Are These the Most Diverse Roads in North America?
If you’re searching for a diverse place to test tires, look no further than Oregon.
Recently, we joined more than 200 vehicles for a rally that spanned from high desert to snowy mountains, lush rainforests to lava fields.
Many of the drivers were on our tires. Here’s what we learned from the experience.
When we say all weather, we mean it
As we carved our way through the treetops of Oregon’s Little Alps just before sunrise, things started getting slick – or at least the sheen on the road led us to believe that, because the tires never had an issue. Our three-peak mountain snowflake-certified Nokian Tyres all weather tires cruised through the black ice and carved through patches of snow.
The stakes were high – the Anthony Lakes mountain pass towers more than 7,000 feet above Eastern Oregon, with sharp drops plunging into the valley below. But the traction of our Nokian Tyres WR tires held firm, and we didn’t slip once.
Surviving bumps in the road
Hamza El-Falah put the all season Nokian Tyres One’s pothole protection to the test. He took his BMW e30 on remote gravel roads near Leslie Gulch, Oregon and came away thrilled with his tires’ toughness.
“I had a lot of anxiety about driving on gravel, but everything performed beautifully,” Hamza said. “I was driving freely throughout the route. When we hit gravel, it was perfectly smooth and comfortable.”
The Nokian Tyres One comes a Pothole Protection warranty – it’s reinforced with puncture-resistant Aramid fibers that protect the tire against blowouts. And the tires proved their toughness in some extreme Pacific Northwest conditions.
Cross-country road trip companion
Matt Kwiek did not have a quick journey to Oregon. His 28-hour Mercedes journey on the Nokian Tyres One began at his home in Tennessee.
“It was incredibly uneventful, which is how I like it,” said Matt. “The tires are fantastic. Good grip, super quiet, super comfy. I’ve always liked the Hakkapeliitta tires…and you really sold me with the [Aramid] sidewalls; it was a really good fit for what we were doing.”
Hugging the turns
Highway 242 is 37 miles of driving bliss. From the idyllic mountain town of Sisters, it traverses above the treeline into barren lava fields that form a bleak void climbing to the snow-capped Sisters peaks. Then, black rock gives way to verdant green pines accented with vivid fall yellows as you descend into the McKenzie River Valley.
It’s hard to know whether there’s more joy as a driver or passenger. If you’re riding shotgun, you can fully bask in the painted landscape. If you’re the driver, you can snake through the hairpin turns with a fresh challenge around every corner.
It’s a tricky road, but our all weather tires laughed at the challenge before them. Handling was secure on the damp rainforest tarmac, giving us peace of mind to enjoy every turn – and there were a lot of them.
We like to showcase the peace of mind our tires offer for all conditions, and we encountered nearly every possible condition during the Overcrest rally. Whether on snow or frost, rain or heat, straight roads or winding ones, our tires helped us make the most of a truly beautiful journey.
Looking for where to buy Nokian Tyres products? To find a dealer near you, visit our Dealer Locator.
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