Mt. Hood's First Mountain Bike

On August 17, 1947, Mazamas Ty Kearney and Marianne Sinclair recruited nine friends to go for a climb. Their plan? To carry a bicycle to the summit of Mt. Hood and take it for a ride!

Marianne pushing the 1938 World Traveler bike across snowfield on the slope of Mt. Hood

They bought a used 1938 World Traveler bicycle and transported it to Government Camp.

Kearney Sinclair party carrying the bike to the summit of Mt. Hood, 1947

They then dissembled the bike and carried the pieces up the South Side route of Mt. Hood.

On the summit, they reassembled the bike and rode it around.

Marianne riding the bike on the summit of Mt. Hood

Marianne and Ty on the summit of Mt. Hood, August 1947

Climbing party on the steps of Timerline Lodge, August 1927

The Oregonian ran an article commemorating the event a few days later.

Their stunt garnered national attention, even reaching the desk of cartoonist Robert Ripley. Ripley commemorated the event in his syndicated column Ripley's Believe it or NOT!

Years later the Kearney's donated the 1928 World Traveler bicycle to the Mazama Library.

The bike on display during an event at the Mazama Mountaineering Center, 2017

The photographs and stories shared here are for historical purposes only. The Mazamas do not condone or endorse any attempts to recreate or replicate the events or actions recounted here. The Mazamas encourages its members and the general public to abide by all current laws and norms related to safe outdoor recreation.

Created By

Mathew Brock

Appreciate

Credits:

Mazama Library & HIstorical Collections, Kearney Collection