Coordinator: Mike W
Type of Ride: Backcountry Advanced
Distance: 65km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1300m
Anticipated Pace: 10 km/hr overall, very terrain-dependent
Duration: About 7 hours moving time, 9-10 hours including stops
We will travel as a group. No one will be left behind.
PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO START TIME TO GET YOU AND YOUR BIKE READY
https://www.explor8ion.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fording-river-pass-004-1400x668.jpg
DISCLAIMER: This is an exploratory backcountry trip. I've researched it using a variety of sources including guidebooks, maps, various web resources, Google Earth, etc., but I haven't done this trip before. Even if this were a trip I had done many times, it takes us high into the backcountry wilderness, far from mobile phone coverage and motor vehicle access. It will involve walking our bikes up (and maybe down) steep sections and/or rough terrain, crossing streams, and maybe turning back if conditions are bad (we'll be doing the expected roughest section first). In case of mechanical breakdown or injury, it's conceivable that we'll have to spend the night out there, so we'll need to bring extra warm clothing and shelter.
This is a 65km backroads and backcountry route starting about 3km south of Highwood Junction on Forest Service Road (FSR) 940, and ending on Hwy 40 about 9km south of the winter gate in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (PLPP). We'll be riding on a combination of gravel and dirt roads, ATV and snowmobile trails, and hiking and XC ski trails. Other than PLPP, all of the route follows sections of the Great Divide Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. They'll take us high into the backcountry over the continental divide at Fording River Pass, then down into BC where we'll follow the Elk River FSR up to the Elk Lakes and over Elk Pass back into Alberta. From Elk Pass we ride on the Tyrwhitt and Pocaterra XC ski trails which connect to Hwy 40 about 9km south of the PLPP winter gate. We'll have a vehicle shuttle to take us between the finish and start points.
Expect spectacular scenery over most of the route. See https://www.explor8ion.com/2019/06/15/armstrong-mount-bolton-fording-river-pass/ for photos of a recent bike and scramble trip that includes the section from Highwood Junction to Fording River Pass.
There are no facilities along the entire route. You'll need to carry all the food you'll need for the entire trip. We can fill up on water from streams along the way, but bring water purification tablets or drops.
There are no facilities where we park, about 3km south of Highwood Junction. The store at Highwood Junction may be open, but I wouldn't count on it.
Of the total 65km, about 25km is on track/trail, 20km on grass/dirt double track, and 20km on gravel. There's a total of about 1300m ascent and 1150m descent along the route: 800m ascent and 100m descent to get to Fording River Pass, 100m ascent and 900m descent to get to the Elk River FSR, 350m ascent along the FSR to Elk Pass, and 50m ascent and 150m descent from Elk Pass to Hwy 40.
This ride is suitable for mountain bikes, or heavy-duty gravel or cyclocross bikes with lugged tires that are at least 44mm / 1.75" wide, and gearing set up for grades up to 10% (above which, we'll walk!). Your bike shoes must be suitable for hiking in, i.e. they need to have a tread, and if they have cleats the cleats need to be recessed inside the boot sole.
Participants should ensure their bikes are in excellent condition and bring along more drink, food, clothing, safety, repair, and first aid gear than they would normally bring on a road ride.
- If you don't want to get your bike shoes wet on the stream crossings, bring a light second pair of shoes or sandals for the crossings.
- Bring water purification tablets or drops, or take your chances with the water quality.
- Bring a headlamp and one spare set of batteries in case we come out in the dark.
- Also enough warm clothing and shelter (bivy bag, huge plastic bag, space blanket, etc.) to be able to spend the night without freezing).
- You should also bring bear spray if you have it. I have a couple of extra cans I can lend out.
