Cascadia Dirt Cup: Dry Hill

Photos and Words Ben Gavelda

Stage two of the Cascadia Dirt Cup series stirred up some dust at the Dry Hill outside of Port Angeles, Washington. Known by some for it’s downhill tracks, heckling fans, muddy conditions and powerful wind, the Dry Hill trail system was a prime place to push the gravity potential of trail bikes for this enduro race. Rather than the demanding conditions described above, Saturday’s race was welcomed with sun and cheers…and a bit of heckling, too.

Riders saw everything from rock solid berms and fast, flowy sections to webs of roots and loose, dusty trenches worn in by dirt bikes. These are the product of influential builders and riders like Casey Northern, who’s been building trails here for sixteen years. Composed of three stages, one brand new and never ridden, the race was composed of 2,600 feet of climbing and 3,300 of descending over three stages. The transfer stages were mellow with no time restrictions and with the group getting an early morning bump in U-Haul. Then it was time for pros, groms and old dogs hit the tree lines.

With the trails siding more the DH side of things, we were curious if there were going to be some larger travel bikes. Suffice to say, people smashed up their standard rigs, but there was a good amount of full faces and padding full effect. Some spicy steeps on stage one with tight corners made for some carnage. Luckily ferns, foliage and that spongy underlayer cushions well.

Riding and racing aside, the digital and analog (human) timing and pit zone was dialed. Diamondback, Platypus and Gravity were representing with Gravity’s own Scott Kemp taking the W in the Expert/Open Men’s category. But the most notable highlight of the day? The $4,000 check to the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. Offset by generous sponsorship of the CDC series and entry fees means more money put right back under our wheels for protection and maintenance of the northwest’s best trails. A damn fine operation if you ask us.

Check out the full results here or pdfs below.

The next stage of the Cascadia Dirt Cup is hitting Capitol Forest September 14.

For more info visit cascadiadirtcup.org