Adventure begin's here.... in the South Chilcotin Mountains. Sometimes jobs have perks and a couple weeks ago mine certainly did. As a sales rep for Norco Bicycles it's not in my job description to take riders on big adventures. Back in May we ran a very cool contest and called it "Adventure Begins Here". The idea was to Share an original photo that captures what #AdventureBeginsHere means to you for a chance to win an unforgettable mountain bike getaway in British Columbia’s Chilcotin backcountry and also win a new Norco Optic trail bike! I was honoured to have been asked to help take the winner on this ride and document it with my photography. I've spent nearly 20 years exploring every inch of single-track in these hills and helped come up with a classic route that would not disappoint. Geoff Playfair (the legendary Tyax Adventures guide and Whistler's fire chief) would also join us along with Jonathan Duncan.... Norco's Team and Western Events coordinator and awesome film maker!
We boarded Tyax Air at Green Lake in Whistler....
And said goodbye to the Sea to Sky....
And hello to the grassy slopes of the South Chilcotin Mountains....
Lorna Lake came into view....
The stoke was HIGH!
We set off full of energy and adrenaline....
Our winner Eric Meza turned out to be the perfect candidate to win the contest. Already a serious Norco Bicycles fan and owner of a Range and Aurum the 2016 Optic rounded out his quiver perfectly. Eric also had above average bike handling skills and was an avid mountain traveller. Perfect fit!
The guys had a nap on some massive Puffball mushrooms and bonded....
The Big Creek crossing lived up to it's name....
As we entered the historic Little Graveyard valley we were greeted with a pack of wolves howling just above us on the ridge. By far this one of the trip highlights!
We did some learning....
The weather was challenging day one and we got wet.... really wet. The good news was all parties were in it for the right reason's....
After a good day in the saddle we dropped into our final descent to Tyaughton Creek and Bear Paw camp....
The new (old) building was fantastic and we were treated to a great meal and some hoppy beverages from Central City Brewing....
Our steed's were corralled for the evening....
Jonathan spent some time creating hollywood magic....
Some nice accommodations....
The next morning we set off for Deer Pass.... It's always a good omen to meet deer in Deer Pass....
She's a fine piece of single-track....
Nothing matches the vista's of the South Chilcotin's painted hills from this trail....
Up up and Away....
We witnessed a pair of Marmots sparring over a female.... This was also a highlight.
We came from way over there....
A classic shot of Johnny Dunc dropping into the Deer Pass trail that eventually hits Gun Creek!
Good to witness a healthy Grizzly on the way down....
I think I'll just head over here and take a nap in my bed....
Once we were on Gun Creek and rounding Hummingbird Lake the weather finally began to cooperate....
Geoff pointed out these wild onions along the Spruce Grasslands trail. We all ate a few of these delicious treats....
I never get tired of the Mount Dickson view....
We arrived at the Tyax Adventures Spruce lake camp and ate like kings....
As we departed in the morning others were arriving....
Day 3 we found ourselves on the High Trail and Windy Pass....
And dropped into our final decent on the legendary Lick Creek trail....
After a long descent into the Bridge River Valley we found ourselves near Tyaughton Lake so I decided to take the boys to my place where I knew there were some cold ones in the fridge. It turned out to be a fantastic 3 days with 3 likeminded guys who crave single-track just like the rest of us! Adventure certainly begins in the south Chilcotins!
2 comments:
Great photos and story, Pat. An honour to be a part of the adventure, feeling at home, on the Range.
Geoff Playfair
Thanks very much Geoff! It was fantastic to finally get onto the trails with you. I really appreciated all the geology and plant knowledge you shared. It was certainly a highlight to learn more about my favourite place to ride bikes!
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