my bike that rode up on the lift in front of me. I quickly threw a leg over and pedaled off the windy mountaintop. One flat tire, two watering eyes, over 25 miles, and countless chair lift rides later, I had ridden nearly everything the resort had to offer. From the jump trails such as Kashmir and Overflow, to the long technical descent of Runaway Train, this park is a blast. I had ridden the Whitefish flow, and it’s good — really good. Despite the varying skill difficulty and intended style of each trail on the mountain, they all perfectly intertwined with the landscape, finding a balance of speed and difficulty that meshed with the terrain. This leads to a riding experience with less harsh braking, allowing you to open up, relax, and navigate the trail ahead of you. If the trail turned steeply downhill and your speed increased, the route would naturally absorb the excess speed to guide you over the next rise or into a large berm before entering the next section. From the smoother green circle trails to the rough black diamond trails, although the balance is tough to find in trail building, the Whitefish Mountain Resort built a masterpiece.

The next morning, I met with the first taste of winter as flakes of snow dusted the hillside above the lodge. This prevented a few more runs, but I don’t feel as though I missed out. Whitefish is a rare gem of a place, and any amount of time spent there is memorable. No doubt riders somewhere are daydreaming of the perfect riding town. Thankfully, Whitefish is already there, waiting for you to experience it. //

Best place to stay: For $80/night, the Hibernation House offers a place to stay along with a lift ticket and breakfast. Can’t beat that! Camping is available nearby at the Whitefish State Park or Whitefish Bike Retreat if that suits you better.

Best place to eat/drink: Bonsai Brewing Project. This place features outstanding beer and food, a relaxed outdoor seating area that is pet/dirty mountain biker friendly, with upbeat music happening inside.

Other trails nearby:

The Whitefish Trail: This is a multi-user trail system near Whitefish Lake. Spencer Mountain: Mountain bike specific bike park with a variety of trails. No lift access.//

Skye Schillhammer explores the Northwest by foot and by tire. He wrote about backcountry skiing and snowshoeing on Mount Spokane last winter.

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At some resorts, a lift ticket is required to be on the slopes, and uphill traffic is prohibited; however, a growing number of ski areas, including Mt. Spokane, have responded to the surging interest in backcountry skiing and riding and interest in uphill travel at resorts by incorporating uphill travel and sidecountry opportunities into their winter sports offerings. The accompanying rules specifying when, where and how skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers can ascend the mountain are in place for the safety of all recreationists, resort guests and ski resort employees. When it comes to limited powder resources, there’s also an issue of fairness to the lift ticket and season pass holding riders looking for lift service to shred as many laps and carve as many turns as their legs can handle.

Mt. Spokane’s uphill policy serves many regular lift riders but also others who may only occasionally ski or snowboard in the downhill ski area. Many of the people who climb up Mt. Spokane in the winter from the snowmobile/Lower Selkirk parking lot are groups and families on snowshoes who stay outside of the ski area boundary on State Park trails, while the bulk of those skiers and splitboarders taking advantage of the designated in-bounds uphill route at Lodge 1 are usually geared up with climbing skins and backcountry gear and are there for one or more reasons: to get in shape, to practice with their backcountry gear in a safe environment, or to sneak in a few free powder runs.

Fitness Fanatics

A number of the regular uphill travelers disappearing up the mountain above Lodge 1 on any given morning are there to crank out as much climbing as they can as part of a personal fitness regimen often intended to keep their bodies tuned for future backcountry forays. These individuals typically have their highly breathable clothing dialed to limit sweating on the way up and some of them may time their ascents, trying to best personal records. With its proximity to downtown Spokane and the Valley, Mt. Spokane is the most convenient place for backcountry riders to build up their backcountry lungs and legs and possibly score a powder run or two before work on weekdays.

Practice Makes Perfect

Having a place where it’s legal and safe for people to gain experience with their backcountry ski or splitboard gear before heading out on backcountry riding adventures in more remote, consequential places is essential. Such practice is necessary to gain confidence and strength and to work the bugs out of touring gear and learn how to properly use avalanche safety gear that is standard for backcountry excursions. Heading up with a group of friends to get your backcountry gear and bodies tuned up also provides a great opportunity to socialize with and get to know the strengths, quirks and potential liabilities of future backcountry touring partners. Whether it’s a small group of friends or a large organized group of enthusiasts, climbing to the top offers quality social time with the chance to learn from others.

