Tag: kananaskis

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bikes canada general moosling trip reports

Elk Lakes overnighter

Last minute trips are the best trips! We got an invite to bikepack out to Elk Lakes, and who could say no to that?

We’d been kind of planning to hike Arethusa Cirque with Tanya on  the Saturday morning. But it had snowed a lot, and hiking motivation wasn’t high. I struggle more with hiking than biking, and the boy wasn’t in a hiking mood. So rather than fight that, we decided to keep it short, and get to the trailhead for the bike trip.

It was a bit chilly – the forecast had been threatening snow, or maybe freezing rain, or maybe just to be generally unpleasant. We gambled and won. Except for having to carry all those pesky waterproof layers. Thankfully the boy is carrying a bigger load on his bike these days, which helps matters.

We were taking it slow – our friends were already in at Elk Lake, and we’d ended up leaving the trailhead with plenty of daylight up our sleeves (or in the sky, which is where you’d usually keep it).

Anyway, we were pleasantly surprised when we got to Elk Pass to discover this rather awesome gateway feature had been installed.

Some online research showed that it had been installed just recently, and was a joint project between Elkford , Sparwood and Fernie schools and the Ktunaxa nation. The students chose the imagery and helped carve the poles – there’s one pole representing the human elements of the valley, and one pole representing the animals.

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Very cool.

Anyway, it was all downhill from here! Thankfully only literally and not figuratively.

Down into British Columbia we went, with the day actually warming up and turning out pretty pleasant.

On arrival, we walked into Elk Lakes to lie in the sun and throw rocks, and not fall in the lake (much).

After some wood chopping, fire feeding and rabbit chasing outside, it was time for dinner and lego and other important cabin-based fun.

Bikepackers assemble! Elk Lakes Cabin is one of the few bike accessible Alpine Club huts, and definitely a fun destination. It’s not the best beginner/kids bikepack destination though, just because of the number of hills that are a bit demoralising on the way in and out. But if you’re ok with pushing your bike up a hill occasionally – then have at it! It is only 10.5km after all.

Some of the group was hiking out, but the seven of us were biking. At least, mostly biking. Except for the hills that were too steep to bike up, or the hills that were too steep to bike down.

The best bit about joining other families on trips like this is seeing the kids biking together, hanging out and chatting (and  assuming as a result that this is a totally normal thing that all kids do MUAH HA HA HAH!).

All outdoor clothes and gear should only be sold in bright colours. I love the current colour trends!

There’s nothing like seeing kids having a blast battling up enormous hills on their tiny heavy bikes to inspire you to be as awesome as them.

And there’s nothing like convincing a tired kid to keep pushing a bike up a hill to make you really appreciate the times when you’re out on the trail alone and it’s just your own cranky hungry tired meltdowns  you have to deal with.

(He didn’t actually have a meltdown, but it did need some entertainment and bribery to keep him going for a while there)

Once we were over the pass (where we stopped for a nice long lunch in the sun), it was pretty fast going. The other two boys had fatter tyres than Finn, at 2.8″ and 4″ and they really handled the rough track well compared to his tiny 2.1″ tyres – he might have some fatter tyres in his future.

Beautiful day to ride out, and a great trip. Let there be more bikepacking trips with kids!

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bikes canada general

Bikepack Canada Summit overnighter

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The forecast for the Bikepack Canada Summit overnighter wasn’t exactly looking optimal – and that’s even with the summit being shifted back a month closer to summer. The forecast threatened a day of riding in snow, and a possible overnight low of -10oC. Given that it’d been sitting above 25oC for most of the last few weeks, it seemed a bit rude.

Nontheless, eleven happy riders and Jeff showed up to the start, enthusiastic to be getting out riding their bikes. Jeff was a bit worried about a repeat of the freezing cold snow camping temperatures we’d experienced in February, and had just been hoping that someone else would pull out so he would feel like he could too.

After riding up Whiteman’s Gap out of Canmore, they’d be riding a combination of the High Rockies Trail, the soon-to-be-closed track along the west side of Spray Lakes (the current GDMBR route), and the Spray Lakes road – to arrive at Kananaskis Lakes for camping.

Ryan, Sarah and I saw the riders off, and then I packed up the car and took to the road to try and hunt the riders down at various points along the course. The weather wasn’t actually THAT bad – it wasn’t snowing! It was a bit chilly, but not freezing.

I parked near West Spray campground and wandered back north along the High Rockies Trail for a kilometre or so. All of a sudden, a peloton of bikepackers wooshed past me – they were travelling in a pack, at a decent speed.

