Here at our North American headquarters in Portland, Oregon, we’ve been experiencing the hottest days of our year so far. As soon as the thermometer tops 90 degrees, Oregonians grumpily lug their chunky AC units and fans out of storage for their once-per-year debut. After sweltering in the heat for a several days, we decided to leave town for one of our state’s best-known recreation areas: Mt. Hood National Forest.
With hundred-year-old Douglass Fir trees, mossy forest floors, pristine mountain lakes and glacier-fed creeks, it’s the perfect escape from the heat of the city. We set out for a bikepacking excursion, packing up our tried-and-true kit of titanium gear.
Experienced bikepackers know that storage space is scarce on a bike, so dual-functioning, lightweight and compact products are critical. On our packing list: the Trek 700, Gigapower Stove,110 Gigapower Fuel, Spork combo – also known as the Starter Kit. Each piece nestles snuggly inside the Trek 700, saving precious space for snacks. Add the Ti-Double 450 Mug and a Collapsible Coffee Dripper, and your backcountry kitchen is complete.
As for transportation, we had a special new item to test on the rutted forest service roads: the one of a kind Moots Snow Peak Edition Bike. It's a bikepacker’s dream – built on Moots’ Baxter frame with Snow Peak inspired design finishes, it’s an ultralight bike made for days in wild places.
Titanium is notoriously tricky to work with, and Snow Peak has long been known for its ultralight titanium product line produced by skilled craftsman in our hometown of Sanjo City, Niigata. It’s rare to find a company who shares our dedication to titanium craftsmanship.
We found a kindred spirit in Moots, a skilled bicycle manufacturer that’s been making bicycles by hand in the mountain town of Steamboat Springs, CO for nearly forty years. Like Snow Peak, they start with the highest grade of titanium and employ skilled craftsmen to work it to perfection. The Moots Snow Peak bike was built and conceptualized to celebrate the coming opening of Snow Peak’s new US headquarters. Though the bike won’t be for sale, it will be displayed at our US headquarters, reminding us of the waiting trails and demonstrating that titanium craftsmanship is alive and well.
We were fortunate to be able to put our one of a kind Snow Peak edition bike to the test, touring the forgotten backroads of the forest, and enjoying clear views of the mountain’s peak.