Powder Hounds

Some skiers and riders ski up Mt. Spokane with the main goal being to get in an extra untracked powder run or two before the lifts start running. Don’t expect to see these folks, usually flying solo or in small groups, lollygagging or chit-chatting much along the up-track, as they push to get as many powder runs in as possible while the uphill route is open.

Mt. Spokane Uphill Travel Policy Rules

Because the route designated by the Uphill Travel Policy resides within the Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park concession area, there are some rules to follow. During the week, guests must park at Lodge 1 between the two driveways on the lodge side of the road. On weekends, parking is moved to the employee space just uphill from Lodge 1. If guests will be parking before operational hours or on a non-operational day, they will need to display their Sno-Park permit.

The designated B-29 ascent route begins at the base of Lodge 1 and travels uphill, on the far left side (looking uphill), to the junction with B-29, following the outside edge of the groomed trail to the uphill junction with Tea Kettle. The uphill route then follows the outside edge of Tea Kettle adjacent to the ski area boundary to the summit. Uphill travelers must stay on the trail edge closest to the ski area boundary (left when travelling uphill). The uphill route is available from 6:30-9:10 a.m. on days when the resort is operating, with some exceptions several weekends a year when ski race events are scheduled (check Mt. Spokane’s uphill policy website for updates). At 9:10 a.m., skinners must be transitioned to downhill skiers regardless of where they are on the trail. Prior to 9:10 a.m., the descent route is limited to Tea Kettle/B29 only. After 9:10 a.m., any open run can be skied. Uphill travel according to the policy is also allowed on non-operational days, including from 6:30 a.m. until dusk on Mondays; 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesdays (except Holidays); and on Sunday evenings after the ski area has closed and the runs have been swept and cleared (usually 4:30 p.m. until the park closes at dusk).

Uphill travelers are also required to be visible (by wearing headlamps during hours of darkness) and yield to all downhill traffic (person or machine). Pets are not allowed in the ski area. Remember, it is a privilege to be granted this access, and we must be respectful to keep this good relationship. All uphill travelers in the patrolled ski area boundary are considered skiers and are required to familiarize themselves with the uphill ski policy as well as Mt. Spokane’s Skier’s Responsibility Code (found online). A designated and sanctioned uphill route at Mt. Spokane is a relatively new privilege, and, hopefully, such access will continue to expand at Mt. Spokane and at more resorts in the coming years. To read the full Mt. Spokane Uphill Travel Policy, visit www.mtspokane.com. // (Skye Schillhammer and Derrick Knowles)

Skye Schillhammer is a freelance photographer and bike shop employee at the Bike Hub in downtown Spokane. He wrote about paddleboarding in the Idaho backcountry in August.

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If you’ve ever hiked to an alpine lake, you have experienced the serene landscape and stunning quietness only rivaled by a Bob Ross painting. Every summer I add as many new alpine lakes to my weekends as possible, looking for fresh views and a new favorite spot. I was looking for a change of perspective. Paddleboarding is a new sport for me, and I instantly connected with the soulful vibe and sleek glide of the stand up paddleboard. Paddleboarding can transform a noisy place, such as the downtown stretch of the Spokane River, into a lush and peaceful experience. What would it be like to combine the relaxing essence of SUP with the alpine experience?

The hike to Beehive Lake in the Selkirk Mountains starts with a steady grade as you climb out of the Pack River valley, and it doesn’t let up until you see water. At mile 3, fatigue was setting in, and I was beginning to question the trip. Those thoughts were quickly cast away as we navigated from cairn to cairn along the granite slabs for the last mile of trail. Adrenaline kicked in as the anticipation for the lake overpowered my shaking legs. The first glimpse of the lake revealed perfect crystal sparkles reflecting off the water, with snow lining the slopes leading up to Twin Peaks above. We quickly locked down a tent site and inflated the paddleboards.

The crisp, clear water looked inviting, but it hit with a cold, sharp sting as our feet stepped into the shallow water. I pulled myself onto the board and paddled out. My tired legs struggled to find balance. I had become accustomed to the heavy weight from my pack, so the weightless glide across the water couldn’t have been a bigger relief. Circumnavigating the lake, the paddleboard provides an intimate perspective. Below, the fish scatter with the dip of each paddle stroke. Ahead, 7,500-foot peaks rise into the sky. Behind, the reflection of trees ripple at the outlet of Beehive Lake.

