Mini Marvels Meet the Mountain

By Justin AndressThe Mountain Times

During the week of July 7, the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort played host to an eclectic group of car enthusiasts who descended on the mountain to show off their Minis. Mini Meet West 2025 provided ample opportunity for fans of the iconic vehicle to compare notes, learn about their cars, and bask in the glow of 60-plus years of automotive history.

Anyone who knows the Mini solely by its latter-day BMW model, the Mini Cooper, is missing out on a rich and expansive swath of history. The first Mini rolled off the assembly line in 1959 as a low-cost alternative for commuters. Indeed, that’s how Oregon Mini Society President Eric Newland first met and fell in love with the car.

Perhaps that’s why the Mini Meet West draws so many curious onlookers. The first Mini Meet West was held in Reno, Nevada in 1973. Over the next several years, the Mini Meet West traveled to locations across the West Coast. For these enthusiasts, traveling to scenic locations is an opportunity to explore the world in the driver’s seat of their favorite cars.

“I’ve been into Minis since I was five years old,” he says. “My father drove it to work to save money because gas prices were so high. I always thought it was a car just for me, because it was my size. The car is iconic.”

Although it started as an everyday car, it wasn’t long before Formula 1 racing legend John Cooper took notice of the little car in 1961 and quickly recognized its potential for customization. He installed a larger engine, improved tires and brakes and a few other upgrades to transform the cute commuter vehicle into a terror on the race track.

Over the next 60 years, the Mini continued to expand its influence and touch the hearts of drivers across the world. “We celebrate every version of the Mini,” says Newland of the Mini Meet West. “Whether it was built in 1959 or it just came off the lot at Mini of Portland.”

According to Newland, Mini of Portland is instrumental in the group’s reach. Not only does the dealership serve as a regular meeting place for the group, but it also provides the massive selection of service parts required to maintain this decade-spanning car.

“You’ll see everything here,” says Newland. “From a stock 1959 model with an 850cc engine meant for a commoner to a John Cooper S with all the bells and whistles meant for the track.”

Assembly line Minis and souped-up racers aren’t the only Minis that made it to the gathering. Several attendees showed up with decked-out Minis made to resemble everything from a Minion to an old truck (just smaller).

Among the travelers were Jesse and Norman Nelson, who made the trip from Redding, California, with their famous Ecto-1/2. The pint-sized version of the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 has received official acclaim from Sony (the owner of the Ghostbusters license). The Nelsons have loved Minis for decades. 

What keeps them coming back? They say the best part of owning a mini is, according to Norm, “The friends that come with them.”

Jesse is quick to add, “The minute you buy a Mini, you have a built-in community that’s not just in the United States. It’s worldwide.”

While attendees may have traveled for the cars, the gorgeous Mt. Hood area ended up stealing the show. “This is our 30th anniversary of hosting Mini Meet here in Welches,” says Newland. “So it means a lot to return the Mini Meet to such a beautiful, special place. We’ve been hearing people coming from other parts of the country who are just shocked at the beauty we have in Welches. So we’re excited to show them a good time this week.”

In the end, it seems fitting to match such a gorgeous location with such an iconic vehicle. As Newland explains, “People recognize the Mini around the world.” It’s only appropriate, then, that those passionate drivers can enjoy their iconic cars in the shadow of another worldwide icon.

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