Page 52 - Southern Oregon Magazine Summer 2019

neck of the woods | event

THE GREAT

UMPQUA

OUTDOOR

DAYS

by brittany arnold
provided by the great umpqua

ouglas County plays host to some of the most scenic regions in
all of Oregon. It’s been nicknamed “The Land of 100 Valleys,”
D“the new Napa,” and “the next Bend.” With 79 miles of epic trails
on the North Umpqua, more than a dozen waterfalls, world-renown
fly-fishing, more than 70 vineyards, and an abundance of produce farms,
this untapped gem nestled in Southern Oregon is the ultimate outdoor
playground.

And there is no better time to play than Labor Day weekend when the
weather is perfect, the wine is prime and the fruit is ripe. The Great
Umpqua Outdoor Days event provides visitors with a lineup of activities
from coastline to mountain trail, all accessible in a day’s journey.

N.U.T.CRACKER MTB RACE

The weekend kicks off August 31 with the N.U.T.Cracker Mountain
Bike Race hosted by Mudslinger Events and the Umpqua Economic
Development Partnership. Returning for its second year after a very
successful first event, extreme riders will get to experience the North
Umpqua Trail, which Mudslinger Events Race Director Mike Ripley calls
“one of the most unchanged and beautifully rugged single-track experi-
ences in America.”

Stretching from the high Cascades at the pristine Lemolo Lake Resort and
going to the lower reaches of the North Umpqua River, race participants
will have the ultimate opportunity to experience some of the most scenic
areas of Oregon on this 37-mile point-to-point challenge.

According to Ripley, this IMBA Epic Trail provides a much greater variety
of terrain and difficulty levels than the most well known river trails in the
West. “It’s a hidden gem of raw trail adventure.”

The race is only open to 150 participants. Registration information is
available at thegreatumpqua.com.

50 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | summer 2019