Unlike hiking through a forest, being on the water provided open space that gave perspective to our surroundings. The answer to Carly’s question now became clear. Hiking in with paddleboards was a struggle, but it provided complete immersion into the scenery. I wasn’t just a set of eyes viewing it from the sidelines, I was in the landscape. Changing my viewpoint was as painless as a single stroke. Bright boulders of granite and green larches swiftly passed. The ability to move this easily without any impact, excessive effort, or discomfort was unimaginable before this point. My normal routine when arriving at a lake is to drop the pack and take off for the highest peak I can see. While I still love summiting mountains, the tranquility of experiencing the lake via paddleboard was remarkable and worth every step.

The right gear can make or break a trip like this. I rented two paddleboards from Stillwater Outdoors in Spokane. They make their paddleboards for people looking to adventure beyond the end of the road. The paddleboards come in a backpack with everything you need for a float, making it easy and quick if you plan to take them out on a day hike. Don’t venture farther than you have before without paddleboards, because the boards add weight and increase the exhaustion level. Consider taking them for a trial day hike before committing to an overnight trek. Lastly, consider the probability that you will become hooked and find yourself purchasing a board in the near future. I know I will. //

Skye Schillhammer is a freelance photographer and bike shop employee at the Bike Hub in downtown Spokane. He wrote about how to jump a bike in May.

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I am asked almost daily, “How do I start jumping?” I have been toiling over the answer for weeks. Before I break into the step-by-step process of leaving the ground, we need to establish a baseline of rider ability, bike set-up, and terminology.

Before taking flight, you should have a handle on intermediate trail riding. This means you have built up the necessary stabilizer muscles from pedaling and cornering to safely maneuver your bike when learning to jump. Most of the time, the more capable the rider is on the ground, the more capable they will be in the air. You don’t have to catch big air to practice for jumps. Just learning the balance points of your bike through cornering, manualing (balancing on the rear wheel while rolling but without pedaling), pumping rollers, and navigating steep trail will help tremendously when you are faced with a jump.

Proper bike setup will speed up your learning curve. First, look at your stem length. Most newer bikes will come with a stem length of around 50mm. This is a great length for all types of riding, including jumps. If you have an older bike with a longer stem, I recommend a shorter length coupled with a wider handlebar. The wider handlebar prevents your cockpit from feeling cramped after reducing the stem length. Next is suspension setup. The goal is to have a balanced amount of sag between your front fork and rear shock, along with equal rebound speeds for each, which help the bike preload evenly and send you on a level trajectory. If you haven’t done this before, refer to the manufacturer of your bike, or stop by your local bike shop, for proper suspension tuning. With the two major bike setup adjustments complete, inflate your tires equally to a pressure you like (I ride 32 psi when jumping) and lower the seat. Your bike is now ready to go.

With the majority of riders now on full suspension bikes, the term “preload” becomes important to understand. Preload is the compressing of the suspension before and on the lip of the jump. This can be monumental, or nonessential, depending on the type of jump, so it’s a good technique to understand. We will discuss how to preload later (if you ride a hardtail, disregard that discussion).

Step 1: Approach the jump with the proper speed. This is easier said than done. While you are learning, it’s best to follow a rider who knows the speed. As you become more experienced, you will learn to estimate and adjust your speed along any trail as you approach a jump. Your body position should be centered between the wheels. Often riders think they should move their weight rearward. Unfortunately, this can cause the front of the bike to drop in the air and create the terrifying “buck” sensation.

Step 2: As you reach the bottom of the jump, this is where you begin to preload. If the lip of the jump is a bike length or longer, the bike will naturally settle into its preload. It helps to actually place your bike on the jump and observe if the whole bike fits on the arc. If it does, you will likely have a smooth trajectory and contact the landing with both tires simultaneously. If the jump length is shorter than your wheelbase, you will need to actively preload your suspension before the lip. This helps time the compression and decompression of your fork and shock as if you were hitting a longer lip. This is why bigger jumps can actually be less technical than small jumps. Look for a jump with a lip that is as long or longer than your wheelbase and has a built-up tabletop between the lip and landing to provide a safety cushion if you come up short. Your body position as you are on the lip needs to be relaxed and fluid. When your front tire starts tracking upward, let your handlebars start moving closer to your stomach. This allows you to remain centered without moving rearward.

