Use your imagination to picture the following image: a scraggly ridgetop of tan grass gets sliced across by an undulating doubletrack that descends off into the distance toward the faraway hillsides of Washington and the volcanic exclamation point of Mount Adams above. The doubletrack is bordered by old-timey barbed-wire fences held up by sunbaked wooden posts and an abandoned country schoolhouse sits at the top watching over it all. As you descend, you pass rusted-out farm equipment in yellow/green/red patinas, but you can only sort of register them because you’re now flying down one of the doubletracks at at 30 mph, rattling your brain out of your skull, hoping your 40mm tires don’t pop, and racing a friend on the track next to you if you’re lucky.

Now stop picturing and go ride it, because Hastings Ridge is the mystic downhill wagon trail of the collective gravel grinder’s dreams.

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From a doubletrack delight to a quick gravel cruncher, Obrist Road puts you amongst the surrounding ranches with an intimacy that might have you asking, “Umm.. am I supposed to be here?”

Well, it’s on the map and there are no gates, so let’s stop asking questions.

Obrist parallels Upper Threemile/Skyline road above Dutch Flat. The top of the road is confusing to find, but once you get going, you’ll be roosting and boosting on twisty doubletrack with plenty of rocky bump-jumps. Weathered signs on trees tell you absolutely nothing—their words worn off years ago.

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