The next phase of bikepacker stalking meant meeting up with Sarah, and then driving in to Mount Shark together. Based on the speed they’d been travelling, we figured we may as well walk the five kilometres into Watridge Lake. We hadn’t met them by the time we got there, so we turned about and started wandering back towards the trailhead.

Riders! This time they were happy for the excuse for a break and a chat, and to let everyone catch up and regroup. Bikes were ogled, and they commented it was a pretty nice riding temperature.

With promises to catch up with them further along the route, we waved them off once more, then drove past and stopped for photos at the Engadine Lodge meadows. Sadly there was no moose standing in the background to create a perfect Canadian bikepacking photoshoot.

We drove a little further down Spray Lakes road to the High Rockies trail bridge that spans Black Shale Creek. It’s right near the end of the road, just before it starts dropping down to Kananaskis Lakes, and it has access connectors on either side of the creek. So if you’re so inclined, you can ride the road and just scoot up for the bridge experience – or if you’re riding the trail and really really hate heights, you can avoid the bridge entirely.

Sarah and I wiled away some time by going to check out the bridge (and deciding it was so awesome we definitely had to get everyone to ride up and check it out). And then we saw a unicorn!

The riders were duly convinced to ride up to check out the bridge – and they even rode up the hill to get to it (mostly).

Yeah, it’s a pretty awesome bridge. Although what it really needs is a few educational panels explaining exactly how they got it in place, and how it’s being held up. Inquiring minds want to know!

The other bonus of biking up to check out the bridge was some sweet singletrack on the descent back to the road.

And there I waved goodbye to everyone, and left them to enjoy their night of camping, and the snowy ride back to Canmore the next morning.

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bikes canada general moosling trip reports

Bikepack.ca family overnighter: Part II

A post that was split into two not because I have so much story to tell, but because there are so many photos it was getting a little overwhelming.

Before everyone started heading off on their separate ways, we got some photos. Chris and Jeremy and their daughters had arrived at dusk last night, having made it through on the Big Elbow side of the loop. The kids were absolute troopers, and were all set to head back via the Little Elbow side today.

The one hiking family set off back via Elbow Lake, and the rest of us set off on Big Elbow – which hadn’t exactly been the plan originally, but who wants to do an out and back if you have the option to do a loop? And we knew it should be technically possible to get the Chariot through, and seeing as Team Jeremy and Chris had done it… well.

The Big Elbow side of the loop is definitely more technical. Between trail that’s more singletrack in nature (and techy singletrack with rock gardens and roots), and the rebuilt post-flood trail further north, it’s definitely the harder side of the loop.

We made it though! With our vast array of bikes, skinny tyres, fat tyres, towing luggage and kids.

The reroutes built after the flood involve a few steep up and downs, on loose trail. Good hike-a-bike practice!

It’s definitely still beautiful out there though, and one of the advantages of climbing up out of the river valley occasionally are the views you get as a result.

Mike was a bit dubious about this being a Chariot-friendly trail. In my defense I never claimed it to be Chariot-“friendly”, just Chariot-doable, which is a completely different matter.  And at least Zion wasn’t in it when it flipped!

It was warming up as the day moved on. Blue skies, lovely sun, hot summer bikepacking, Canadian Rockies style. And the boy was learning the art of standing on the pedals and cranking up steep climbs.

The river made for a nice cool break by the time we reached it.

Kat and Zion had actually made it over to the far side of the river, but decided to go back and have another go at it, just for fun.  And they made it! I was convinced to try and ride across – it didn’t end so well, my legs just didn’t have enough go in them for the final push, and I scored myself a bruise on my knee that lasted a few weeks.

But a river is a good excuse to stop and snack and throw rocks, even when you don’t have to bandage up a Megan with bleeding legs.

And then onwards – the final push started to feel a bit bakingly hot and dusty, and cheering on the boy proved more challenging. His legs and spirits were beginning to fade.

But then – the suspension bridge that’s essentially the finish line. We made it!

(Oh, and don’t pay any attention to the elapsed time in the Strava thing below, I’m pretty sure it’s counting moving time only, which is only vaguely accurate for this sort of thing … from memory it took about 5 hours to ride out?)

Doug’s write up of the trip is here – his son Tadhg is Finn’s new hero after a couple of bikepacking trips together this summer. Thanks to everyone who came, I’m pretty sure it was fun, but I was so fatigued it was hard to properly enjoy it!