Step 3: You and your bike have just left the ground. The bike should be angled upward with the handlebars closer to your stomach. As you arc through the air, you will progressively push the handlebars away from you. At the peak of airtime, you should be in a similar position to riding on flat ground. As you start coming down toward the landing, keep pushing the handlebars away from you until the angle of your bike has matched the angle of the landing. This takes practice, but once mastered, it allows you to land smoothly and continue down the trail or off the next jump at the designed trail speed.

Step 4: Your tires have just contacted the earth. One mistake that less confident riders make is to start braking before or right as they land the jump. If you are off balance, coming up short, or overshooting, the brakes will only make things worse. It is better to navigate as best as possible down the landing and begin braking a few feet down the runout. If you have landed safely and smoothly, make sure to recenter yourself between the wheels to continue riding down the trail.

Learning to jump will likely be the scariest and most exhilarating thing you do on a bike this year. I have seen this process take all levels of riders off jumps they would have never dreamed of hitting before. Always start small, and slowly work your way to bigger jumps and eventually gaps. The thrill from even the smallest jump will have you hooked and riding back up for more. //

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For years I have been traveling to as many bike parks as possible, checking them off my list. Each one has a unique character built into the trails, village and the people. The shear vertical footage of riding you get at a lift-accessed park is far beyond what we can obtain when pedaling ourselves to the top. That is what fueled my trips for a long time; you can really hone your skills as a rider. I always leave a bike park feeling like a pro.

After many summers of traveling to ride, the bike park I keep returning to is Silver Star, located just out of Vernon, B.C., about five hours north of Spokane. It’s not just the 30 miles of gravity trails with 600 berms and 300 jumps or the 20 miles of all mountain trails with panoramic mountain views; it’s also the small mountain village vibe that makes Silver Star Bike Park the perfect summer trip.

The village has a few hotels if that is what you’re looking for, but the real win at Silver Star is their camping area. It doesn’t look like much. In fact, it’s basically a large open area with fire pits spaced evenly around the edge. However, it’s the amazing view over the whole valley below that makes this spot so special. It’s one of those places where you would expect hotels and resorts to be sitting. Instead, they provide a perfect camping area for just ten dollars a night per group, which includes a heated and maintained shower and bathroom facility. To top it all off, the campground’s mid-mountain village location means you get to start your day with ripping singletrack down to the bottom of the lift.

In the evening, the village comes alive with bikers, hikers and travelers eating tasty food and choice beverages. As you retreat back to the campsite, you’ll see each fire ring glowing softy as other groups spend the evening reliving exciting moments from the day. And when all the lights go out, relax into the silence and gaze up at the unpolluted view of a dark night sky. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Silver Star Bike Park is open seven days a week through September 7, with limited lift-access on select weekends in September after that. Skisilverstar.com. //

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I had heard of Rossland, B.C.’s Seven Summits Trail years ago when “Mountain Bike Action Magazine” named it “Epic Trail of the Year.” At the time, this label sounded cliché and actually steered me away from riding it. Although with my current desire to push my limits, my friend Chris Womsley and I set out on a day trip to tackle this local “epic.”

Before heading to Rossland, we called Mountain Shuttle, located at the Red Mountain Resort, to arrange a shuttle service for the ride. If you are driving up in one car, arranging a shuttle is a must. At the end of the day, seeing your car parked at the bottom is almost as much salvation as the meal you are about to devour. The staff at Mountain Shuttle is friendly and has many good tips on the Seven Summits as well as the other trails in the area. They also offer a very reasonably priced room to stay in if you plan to be there overnight. Definitely give them a call when planning your trip.

We arrived in Rossland around 10 a.m., and after sampling a short trail right off the highway, we were beginning the first ascent on the Seven Summits by 11. By the numbers, the ride isn’t as daunting as you might think. Overall, we had around 3,000 feet of elevation gain and 22 miles ahead of us. While that is definitely a big ride, Mt. Spokane boasts almost the same amount of climbing with only a few less miles for a full loop, and many people will do more than one lap in a single day. While the numbers are similar, we immediately learned why the Seven Summits is held above so many other trails.

The first climb takes care of around a third of the total ascending and is punishingly steep, rocky, rooty and technical. Unlike many climbs around Spokane, you spend much of your time out of the saddle, hammering to keep your momentum. Muscle groups are firing that you didn’t even know you had. This gets your heartbeat loud enough to be heard and keeps it there until you break out of the trees and into the alpine.

