This week, I should have been heading over to Portland (and Cascade Locks) in Oregon for the Gorge Waterfalls race.
Instead, I’ll be indulging in some very minimal running and soaking up as much coverage as I can.
Gorge Waterfalls is a race I have wanted to do since I first saw Ethan Newberry’s videos from earlier iterations of the race. I was so struck by the beauty of the location that I had to do it.
Then the Eagle Creek fire burned through a swath of the course and the race wasn’t held for a number of years.
Freetrail takes over Gorge Waterfalls
When Dylan Bowman announced that Freetrail were teaming up with PNW race directors, Daybreak Racing, to take over and relaunch the race with a similar course but now based out of the small town of Cascade Locks, I was sold.
Then they released the video from their first year…
After that, I couldn’t not do the race. So I signed up for 2024. I went into the race wildly undertrained coming back off an injury. Then promptly aggravated the injuries I had coming down the first big descent of the 50K.
Being completely honest, I was pretty much wrecked by the initial climb (which starts 200m into the course), and I think that being able to finish was a complete pipe dream. I did get to spend some time in amongst the trees and waterfalls though.
And I want to get back there. It is a stunning race in a majestic part of the world, run by a great team who I want to support.
Top of my list of adventure goals
Returning to the Columbia River Gorge, and toeing the line for the Gorge Waterfalls 50K is top of my list of adventure goals. This is a truly amazing event and I could tell it was going to be special as we drove in to the area and could see the towering hills rising up from the river.
It is a stunning location and the town of Cascade Locks is a wonderful base. Small, friendly, with some great places for food, coffee, and ice cream.
I didn’t get to see much of the race itself, Strava activity here, but what I did see 100% lived up to expectations. The first climb was a killer but the descent down off the top was technical in a way that I love but that my fragile ankles hate.
Knowing that, I am working to rebuild the ankle strength and stability I need and the pure wattage needed to cover the course. It’s a slow burn process and it may take me until 2028 or 2029 to do it. But I’ll get back there.
📷Featured photo: James Holk courtesy of Freetrail and Daybreak Racing. All other on course shots by me.
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