What Cascade Relays does

Cascade Relays is a private, family-owned event production company headquartered in Bend, Oregon, founded in 2008 by Scott and Carrie Douglass. The company organizes a portfolio of eight running and community events across Central Oregon, anchored by three flagship relay/ultra events — the Cascade Lakes Relay (a 216.6-mile multi-format relay from Diamond Lake to Bend), the Bend Beer Chase (a 57-mile brewery-themed relay), and the Big Butte Challenge (a self-paced butte-hiking challenge with brewery rewards) — supplemented by five community and foundation events including the St. Patrick's Day Dash, I Like Pie, Mistletoe Miler, Reindeer Rush, and the Bend Christmas Parade.

The underlying technology is a web-based event registration and team-management platform that handles roster sign-ups, GPX course-map distribution, and timing for participants, supported by basic marketing infrastructure (website, email VIP list, social channels on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/LinkedIn). There is no API, no software-as-a-service product layer, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Cascade Relays Foundation, established in 2016 as a 501(c)(3) spin-off, administers the Hire-a-Volunteer program and distributes charitable grants, having contributed over $890,000 to 60+ local charities since inception.

Revenue is generated through event registration fees (one-time payments ranging from $15 for youth/Micro Butte entries to $2,580 for late-registering CLR running teams), local business sponsorships (80+ partners including a flagship Lithia Motors title sponsorship of the Cascade Lakes Relay), and charitable donations routed through the foundation. The business serves amateur runners, corporate teams, families, and youth primarily in Central Oregon, with 25,000+ lifetime participants across all events. The company operates with 1–10 employees and no disclosed external investment, remaining fully under founder control.

Name

Cascade Relays

Legal name

Cascade Relays

Website

https://cascaderelays.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cascade Relays is a Bend, Oregon-based family-owned event production company that organizes running relays and community fitness events across Central Oregon, including the flagship Cascade Lakes Relay and Bend Beer Chase. It serves amateur runners, corporate teams, and families, monetizing via registration fees, local sponsorships, and a 501(c)(3) foundation arm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Endurance Race Events

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Participation Race Organizers (Runs, Triathlons, Cycling) (MPAKADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trail Running & Ultra-Endurance Events (Trail Races, Ultras) (MPAKAIAD), Endurance Stage & Destination Challenges (Multi-day Tours, Charity Challenges) (MPAKAIAG), Road Running Events (Marathons, Half Marathons, 10K/5K) (MPAKAIAA)

Keywords

• Relay race events
• Running event production
• Charity running events
• Outdoor fitness events
• Community running events

Headquarters

HQ city

Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: Teams pay registration fees to participate in relay events. Fees vary by event type, team size, and registration timing (early, regular, late). Cascade Lakes Relay fees range from $1,230-$2,580 per team; Bend Beer Chase from $330-$990 per team.
2. Sponsorships: Local businesses sponsor events through cash payments, product donations, or volunteer time. Sponsors receive brand visibility at events and in marketing materials.
3. Hire-a-Volunteer Program: Teams can donate to Cascade Relays Foundation to hire charity volunteers. Fees range from $175-$325 per volunteer depending on registration timing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cascade Relays organizes and produces a portfolio of in-person relay race and running events in Central Oregon, including the Cascade Lakes Relay (216.6 miles), Bend Beer Chase (57 miles), Big Butte Challenge (self-paced butte hiking), and several seasonal community events (I Like Pie, St. Patrick's Day Dash, Mistletoe Miler, Reindeer Rush, Bend Christmas Parade). The company sells per-team event registrations to individual runners and teams, with proceeds and donations supporting local charities through the Cascade Relays Foundation.

Product overview

Cascade Relays is an event production company operating a portfolio of running and outdoor fitness events in Bend and Central Oregon, managed as a collection of distinct branded events supported by a non-profit foundation arm. The core product lineup consists of three flagship running relay events — the Cascade Lakes Relay (a multi-format 216.6-mile ultra relay), the Bend Beer Chase (a 57-mile brewery-themed relay), and the Big Butte Challenge (a self-paced butte-hiking challenge with brewery rewards) — supplemented by five community events organized under the Cascade Relays Foundation: I Like Pie (Thanksgiving run), St. Patrick's Day Dash, Mistletoe Miler (December holiday run), Reindeer Rush (children's pre-parade run), and the Bend Christmas Parade. All events share a common platform for registration and team management, with the Foundation arm providing charitable giving infrastructure and volunteer coordination through its Hire-A-Volunteer program. No software-as-a-service, API, or digital product layer exists — the offering is entirely in-person event experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cascade Lakes Relay The flagship relay event spanning 216.6 miles over two days from Diamond Lake to Bend, OR, offered in three distance formats (CLR 36: 216.6 miles/36 legs, CLR 24: 132 miles/24 legs, Walk Relay: 94 miles/18 legs). Teams of 6-12 runners complete relay legs over challenging terrain through Central Oregon's Cascade Mountains.
• Bend Beer Chase A 57-mile, 12-leg running relay for teams of 1-6 participants, combining running with craft brewery exchanges along the route from Drake Park in Bend, OR to Redmond and back, culminating in a riverside beer festival.
• Big Butte Challenge A self-paced summer challenge spanning May-October, where participants hike or run 9 designated buttes across Central Oregon (totaling approximately 35.2 miles and 9 brewery pints), with a Micro Butte Challenge option for individual buttes. Includes Junior Summiteer Badges for youth participants.
• I Like Pie A Thanksgiving Day fun run/walk at Riverbend Park in Bend, OR offering three distance options (1.3, 3.14, and 5.3 miles) with pie at the finish line, producing proceeds for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bend. Includes a Perfect Slice Baking Challenge competition.
• St. Patrick's Day Dash Central Oregon's largest St. Patrick's Day celebration event featuring chip-timed 10K, 5K, and 1.5-mile run/walk options along the Deschutes River, with costume contests and post-race bash. Proceeds support a different local charity annually.
• Mistletoe Miler An annual 3-mile untimed fun run and walk along the Deschutes River Trail starting and finishing at Bend Brewing Company, held on the first Saturday of December to kick off the Bend Christmas Parade.
• Reindeer Rush A free children's event (registration required) preceding the Bend Christmas Parade, where kids run a short route down Brooks Alley in holiday attire, receiving complimentary antler headbands.
• Bend Christmas Parade An annual community parade in downtown Bend, OR held each December with judged entries across multiple categories (youth/community, non-profit, equestrian, commercial, government), producing the Bend Christmas Parade under the Cascade Relays Foundation.
• Cascade Relays Foundation The 501(c)(3) non-profit arm of Cascade Relays, founded in 2016, which administers the Hire-A-Volunteer program connecting charity partners with relay event volunteer needs, distributes grant funding to local nonprofits, and provides pro-bono event production support for community events. Has donated over $800,000 to local nonprofits and community groups since 2008.