The first viewpoint is breathtaking and is a great place to stop for food. We relished over beef jerky and Gummi Worms as we overlooked an endless landscape of mountains. From this spot you finally get to drop into the first real descent of the trail. With the legs still feeling fresh, we hooted and hollered as we bounced down the rocky singletrack.

This is where the Seven Summits gets you. Each descent is fun, but requires you to be on point with your bike handling skills at all times. If you relax and let your guard down, things can go wrong quickly. This means your whole body doesn’t get the break it normally does on the descent. I found myself being equally as exhausted on the downs as I was on the ups. As the name suggests, the trail does ascend and descend over seven different peaks, each one taxing your riding ability progressively. The further you go down, the more you beg for a climb, and the further you climb, the more you plead for a down. Each high point provides such a powerful panoramic experience that the pain you were just feeling quickly fades. It’s a devilishly poetic clash of good versus evil. The tremendous pain you feel is eclipsed by the exquisite beauty of where your bike has taken you.

After what feels like a never-ending succession of climbs, you reach the top of the last peak and have nothing but downhill all the way to the car. At this point, we were out of water and food and daylight was dwindling. As we began the descent, I remember thinking, I don’t even have the energy to go downhill, which was a feeling I had never had before. This last downhill is 10 miles and 3,000 feet of non-stop, high speed, high consequence, very technical trail. This finishing stretch separates the good rider from the phenomenal one. Rocky and loose descents are challenging anytime, but they become a whole different game when you reach this level of exhaustion. It feels as if the trail is never ending as your cramping forearms try to pull the brakes as your fingers scream with pain.

With the sun completely set, we finally saw the shimmer of the car down through the trees. Our Seven Summits experience had come to an end, and I couldn’t have felt more accomplished. We pulled ourselves into the car and drove home laughing about all the highs and lows we had just been through, geographically, physically and mentally. The Seven Summits made me sweat, bleed, and struggle, which is exactly what I was looking for. (Skye Schillhammer)

Planning Your Seven Summits Trip

Rossland, B.C., is truly a mountain biker’s paradise, with over 100 miles of world-class xc and freeride trails for all abilities only 2.5 hours north of Spokane. The Seven Summits Trail usually opens July 1, but always call ahead to check on trail conditions. Arranging a shuttle in advance is always your best bet. Call Mountain Shuttle/Kootenay Mountain Bike Coaching at 250-362-0080 to reserve your seat on the shuttle van. Stop by Revolution Cycles in downtown Rossland for a free trail map and the latest trail news or to rent a bike or stock up on supplies for the ride. If you’re staying the night to ride some of the other amazing trails around town, which we highly recommend, ask your Mountain Shuttle guides about bike-friendly lodging and camping options. And don’t forget to pack extra water, your bike tools and sunscreen! // (OTM)

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Along with recreational riding, Silver hosts one of the most affordable and approachable racing series in the area. Unlike many races, the courses are rideable on a wider range of bikes, not just downhill specific bikes. Many people race on the same trail bike they ride on their local singletrack trails (but you can still rent one of Silver’s new Konas from the rental fleet if you want to step up your game a bit). The series is structured so that riders race against people of similar experience and age, with the exception of pro racers who are in a whole separate category.

After the race, all riders have an equal chance of winning prizes from a huge pile of swag, including gear and other cool stuff from the likes of Smith Optics, Dakine, Kali Protectives, Wildcat Pizza, Vittoria Tires, Osprey Packs, The Bike Hub, and Lezyne.

Entry is only $35 a person per race. Register early to save money and make sure you don’t miss out. After the deadline, there is no late registration. If you are looking to add a little challenge, fun and friendly competition to your riding, definitely sign up for a race at Silver this summer. See you out there! More info: Silvermt.com.

Silver Mountain Races

Silver Mountain Resort isn’t just home to North America’s longest gondola and some of the best lift-served downhill mountain bike trails (over 35), it’s also the place to experience downhill mountain bike racing in a fun, friendly and inviting atmosphere.

July 19: Silver Race Series #3

August 9: Silver Race Series #4

August 21-23: NW Cup #6 (the biggest downhill mountain bike race series in the Northwest comes to Silver)

September 6: Silver Race Series #5

Oct 2-4: Silveroxx (three days of races, games and parties). //

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