Last month, Adrien Liechti of Switzerland travelled to the United States to take on the Salida to the Sea race. The 2,000-mile route traverses five states from Salida, Colorado, to Port Orford, Oregon, and Adrien finished it in just 12 days and 3 hours, setting a new fastest known time. Find a recap from Adrien and some photos he snapped along the way here…

Words and photos by Adrien Liechti

Last year, a bikepacking friend of mine went to Colorado in July to take part in the SALIDA TO THE SEA race. Watching her stories on social media, I could see stunning and varied landscapes, endless stretches with no resupply, and most importantly, that she was having so much fun! Unfortunately, no riders finished the course that year due to wildfires in Oregon.

This summer, I already had a trip planned in North America (Canada). I contacted Brian Steele, the organizer, and signed up to take part on Trackleaders!

The Start

I landed in Denver a week before the start and rode to Salida. I took the Colorado Trail and then the GDMBR from Badger Basin. The same route I had already ridden during the 2022 Tour Divide.

On September 16 at 6:00 a.m., the race started in the parking lot of the Salida Golf Course. A few locals were there to cheer on the two participants: Brian and me! Brian is a very charismatic person, passionate about bikepacking and bike adventures. We rode together until the first slopes of Marshall Pass, where we each took our own pace.

Colorado

That first pass brought back bad memories from 2022 during the Tour Divide. I was in third place, chasing Manu Cattrysse who wasn’t far ahead. I had climbed the pass at night in the cold and arrived too early at Tomichi Creek Trading Post, which was still closed. This time, timing was perfect, as was everything. And, the fall colors were gorgeous.

I had a lot of fun in the first part in the Rocky Mountains, tackling passes over 11,500 feet (Cinnamon, Orphid…), enjoying the abundant water, a few thunderstorms, cool nights, and some really rough descents!

Utah

I crossed Geyser Pass, marking the state border between Nevada and Utah, finishing an endless 37-mile climb early in the morning. The descent that followed was spectacular and iconic for a European mountain biker like me: riding through the canyons of Moab! Riding alone in such raw landscapes at sunrise was magical. I was not disappointed.

The rest of the ride across this state was amazing: deserts, open spaces, sand, few resupplies, everything I love!

However, between Richfield and Kanosh, the forecasted rain came earlier than expected. The trail turned into a trap as it was impossible to move through the peanut butter mud. After two hours of trying to make progress with mud everywhere, I decided to camp on the spot and wait for the trail to dry. At sunrise, I was finally able to resume riding and reach the Kanosh shop for breakfast. My decision proved to be worthwhile; I didn’t waste any energy or sustain any damage to my bike.

Nevada

After crossing the spectacular Wah Wah Mountains, I entered Nevada at night and was pleasantly surprised to find the Bristlecone General Store open after 8:00 PM, which is an exception. I met amazing people and bought fresh fruit and quality food for the rest of the evening. Finally, something other than petrol station food!

Another highlight of this state was Hinkey Summit from Paradise Valley. This pass is really special. A long 12-mile climb with 3,280 feet of elevation gain, during which you can see the summit from the base. The landscape is completely barren, almost lunar. You are in full sun the whole time, and there may be water from a spring near the top (something impossible to check if you’re not local). I decided to take a risk and not carry too much water to stay light and fast. It was the right call. I indeed found water during the climb among the stunning Aspen trees colored red and yellow.

At this point in the race, I was fully in my rhythm and feeling great: going to bed at the same hour every night, sleeping a lot, and riding relatively fast during the day.

Oregon

I didn’t know much about Oregon before entering the state, except that it’s where the movie The Goonies was filmed. I was happy to ride among the trees during these final days and to find water very easily toward the end of the race.

The last night between Glendale and Port Orford was epic: arriving at my last resupply at Quines Creek Gas Station, I saw the sun red and the smog thick. The forest was burning between me and the ocean. Luckily, I only had to reroute about 9 miles to climb the last pass in thick smoke. The twelfth night was long and exhausting.

The Finish

On the morning of September 28, 2025, I finally reached the Pacific Ocean after about 12 days of riding. Tired but happy, I stopped my GPS and tracker and simply sat on the Port Orford beach, watching the waves and birds for two hours.

This race, this adventure, was one of the most beautiful in my “bikepacking career.” The changing landscapes, evolving terrain, encounters, weather, it was all very intense. This journey was not only an incredible external adventure but also a deeply personal, inner one.

Further Reading

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