Brands That Build: Oregon Territory Outfitters on Guiding, Stewardship, and Trail Building
Trail builders are the heartbeat of mountain biking. Without them, the rides we live for—the flowy descents, the technical switchbacks, the long backcountry epics—simply wouldn’t exist. But trails don’t build themselves. They take vision, sweat, and a deep connection to the land. And while much of the work is driven by volunteers and advocacy groups, some brands take it a step further, weaving trail building into their DNA.
That’s where Oregon Territory Outfitters comes in. Founded by Cedar Kyes, this Oregon-based brand isn’t just about guiding epic backcountry experiences—it’s about stewardship, sustainability, and giving back to the very trails that fuel adventure. Their ethos? Build it. Ride it. Protect it.
As part of our Brands That Build series, where we highlight companies investing in trails, I had the chance to sit down with Cedar to talk about the intersection of guiding, trail work, and what it means to run a business rooted in the outdoors. Let’s jump in.
Sean: Tell me about your company's involvement in trail building (e.g., volunteer, support, giveaways, etc.).
Cedar: Oregon Territory Outfitters (OTO) is involved in volunteer trail work for NWTA (at Sandy Ridge), 44Rd Trails (Surveyor's Ridge), and The Oregon Timber Trail. We have also joined forces with the newly formed Hoodland Trails Collective to adopt the Timberline To Town Trail as well as all other MTB trails here on the west side of Mt Hood.
Sean: Why is it important for your brand to be involved in trail building?
Cedar: OTO is an Outfitter/Guide/Shuttle company operating with a special use permit here in the Mt Hood National Forest. As a part of our business, we utilize these trails for commercial purposes, so it is only fair that we help to maintain all of these trails.
We love the existing trail network here and want to do everything we can to keep them running. With increased traffic from the growing user group of new mountain bikers and regular visitors from out of town, these trails need more maintenance than ever before.
We will also be working towards the building of new trails here on the west side of Mt Hood, as there have not been any new trail developments since the addition of the T2T trail some years ago.
Sean: Do you have a system or culture to get employees involved? Do you have any incentives for employees to work on trails?
Cedar: We offer free shuttle service to any and all volunteers who show up to our work parties. We help organize and participate in all work parties through Hoodland Trails Collective. Trail workdays are equally as important as any other workday and are treated as such with regular pay for all hours worked.
Sean: What projects are you especially proud of? Any cool stories you want to share?
Cedar: Obtaining the volunteer work agreement from the USFS to maintain the T2T/Cross Town Trail/Pioneer Bridle Trail is probably the biggest achievement so far. We also have a lot of work to do here to build more new trails on the west side of Mt Hood. This is our primary focus.
Sean: What do you want trail builders to know about your brand?
Cedar: As we continue to establish our relationship with the USFS here on the west side of Mt Hood, we will be looking to further the conversation about the possibility of building new trails. There is so much opportunity here. Please stay tuned and keep an eye out for future projects and opportunities to get involved.
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That concludes our interview. If you have a story to tell, drop me an email.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