Quantifiable outcome

• $890K+ donated to local charities since 2008
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Cascade Lakes BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor for Tumalo Mountain in Big Butte Challenge. Craft brewery partner providing beer tokens and support for multiple events.
• 10 Barrel Brewing Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery sponsor for Bend Beer Chase and other events. Provides beer samples at exchange points.
• Bend Brewing CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Paulina Peak in Big Butte Challenge and venue for Mistletoe Miler finish line.
• Wild Ride BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Barnes Butte in Big Butte Challenge. Provides pints for completed hikes.
• GoodLife BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Overturf Butte in Big Butte Challenge.
• Worthy BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Pilot Butte in Big Butte Challenge.
• Bend Cider CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Black Butte in Big Butte Challenge.
• Initiative BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Tam-a-Lau in Big Butte Challenge.
• Kobold BrewingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Smith Rock (Misery Ridge) in Big Butte Challenge.
• Lithia MotorsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor for Cascade Lakes Relay. Major automotive sponsor providing significant event support.
• HydroflaskcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing hydration products and swag for events.
• FootZone BendcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal running store partner for packet pickup, event co-production, and community hub activities. Co-produces I Like Pie event.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of BendcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary of I Like Pie Thanksgiving event. Receives all proceeds from this annual fundraiser.
• Mountain View NJROTC Cadet CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 beneficiary of St. Patrick's Day Dash. JROTC program building leadership through community service.
• Silver Moon BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery sponsor for events.
• Sunriver Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery sponsor for events.
• The Haven CoworkingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPacket pickup location partner for Big Butte Challenge.
• UPP LiquidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Vista Butte in Big Butte Challenge.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vacation Races: Organizes running events at iconic national park destinations (e.g., Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite). Comparable business model of destination endurance events where participants travel to participate, similar to Cascade Relays' scenic-terrain positioning.
• Tough Mudder: Operator of obstacle course and endurance challenges for teams and individuals. Comparable in offering team-based outdoor challenge events with strong sponsor partnerships and entry-fee revenue model.
• Hood to Coast: Oregon-based 197-mile relay from Mount Hood to the Oregon coast, also known as 'the Mother of All Relays.' Directly comparable Pacific Northwest relay race with similar team format, regional heritage, and distance profile to CLR.
• Big Sur Marathon: Nonprofit-operated destination marathon along California's scenic Big Sur coastline. Comparable in combining iconic scenery, destination travel demand, and a registered nonprofit organizational structure (similar to Cascade Relays Foundation model).
• Ragnar Relay Series: Largest dedicated overnight relay race series in the US, organizing team running relays of 100-200+ miles across multiple states. Most direct product analog to the Cascade Lakes Relay, with similar team-based pricing and overnight format.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Track Club: Large membership-based running organization producing the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race and many other mass-participation events. Comparable as a multi-event organizer combining races and community programs at a larger regional scale.
• Spartan Race: Large-scale obstacle course racing brand operating globally with extensive sponsor portfolio (Reebok, etc.). Overlaps with Cascade Relays in team-based outdoor endurance challenge category but at significantly larger scale and broader geography.
• IRONMAN (World Triathlon Corporation): Global endurance event organizer for triathlons, marathons, and ultra-distance races. Broad incumbent in the endurance/mass-participation race organizer space with significantly larger event portfolio and brand reach.
• Rock 'n' Roll Running Series: Major mass-participation road running series (formerly Competitor Group) with marathons, half marathons, and 5Ks across many cities. Comparable revenue model (registration + sponsorship) and event-organizer category, but operates at national scale.

Regional players

• Backcountry Experience / Pacific Crest Sports Festival: Pacific Northwest-based endurance event organizer producing trail races and multi-sport festivals. Comparable regional endurance-event organizer with similar outdoor/scenic positioning, though based in Washington rather than Oregon.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJguHwdGyY2mOo2F5ebVCTQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/cascaderelays
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cascade-lakes-race-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/cascaderelays

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cascade Relays