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bikes canada general moosling trip reports

Bikepack.ca family overnighter: Part I

A tentative booking of Tombstone campground earlier in the year turned into a crew  of seven families heading out to the campground, one way or another. In hindsight it might not have been the best option for a big family trip – the idea had been that it’s ideally placed for quick access from the Elbow Lake side, but in reality that side isn’t great for bikepacking, and access from the other side means a longer day for small kids. Oh well! Everyone needs an epic every now and again.

A few of us started from the Little Elbow campground trailhead (whatever the proper name of that trailhead is… the one at the end of the 66!)

Not sure who this cool dude is. Too cool for the likes of me, that’s for sure.

We were riding in via the Little Elbow trail, which means we got to check out the fancy new bridge a few kilometres in. And I could nap on it – my energy levels were still not super high.

After the bridge comes the turn-off to Romulus Campground, and then – the big big hill. Well, really the trail just keeps climbing until you hit the pass, but that first steep hill often feels like the worst of it.

There was a fair bit of bike pushing, but then it got a little more rideable again. If you’re sneaky, you can convince your partner to tow a Chariot with a whole lot of food in it, while you tow your son. Bikepacking in style!

Then we were over the pass and away! Nothing but downhill to go!

And down into the campsite where we  scored some camping spots overlooking the valley. And got to nap some more.

We met Doug there, and the other families started turning up, arriving from various directions and by various modes of travel.

We scored a pretty sweet spot for the tent – and yes, had left the fly at home to save weight.

Zion even learnt how to make fire! Although me, I spent most of the evening napping, and then went to bed as early as I could get away with.

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canada general moosling snow trip reports

It’s yurterrific!

Thanks to the excellent Tanya at Canadian Rockies Family Adventures I won a stay in the Mount Engadine yurt! I might have a thing for yurts. I’ve spent more time than strictly necessary browsing yurt websites and looking at photos on pinterest. I’ve only stayed in one once before though, in Bend, Oregon.

Winter yurting was a bit of a different experience – this yurt is tucked away 100 metres or so past the rest of the Mount Engadine lodge accommodation. A little packed snowy trail winds through the trees and deposits you at the little yurt.

The outside was all piles of snow and exciting icicles. But inside was cozy, snug and warm (although not so warm we weren’t wearing our down booties). There’s a little propane heater that runs to keep it nice and warm inside.

With just two bunk beds and some chairs, this was smaller than the other yurt I’d stayed in – a bit small for comfortable full-time yurt-life, but great for a weekend.

The boys loved playing on the bunks, and in the yurt, but then it was time to get outside – and attempt to get a toboggan run happening in the ridiculously deep fresh snow.

In the end we gave up on tobogganing and just cavorted in the snow.

And then it was off to the lodge for afternoon tea! We decided to take the low way along the meadows to get there. Which seemed like a great idea until Kat and I started post-holing up to our thighs. I ended up crawling/swimming up to the lodge. Swimming through snow is a great workout.

In the lodge we set the boys down with some lego, and enjoyed the delicious charcuterie. This is where I admit this trip was as much about the food as anything.

Which is where I also break down and admit I turned into one of those people who take photos of food. When it came to dinner, I was so distracted with eating it that I got half way through before thinking to take a photo. My mouth is watering again just looking at this photo. Suffice to say it was delicious.

A late dinner, we sat around and chatted, the boys played with cars and watched some videos. I reveled in the little station with tea.  Then we wandered slowly back out to the yurt. The snow had stopped falling and it was a beautiful clear starry moonlit night.

The yurt was warm from the heater, and we had a cozy night’s sleep. The only tricky thing about the warm yurt was the ice that ended up building up in the door frame sometimes, making the door tricky to close well.

Waking in the middle of the night at one point, I wandered out to take a hand-held night shot. Thanks to the bright moonlight, this was actually possible. Downside? When I went to quietly sneak back into the yurt, I just couldn’t get the door to close well. Worried about making a noise, I just stealthily tied the door knob to the wall, so at least it would stay roughly closed.

The next morning I took more photos of food, and we put in our orders for our packed lunches.  As we ate breakfast, the packed lunches appeared on a counter, with our names written on the bags (aww, adorable).

Back at the yurt, Zion napped while we finished our game of Catan. Kat had never played before! Finn was astonished.

Then it was off to ski at Mount Shark, in the gloriously warm inversion. In fresh snow. All in all it wasn’t a very successful ski (we managed 2.4km in two hours), but no children were strangled, and the sun was out and it was wonderfully warm.

Sadly, we discovered that it was about 15oC colder in Canmore. Always sad news. But the Engadine yurt is awesome!