Jerry Willows - Breaking his Chilcotin Cherry - Part II Added

I think you need to think of riding the Chilcotin like backcountry skiing. Being out in the relative wilderness and traveling through amazing vistas needs to be reward enough as the riding itself is just singletrack (for someone who's used to riding technical trails on the Shore). Just like BC skiing, you will spend way more time climbing than descending so you better enjoy just being out there.

.

I would agree with this for sure. The down is just a part of the ride.

Part II here...

lets be clear, unless you stayed on the ridge between crain and north cinnabar all the way to the giant scree slope that dumps you to the saddle you did not do ridgearamma. you rode north cinnabar. which is a good (better?) ride , but distinctly not ridgearamma.

Nice Jer!

I thought there was a trail through the meadows now since that route has gotten more popular?

lets be clear, unless you stayed on the ridge between crain and north cinnabar all the way to the giant scree slope that dumps you to the saddle you did not do ridgearamma. you rode north cinnabar. which is a good (better?) ride , but distinctly not ridgearamma.

Joe - u feel N cinnabar is better? Is there much more climbing on Ridgearamma and do u know if u can access it from the high trail road direct from the bottom skipping Taylor cabin and camel pass….looks like u can on the map…thanks.

Joe is correct. I thought it was Ridgearama but it is North Cinnabar trail. We couldn't find the trail in the basin and when we managed to do so at the end(thanks to the GPS and Lee's tracks) it was barely used, overgrown, massive fall down, super swampy, big creek crossings. Not recommended.

did Lorna with Paulo and friends yesterday for his bday, the riding is freaking incredible the scenery breathe taking, and I've never thought the riding hasn't been worth it on any of the rides I've done up there, even the 'mediocre' stuff….some of the best descents of my life have been up there….lick, b[HTML_REMOVED]f, windy/gun meadows, lorna, deer…..so good, yeah it's a lot of climbing to get to, but being a small little speck in massive wide open mountains is a feeling second to none.

Agreed. even if you are hiking and riding for hours to get to the best descents ever, it is worth it, even before you take into account the epic scenery and belittling awesomeness of the mountains.

Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I love it up there. Try to make it up there for 3 or 4 days at a time a couple of times a year.

Thanks Jerry for the write up [HTML_REMOVED] great photos.

did Lorna with Paulo and friends yesterday for his bday, …

Will you be writing this up as a trip report?

I think you need to think of riding the Chilcotin like backcountry skiing. Being out in the relative wilderness and traveling through amazing vistas needs to be reward enough as the riding itself is just singletrack (for someone who's used to riding technical trails on the Shore). Just like BC skiing, you will spend way more time climbing than descending so you better enjoy just being out there.

I second that. I remember riding the first time in the Chilcotins in 2004, from Jewel Bridge to Spruce Lake and back, and although I was pooped at the end of that day, I loved the feeling of being totally immersed in the mountains and with Mother Nature all day, regardless of whether I was hike-a-biking or riding down. That feeling never left; I go to the Chilcotins at least once, usually twice a year. Speaking of which…

I second that. I remember riding the first time in the Chilcotins in 2004, from Jewel Bridge to Spruce Lake and back, and although I was pooped at the end of that day, I loved the feeling of being totally immersed in the mountains and with Mother Nature all day, regardless of whether I was hike-a-biking or riding down. That feeling never left; I go to the Chilcotins at least once, usually twice a year. Speaking of which…

Exactly … that's why I love backcountry skiing and am heading back to the Chilcotins this year after my first taste last year. That area will definitely be a yearly bike trip spot for me.

Joe - u feel N cinnabar is better? Is there much more climbing on Ridgearamma and do u know if u can access it from the high trail road direct from the bottom skipping Taylor cabin and camel pass….looks like u can on the map…thanks.

you can climb the high trail road if you want. but its not a climb most people would enjoy. I refer to it as the puker and have had people tell me they hate me after the first 1/3 ;)look closely at that topo. smallest gear out of the saddle in spots. I have gone camel pass -[HTML_REMOVED] hightrail road junction and turned left. it's ok. but like a lot of lee's routes, I do things just to mix it up.

on that note I get the want to mix it up. but taylor is one of the best / easiest climbs I have ever done to get the the alpine, anywhere. I've seen windy climbed 99% of the way with a few rest stops. I'm not that fit but the same goes for camel. shit a 13 year old girl has been known to ride taylor over camel in 3.5 hours. not to be a dick, just a realist, if your not a fan of taylor you'd best get in better shape before tackling bigger alpine rides.

as for the ridge line vs N. cinnabar. its is a ridge line with big exposure in spots and a bit more hike a biking. good in it self, but not my go to.

I've riden in the Chilcotin's for almost 20 years. The key to remember is just enjoy the experience. It takes a few trips to dial in what is needed to take.

Some nice loops are Tyaughton lake ride up to Taylor basin, High trail to Windy pass and then down to Spruce lake. Then ride out Gun creek back to Tyaughton lake. Best time was around 6 hours and that hoofing it. Only pushed a very short distance up past the old mine site. I'd count on 8 hours for most fit riders.

The ride up Gun creek from Jewel bridge to Spruce is always nice. Take the high trail to Spruce a better route then sticking to Gun and then pushing all the way to Spruce.

Jewel bridge to Deer pass and out Spruce lake to Jewel Bridge is 12 hours and not advised as a day ride. Greg Stoltman can attest to that. He collapsed and slept for a bit while my friends packed up his stuff.

My favorite is to go into Graveyard. Camp there and do some day trips from there. Dil Dil plateau is very nice. I have a picture taken within a few feet of Lee Lau when he went up into that same basin. We hoofed it up to the ridge to ride the Plateau.

There are just so many possibilities and you do not need to use float planes or horses. Just go self contained and you are free to ride anywhere. Three day trips are optimal as well but two day trips can still cover lots of terrain. Don't forget Slim Creek there are some really nice rides further south with very different topologies. Then there is Paradise Valley, Misty Mountain, Big Dog, Shulaps, Yalakom etc. Truax might have something to offer. Did that once back in 92 and never went back. First and only mechanical in the Chilcotins where I taco'd a wheel.

I'd be happy to provide suggestions and might even try for a ride this fall. Looking for willing participants/victims.